Slowly brew the years and gently cook the Tea, enjoying half a day of casual family chat. In winter, sitting around a Kettle, pouring your heart out in conversation, listening to the boiling water, and savoring the joy of cooking tea is an extremely poetic affair.
Tea drinking methods are generally divided into two: cooking tea and brewing tea. Brewing offers rich flavors, pleasant broth colors, and allows one to experience the changing taste with each infusion, while cooking provides a stable flavor.
Differences Between Cooking and Brewing Tea
01
Difference in Amount of Tea Used
For brewing, about 3-6 grams of tea is usually sufficient; for aged dark teas or oolongs [aged Tieguanyin or aged Yancha], more can be used, approximately 7-10 grams. When cooking tea, the amount of tea should be reduced to about one-third of the usual brewing quantity. It's best not to use too much tea to achieve the optimal flavor.
The specific ratio can be adjusted gradually based on the type of tea and the amount of water. The principle is to use less rather than more tea, as using too much can affect the taste.
02
Difference in Suitable Types of Tea
Gaiwans are suitable for brewing any type of tea, as there is no tea that is difficult to handle in a gaiwan. Gaiwans have a large opening and a smaller base, which allows the tea aroma to release to a greater extent.
When it comes to cooking tea, choosing coarser and older leaves is generally more suitable. Coarse leaves tend to contain a more balanced mix of substances and higher stored sugars, ensuring that the cooked tea is not overly bitter or astringent, such as aged white tea, dark tea, and aged Oolong tea [aged Tieguanyin or aged Yancha].
03
Difference in Taste and Aroma
To make tea taste better when brewing, it's important to get the right amount of tea and water temperature. Cooking tea can release more of its internal substances, resulting in a richer broth flavor.
04
Difference in Suitable Scenarios
There are many scenarios suitable for brewing tea:
1. When relatives and friends visit, prepare a pot of tea to entertain them.
2. When going on a family outing, pack a bottle of tea to quench your thirst on the way.
3. In the office or study, enjoy tea while working or reading.
Cooking tea is most suitable on cold winter days, as perhaps nothing warms our body and soul more than cooking tea.
During the process of cooking tea, accompanied by soothing music, from heating water to cooking and tasting the tea, the rhythm is gentle and comfortable, and has a ceremonial feel. Through physical stillness, it promotes mental tranquility, allowing one to relax emotionally throughout the process.
Three Teas That Are Much Better Cooked Than Brewed
01
Aged White Tea
Aged white tea is a slightly Fermented tea made from fine, young leaves with a lot of white down on their backs, dried under the sun or over a gentle fire. Its Silver-white down gives it the characteristic of “green dressed in white.” Because white tea is not kneaded during processing, after brewing, the leaves remain intact and spread out, with a mellow aroma and a light broth color.
02
Dark Tea
Dark tea is a post-fermented tea, using relatively coarse old leaves that undergo a long period of heap fermentation, resulting in a rich aged aroma and a thick, full-bodied taste. The broth is often a deep brown color.
03
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea belongs to the semi-fermented category. Oolong tea combines the richness and freshness of black tea with the clarity and fragrance of green tea, featuring the unique “green leaves with red edges.” Oolong tea is suitable for brewing but can also be cooked, though it should not be boiled for too long to avoid an overly concentrated tea liquor, which can affect the taste of the broth.
Particularly, aged Tieguanyin [traditional old-process Tieguanyin, after charcoal roasting and stored for over five years] becomes more flavorful the longer it is cooked after several infusions, eventually revealing an enchanting woody aroma.
In summary, teas that are generally older in age, fully fermented or heavily fermented, and have a sweet, rich, and strong character are more suitable for cooking. These teas, due to their processing techniques or having been refined by time, have lost their initial rawness and coolness, with their nature becoming warmer. Moreover, these types of tea tend to have coarser leaves, a more balanced mix of substances, and a higher content of stored sugars, so they do not become overly bitter or astringent when cooked.