The tea difference
The time for tea is now. We’ve guzzled down countless sago shakes, sipped lattes in the ubiquitous cafes that have emerged in our metro’s every corner, and witnessed the war between the sugar-free sodas. We have been offered and promised refreshment, better health, Zen bliss, and even longer life with a single sip (and several purchases) from the drink-of-the-moment. We’ve seen and drunk them all, from reinvented favorites to completely new creations, yet the quiet and mysterious allure of tea endures. More than ever, it is time for us to go back to the basics and rediscover the goodness of tea.
What is it about tea that continues to draw us in? Its versatility and universality allows us to enjoy it in a plethora of ways. Tea can be taken plain, with a squeeze of lemon, with a little milk, or with a hefty serving of sago. A hot mug can make a sore throat feel better and a cold glass can sweeten a meal. However, it is truly the classic and familiar flavor of tea that titillates all our senses and soothes them at the same time.
Hard to believe that all this comes from dipping a teabag into hot water; then again, that’s not really where the flavor comes from. It starts from the harvest of the Camellia Sinensis plant, from which all tea originates. The unique flavors of tea come from its environmental and climactic conditions, depending on the region where it was planted. Everything — from the soil and water to the amount of care the tea grower gives — contributes to the unique flavor. Glossy whole leaves and young new shoots are harvested for the finest freshness possible. The oxidation process that tea goes through also affects the color and taste of tea, but all through natural chemical reactions.
If you’re completely mystified about the different flavors of tea, perhaps you’ve been relegating yourself to the “tea dust” found in instant brews. According to Master Tea Blender David DeCandia, whole-leaf teas are the future of teas. In the recently held Tea Appreciation Seminar held in the cozy Paseo de Roxas branch of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, he explained that whole-leaf teas allow the tea leaves to keep their delicate and natural oils. Wrapped in little mesh pyramid pouches instead of flat commercial teabags, these leaves are able to unfurl and release their full flavors into the water. This results in an incredibly flavorful cup of tea.
With his vast experience in tea origins and flavor creations, David is the perfect guy to introduce Filipinos (and our waiting taste buds) to a whole new world of flavors from tea. As a Master Tea Blender, he knows everything about creating exclusive flavors for a perfect cup of tea, from sourcing essential ingredients all over the world to scrutinizing the production process. After the production comes the “cupping,” a term used to describe what a tea taster does during the evaluation of tea. It takes an experienced and expert palate to be able to evaluate tea, from its potential flavor to its possible defects. The participants in the Tea Appreciation Seminar also got to discover the cupping process, where they sampled different tea blends of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. David, who is also part of the Tea Association of the
The Tea Appreciation Seminar is just another one of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s projects in keeping with their vision of providing customers with an extraordinary collection of unique, hand-picked, and premium whole leaf tea. For almost 50 years now, they have been dedicated to providing only the best and most flavorful blends. “Our company is probably one of the few establishments whose exceptional drinks can be attributed to our efforts to directly source superior tea leaves and coffee beans from all over the world,” says The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s Marketing Director Paolo Del Rosario. Their commitment to quality makes them the best place to discover the aroma, body and flavor of tea and coffee as well.
Indeed, the time for tea is now. Amid our agitated clamor about other drinks, their tastes and benefits, tea has been quietly waiting. It already has the most powerful quality — flavor — but it’s something that has to be experienced. Diverse cultures have enjoyed tea as an important part of their traditions, from the East’s exquisite tea ceremonies to the West’s afternoon “high tea.” It is our turn to celebrate the finest teas in the world, and there are no rituals required — just a visit to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.
