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Information:
Gunpowder tea is produced like green tea but after the steaming process
the tea is tightly rolled into what appears to be pellets. When
boiling water is poured over the leaves they quickly expand and in some
cases can almost fill the cup. Royal Gunpowder is an especially good
green tea for the following reasons:
- the base tea comes from some of the best estates in Sri Lanka
- the tightness of the rolled pellets give excellent flavour when made
into tea.
- The region where the tea is grown - Dimbula - is a high grown area
producing full bodied flavory tea. In Dimbula the peak quality time is
during February when northwest monsoons create dry weather conditions in
Dimbula.
Royal Gunpowder tea is manufactured in very limited quantities from
specific requests due to the time and diligence required to manufacture
this high quality tea. It is very difficult to achieve such a tight
roll on the leaves tightly this particular tea I able to be stored for
along time without any deterioration in quality.
Tea was planted in Sri Lanka by the British in the 1860’s after a
coffee rust wiped out the then primary agricultural coffee crop. At that
time the British East Indies Company had a near monopoly on tea, with most
of Britain’s needs coming from China. Relations between China and
Britain were quite rocky during this period (on account of the opium
trade) and tea in Sri Lanka looked like a great way to diversify
supply risk by ‘the company’. This gunpowder is made in the Chinese
tradition but also benefits be superior quality tea.
Hot tea brewing method: When
preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The
secret is to use water that is about 180’F or 80’C. Place 1 teaspoon
in your cup, let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying
a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the
water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the
flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the
brew, not only do they foretell your fortune but you can see the bud and
shoots presenting themselves, looking like they are about to be plucked.
Alternatively as with all top quality teas, scoop 2-4 teaspoons of tea
into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has been freshly drawn
(previously boiled water has lost most of its oxygen and therefore tends
to be flat tasting), steep for 2-4 minutes (to taste), stir (virtually all
the leaves will sink), pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar
since green tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.
Iced tea brewing method: (makes
1 litter/qt) : Place 6 tsps of tea into a teapot or heat resistant
pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5
minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into
the straining the leaves. Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold
water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh
brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be
poured over ice and diluted with cold water.]
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