{"id":17750,"date":"2016-11-02T08:49:58","date_gmt":"2016-11-02T15:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/?p=17750"},"modified":"2016-12-09T04:10:58","modified_gmt":"2016-12-09T12:10:58","slug":"red-tea-no-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/red-tea-no-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Tea No. 9 : Plant-Based Food In China"},"content":{"rendered":"
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VegNews<\/a>\u00a0– ~ Concern for health, humaneness, and the environment has led to the vegan Chinese population to increase to more than 50 million. ~<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

2013 article<\/a> & BBC audio – ~ An estimated 4 to 5 percent of the Chinese population\u00a0eats a plant-based \/\u00a0cruelty-free diet, which means more than 50 million Chinese people no longer eat meat or dairy\u2014this is a larger number of herbivores than in the US. ~<\/h4>\n

HappyCow Listings in\u00a0Guang Dong Province – by city –\u00a0<\/strong>Chaozhou<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Dongguan<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Guangzhou<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Foshan<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Huizhou<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Jiangmen<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Jieyang<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Meizhou<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Shantou<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Shenzhen<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0Zhaoqing<\/a><\/h4>\n

\u00a0HappyCow – all China – here<\/a>.<\/h4>\n

<\/span>Meat reduction is official Chinese government policy<\/span><\/h2>\n

June 2016 – full article here<\/a>\u00a0– ~ The Chinese Communist party has found unusual allies among Hollywood celebrities, with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron involved in a series of new public information adverts encouraging Chinese people to consume less animal flesh to help the environment. ~<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

Also from\u00a0June 2016 – full article here<\/a> – ~ Speaking alongside Cameron, Schwarzenegger reports health benefits of cutting down his meat and dairy intake on the advice of doctors. \u201cI\u2019m slowly getting off meat,\u201d he says, \u201cand I tell you: I feel fantastic.\u201d ~<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

\"teaestate\"<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Plant-based food & excellent teas compliment each other – my opinion<\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/span>In all of China, but especially in\u00a0Guang Zhou (formerly called Canton by Europeans) the capital of China\u2019s Guang Dong Province, you can source some truly wonderful teas \u2013 \u2026\u2026with ease – \u2026\u2026& at very reasonable prices.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>I now live for a large part of each year in Guang Zhou City, Guang Dong Province.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Vegan \/ plant-based food is noticeably becoming increasingly available & increasingly popular.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>New eating places are opening regularly, serving excellent quality food & often super-excellent quality teas.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Tea sales help to fund some of our library projects.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>‘Buyer beware’ applies which ever country you live in. You work to know your produce suppliers – you encourage them to know their suppliers.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>caveat emptor \/ ‘buyer beware’ – the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>……<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Guang Dong Black \/ Red\u00a0Teas<\/span><\/h2>\n

I discovered fine Chinese teas as a youngster in the UK.\u00a0I (somewhat eccentrically) brewed them in 18th<\/sup> Dr. Wall period Worcester blue & white soft paste teapots<\/a>. I drank them from tea bowls of the same period. I ran an antiques business! These were \u2018copies\u2019 of Chinese ceramics.<\/h4>\n

Some of the best Guang Dong Black (red after brewing) Teas are produced at Yingde City<\/a> (\u82f1\u5fb7\u5e02 Ying-de Shi) in Guang Dong Province (\u5e7f\u4e1c\u7701 Guang-dong Sheng).\u00a0Yingde has been a tea producing area since the Tang Dynasty. During the early Ming Dynasty, Yingde tea was chosen as a tribute to be given to others. Yingde black tea, Yunnan Dianhong and Anhui Qihong are jointly known as the top three black teas in China<\/a>.<\/h4>\n

<\/span>The tea made from the tea cultivar Ying Hong No. 9 \u2013 is a favorite of mine. The dry leaves are blackish – they are red-brown after being brewed.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>This tea comes from Yunnan Big Leaf tea trees \/ bushes (\u4e91\u5357\u5927\u53f6\u79cd Yun-nan Da Ye Zhong) which are grown\u00a0in Guang Dong Province.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>People use a variety of names for it –\u00a0Ying Hong No. 9, Red Tea No. 9, Yingdehong Tea, Guangdong Red, Guangdong Black, Ying De Black, Yingde, Ying Hong…..<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>In Yinde City is is not expensive for us locals.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>\u00a0120g tins are 69 Chinese RMB & 220g tins are 178 Chinese RMB here in China.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Talk to me, if you would like to try some.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"yingde9-580\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>Straight.<\/span><\/h5>\n

\"yingde9-milk-400\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>With a little plant milk added.<\/span><\/h5>\n

<\/span>……<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>The story of my best supplier, is that three years of research between 1956 and 1959 produced a particularly delicious Guang Dong Black (Red) Tea. It was named Ying Hong No. 9 (\u82f1\u7ea2\u4e5d\u53f7 Ying Hong Jiu-hao). In 1959 the tea was first mass-produced using machines and factory processes. It is now one of the most famous black teas in China.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>The family which I work with have\u00a0their own small tea processing plant in Yingde, where they make their teas. They buy tea cultivar Ying Hong No. 9\u00a0tea leaves from relatives & friends.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"teabush3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"teabush1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"teaplucking2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>Plucking is carried out by hand. The tips, the first leaf, and the second leaf are plucked.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>The production of Ying Hong No. 9 is carried out during April and May. The tea is regularly tested to ensure that it is free from pesticides.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Tea type:<\/strong> Black \/ Red\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

\"teadry\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>Shape of the dry leaf:<\/strong> It is robust, tightly rolled into slim strips.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Color of the dry leaf:<\/strong> It is dark black in color and looks glossy and lustrous with golden tips.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Aroma of the dry leaf:<\/strong> A mild sugar syrup flavor with a flowery scent. When brewed, the liquor gives the same refreshing aromatic profile.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"tealiquor\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>Color of tea liquor:<\/strong> When brewed, the tea produces liquor with a thick red color, which is lustrous and bright.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Tea taste: <\/strong>Smooth and thick. The taste lingers on the tongue and mouth, and gives a refreshing note with a rich but mellow aftertaste.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"tealeaves\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>Brewed leaf:<\/strong> The brewed leaves show a bright brownish red color, very consistent and even over the leaf, indicating good quality and well-made tea. The brewed leaves are thick, soft and elastic \/ tender and they can even stick to the finger.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Drink it black or white?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Ying Hong No. 9 is often drunk straight with no additions. It is also second to none when you look for a plant milk tea. Since originally this tea is very smooth, when it is combined with soya milk, or with another plant milk, the taste is unimaginably smooth. (Shock \u2013 horror – some truly bizarre folk mix Ying Hong No. 9 with cow juice).<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Since the tea is quite thick and with a strong body, it is suitable to serve together with a wide range of cakes or pastries.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Water<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>When using tap water, use a water filter that consists of activated carbon.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>When using mineral water, choose a natural mineral water.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>I personally do not like to use distilled water or reversed osmosis processed water. These waters lack mineral content and thus the taste of the tea is too soft and a little plain.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Soft water is better than hard water. Brewing Ying Hong No. 9 with hard water makes it taste bitter, while soft water makes it taste gentle and sweet.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>The softness of a water is written as TDS: \u2018total dissolved solids\u2019. You need to choose water with a TDS of below 200mg\/liter.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Brewing Temperature<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Use boiling water. Do not boil your water for more than a few minutes. The Chinese say that boiling for too long concentrates the minerals and the character of water may change to hard water.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Brewing Time<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>The traditional teapot to use for Ying Hong No. 9, is a Yixing red clay teapot.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Make sure to rinse your chosen tea pot with boiling water for about 10-20 seconds in order to warm it up. In China the usual initial brewing time is about 30 seconds. Ying Hong No. 9 is suitable to make multiple infusions \u2013 as many as 5 or 6.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Some non-Chinese people like using considerably less leaf and brewing Ying Hong No. 9 for around four minutes.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>No matter how long it is brewed for, Ying Hong No. 9 maintains its smoothness and mellowness.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Quantity of dry leaf to use<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Your choice \u2013 I like my Ying Hong No. 9 strong. I fill approx. 20% of my pot with dry leaf.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>No stewing!<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Once a brewing is completed, make sure to pour out the Ying Hong No. 9 until the last drop. Leave the teapot lid open while waiting for the next brewing. This is important to maintain the taste of each subsequent brewing and also to avoid the Ying Hong No. 9 tea leaves from being over cooked.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Storage of Ying Hong No. 9<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Once a bag of Ying Hong No. 9 is opened, I would finish it within 3 months. Of course it is safe to consume Ying Hong No. 9 even if it is kept for a few years.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Ying Hong No. 9 must be tightly sealed before it is kept in storage. It should be kept in ambient and dry conditions such as in the living room, but it must be completely away from humidity. It should not be kept in a humid kitchen.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Aged Ying Hong No. 9<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>It is hard to conclude which is better between fresh and matured Ying Hong No. 9. It is dependant on individual preference. In general, elderly Chinese people prefer a more matured taste of tea.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Ying Hong No. 9 is often kept for a year or longer in order to mature.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Although the strength of flavor remains the same, the type of flavor changes during the storage period. It changes to a drier-fruitier flavor.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>……<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>History and Culture of Guang Dong Black \/ Red\u00a0Teas<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Wiki – https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_tea#China<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/span>~ The earliest record of tea in a more occidental writing is said to be found in the statement of an Arabian traveler, that after the year 879 the main sources of revenue in Canton were the duties on salt and tea. Marco Polo records the deposition of a Chinese minister of finance in 1285 for his arbitrary augmentation of the tea taxes. The travelers Giovanni Batista Ramusio (1559), L. Almeida (1576), Maffei (1588), and Teixeira (1610) also mentioned tea. In 1557, Portugal established a trading port in Macau and word of the Chinese drink “ch\u00e1” spread quickly, but there is no mention of them bringing any samples home. In the early 17th century, a ship of the Dutch East India Company brought the first green tea leaves to Amsterdam from China. Tea was known in France by 1636. It enjoyed a brief period of popularity in Paris around 1648. The history of tea in Russia can also be traced back to the seventeenth century. Tea was first offered by China as a gift to Czar Michael I in 1618. The Russian ambassador tried the drink; he did not care for it and rejected the offer, delaying tea’s Russian introduction by fifty years. In 1689, tea was regularly imported from China to Russia via a caravan of hundreds of camels traveling the year-long journey, making it a precious commodity at the time. Tea was appearing in German apothecaries by 1657 but never gained much esteem except in coastal areas such as Ostfriesland. Tea first appeared publicly in England during the 1650s, where it was introduced through coffeehouses. From there it was introduced to British colonies in America and elsewhere. ~<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>……<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Repeat – in Yinde City is is not expensive for us locals.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Talk to me, if you would like to try some.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>……<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span>Our Projects<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Henry Salt Archive<\/a><\/em><\/strong> is one of our, almost completed, projects.<\/h4>\n

The Humanitarian League<\/a><\/strong><\/em> is our Hong Kong registered charity.<\/h4>\n
\n

The Ernest Bell Library<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>was conceived in 1934.\u00a0It is still strong & active eighty years later \u2013\u00a0\u00a0its primary objectives are to: \u2013<\/h4>\n