Cha Dô Organic Tea Specialties
Tea is the most popular beverage worldwide. Subsequent to water it is even the most drunk one. In countries like Japan, China, India, England or Turkey tea is an integral part of the national daily routine: Japan without a tea ceremony or England without tea time? Unimaginable. In many parts of Asia offering tea has been a sign of hospitality for millennia, too. The world champions in tea drinking are not the British, Turks or Chinese, but: the East Frisians. With a per capita consumption of 300 liters per year, the East Frisians are the undisputed world champions in drinking tea. But as the southern German coffee drinkers push down the average, Germany is not listed in the top 10 of the tea drinking nations.
East Frisia not only has a high tea consumption, it also has an own tea ceremony. The ”Teetied“ (tea time) is celebrated up to four times a day: in the early morning, around 11 o’clock, in the late afternoon and in the evening after 8 o’clock. The most important component of this pillar of the Frisian way of life is the ”Ostfriesentee“ (East Frisian Tea): a tea blend mainly consisting of Assam. It must be very dark and very strong. At first, a large piece of rock sugar, the ”Kluntje“, is put in the empty teacup. Freshly brewed tea is then poured over it. Finally, a spoon of cream is added to the cup. And very important: Do no stir! Since the special thing about the East Frisian Tea is its three phases. First the cool cream layer, followed by the bitter taste of the tea and then the sweet sediment at the end! An absolute treat! No wonder that the East Frisians drink that much tea.
The Western tea market was dominated by black tea from India and Africa until the late 20th century. Meanwhile, however, more and more Europeans prefer green tea. Its stimulating effect develops slowly and pleasantly, making it ideal for longer office work. Unlike black tea, green tea is drunk less hot and mostly without milk and sugar. The main difference between green tea and black tea lies only in the processing of the fresh tea leaves. For green tea, the leaves are simply dried, for black tea, they are fermented. In connection with tea, the term fermentation is a bit misleading. Strictly speaking, it is oxidation. By rolling out the tea leaves in a humid environment, the leaf cells break open and the escaping cell sap reacts with oxygen. The question of the stage at which the oxidation is suppressed is decisive for the character and taste of the tea. While the oxidation process is not allowed at all in green tea, the fermentation of black tea takes several hours. A targeted interruption of the oxidation results in semi-fermented tea. The best known varieties are Oolong and white tea.
The Cha Dô Organic Tea Specialties take you to a world of incomparably rich and sophisticated flavors. Cha Dô is part of a worldwide network of 32 organic tea producer groups with 35,000 smallholders and 8 plantations in India, China, Africa and Vietnam. Fair prices, a high tea quality and outstanding standards for organic tea cultivation characterize this partnership. Only the crucial question, whether black or green tea is the better tea, must be answer by the customer himself. Even if you are not a coastal inhabitant: The East Frisian from Cha Dô brings Frisian tea culture to your home. Cream and Kluntje are a must of course. Resist the temptation to stir and enjoy a unique tea experience.
Similar to champagne that is only allowed to be grown and produced according to strict rules in the wine region of Champagne, there is a very high quality tea, which also has the name of the region, it is grown in: Darjeeling. The unfermented version of the tea classic surprises with a pleasantly light aroma. But the black tea has its fans as well. Purists appreciate it for its typical aroma, which needs neither milk nor sugar. Cha Dô Jasmine Tea is the gentle introduction to the world of green tea. The basis of this fine tea with the sweet flowery jasmine flavor is Zhen Mai green tea. In a complex process it is flavored with a large amount of jasmine flowers, that later are removed again thoroughly. Lovers of original tea should try the Cha Dô Vietnam Suoi Bu from the Yen Bai province in Northern Vietnam. In the mountains near the Chinese border, the leaves of the wild tea trees are collected and processed to a very special green tea.
”A day without tea is a day without joy,“ says an old Chinese proverb. With the Cha Dô Organic Tea Specialties you have many months of indulgence and joy in front of you.
