Gunpowder /Zu Chá

Origin and preparation

Tea of gunpowderOf cañon (??;pinyin: Zhu chá) Is a style of Chinese green tea originario ofThe province of Zhejiang, in which each leaf has been coiled forming a bolita small and rounded. Nowadays, the Gunpowder no only produces in the province of Zhejiang, but also in the provinces of Guangdong, Anhui, Hunan and Fujian. Out of China find it in Taiwan and Sri Lanka.

The fresh leaves marchitan, bake to the steam coil and finally dry . In the past each leaf coiled manually, practical that to day of today reserves for the upper qualities. The coiled does that the leaves are less susceptible to the physical harm and the break, what allows them retain more flavour and aroma, and preserve his freshness. This method of preparation of the tea applies overcoat in green teas or Oolongs.

History

The production of Gunpowder #trace to theDynasty Tang(618-907), but it was entered for the first time in Taiwan in the 19th century. Fué One of the favourites of the emperor Kang Xi (1661-1722 dC) of the dynasty Qing, #turn a tea of Imperial Tribute.

It is one of the varieties that first exported from Asia at the beginning of the 1600, being very popular in Europe and America on the 1700, commercialising then under the names of Perla Green and Hyson the one of inferior quality.

Councils to the hour to buy Gunpowder

Varieties of Gunpowder:

• Pingshui Gunpowder(????) : The most common variety and original of the tea of the gunpowder with big perlas, better colour, and an aromatic infusion, what sells eat “Temple of the Heaven”OrPinhead Gunpowder,The first, a common mark of this variety of tea. To this category correspond oursChinese Gunpowder UpperAndChina Gunpowder Organic.
• Formosa Gunpowder: A tea of style gunpowder grown inTaiwanNear ofKeelung, it affirms that his characteristic own aroma, different of the ofThe province of ZhejiangGunpowder grown in the continental Chinese.
• Ceylon Gunpowder: A cultured variant inSri Lanka, generally to upper heights to 1.800 metres (6.000 feet).

• Several types of green tea are commonly enrrollados in style "gunpowder" like theChunmee,Guanyin Huang, andDing Dong, as well as many othersoolongAnd some teas of jasmine of tall range.

Etymology

InChinese, the Gunpowder calls Zhu chá(??, literally "tea of the perla" or "tea of accounts").

The origin of the English term can come of similarity of the tea in the appearance of grains of gunpowder: bolitas of dark grey colour and of irregular form used like ammunition for arms of fire in the 18th century. The name also can have arisen of the fact that the leaf of grey colour-green is coiled in a small ball and "explodes" in a long leaf when being submerged in hot water. Another explanation is that the tea can have a flavour ahumado.

Also it is possible that the English term can come from of the Chinese sentence(Mandarin)For "recently fact",bang paó(???), that sounds like the English word "gunpowder".

Preparation of the infusion

Although the methods of preparation vary amply by the individual preferences and tea, a teaspoonful of tea of loose leaves (2g) recommends for each 200 ml. The ideal temperature of the water for this type of tea is among 70 ° C and 80 ° C For the first and second infusion, the leaves have to reposar around a minute. Also it recommends that the tetera and the glasses heat previously, enjuagándolas with hot water. The colour of the infusion can be darker that some oolongs. It can vary of a clear amber to a strong copper colour with a dye of green light to a brilliant green colour olive.

The flavour of the Gunpowder describes often like thickness and strong, similar to a soft honey, but with an aroma slightly ahumado. His flavour can have some memory herbal, mentolado or spicy.

It consumes without milk neither sugar, unless it use in the preparation of the tea moruno, to the that adds fresh mint and sugar Candy.