Fine teas in bags or loose leaves

The varieties of fine tea are many, as many as there are the customs of the different countries that involve the leaves of this extraordinary plant. Although certainly all of these are noteworthy, here we will focus on the main, best known and most valuable variants, which in any case are not few. You can enjoy all these delicious drinks comfortably at home, with the wonderful preparations available here on Spaghetti and Mandolin, shipped in packaging designed to best respect the products and make them arrive wherever you want

Types of fine tea: characteristics and properties

Fine teas: green tea

Green tea, as can be deduced from the brilliant color of the leaves used and the delicious drink that derives from them, is not a type of fermented tea. After being collected, the leaves are dried by placing them in the sun, placed on bamboo trays, so that the process is faster compared to what happens in the case of black tea, avoiding fermentation. This is why these types of fine teas have a lighter color than black teas, and it is always for this reason that they are very rich in antioxidants and have less theine. Alternatively, the leaves destined to become these fine teas can also be dried in large woks or using l&' using water vapor, as is customary in Japan, China or more generally in Asia, where this type of tea is very common and loved. Finally, the Japanese Matcha green tea is worth noting, very particular because it is not found on the market in leaves, but in finely chopped powder, also used in the country of origin to prepare

Fine teas: black tea

This type of tea, with a darker color and stronger aromas, is mainly produced in India and Africa. Because the leaves are fermented, black tea has much more character than the others and also contains a higher amount of protein than all other variants. The freshly picked green leaves from the tea plant are placed on large wooden trellises placed in a ventilated and sheltered environment. Here you wait until the leaves have lost about half of their moisture, and it is at this point that they are rolled to make sure that the enzymes that start the fermentation come out. This process can have a variable duration: if you ferment poorly, you will obtain a kind of variety of green tea, if the fermentation continues for too long, the drink will lose quality. After this process, the black tea is ready to be dried and it is at the end of this process that it will be ready to be infused, after determining the quality based on the size of the leaves. These fine teas are ready to be enjoyed as they are or with l&' the addition of honey, milk or lemon. Finally, black tea, such as Ceylon and l&' Assam to name a couple, is often used as a base for

Fine teas: white tea

White tea is perhaps the most particular of these fine teas. In fact, it is quite rare and sought after by connoisseurs, more for the quality of the raw materials rather than for the processing that is careful but meager. In fact, to obtain high-quality white tea, it is necessary to collect the buds of the plant, available only for a short period of time during spring. At this point the processing is carried out: the leaves are placed back to &' shade and there they rest for a few days, withering, and then being dried. Given the fast and minimally invasive processing, the properties of the plant remain intact, maintaining a strong antioxidant power. It is precisely to keep these properties and the delicate aromas characteristic of this variant intact that white tea should be prepared with water that is not too hot. Often the most valuable varieties of this drink are very rare, as is the case with Yin Zen tea, which is harvested only once in &'

Fine teas: red tea or Rooibos

This drink, commonly called red tea, is actually obtained not from the processing of tea leaves, but from the leaves of a &' another plant, Rooibos, from which it takes its name. Rooibos, also called Redbush, is native to &' Africa, an area where it is cultivated and processed, following the same procedures that are used to obtain other varieties of tea proper. Red tea is the national drink of South Africa, particularly appropriate as a definition, given that the plant from which it is obtained grows only on the highlands of &' the southwestern area of this country. The resulting drink is not bitter, pleasant both hot and cold and free of theine; in Africa it is even considered an elixir of long life.

Fine teas: Oolong tea

This particular variety of tea, sometimes also called blue tea, is produced in China through a &' partial oxidation of the leaves of the tea plant. Its peculiarity lies in the degree of oxidation of the leaves, which is halfway between that of the preparation with which green tea is obtained and that of black tea. The same types of Oolong tea can be very different from each other, only due to a small change in preparation, which usually varies depending on the area of China where the processing takes place

Fine teas: flavored tea

Finally, let's mention a variety of tea that, rather than adding to the previous ones, constitutes a cross-cutting category. Flavoured teas, in fact, are those drinks that, based on a traditional green, black or white tea, combine this with different aromas. Although the most common flavored teas are often prepared with black tea leaves, there are many varieties on the market. These drinks are usually obtained with l&' adding dried flowers, spices, fruits or citrus peel to the classic leaf mixture.

In short, whatever your favorite variety of tea, don't worry, we're sure you'll find it here, and even if you don't have one, you can always be inspired by