Robert Fortune, tea spy (pt. 2)

Robert Fortune had done the Crown's mission and stolen the secret of tea from the Chinese in the form of thousands of seeds and camellia sinensis plants. But Fortune was already back in China, this time visiting China's black tea regions, by the time his first shipment was on its way to India. Although India had long had its own indigenous variety of tea plant (the camellia sinensis var. assamica), the goal was to establish a commercial-grade enterprise there capable of mass production and export in order to compete globally with what had literally been a Chinese monopoly. The plants were shipped through Calcutta (where historical records tell us that the plants were still intact) the capital of the British East India Company colonial government, to Allahabad. It was here that disaster struck.

Two unlucky events coincided to result in the spoliage of this first shipment. First, an incompetent local official of the British East India Company who knew little about botany and even less about tea plants subjected the plants to excessive watering. Second, the ship carrying the plants was trapped in Allahabad due to a severe drought which lowered water levels so drastically that it was unable to leave. The ship, and the plants, were stuck in Allahabad for six weeks in the sweltering summer heat. By the time the plants were ready to go to their next destination, Saharanpur, none of the plants were viable, and most were covered in mold and fungus due to the combination of excessive watering and excessive heat.

Upon his arrival in Shanghai, Robert Fortune received a letter advising him of the disaster. Like any good spy, he had insurance in case of a worst-case scenario: against Company orders, he had kept a substantial stash of seeds for himself. He sent a substantial amount of these seeds in the same custom-made Wardian cases (see photo) which he had used to transport the plants for the first shipment. The seeds proved much hardier than the plants in transit, and with a little luck, made it to India in one piece.

These initial plants were cross-bred with the native Indian tea plants to produce a hardy variety that would become the staple for worldwide black tea production. Although many of the initial plants died and there was still a lot of trial, error and outright failure, by 1900, only 7% of England's tea was imported from China, and India had become the world's biggest producer. (They held onto the title until 2006, when they were dethroned by China).

Thanks to Robert Fortune and his one small act of insubordination, England was in control of its own tea production and tea became firmly established in the Commonwealth countries as the beverage of choice. Next time you enjoy a hearty cup, think of the brave efforts of this bookish Scots horticulturalist and say thanks.

RECOMMENDED READING:

1. Fortune, Robert. Three Years' Wandering in the Northern Provinces of China, A Visit to the Tea, Silk, and Cotton Countries, with an account of the Agriculture and Horticulture of the Chinese, New Plants, etc. London: John Murray, 1847.
2. Fortune, Robert. A Journey to the Tea Countries of China: including Sung-Lo and the Bohea hills; with a Short Notice of the East India Company's Tea Plantations in the Himalaya Mountains. London: John Murray, 1852.
3. Rose, Sarah. For All the Tea in China. Hutchinson, 2009*
4. Mair, Victor H., & Hoh, Erling. The True History of Tea. Thames & Hudson, 2009.

*An enjoyable read, especially for Fortune fans, but must be taken with a grain of salt; some of the factual information is not accurate.

Review: Borpatra Estate Assam STGFOP1S

Assam teas are full-bodied, strong, malty brews that come from the region of India that shares the name. The Assam region is the world's largest single tea-producing region, and one of the two major varieties of the camellia sinensis plant, the camellia sinensis var. assamica, originates there. While, as with any other type of tea, quality varies, Assam produces some of the world's finest black teas.

Assam teas have particular characteristics in common: a malty flavor, notes of chocolate and cinnamon and occasionally honey in the tea before infusion, a bold red liquor, and a distinct sweetness and honey flavor.

The Borpatra Estate Assam STGFOP1S is a fine example of the style that exemplifies many of its best attributes. In case you were wondering, STGFOP1S is the "grade". In this case, STGFOP1S stands for (S)pecial (F)inest (G)olden (F)lowery (O)range (P)ekoe, and the 1S denotes that that particular tea is of the highest quality from that particular estate. (More on this topic later, as grading conventions are extremely complicated and, at times, confusing, but definitely worth understanding).

The un-infused leaves of this tea smell strongly of chocolate and honey, are variously of gold and deep black colour, and contain a high proportion of white, downy "tips" -- the most expensive and rare part of the tea plant that is only included in the highest-quality teas, and which impart a special sweet flavor of their own. The liquor is a golden red and, as with the un-infused leaves, redolent of chocolate, honey, and a hint of cinnamon. The taste on the palate includes all of the aforementioned as well as a very subtle hint of tobacco. It goes well with milk and sugar, as it helps balance any latent heaviness/bitterness in the cup as well as enhancing the natural sweetness of the style. It is an excellent cup of good quality, strong tea if you like a hard wake-up call in the morning; and, at $10.26 for 250g (which will make approximately 80-90 cups) from Upton Tea Imports, it's reasonably priced. Highly recommended.

Upton Tea Imports: a great source for fine teas

Buying tea by mail-order has a fairly long history, but it is only recently that good tea has been available for sale on the Internet. Now, online tea retailers are common, and tea is still, even in these straitened economic times, a fairly cheap commodity; thanks to the overhead saved by not having to maintain a store and the volume made possible by selling large quantities on the Web, some of these retailers can offer great teas for relatively inexpensive prices.

Arguably the best of these is Upton Tea Imports, an operation that has been around since 1989 (when it, too, was a mail-order business) but now has a strong online presence. According to their website, Upton Tea Imports carries "over 420 varieties of loose tea" including black, green, oolong, white, Pu Er, and a variety of herbal teas and tisanes, including dozens of varities of the popular rooibos.

The sheer depth of their selection is staggering--they separate their catalogue (which is available in print for free with any order) by country and type of tea, with each country offering dozens of distinct selections. All of their teas are very reasonably priced, and they carry a number of single-estate teas (particularly Darjeeling and Assam teas) which are from some of the best lots in the world. Some of these will cost $40-$50 for a 250g tin, but the difference between one of these high-quality single-estate teas and a run-of-the-mill example from the same style is worlds apart. One would be hard pressed to follow up your average Irish Breakfast (the main constituent of which is usually a hearty Assam, blended with other teas) with something like a Borpatra Estate Assam and ever want to go back. Their selection of Darjeeling teas is particularly broad and often includes some of the world's finest of these teas for very reasonable prices. Their first-flush Darjeelings are particularly recommended, although availability is limited depending on the season.

Upton Tea Imports also acquires special, limited quantities of rare lots of green and oolong teas (particularly Japanese greens). These selections vary each season and are often available for only a short time. They also have a commitment to buying organic when possible, and many of their teas are certified (these teas appear in their catalogue with an O next to the name). They also sell high-quality tea accessories such as teapots, strainers, infusers, and the like.

Their catalogue is informative and lists all of the teas they have for sale, as well as a quarterly article on some aspect of tea history that usually makes an interesting read.

Because of their immense, diverse selection, with fine teas from all of the major categories, and because of the uniformly high quality of the teas they offer (particularly the Darjeelings) as well as their fair prices, it is hard not to recommend Upton Tea Imports. For someone just beginning to build a knowledge of great tea and a desire to try many different types, there is no better place to start.

Robert Fortune, tea spy (pt. 1)

While black tea is nowadays perceived as the quintessential English beverage, it was not always so. For many centuries, tea production was a closely guarded secret, not known to Westerners. While the drink had achieved runaway popularity in the British Isles by the 19th century, almost no one, and certainly no one in England, knew exactly how it was made. The Chinese held a monopoly on production, and were very secretive about the production process--so much so that they would not allow foreigners to buy tea plants for export outside the country's borders. Silver was one of the few commodities the Chinese were interested in trading (this reluctance to accept European trade goods and the British Empire's desire for greater commerce with China were two of the reasons for the Opium War of 1839-1842).

Because the British were such lovers of tea, and because they were so commercially-minded, they naturally began to think about ways to enjoy their favorite beverage at a lower cost, with more control over logistics and production. But this would require more understanding of the climate in which tea plants could grow and how tea was made; with no way to purchase the plants legally, the British were forced to engage in espionage.

Enter a man named Robert Fortune. Fortune was a Scottish horticulturist with the Royal Horticultural Society, already well-known for his previous excursions in China, which had brought back several new plants to Westerners, including the kumquat. Impressed by his work, the British East India Company met with him in 1848 and commissioned him to enter China, purchase or steal as many tea plants and seeds as he could get his hands on, and bring it all back to England. In return, Fortune would be paid a handsome salary as well as being granted right of ownership to anything he brought back with him (except the tea, of course).

As quaint as it sounds, the mission was very dangerous. The British had just roundly defeated the Chinese in the Opium Wars, and anti-British sentiment was high. A British spy could very likely expect to be killed if he was found out. Nevertheless, Fortune got on with his mission. He shaved his head, leaving only a ponytail at the back, and donned the robes of a Chinese mandarin (civil servant). With a local guide named Wang, Fortune remained in China for quite some time collecting tea plants as well as seeds. He was able to successfully pass as a local; in fact, he even managed to get a tour of a Chinese tea factory, where he meticulously recorded every detail (he later wrote a book recounting his experiences which was for a time the only English-language book on the subject). While there, he learned a very important fact, previously unknown to Westerners: green tea and black tea come from the same plant.

Robert Fortune returned home with a wealth of knowledge about tea, and a generous supply of plants and seeds. However, Britain's entry into the tea trade was not assured; the incompetence of a British East India Company official nearly destroyed all of the plants Fortune had brought with him. It was only Fortune's prudent instincts that prevented this outcome and would usher India onto the world stage as a major player in the global tea trade.

(Continued in Pt. 2)

Recipe: Maghreb mint mélange

It may seem odd that tea is the de facto national beverage of Morocco. It may seem incongruous that a country situated in North Africa is one of the largest importers of tea in the world, with a tea culture that pervades all aspects of society and is truly part of the national identity. Yet both of these things are true, and for those that have had it, Moroccan mint tea is one of the world's most unique beverages. Moroccans not only drink a lot of it themselves, but use every opportunity to demonstrate their famous hospitality by proffering a cup (in fact, while three is polite, it is considered rude not to drink at least two).

It is still quite interesting to consider how tea came to be so ingrained in Moroccan culture. There are conflicting origin stories. While the general consensus is that it gained popularity in the 19th century and onward, its exact provenance is unclear. One theory speculates that the British government, embroiled in the Crimean war (1853-56) and consequently cut off from some of their usual buyers, turned to selling tea to Morocco. Moroccans had long enjoyed a tea-like beverage made with mint leaves, and gunpowder tea was popular because the infusion it produced along with the mint retained the same color and basic flavor as the traditional beverage. Another theory suggests that gunpowder tea was introduced to Morocco by visiting Chinese merchants.

Whatever its origin, Moroccan mint tea is a delicious, pure-tasting and very sweet beverage that is particularly good as a nightcap or evening tea. It has one of the best imaginable knock-on effects: it freshens your breath! Below is a simple, easy way to make this delightful tea. While the authentic Moroccan method is obviously more complex and elaborate, this method will produce tea that is essentially the same and can be easily made at home.

MAGHREB MINT MELANGE
Ingredients:

1. Fresh spearmint leaves
2. Loose-leaf Gunpowder tea (the brand isn't important; the type is. Twinings sells a decent gunpowder that is easily available).
3. Large quantity of sugar (this depends on taste, but sweetness is an essential part of the beverage, so keep a bowl of it, or a package of sugar cubes, on hand)

Preparation instructions:

1. For a 24oz (approx 3 cup) teapot, add 3 teaspoons of gunpowder tea.
2. Fill the pot with water heated to approximately 160-180C.
3. Immediately pour out this water. (Interestingly, while there are technical reasons for doing this, it may also derive from the Chinese method of preparing oolong teas, where the leaves are "awakened" by rinsing them with hot water).
4. Add a handful of mint leaves. A good rule of thumb is one leaf per teaspoon of green tea. You want the taste to be distinct, not overpowering (although given the clean, pure taste of mint, the infusion is forgiving if you put too much in).
5. Again, fill the pot with water heated to about 160-180C.
6. Add sugar to taste (this is the most subjective part of the recipe, as everyone likes a different degree of sweetness. Tip: the beverage is supposed to be very sweet, so add lots of sugar. 5-6 teaspoons for a 3-cup teapot would not be out of order. (Some choose to add sugar to the beverage once it's poured into the cup for more control, although the traditional method involves brewing the tea with the sugar in the pot).
7. Allow to steep for 2 minutes.
8. Pour over a strainer into a teacup or glass.
9. Enjoy!

This tea is truly unique and, as mentioned before, makes a superb nightcap or evening tea.

High tea and low tea: notes on conflicting usage

There was once a time when tea was a very social enterprise: it was typically prepared loose, in a pot, and decanted immediately into cups for the enjoyment of what was usually a gathering of friends. English gentlemen and ladies of substance often made tea in their drawing rooms, which functioned as centers of intellectual debate (and gastronomic pleasure) for their closest friends. There were also dedicated buildings, much like pubs, erected for the sole purpose of serving tea and food to accompany it-- these were called tea rooms. The first tea room in England was built by Thomas Twining, the founder of Twinings tea, in 1706; both the brand and the tea room are still in existence (it's on the Strand in London).
However, around the turn of the twentieth century, innovations in production resulted in the introduction of the teabag, which is today synonymous with the consumption of tea (although it is a relatively recent development). The teabag was well received, but truly exploded in popularity in the '30s and '40s. By the post-war period, in contrast to what had previously held, most tea was consumed in bags.
This development marked a shift from traditional, collective methods of enjoying tea (as a communal beverage to be enjoyed among friends, made in a pot) to a more personal, individualist experience. While traditional methods of enjoying tea never truly died out, the significance of old rituals did fade away for a time.
Now, however, with the popularity of loose tea gaining ground in recent years, more people are once again enjoying tea communally, in modern tea rooms that offer a very old-fashioned (yet quite different) tea experience. But it is worth noting that the terms “low tea” and the more commonly-known “high tea” had very specific, and quite different, meanings in English society where the rituals originated.
Low tea is an afternoon tea session, usually served in fine porcelain teaware, with small sandwiches and little pastries as well as an assortment of jams and condiments, as a sort of afternoon party—not a meal. This type of tea was often consumed by the upper classes and the well-to-do, having its origins in the habits of the royal family, and usually carried out in the early afternoon, between 1pm-3pm. But why “low tea?” It is said that this type of tea was so called due to the "low" height of the tiered tables, usually of stainless steel or fine silver, upon which the tea was served. (In Vancouver, Secret Garden offers this type of experience). Confusingly, this type of tea ritual is most commonly referred to as high tea today—and high tea is something quite different!
High tea was actually a tea ritual enjoyed mainly by the working classes in England. It is almost indistinguishable from a regular meal, in that the food consumed was hearty fare, intended to refresh the workers after a hard days’ labour. It was also known as meat tea due to the type of food consumed--eggs, deli meats, sausages, scones, and the like. It is particularly observed in Scotland.
Today many full-service tea houses that offer loose-leaf tea in fine china, served in an elegant and convivial environment, call this service high tea (particularly in America) but what they are actually referring to is low tea! Regardless of the misnomer, it is becoming easier and easier to enjoy high quality loose tea amongst like-minded individuals in an atmosphere of luxury and camaraderie—a truly rewarding experience which not only echoes the past, but may also signal the future.

Murchie's tea and coffee: a Vancouver staple

Murchie's Tea and Coffee is a place with name-recognition. In business since 1894, the brand has staying power. It presently has two locations in Vancouver, one in West Vancouver, one in Surrey, and one in Victoria, and has remained a familiar sight and a tourist attraction for generations.
The Vancouver location is arrayed with a wide variety of tea accessories (strainers, teapots, and the like), a large selection of treats (jams, jellies, cookies, spices, etc) and, of course, tea. The ambience immediately evokes a comfortable Victorian sophistication that hearkens back to the tea shops of old; they also have a menu of tasty options for lunch, most of which are quite good and are a fine complement to the beverages.

However, while the classy aesthetic of its retail locations is certainly appealing, the greatest strength of Murchie's is the expertly crafted blends it creates. John Murchie, the company founder, worked in the tea industry in Scotland prior to immigrating to Canada in the late 1800’s and founded the original Murchie's in New Westminster. At Murchie's he proceeded to devise what were at the time some very unorthodox blends. This tradition has carried on to the present day, and if you are a fan of black tea in the traditional English style, you will find much to love. An example of this singular style is Murchie's signature blend, the No 10 Blend, which the website describes as “a mild, sweet blend of green and black teas.” The Prince Charles Blend is also a very interesting creation. It is a product of its constituent parts, with the malty, full-bodied strength of Assam, the pleasing, subtle astringency of a high-grown Ceylon (from the UVA Highland), the fruity crispness and delicacy of Darjeeling, and the bready, fresh notes of Keemun. The overall impression is light on the palate, which makes it ideal for low tea, or lunch. Murchie’s also makes an Earl Grey which is one of the best in town—particularly if you like your Earl Grey heavy on the bergamot—and has a unique taste due to the fact that it includes Darjeeling as well as the traditional Keemun that is used for most Earl Greys.

Murchie's also offers a number of single-variety teas (Keemun, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Assam) which are generally of high quality, and there are now also green teas and even oolongs on offer. Tea is sold loose and in bags.

Recommended teas: No 10 Blend, Prince Charles Blend, Murchie’s Earl Grey

Locations:

Vancouver - Downtown
825 Pender Street West
Vancouver, BC V6C 1K6
(604) 669-0783

Vancouver - Oakridge
41st and Cambie,
Vancouver, BC V5Z 3X7
Tel: 1-604-872-6930

West Vancouver - Park Royal
Park Royal Mall
850 Park Royal North,
West Vancouver, BC V7T 1H9
Tel: 1-604-922-3136

Surrey
Semiahmoo Shopping Centre
Unit 136-1711-152nd Street,
South Surrey, B.C. V4A 4N3
Tel: 1-604-541-1066

Victoria
1110 Government Street,
Victoria, BC V8W 1Y2
Tel: 1-250-383-3112

The oxidation process in tea and its effect on flavor

When one hears the word “oxidation,” it may call to mind rot, degradation, and that russet-colored incrustation on the fenders of cars. However, you might be surprised to know that this same process of oxidation plays an important role in the production of tea—in fact, it is arguably the most important determinant of its overall flavour.

Tea contains substances called polyphenols—also known as tannins—which are chemical compounds found in many plants. These tannins are also found in wine, and are instrumental in influencing the overall flavour of the tea. As with any other plant, as soon as the tea leaf is plucked, it immediately begins a slow process of deterioration. As the cellular structure of the leaf deteriorates, an enzyme called oxidase is released (this deterioration can occur naturally due to age, or intentionally during the production process, where the leaf may undergo “rolling” and/or “bruising” in order to accelerate the release of the oxidase enzyme). When oxidase comes into contact with the latent oxygen in air, it begins to break down the catechins (a type of tannin) in tea at the cellular level. How long this process is allowed to continue determines what “type” of tea is produced; in particular, the oxidation process determines how specific chemical aroma and flavour groups are expressed. At certain levels of oxidation, unique smells and tastes are produced, and at other levels they are destroyed and replaced with new ones. The oxidation process is stopped at the desired level during production by “firing” the tea leaves—that is, heating them in a manner that does not burn or destroy the leaves, but heats them to a sufficient temperature to destroy the oxidase enzyme and arrest the oxidation process.

All tea begins its life as white tea (which is not oxidized at all, nor processed much) but most teas are subjected to processing which changes them into something else. Tea that is 100% oxidized is known as “black tea”. This is the tea most of us are familiar with, and the type found in most teabags. Tea that is partially oxidized is known as “Wu Long” or “Oolong” tea, and is originally a Chinese specialty (although Taiwan produces some of the world’s finest). Chinese Oolongs tend to be about 10-30% fermented, while some, particularly those of Taiwanese origin, are about 60-70% oxidized. Green tea is tea that has been “fired” before the process of oxidation could begin, and as such retains most of the qualities of the freshly plucked leaf. For all practical purposes, green tea is 0% oxidized.

A cup of tea is the product of a complex chemical process, but at its heart is the process of oxidation. Through oxidation, the chemical compounds present in tea can give rise to all kinds of unique and wonderful flavours and aromas—from the burnt notes of a Tie Guan Yin oolong to the vegetal freshness of a Lung Ching green tea. The next time you hear the word “oxidation,” don’t think of decay, think of creation: namely, the wonderful variety of unique flavours and aromas it produces in tea!