Workshop/Class One
An Introduction to the World of Specialty Tea and Tea
Cultures
Focus: Black teas from India and Sri Lanka
Loose-leaf, specialty tea is the fastest growing beverage
industry in the U.S. We will discuss where and how tea
is grown and the basic types of processing approaches.
The focus of this class will be on black teas grown
in India and Sri Lanka.
These teas are the hearty teas that many in the West
are familiar with as “English” tea or “Irish”
tea. People often drink black teas with cream and sugar,
but some of the finer grades, like the champagne teas
of Darjeeling, taste best taken “straight up.”
We will taste 3 different black teas grown in different
regions with different properties and grades.
The session will end with a brief guided meditation
about tea and its cultural journey from east to west.
Workshop/Class Two
The 5 Basic types of Tea
Focus: Oolong teas from Taiwan and China and Flavored
Teas
In workshop two we will review the 5 basic kinds of
tea, and how processing and brewing results in different
types of tea.
We will focus our discussion and tastings of oolong
and flavored teas.
Taiwan and China are the countries that are most famous
for growing and processing oolong teas. Flavored teas
have been developed to a high art by Chinese makers
of hand-made teas, tea vendors such as Mariage Freres
in Paris and by many Western developers of fragrant
flavored teas.
We will end with a tea meditation and tea pouring exercise
to honor these ancient tea traditions.
Workshop/Class Three
Health Benefits of Tea
Focus: Green teas from China and Japan
This class will focus on the essential components of
tea and the health benefits associated with drinking
tea, focusing on the green teas of China and Japan.
We will discuss how climate and environment affect the
flavor and quality of the tea and review the growing
body of research that has developed to document the
positive health benefits of tea drinking.
We will discuss some of the premises of tea cultures
and tea ceremonies, including the historical role that
tea has played in social interactions in these countries.
The class will taste 3 varieties of green teas and
physically examine the leaves and the differences in
the taste and quality of these different samples.
The class will end with a brief meditation on the peacefulness
and contentment associated with tea drinking in many
parts of the world.
Registering for Classes:
Please call, fax or email to register. For
printable version of registration form, click here
East West Crossings
201A Elmwood Street,
State College, PA 16801
814-234-8810; 814-234-8840 (fax) or info@eastwestcrossings.com
www.eastwestcrossings.com
