The Tea Maker’s knowledge is one of the keys to obtaining an excellent tea menu. These experts perform work which is sustained over time, during which they systematically identify, monitor and assess the suitability of the properties of the tea leaves from different origins, often on small plantations located in remote areas of China. The […]
The Tea Maker regularly visits the plantations, some of them tiny, located in countries such as China, India and Sri Lanka, in order to study and select the varieties of tea and tisanes which, by weight and infusion time, are ideal for preparing the finest flavoured drinks, in combination with other ingredients. With the Tang […]
At the Nanu Oya railway station, located about 27 kilometres from Sri Lanka, I am awaited by a rickshaw, a lightweight two-wheeled carriage which, on this occasion, is pulled by a young local. Once I am on the vehicle – a common means of transport in Asian countries – we set out on a journey […]
The name Darjeeling, a city in the Indian state of West Bengal, at the foot of the Himalayas, is derived from the combination of two Tibetan words, Dorje (thunderbolt) and ling(land), translated as “land of the thunderbolt”. On our arrival, Darjeeling reveals an interesting mixture of cultures, the consequence of the confluence of people from both Tibet and Nepal. While walking […]
By train, I am just an hour away from the city of Kyoto, in the Wazuka area. This part of Japan, ringed by mountains, has grown high-quality tea for over 800 years, acquiring real status as one of the most coveted and respected teas in the country. The different varieties of tea – over 300 […]
I find myself in the middle of the Cederberg Mountains, a vast region of South Africa covering 20,000 square kilometres, where the entire world rooibos production is based. What we call rooibos tea is an infusion made from the leaves of a bush native to this land. It is a tisane with highly beneficial properties, […]
At the Nanu Oya railway station, located about 27 kilometres from Sri Lanka, I am awaited by a rickshaw, a lightweight two-wheeled carriage which, on this occasion, is pulled by a young local.
Once I am on the vehicle – a common means of transport in Asian countries – we set out on a journey which is to take us to the island’s vast tea plantations.
We go along a road littered with bumps and sudden bends, leading us towards the green of the tea plantations.
We are immersed in the greenness of the tea plantations, a huge area covering hundreds of hectares where, as we move forward, we can make out the brightly coloured clothing of the tea pluckers, women who collect the leaves, one by one and by hand, from which Ceylon tea, one of the most highly-valued varieties in the world, is made.
Equipped with baskets tied to their backs with strings and with a third eye painted on their foreheads to remind us of their Tamil origin, the pluckers deftly select the leaves most suitable for preparing the tea. All day long, whenever the basket is full, the collected leaves are deposited in the processing machinery.
Finally, once the daily harvest is over, at the end of the day, I go to the plantation storehouse to try the harvested leaves. Having a cup of Ceylon tea while enjoying the magnificent view over the plantations is a highly satisfying experience. It is authentic liquid gold, given that every sip is a pleasure, with the delicate movement of the teaspoon and the blend of aromas and flavours.
