The Assam variety of black tea is produced from an Indian variant of Chinese tea plant “Camellia Sinensis”. It is a hybrid version of the original “camellia sinensis” tea plant is suited to Indian climate and terrain.  Indians had been hooked onto Assam long before it entered London tea market in 1830. It soon replaced ale and gin as the most popular British drinks and went on to create tea traditions, tea gardens and designs for English pottery and porcelain. Thus, black tea had spread across the world, and Assam variety of black tea was one of the leading teas sold in international tea markets. It was enjoyed for its characteristic robust taste which awakened millions out of their morning laziness and relaxed them after a long tiring day at work.

In India, it is traditionally steeped with milk, cream and a sweetener. Tea is like a national beverage, enjoyed across the country. Every region has its own particular brewing style; some brew it with milk, some drink it straight up without milk, and some brew it with a lot of spices. Its spice version is very popular in northern parts of the country, where Assam black tea with spices is popularly known as “masala chai”. Spices like cloves, ginger, cardamom etc are added while brewing and make it a perfect cup of “hot” tea in winters.

Assam tea has an equally refreshing preparation for summer as well. Black tea with lemon is a chilling summer drink. It is made as iced tea. It’s a rather old and traditional preparation, but continues to be one of the favorite household summer drinks, despite stiff competition from modern artificially flavored drinks.  Assam black teas are particularly known for their rich and robust taste. However, one needs to be a little careful not to turn one’s tea bitter by steeping the tea for too long. Instead, use a higher amount of tea leaves per cup for a cup of higher strength. This tea is remarkable smooth and malty, and goes very well with sweet foods.

Apart from its famed malty taste, there is yet another reason to drink this rich black tea. Black tea is fast making waves as the new health drink. It is finally coming out of the shadows of green tea and white tea as a health drink. The flavonoids contained in black tea are said to reduce LDL cholesterol, and as a result lower the risk of coronary heart disease. It exerts a therapeutic effect on intestines and gastric system and helps relieve diarrhea. It contains antioxidants which damage free radicals and hence protect from a number of diseases.  It is also said to retard the aging process, and is widely used in anti-aging creams and lotions. Just a couple of cups of black tea daily will help keep you looking young and glowing for much longer. It speeds up metabolism and burns undesirable fat fast. It comes in as a handy supplementary drink for weight loss aspirants. Its fluoride content strengthens tooth enamel and prevents cavities.

This tea is a Chinese specialty, honed by skilled Chinese artisans over centuries. Tender tea leaves are picked early in the morning while they are still dew covered. The leaves are flattened and dried. They are gently roasted or steamed to stop fermentation. It is this absence of fermentation which imparts the final product a fresh natural taste.  Now comes the artistic step of binding tea leaves with flowers or flower petals. Rose, jasmine, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, amaranth, calendula, lily are the flowers generally used to create flower teas. These flowers are tied within the tea leaves and sewn into small bundles. Sewing the tea and flowers requires deft skill. Usually a cotton thread is used to integrate tea leaves and flowers into various shapes like balls, mushrooms, hearts, peaches, and cones.

This tea is a perfect decoration for a special celebration. It is its brewing process which holds all the charm. A glass teapot is an indispensable companion for this tea. For a dream evening, put a flower tea ball into a transparent glass teapot and place it on the center table of the room. You can further accentuate the effect by spreading a beautiful, floral tablecloth. You may even match it with soft background music. Keep warm water ready in a separate pot. When you wish to serve tea to your guests, pour warm water into the glass teapot. The beauty begins to unfold and unfurl in a gentle graceful motion. Slowly, the flower ball blooms into a fascinating pattern of flowers and leaves right in front of your guests. You can be assured of spellbinding enchantment.

Along with exceptional beauty and rare charm, this tea also has unique taste. Sweet floral essence and taste seeps into the naturally sweet green tea to create a palatable drink. The infusion also absorbs the fragrance of flowers and results in an aromatic beverage. The aroma fills in the entire room, and you can enjoy the scent of flowers as you savor the delicious liquor.

While you revel in the romantic charm of this beautiful drink, you would perhaps not even register the immense nutrition that you are consuming with its every sip. Green tea is an established health drink known to help weight loss, promote better metabolism, strengthen immune system, stabilize blood glucose levels and thus control diabetes. Green tea is also effective in controlling cholesterol levels and prevents cardiovascular complications. Its antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body and delay the onset of aging. It keeps skin soft and supple and checks the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Flowers further boost its nutritional content with minerals and essential oils.

So you have happily sipped onto a health supplement without even knowing it, and without making the effort of forcing down a bland flavorless liquid. Now you know that flowering tea actually blooms beauty and health both.  Sure you would not like to miss out on this amazing drink, and check out your nearest tea store for a flower tea variety straightaway.

White tea is a rare delicacy. It is grown only in very few areas of the world and only a small number of tea bushes are allocated for early harvest to produce white tea. As it is scarcely produced, it is also a bit more expensive than other varieties of tea. But as the demand for white tea is picking up, more tea estates are diverting their resources to the production of white tea. An increased supply is likely to bring down the prices and make it more easily affordable for the masses.

Producing white tea is a meticulous affair. It takes perfect soil, climate, water and sunlight to produce an exquisite cup of white tea. White tea is mainly grown in the Fujian province of China where the physical conditions are ideally suited to grow white tea. It is produced from select high grade tea bushes. The best quality strands of the tea plant are carefully tended and grown before being harvested. The youngest tea shoots, covered with soft white hairs, are plucked from these tea plants early in the spring. The silvery white down gives the tea a uniquely delicate appearance and texture. The leaves are plucked by hand and are gently steamed. The leaves are then left to dry on the field itself. There is absolutely no machine used throughout the entire production process.Noble, Long Life Eyebrow (Shou Mei); White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) ,Silver Needle (Yin Zhen),Snow bud  are some of the world famous varieties of white tea.

Brewing a fine cup of white tea is an art in itself. White tea should not be brewed in stale water that has been sitting in the kettle. Instead, it should be brewed in fresh cold water or spring water. The tea leaves must not be added to boiling water as that can kill the tea’s delicate taste. White tea is ideally brewed at a temperature around 180 Fahrenheit.  Preferably, you can boil the water and let it sit for a few minutes before adding tea leaves to it.

The quantity of white tea leaves brewed per cup also needs to be carefully determined. As white tea is less dense than other tea varieties, more of it is required to brew a single cup. You may start by brewing two teaspoons per cup and then gradually adjust to a quantity according to your own individual taste. Next, the duration of time for which tea is steeped is perhaps the trickiest part of the entire process. White tea is brewed at a gentle temperature but for a longer time. The length of time it is steeped determines its strength. The first steeping may last from 5-8 minutes while the subsequent steeping may last anywhere between 3-4 minutes.

However, you need not restrict drinking white tea to only the traditional brewing style. You may check out the latest white tea preparations which beat imagination as to what all dishes and drinks can be made out of white tea. You can make a stunningly refreshing iced white tea punch by adding fructose and lemon extract to it. It may be served with fresh fruits. White tea can also be used to make tea soufflé, smoothies and white tea brownies.