I’m near the end of a box of green tea, which came in individual teabags which, however, were not individually sealed in airtight envelopes. Recently I’ve noticed that it looks and tastes more like traditional brown or black tea, and has lost that vegetal, herbal quality that green tea is known for. I’ve been using it every day, so it’s not like the box has been up there in the cupboard for years.
So my question is, does green tea go through a natural aging or fermentation process after you bring it home?
My understanding is that black tea is just fermented green tea. England became used to black tea, becaues by the time it arrived in the ships it had already fermented.
With the understanding that fermenting tea has nothing to do with bacteria or the usual procedures of fermenting. Fermenting tea requires the processor to crush or bruise the fresh tea leaves, releasing enzymes in the plant cells that convert some of the compounds in the tea to new compounds. Heat destroys these enzymes. So after some amount of time, ranging from minutes to hours, the bruised and now blackened tea leaves are baked to dry them and stop their fermentation. The now dry tea leaves are shredded, sorted, and bagged. The amount of time and the degree of bruising determines the final kind of tea. Obvously, one can get a wide variety of teas this way.
Green tea consists of the same tea leaves which haven’t undergone this process.
cite: Harold McGee’s “On Food and Cooking The Science and Lore of the Kitchen”. A wonderful book!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You are now on my Christmas card list for the rest of your life. I first read a review of that book in Caltech’s Engineering and Science 20 years ago. Much later I decided that I wanted a copy, but by that time I had long forgotten the name of the book and the author. I owe you an eternal debt of gratitude.
I first read a review of that book in Caltech’s Engineering and Science 20 years ago. Much later I decided that I wanted a copy, but by that time I had long forgotten the name of the book and the author. I owe you an eternal debt of gratitude.