White tea was brewed at the court of Chinese emperors – to improve the health and well-being of crowned persons. And white tea began its ascent quite by accident. The Chinese emperor Chen Nana, part-time scientist and botanist, was obsessed with hygiene and drank only boiled water. Once again, he once again thought about the benefits of the latter, sitting comfortably in the garden in the canopy of a tea bush and did not notice how several leaves flew into his bowl.

The accidentally brewed drink delighted the emperor: he quenched his thirst and gave vigor. In 2737 BC, as a result of this incident, tea was strongly recommended to the subjects of the Celestial Empire for domestic consumption. And since then, the history of this noble product, already in its origin, has five thousand years.

“Tea is drunk to forget about worldly fuss,” said the Chinese philosopher Tien Viheng, who lived around 2000 BC.

This product has become a rarity for a reason: it is produced only in the Chinese province of Fujian and in the mountains of the island of Sri Lanka, at an altitude of 1000-2200 meters. Two varieties are known. Pai Mu Tan, also called “white peony”, consists of young shoots and buds of the tea bush, which, when dry, resemble the graceful buds of some white flowers. Yin Zhen, one of the most expensive varieties in the world, has earned the well-deserved name of “silver needles” due to the beautiful shoots that look like silver-tipped arrows.
Young, barely opened leaves, covered with a light white fluff, can be collected within just a few hours, two days a year: in early April and early September. Why, because it is necessary to vegetatively wait until a silver arrow has grown from the bud of a tea bush, and these silver arrows are harvested by hand early in the morning, the collection takes place from 5 am to 9 am. Pickers are engaged in this, who are forbidden to eat garlic, onions and spices – so that the smell remaining on their hands does not spoil the aroma of the shoots. In case of strong wind or rain, the fee may be cancelled. Then the entire annual crop dies, and prices – already high – creep up sharply.
During the collection, special attention is paid to the selection of leaves. Usually, only the youngest, half-blown leaves of the first harvest are harvested for white tea, half-covered with short white hairs of an open tea bud (“bai hoa” – “white eyelashes”). For elite white teas, either only one apical leaf (more precisely, tips) is collected; or tipsa plus another leaf following it. The production of the vast majority of white teas consists of only two steps:
The first step is short-term steaming (a kind of “calcination” for about 1 minute to stop the fermentation process; although some varieties of white tea are sometimes even slightly fermented or smoked), the second step is drying. The finished tea should not have withered, broken, twisted and oxidized (black or brown) leaves. Essentially, the color of the leaves should remain the same (green or greyish green). The white color of the underside of the leaves should be clearly visible.
After that, white tea is ready to drink. In this sense, it is, without a doubt, the most natural – because it does not undergo twisting. The color of his infusion varies from the most delicate shades of yellow to light brick. It is usually very clear and without a greasy aftertaste. Its aroma is compared to the breath of the breeze, because due to gentle processing, the leaves remain almost fresh.
It should also be added that white tea is poorly stored and transported, because. due to the lack of fermentation, it is very demanding on storage conditions. Of all the other types of teas, it is the most healing. The two most popular types of white tea in China are White Peony (Chinese names Pai-Mu-Tang or Bai-Mudan) and Silver Needle (Bai-Hao Yinzhen). The Silver Needle variety is grown in the north of Fujian province, and, presumably, this variety was known as early as the 12th century.
The more common “white peony” is great for afternoon or evening tea. And “silver needles” are produced in extremely limited quantities, hence their exorbitant price (more than $1,000 per kilogram). “Needle” infusion is almost transparent, they drink it only on special occasions. It is difficult for a Westerner who is accustomed to varieties rich in tannin, with a rich taste, to immediately appreciate all the magnificence of the flavor bouquet of white tea. The taste for it must be brought up gradually: first drink fermented flavored black teas, then semi-fermented (Oolong varieties) Chinese green teas, followed by Japanese and, finally, white.
Since white tea is not subjected to any thermal or other processing, it retains the maximum medicinal properties inherent in this drink. Extremely rich in vitamin C and B-1, white tea strengthens the immune system, increases blood clotting and promotes wound healing. It also prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases, tumors and even caries. Of course, elite, white tea has a special way of brewing.
After brewing, white tea has a pale yellow or greenish yellow color, and a subtle floral, slightly “herbal” aroma. White tea is always brewed with soft and not too hot water (50-70°C). Since it has a special concentration of essential oils that give it an exquisite aroma, brewing with too hot water will kill these wonderful smells. Brewing time is extremely short, usually no more than 5 minutes.
White tea, like other elite varieties, is sold by weight and requires special handling. It should be stored in a hermetically sealed metal or ceramic jar (in no case in glass). Containers with precious contents should be kept in a cool, dry place, as far as possible from highly flavored products, since tea, especially white tea, easily absorbs any smell.
In order to emphasize the refreshing aroma of freshly opened tea leaves, you need to use a ceramic, porcelain or glass teapot. Enameled ones are not suitable. White tea is so delicate that it is better to use a separate teapot to brew it. Forget the dishwasher and dishwashing liquid. To wash the teapot, it is enough to pour the rest of the tea out of it, rinse it with cold water and dry it, turning it upside down. White tea is incredibly gentle. Therefore, special doses are recommended for its brewing: from 4.5 to 10 grams per cup versus 2.5-3.5 grams for other teas. Its infusion time is also longer – from 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the variety chosen. The water temperature should not exceed 70-85°C: the higher the quality of the white tea, the “softer” the boiling water should be.
The traditional Chinese method of brewing white tea is a whole ceremony. Boil one and a half cups of water, pour a little into the teapot, close the lid and wait two minutes. Select white tea leaves. Pour out the water from the teapot and put a teaspoon of leaves in it. When the boiling water cools down 80’C, fill it with tea leaves, close the lid and let it brew. Filter and pour into cups.
White tea goes well with savory flour-based dishes, rice dishes (including “black”, unrefined rice) and dried fruits. Sweets are not suitable for it, so it is better to brew black tea for cakes and chocolates. The drink of the emperors is used by many famous chefs: for example, to prepare fish broth sauce, white tea, vanilla and olive oil. It goes well with fish and seafood.
In China, the glory of the elixir of immortality was entrenched in white tea at the beginning of our era. True, it was about imperial immortality, since not only ordinary workers, but also noble people could only dream of this drink. Of all the varieties of tea, white is the most useful, because it retains the maximum amount of vitamins and valuable things that fresh tea leaves are rich in.
Studies by scientists at the University of Oregon have proven the anti-cancer properties of white tea, which are higher than those of green and black varieties. Extremely rich in vitamins (especially C and B1) and aiding digestion, white tea strengthens the immune system, has a great effect on the cardiovascular system, and protects against viruses and bacteria. In addition, due to the presence of vitamin P, it strengthens the walls of blood vessels (therefore, this tea is extremely useful for women suffering from circulatory problems in the legs). In terms of protection against free radicals, it also has no equal: it is twice as high as that of green tea: and 1 cup of white tea costs a good 4 glasses of orange juice.
American dermatologists have discovered previously unknown healing properties of white tea. This is the name of its weakly fermented variety, for the manufacture of which the youngest buds and leaves with a delicate pile are used. Researchers from Cleveland claim that white tea contains substances that slow down the aging process of the skin and prevent the appearance of malignant tumors that occur under the influence of ultraviolet rays.