Page 112 - #85 en

T

of different types: green tea (unfermented),
oolong tea (semi-fermented), black tea (fully
Different from the British tea culture, fermented) and black tea (post-fermented).
Therefore, Cantonese boast the taste buds that
the Chinese one adds the idea of have long been accustomed to the stimulation
and enjoyment of varied tea.
Shi Chen (meaning two hours) in their elaborate. Older people can choose the gentle
The tea that goes with snacks can also be
day/night drinking. Pu’er to warm their stomach. Scented tea, also
known as jasmine tea and belongs to green tea
category, is made by adding jasmine flowers
to green tea; It has the effect of removing oil
and grease. Chrysanthemum tea is cold in
nature and can help to cool down the heat in
hot summers or balance the body heat. Oolong
tea is a mild choice and best for the taste.
Divide Time with Three Cuppas In addition, we can take into consider-
ation the production season when we make
Life is about tea. Canton has to be choices. The seasonal tea would be fresher,
mentioned here. Different from the British and the local tea is relatively mature in the
tea culture, the Chinese one adds the idea production process. We can also introduce the
of Shi Chen (meaning two hours) in their idea of the 24 solar terms, which are embraced
day/night drinking. in the four seasons and rotates in turn with
Cantonese drink tea three times a day: the time. Choosing suitable tea according to
in the morning, afternoon and evening, among the solar terms can also play a multiplier effect
which the morning tea is the most elaborate. of health.
Teahouses start their business at four o’clock The 12 Shi Chen of the day, like the four
in the morning, offering a wide variety of seasons of the year, goes on and on with the
snacks and hot tea. Although it is just a break- rotation of yin and yang.
fast, tea is important and indispensable. The
common tea drinks are scented tea, Oolong
tea, Tieguanyin, chrysanthemum tea and
Pu’er. The family normally sits around a table,
eating and drinking until satisfied before
kicking off the new day with full energy.
Friends, family gatherings or retirees take the
morning tea as a chance to kill time. Canton-
ese call their way of tea drinking “savoring
tea”, and the aroma of tea, along with the
exquisite, delicious snacks, have long been
integrated into their life.
Cantonese are good with all kinds of tea,
and very open-minded to all categories of tea.
This is inseparable from the rich production
of all kinds of fermented tea in the province
due to its geographical environment. The local
tea includes unfermented Zhanjiang steamed
green tea (湛江蒸青绿茶), semi-fermented We can also introduce the idea of the 24
Phoenix Dancong (凤凰单丛), and the Yingde solar terms, which are embraced in the
black tea (英德红茶, one of the world’s four four seasons and rotates in turn with the
time. Choosing suitable tea according to
high fragrance black tea). The extent of fer- the solar terms can also play a multipli-
mentation is a key factor in shaping the flavor er effect of health.

112 113