PURPLE DENDROBIUM : BLOSSOM AGAIN

This is one of my orchid collection.
I have no expectation to this orchid.
This Dendrobium is my old collection.
The last blossom was five years ago.
Actually, I have forgotten that I collected this orchid in my garden.
Three weeks ago, when I was tidying up my back yard, I found a spike with three flower buds on it.
I found the verticulture rack that full of poor orchids.

This is the buds in March 21.

Two days ago, March 23.

Today...

I hope this orchid will bloom longer, and safe from the rain and wind.

A GREEN-BUSY SUNDAY

Yesterday, we had a busy Sunday.
Me and my family visited my brother in law house.
On the way, we had a beautiful sight seeing along the country road.

Tanjungsari Tea Plantation

Tanjungsari Tea Plantation

On the way home, we visited a nursery.
We have planned to buy some fruit plants as a pot plant.

The seedling and little plants

I was so busy to choose the plants, and my children played with a cute cat.

Playing with kitty

Finally, I bought variegated guava, salam, Annona muricata, Annona squamosa, and Jeruk Purut (Citrus Hystrix).

Variegated guava and Annona

Salam

In the late of afternoon, we visited to my parent house.
And we went home in the evening, after a windy down pour.
Now, I have to prepare to plant all the little fruit plants.
I hope I have a friendly weather for planting.

TEA WALK : PART 7

TEA TASTER
Every tea factory will produce their best product by tight quality control through the tea tasting process which guarantee that tea in the market will have good quality, based on the quality standard of tea.

The implementation of tea tasting includes the evaluation of:
Appearance: color, evenness, cleanliness from stalk and fibre, shape and size.

The shapes evaluation is done by spreading tea on melamine or paper tray and compares those to the standard. 

The size uniformity evaluation is done by using a mini filter with the holes which have been adjusted to evaluate tea type and then counting the presentation of uniformity
Infusion water: the color of water, strength, and aroma.  
Water color is examined by observing the infusion on a bowl and infused leaf is examined by moving it to the cup cover and observe it.

Appearance of infused leaf: colour and evenness.

Source : Indonesiatea

The implementation of tea tasting is conducted very carefully. 
First, the tea powder is measured as 2.8 grams or 5,6 grams in weight then poured by boiled water from cup with 110 cc or 220 cc in volume and covered until 6 minutes. 
The aroma is examined by smelling the vapour of tea infusion by opening cup cover a little. 
Then, to evaluate the taste of infusion, the water is poured into a bowl and the evaluation is done by tasting those infusions.
A tea taster uses a large spoon and noisily slurps the liquid into his/her mouth - this ensures that both the tea and plenty of oxygen is passed over all the taste receptors on the tongue to give an even taste profile of the tea. 
The flavor characteristics and indeed leaf color, size and shape are graded using a specific language created by the tea industry to explain the overall quality.

A tea taster is a professional person, that optimizing all of their senses to evaluate the tea quality.
It needs so much practices and also talent.
So, it's not easy to find a good tea taster.
They have a very important role in determining the quality of tea in a tea factory.

A tea walk with my family

I live in highland with there are so many tea plantation surrounding.
My Grandma usually made her own tea.
She planted Camellia sinensis as a hedge on her yard.
The traditional homemade tea have a special taste, much bitter, darker and a bit smell of 'burning wood'.
So much pleasure on tasting so many different teas.
Are you a good 'tea taster' too?

Accompany Forestry Scouting in a Tea Walk

Tea is like a way of life for so many Indonesian people.
It's became a part of our tradition, our culture.
Tea walk is a popular term in Indonesia, it's mean a garden tour in a tea plantation and also visiting to the tea factory.

Playing on the sidelines of tea bushes, a 'green rug'

Actually I want to share you more and more.
Maybe next month I will share you about another interesting side of tea.
I hope you enjoy this 'Tea Walk', and have a nice week end.
Thank you.

TEA WALK : PART 6

Scented & Blended Teas
Most brands of tea sold in the market usually have a unique blend of the brand from a variety of different tea leaves. 
Good taste of high quality tea usually can cover the taste of low quality tea, so the tea quality can be improved and can be sold at a more reasonable price.  
Tea blending process will keep the taste of a particular brand of tea held steady throughout the period.

Historically, teas scented with the blossoms of flowers were first produced during the age of the Ming Dynasty in China, an era during which their arts and textiles, including fine porcelain, embroidery, and paintings, embodied beautiful and elaborate floral patterns. 
The most enduring tea developed during this time and considered a classic, is the jasmine scented green tea, a favorite still today throughout northern China and indeed much of the world.

Teh melati (Jasmine tea)

The most popular scented tea in Indonesia is Jasmine tea. 
Jasmine tea is made by mixing the jasmine buds ready to bloom.  

Before being mixed with jasmine buds, leaf tea must go through humidification process that can be attached to the fragrant jasmine tea leaves.

Melati gambir (Jasminum officinale)

The best scent is came from Melati gambir (Jasminum Officinale).
Jasmine flowers will be picked in the morning when the tiny petals tightly closed. Jasmine flowers then kept cold until sunset.  
In the evening, when the jasmine petals begin to open, the tea leaves mixed with jasmine flowers and then stored overnight.  
Through the night jasmine flowers will open and release their scent into the tea. 
It takes four hours or so for the tea leaves to absorb the fragrance and flavor of jasmine flowers, this process can be repeated as many as six or seven times.  
Tea absorbs moisture from fresh jasmine flowers so that the tea should be heated to prevent spoilage.

Jasminum officinale : full bloom, ready to bloom and young buds

The typical of jasmine tea flavor is mellow and sweet.
The taste of tea is usually regarded as a lightweight and easier to enjoy. 
The fragrant of jasmine flower will spread when the jasmine tea is brewed, and the taste is sweet soft.
So, the jasmine tea is became  favorite beverage in my family.
Ideally, the best jasmine tea starts with plucked tea leaves which are steamed to produce green tea. 
The scenting operation is usually carried out in the evening, when the plucked but unopened buds begin to pop open and release their fragrance. 
The leaves are then refired, to remove the moisture in the blossoms and preserve the taste. 
Now, we can also find black and oolong jasmine scented teas.

Another traditionally scented tea is the Rose tea, which are large leafed black teas scented with rose petals.  
Other scented teas is fruit scented teas.
The traditional fruit scented teas include the Lichee tea and  citrus tea.
Both of them which is a black tea scented with the juices from the lichee or citrus fruit. 

Today, there is a great variety of scented teas available in the market. 
Some of the more successful new blends start with green, black, or oolong teas that have been scented with  fruits aroma as apples, mango, grape, blackcurrant, strawberry, or pineapple.

The other popular tea are teas that include chocolate, ginger, vanilla, mint, coconut, or even a combination of these bold and new flavors.

Reader, do you like scented tea too?
Have a nice week end with your own tea.

TEA WALK : PART 5

Black tea is the most popular tea in the world.
Black tea represents approximately 72% of total consumed tea in the world, whereas green tea accounts for approximately 26%.
Both green tea and black tea come from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis var sinensis. 
The leaves for black tea are fully oxidised while those for green teas are lightly steamed before being dried. 
Let's check the differences on processing method:

Green  Tea Processing
Camellia sinensis -> partial withering -> steaming/parching -> rolling & drying -> final firing -> green tea (non-oxidised)

Black Tea Processing
Camellia sinensis -> Indoor withering -> rolling -> oxidisation -> 
final firing -> black tea (oxidised)

Now, we have know about the processes.
Black tea have lots of grade, but the green tea only have a few grade on the classification.
There's no grading on traditional green tea. 
But In modern factories, they do grading on their green teas product.
Black tea have complicated process also the tea classification.
Let's check it up...

PF, BT, BOP

There are two method on black tea processing, they are Orthodox method and CTC method.

The orthodox production method:
This production method consists of five stages:

1. Whitering; The freshly picked green leaves are spread out to dry on ventilated trays. During this process, approx. 30% moisture is extracted from the leaves, making them soft and pliable for further processing.
2. Rolling; The leaves are then rolled by applying mechanical pressure to break up the cells and extract the cell sap. After 30 minutes, the leaves, still damp from the sap, are sieved to separate the finer leaves. These are spread out immediately for fermentation, while the remaining coarse leaves are rolled for a further 30 minutes under higher pressure.  A short rolling time produces larger leaf grades, while longer rolling breaks the leaves up more resulting in smaller grades. During the rolling process, the essential oils responsible for the aroma are released.
3. Fermentation; the tea is spread out in layers approx. 10 cm high for one to three hours in a cool, damp atmosphere to finish off the fermentation process.  In this production phase, the green leaf gradually turns a copper color. The color and typical odor tell the person supervising the process how far the fermentation has progressed. Various chemical reactions cause the leaf to heat up during fermentation. It is critical for the quality of the tea that the fermentation process be interrupted at its peak, when the temperature is at its highest.
4. Drying; the tea is dried with hot air at a temperature of approx. 85º-88ºC in order to interrupt the oxidation process. The residual moisture is thereby extracted from the leaves, the extracted sap dries on the leaf and the copper-colored leaf turns dark brown to black.
5. Sorting; the dried tea is sieved to separate the different leaf grades. The orthodox production method provides teas of all leaf grades: leaf, broken, Fannings and Dust. Leaf grades only refer to the leaf size, however: they are not necessarily an indication of the quality of the tea

Broken Tea; made from young leaves

Broken Orange Pekoe; made from pekoe

Pekoe Fanning, made from pekoe

Bohea; the crudest part that made from the twig and older leaves

Dust; the smallest part of black tea

The orthodox method is very popular in Indonesia.

The CTC production method
CTC stands for crushing, tearing and curling. 
The CTC method is mainly used for the finer end of the scale, i.e. fanning and dust grades.
These teas are usually destined for teabag production. 
The withered leaf is often cut to a uniform size by machine. 
Then the leaves are fed into the CTC machine where they are crushed, torn and curled in a single operation by metal rollers. 
The extracted cell sap is collected and added to the leaves again. 
The crushed leaves are then fermented, dried and sorted.

Sorry, I just take a few pictures about the tea classification.
Actually there are more than 20 grade on the black tea classification.
And I only collect 13 various grade of black teas.
The best quality is orange pekoe.
Orange Pekoe is a classification based on the origin of black tea leaves.  
To be classified as Pekoe, tea should be taken from the new plants grow.  
Part of the new plant is comprised of a leaf bud and two youngest  leaves below.
I'm not a tea expert, so it's difficult for me to differ each grade, all look similar.
Next, we will talk about modification of tea.
Have a nice tea time...

TEA WALK : PART 4

Basicly, tea grouping based on the level of oxidation : 

WHITE TEA

White tea is made from leaves hardly processed, nearly ‘raw’. 
Tea made from the leaf that does not undergo any oxidation process and not plucked protected from sunlight to hinder the formation of chlorophyll.
White tea is a lightly oxidized tea.
White tea comes from the buds of Camellia sinensis var sinensis plant. 
The leaves and buds are allowed to wither in natural sunlight before they are lightly processed to prevent oxidation or further tea processing.
The name "white tea" derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, which gives the plant a whitish appearance. 
The beverage is not white but pale yellow.
It probably has the most health benefits. 
It is called white as the brew ranges from pale white to a light brown.
The white teas go through a minimum of processing that consist of just two steps - plucked leaves are fired or steamed immediately after the withering process. 
Because the leaves do not undergo the rolling-to-oxidation process, white teas have the least amount of caffeine and yield a fresh, natural flavor. 
White tea is produced in much smaller amounts than other types of tea, in very limited quantities, so the price becomes more expensive.
The finest quality white teas are made from leaf buds that are plucked just before they open, and because they are not rolled, the finished product often retains the fine silvery needles that existed on the buds themselves. 
Some research also indicates that white teas have more health benefits than green tea.


GREEN TEA
Green tea is made from Camellia sinensis var sinensis plant.
The tea leaves are used as green tea usually processed immediately after picking.
After the leaves undergo oxidation in a minimal amount, the oxidation process was stopped by heating.  
Green tea is partially fermented tea.
The leaves are picked in the same manner as for black tea, but they are immediately steamed (in Japan) or fired (in China) to halt the enzymatic properties that would otherwise lead to oxidation.
In traditional Japanese way of using steam (kukus; Javanese) or traditional Chinese way by roasting in a hot pan (sangan; Javanese).  

Traditional green tea (firing process)

Green teas brew is pale yellow to green/brown. 
The firing process will produce light brown color, and the steaming process will produce pale yellow or green color.
All the research on the health benefits of tea have come from green tea. 
China and Japan produce most green tea.

 OOLONG TEA
Oolong is a Chinese tea that is a transition between green and black tea. 
It contains some of the properties of both.
They are often referred to as "semi-fermented" tea.
When the leaves are harvested, the tea maker must ensure the leaves are not picked too soon and the leaves quality is fine.
The leaves are immediately taken to an area where they are wilted in direct sunlight.
After this withering process, the leaves are shaken in bamboo baskets to lightly bruise the edges of the leaves.
The leaves are then spread out and rolled alternately to dry and oxidize.
The oxidation process is stopped in the middle between green tea and black tea which usually takes 2-3 days .
The oolong teas generally undergo a shortened oxidation period, anywhere between 12% to 70% fermentation.
Depending on the length of the oxidation process, the resulting tea can be anywhere between a green and black tea.
When the oxidation is complete, the teas are fired and then rolled. 


BLACK / RED TEA
Black tea is the most popular tea in the world. 

The leaves are ‘fired’ to a brown dried condition. 
Black teas usually have the most caffeine and are the strongest in taste. 
They are the red wines of the tea world.

Black tea is good for morning times, and for iced tea.
Black tea is divided into 2 types : Orthodox ( tea mixed with traditional processing methods ) or CTC ( Crush, Tear, Curl). 
Orthodox tea types and CTC still divided again according to the quality standards appropriate post-production leaf, Orange Pekoe.
There are basically four steps to producing black teas: 
Withering; the freshly plucked leaves are spread out and left to wither until the leaves lose some of its moisture, stiffness, and much of its weight. 
Rolling; the withered leaves are put through a rolling process, usually done by machine, but still done by hand in some regions.
This process releases the natural enzymatic properties of the leaf to begin oxidation. During this process, the chemical properties of the leaf changes, bringing about the leaf's coppery red color and deep flavors. 
Firing; the enzymatic oxidation process is halted using high heat, usually by firing the leaves in hot pans or large drying vessels. The leaves will turn black and the majority of its moisture is expended. 
Grading; the teas are graded for quality and then packed.

Trunks part of black tea

Next, we will talk more about difference between green tea and black tea.
Enjoy your tea time.

TEA WALK : PART 3

Tea leaves and shoots from the plantation will be processed in a tea factory.
The factory is usually located  in the plantation area.

 

The first step is grading the raw material.
To get the high quality tea, we have to use the fine plucking shoots.

Tea grouped by the way of processing. 
Tea leaves will soon wilt and oxidize if not dried quickly after picking. 

 

The drying process makes the leaves turn dark, due to the breakdown of chlorophyll and element release tannins.  

Air drying process

The next process in the form of wet heating with steam in order to evaporate the water content in the leaves and the oxidation process can be stopped at a predetermined stage.

Processing of tea leaves is often referred to as " fermentation " despite the fact that the use of the term is not appropriate. 
Tea processing does not use yeast and no ethanol is produced just like the actual fermentation process.
Processing tea can cause fungus that resulted in the fermentation process. 
Tea that has been fermented with mold should be discarded, because they contain toxic substances and carcinogenic elements.
Next, we will talk more about the grouping of tea.
I hope you enjoy your tea time.