大陸茶混充東方美人茶 查獲一瓶罰六萬元
張貼時間：2008/1/1 上午 12:00:00 資料來源：新竹縣政府
新竹縣峨眉、北埔兩鄉的東方美人茶（膨風茶）已有全國知名度，九十四年特等獎的茶葉一度賣出一斤一百零一萬的天價，最近坊間傳出有不肖業者為賺取暴利，攙雜大陸劣等茶混充本地茶葉。縣長鄭永金一日在主管會報中，要求農業局、消保官重視，不要讓好不容易建立起的口碑毀於一旦。
農業局長范國銓說，北埔、峨眉東方美人茶（膨風茶）經常供不應求，有時還要向鄰近龍潭鄉收購茶菁，為避免大陸茶充數，最近辦理東方美人茶茶園更新，每公頃東方美人茶園三年可獲得八萬元補助。另外，也加強宣導產地標章，讓北埔、峨眉東方美人茶有身份證，保障消費者權益，也維持東方美人茶的商譽。
消保管靳邦忠指出，若查出劣質茶或大陸茶混充東方美人茶，將依消保法第三十六、五十八條，按瓶處以六萬元的罰金，以收嚇之效。
農委會為積極推動台灣農產品外銷，今（93）年將投入3千萬元，研究改進外銷品種及採收後保鮮處理技術，以提高我農產品外銷品質，增進國外消費者對我農產品的接受程度。
農委會已研訂「加強農產品國際行銷方案」，並報奉行政院核定，做為推動國產農產品外銷的行動綱領，改進研究採收後處理及保鮮技術，以及選育適合外銷品種等，皆為該方案重要工作項目。今年度農委會已選定蝴蝶蘭、烏龍茶、芒果及台灣鯛（優質吳郭魚）為外銷旗艦產品。為改進旗艦產品貯運技術，包括帶梗蝴蝶蘭海運銷日技術、烏龍茶冷藏保鮮與防止氧化劣變技術、防治愛文芒果炭疽病之處理技術、及冷凍台灣鯛魚片之自然色澤保存技術等外銷品種與技術之研發改進等，已列為年度工作重點；此外，也將針對美生菜（結球萵苣）、木瓜、鳳梨釋迦、冷凍毛豆及鳳梨等重要或具有外銷潛力產品所面臨之外銷有關問題，成立研究計畫積極改進解決。
拓展外銷必須針對目標市場消費之偏好調整產品型態，以木瓜銷日為例，日本市場之木瓜主力產品為400至600公克的小型果；農委會即委託專家學者研究台農2號木瓜以網室密植栽培來生產小型果之可行性，培育出符合日本消費需求的小型優質木瓜，以期台灣木瓜突破日本檢疫限制後，即能大舉進軍日本市場。
過去我國部分外銷農產品受限於品種及採收後保鮮處理技術等相關問題無法有效解決，導致外銷實績不易大幅提升。農委會將於加強農產品國際行銷方案中，整合所屬試驗改良單位及與大專院校進行合作，將可有效改進外銷品種及採收後保鮮處理技術，以提高我農產品外銷品質，增進國外消費者對我農產品的接受程度。(摘錄自農委會新聞資料)
農政措施
行政院於4月21日院會審議通過「國家農業研究院設置條例（草案）」，將送請立法院審議，並列為本會期（第五屆第五會期）優先審議法案之一。本條例的制定主要是藉由「行政法人化」的組織變革方式，整合行政院農業委員會所屬農業試驗所、林業試驗所、水產試驗所、畜產試驗所、家畜衛生試驗所、農業藥物毒物試驗所、特有生物研究保育中心、茶業改良場及種苗改良繁殖場等九個試驗研究機關，轉型成立「國家農業研究院」。
為因應我國加入ＷＴＯ後農業產業所面臨的衝擊及挑戰，唯有藉由研發與創新，並整合傳統文化、現代科技、企業經營及行銷通路等知識，才能徹底改善農業體質，提高農業競爭力。值此關鍵時刻，強化農業試驗研究機關的任務，使其充分發揮輔助施政及帶動產業轉型的功能，確有必要。
為解決政府農業科技人力的進用及待遇問題，以加速提升農業研究水準，增進農業競爭力，行政院於91年7月間召開2002年產業科技策略會議中獲致結論，建議政府籌設「財團法人國家農業研究院」，以建立獨立自主且具彈性與效率的農業研發與應用體系。惟經多次會議評估，確認「行政法人」為最佳改制模式，既能依法律授權行使公權力，確保公共任務得以有效率地執行，且因國家給與必要的財政支持，政府仍具有監督權。此外，新進人員則毋需受應具公務人員資格之限制，可增加用人彈性，活絡組織運作及經營管理的機制；至於納入國家農業研究院的現職人員，則採取「保留身分、權益不變」的原則，以保障其權益。
本條例（草案）主要規範內容，包括：組織型態、業務範圍及經費來源；董、監事資格、職權、聘任條件；業務監督及績效評鑑事項；現職員工的權益保障事項；會計及財務的處理；以及解散條件與後續處理規定。(摘錄自農委會新聞資料)
針對消會者文教基金會5月6日公布抽驗市售有機農產品，有部分樣品檢出農藥殘留情事，農委會除將要求驗證機構立即回收不合格農戶之驗證標章使用權利，並將其市售產品全部下架外，亦立即請各區農業改良場所對轄內有機農戶作全面性抽驗，以確保有機農產品品質。
為建立國內有機農業規範及驗證制度，農委會業於92年9月15日發布修訂「有機農產品管理作業要點」、「有機農產品驗證機構資格審查作業程序」、「有機農產品生產規範─作物」及於同年10月31日增訂「有機農產品生產規範─畜產」等，做為推動有機農業之依據，目前輔導有機作物栽培面積1,092公頃，其生產之有機農產品，由農委會輔導認證之三家驗證機構辦理驗證工作。
▲MOA、TOAF及TOPA三驗證機構已獲農委會認證
為確保有機農產品品質，各有機農產品驗證機構均訂定有機農產品之產銷管制措施，若經發現生產之產品有農藥殘留時，則立即停止輔導，並取消有機農產品驗證標章使用權利。現行有機農產品驗證標章，係由各驗證機構分別向經濟部智慧財產局辦理登記註冊，由於標章甚多，型式各異，農委會已著手規劃設計有機農產品國家標章，使消費者更易辨識有機農產品。另為加強驗證機構管理，並規劃已取得認證之機構每年必需接受農委會評鑑，評鑑不合格者，立即終止授權驗證，以強化管理。
對於消基會檢驗部分有機農產品有農藥殘留情形，農委會將加強有機農戶教育訓練，要求生產戶不得以不實有機農產品或甚至是假的有機農產品，矇騙消費者外，為全面加強管理，已另責成各區農業改良場迅即展開全面抽驗200件，並對消基會檢出不合格之驗證機構加重抽檢比例。凡經檢驗含有農藥殘留者，當即予管制禁止以有機農產品販售，並依殘留農藥之情況，採取延後採收、銷燬與依驗證契約處置及依法罰款等處分措施，以遏止違規假冒之有機農產品。(摘錄自農委會新聞資料)
Google 搜尋 http://book.tndais.gov.tw/Newslett/images/TOAF1.jpg 圖片的結果
台灣烏龍茶進軍非洲象牙海岸
http://news.sina.com 2008年11月19日 04:05 中廣新聞網
[劉怡伶 攝] 台灣的茶業面臨中國大陸、越南的低價競爭，業者突圍找商機，試圖把台灣高品質的烏龍茶外銷到盛產咖啡的西非象牙海岸共和國；業者陳火炎說，象牙海岸有許多肥胖婦女流行喝茶減肥，相信台灣烏龍茶可以打開一片天。
(劉怡伶報導)
位於台南市開元路的「中一茶業公司」是一家五十年老店，在南投擁有廣大茶園及工廠，長期供應原料茶給開喜、統一等生產包裝茶的公司，近年來面對進口低價茶競爭及咖啡人口增加的影響，除轉型外，也嘗試外銷，負責人陳火炎透過朋友介紹，認識來自象牙海岸共和國的BONY．
BONY是一名電子工程師，是台灣女婿，有一個很酷的中文名字叫「李安」，他說，象牙海岸國民所得不高，當地人民使用的進口商品以價廉的大陸貨居多。旅居台灣這段時間品嚐台灣高山烏龍茶的醇香，象牙海岸盛產咖啡、可可，喝茶的人口不多，對台灣烏龍茶更是陌生，但他認為口味是可以培養的，他自己就是最好的例子。
他表示象牙海岸有許多過胖的婦女開始喝茶減肥，相信來自台灣的烏龍茶，一定會受到歡迎。他將台灣的茶葉帶回國後，將以網際網路推廣給當地的消費者。
陳火炎說，透過網際網路，相信可以克服傳統推廣方式，台灣烏龍茶成為主流茶飲，他對台灣烏龍茶向非洲探索市場深具信心。
© Jennifer Copley Sep 25, 2008
In addition to its anti-cancer and heart-protective properties, research indicates that green tea can aid in weight loss by increasing endurance and fat oxidation.
Green tea contains catechin polyphenol compounds, which can boost the metabolism. Black, oolong, green, and white teas all come from the same Camellia sinensis plant, and all contain these beneficial ingredients. However, because green tea leaves are steamed rather than fermented as with black and oolong teas, more polyphenols are preserved.
Increased Rate of Fat Burning
Catechin polyphenols increase the rate of thermogenesis (the production of heat via increased metabolic rate) and fat oxidation, even when the body is at rest. In other words, the body is more inclined to burn fat for fuel, not only during exercise, but also while sedentary. Other effects include:
Noteworthy Research Studies
Dullo et al’s (2000) study of 10 subjects compared green tea extract to a placebo. The green tea group increased their energy expenditure by 4%, thus burning more calories. To determine whether the effect was caused by the caffeine in the tea, another group of subjects were given caffeine supplements equivalent to that found in the green tea. The caffeine group did not increase their energy expenditure or rate of fat oxidation with caffeine alone.
A study conducted by Kao Corp’s Biological Sciences Laboratories researchers in Japan (2005) found that green tea could boost athletic endurance by up to 24%. Mice that were given a quantity of green tea extract that was equivalent to a person drinking approximately 4 cups of green tea per day achieved 8-24% improvements in endurance after just 10 weeks, thus increasing the capacity for exercise and calorie burning.
In the Kao Corp study, researchers reduced the caffeine content of the supplements given to ensure that the effects weren’t attributable to caffeine. They also observed the effects of single doses of green tea extract, which did not generate the same benefits; only long-term consumption was effective in increasing endurance.
A 2008 study conducted by Venables et al. found that fat oxidation rates in a group of subjects who consumed green tea extract were 17% higher than among those who were given a placebo. Increasing the fat burn rate to this extent could provide a significant boost for weight loss efforts. However, benefits are more likely to be realized by those who engage in vigorous exercise and eat nutritious food as well.
Optimum Dose for Weight Loss
Studies indicate that those drinking green tea for weight loss should consume at least 3 cups each day. Steeping tea for longer increases the concentration of beneficial polyphenols, but also the amount of caffeine, which may cause anxiety, restlessness, or insomnia in some people if they drink too much. Recommended steeping time for maximum health benefits is at least 5 minutes for most green teas, but some brands are stronger than others.
Decaffeination processes often remove most of the polyphenols from green tea, though natural decaffeination methods (using CO2) retain the majority of these beneficial compounds. However, for weight loss, caffeinated green tea is more effective, possibly because the interaction between the caffeine and polyphenols increases thermogenesis.
Those who are sensitive to caffeine but wish to drink caffeinated green tea for weight loss should cut out chocolate, soft drinks, and coffee to lower daily caffeine intake from other sources. Drinking green tea with meals rather than on an empty stomach can decrease the likelihood of becoming jittery.
Other Camellia Sinensis Teas May Provide Similar Benefits
While green tea is not fermented at all, oolong tea is only partially fermented, and recent studies suggest that oolong tea may also increase fat oxidation.
White tea, the least processed of all the Camellia sinensis teas, has not been studied as extensively as green tea. Studies that have been conducted have for the most part focused on anti-cancer and other health-protective properties rather than weight loss. Given that white tea is also unfermented, it’s quite possible that it has similar fat-burning effects. However, at this time there has not been sufficient research conducted to support this hypothesis.
Further Reading
References:
The copyright of the article Green Tea Aids Weight Loss Efforts in Weight Loss Methods is owned by Jennifer Copley. Permission to republish Green Tea Aids Weight Loss Efforts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Green Tea Aids Weight Loss Efforts: Catechin Polyphenols Increase Endurance and Fat Burning
A variety of ready-to-drink tea beverages, including YES's 681/4C Healthy Tea Comes (insert), are displayed on convenience store shelves June 15. (Courtesy of YES)
Publication Date：06/22/2007 Section：Economy By Edwin Hsiao
With the approach of summer, the peak season for soft-drink consumption, beverage companies in Taiwan are gearing up to wage their intense annual marketing campaigns.
In March 2005, Young Energy Source Co. Ltd. became the first Taiwanese beverage manufacturer to launch "fat-reducing" green and oolong tea drinks bearing the names "Healthy Tea Comes," in Chinese. Two years to the month later, YES launched two new unsweetened green tea and high-altitude tea products called "681/4C Healthy Tea Comes," which, the company claimed, used state-of-the-art low-temperature technology to retain a more authentic flavor.
Taiwan's tea-beverage market was highly competitive, Judy Chen, special assistant to the YES chairman, confirmed in a June 12 e-mail interview. The latest trend, she added, was that consumers now chose products that were increasingly healthy and contained no artficial flavoring, as well as those that quenched their thirst.
"YES has exclusively brought Japanese technology that uses far infrared rays to treat tea leaves at 68 degrees Celsius," Chen said, claiming that "the lower temperatures overcome problems associated with traditional tea-producing technologies, and thus preserve 100 percent of the tea's polyphenols and 100 percent of its aroma. This makes our teas more healthy and taste better."
Taiwan's beverage market was worth almost US$1.5 billion in 2006, representing a 3.1-percent growth over 2005, according to Taiwan Beverage Industries Association statistics quoted in a Chinese-language Commercial Times report May 16. Of these various beverages, tea products were unquestionably most popular, with sales of more than US$600 million or 42 percent of the total market, the report continued.
Thirty-two beverage manufacturers launching new products in 2006 focused on tea drinks, a news release posted March 28 on the Web site of the privately run Food Industrial Research and Development Institute indicated, and, out of 327 new "ready-to-drink" products introduced last year, 119 were tea drinks, predominantly green, milk and fruit-flavored teas.
In addition to stressing the origins and qualities of their products, beverage companies attempted to add new ingredients, such as polyphenols extracted from guava leaves, which were claimed to reduce absorption of starch and other carbohydrates, FIRDI stated.
This health-conscious trend away from stimulant sodas and toward teas and juice drinks--a market opportunity for beverage manufacturers--could be the result of life-style changes, National Sun Yat-sen University business management graduate student Hung Ying-chen wrote in her June 2006 master's thesis, "The Future Trend of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods in Taiwan." Hung particularly identified the aging of Taiwan's population, increasing number of women in the work force, growing number of people dining out, smaller family size and faster paced lives as contributing factors.
"Mine Shine," a black-tea product made by Uni-President Enterprises Corp., may have started the trend toward ready-to-drink tea products in the 1980s, suggested an article titled "Gee it's hot. I need a cold drink" in the March 2007 issue of American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei's Taiwan Business Topics magazine.
In those early days, such products were little more than tea-flavored drinks, however, and the fad did not take off in earnest until Sinn Si Industrial Co. Ltd. launched Kaisi Oolong Tea in 1990. This product was marketed as an intimate part of Taiwanese culture; its television commercial, for example, emphasized "the need to place a bottle of chilled oolong tea on every table at wedding banquets," the Topics article continued. At its peak in 1991, sales of Kaisi Oolong Tea totaled US$181 million a year, and contributed to growth of the tea-sector value from US$218 million in 1991 to US$351 million in 1993.
Although black-tea drinks started the trend, the spotlight subsequently moved on to semi-fermented oolong teas, floral teas, milk teas and now, influenced by the Japanese, green teas, the article continued. In line with the greater attention to health, there was increasing acceptance of non-sweetened green tea drinks, with the sugar-free or low-level of added sugar clearly marked on the packaging.
Special marketing channels and advertising were seen as key to these developments, the Commercial Times reported, citing ACNielsen Taiwan statistics. Convenience stores, it stated, commanded more than 50 percent of market shares for many categories of ready-to-drink products, especially chilled beverages including coffee, juice and teas.
Catechin, an antioxidant present in green tea, captured people's attention, Esther Lin, manager of Corporate Communications Department of the convenience store chain FamilyMart, wrote in a June 11 e-mail interview that items making pledges to be "unsweetened" or "fat-reducing" were especially popular. During Taiwan's hot and windless summers, when the need for iced drinks spiked, tea drinks therefore satisfied consumers in a variety of ways, she added.
As for future developments, even though unsweetened was the current trend, Lin predicted that tea-drink manufacturers would have to balance ingredients against taste, referring to the astringent quality of unsweetened teas. "They won't buy the product simply for health reasons," Lin stressed.
A second trend was the "specialization" of tea drinks, she said, noting two major directions under this heading: emphasizing the tea's functions or origins. She gave as examples AGV Products Corp.'s "Mitsuba Kanten White Tea," which claimed slimming attributes, and Wei Chuan Foods Corp.'s Kyoto Uji Green Tea, which used Japanese leaves.
Yet another trend Lin pointed to was "authenticity." Japanese brands already claimed to reproduce almost exactly the real taste of freshly brewed tea, and Taiwanese teas were trying to close that gap.
Uni-President was the nation's largest tea-beverage maker, with sales of US$293 million in 2006, representing a 44.7-percent market share, according to ACNielsen Taiwan's figures. These also indicated that, from January to April 2007, three out of the company's seven tea brands were among the island's top 10 brands.
Uni-President does not currently focus on tea drinks with special functions, Yeh Hsi-ping, vice director of the company's Tea Beverage Division, stated in a June 11 e-mail interview. Yeh added, however, that Uni-President still took "health-orientation" as one of the fundamental concepts considered when developing new products. Using the company's 2002 "King among Teas" brand as an example, Yeh said all products under that brand were either unsweetened or lightly-sweetened, and, moreover, in 2005, the brand's unsweetened Japanese-style green tea was granted with the health food permit by the Cabinet-level Department of Health, becoming the first tea drink so certified.
Regarding targeting of consumers and advertising, Yeh said, "Since consumers of ready-to-drink tea beverages are ordinary people who do not belong to one specific demographic group, we focus advertisements on the mass media for wide promotion, in the aim of creating good images and high recognition of our brands in the minds of many consumers."
"Because green tea is healthy and makes the perfect after-meal drink, the preference for green tea would continue to be the main trend in years to come," Ewing Lin, marketing and planning division manager of beverage manufacturer Kuang Chuang Diary Co. Ltd., said June 20.
Write to Edwin Hsiao at edwinhsiao@mail.gio.gov.tw
26 May 2006
Suntory announced on May 22 that it has found a unique property of polymerized polyphenol derived from oolong tea.
The company's R&D unit has confirmed that oolong-tea polymerized polyphenol demonstrates an anti-obesity effect in experiments with mice. Specifically, mice administered with a polymerized polyphenol-added high-fat and sugar diet showed the dose-dependent inhibition of weight and body fat.
Details of the research were presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science.
By Aki Tsukioka, JCN Staff Writer
Copyright � 2006 JCN. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
www.japancorp.net
Health Benefits of Oolong Tea
Health benefits of oolong tea include reducing chronic bodily conditions such as heart diseases, inflammatory disorders, providing vital antioxidants, reducing high cholesterol levels, promoting superior bone structure, robust skin and good dental health. The oolong tea is fragrant with a fruity flavor and tasty aroma. It is considerably low in caffeine and extremely relaxing to drink.
Health benefits of oolong tea are doubled because of combined qualities of black tea and green tea. According to Tea Association of USA, oolong tea falls between green and black teas, as its leaves are only partially oxidized. There are numerous kinds of tea in this world; oolong tea being one among them. The origin of oolong tea dates back to almost 400 years in the history of China. It is a semi-green fermented tea. But, the fermentation process is halted as soon as the tea leaves start to change their color.
Nutritional Value: Tea is a nature’s gift that is rich in anti-oxidants. It also contains vital minerals and vitamins such as calcium, manganese, copper, carotin, selenium, and potassium, Vitamin A, B, C, E and K. in addition to folic acids, niacin amide and other detoxifying alkaloids. Developed in semi-fermented processing, the oolong tea is rich in numerous polyphenolic compounds, adding value health benefits of oolong tea.
Benefits: The various health related benefits of oolong tea are as follows:
So, drink several cups of oolong tea in a day, it is best for your good health and also wonderful to taste.
This article was contributed by Seema Adnani
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References: Osaka Institute for Health Care Science and Tea Association
隨身擁有的幸福-阿朗沁春茶包 分類：阿朗茶介紹
2008/11/05 15:04
身處在繁忙的都市中，面對每天不同的壓力，
喝杯茶，讓茶香伴隨著自己，忘卻三千煩惱，
阿朗茶推出的最新沁春茶包，
讓幸福的茶香帶著走，
相信你也會愛上這手工烘培的清香烏龍~
完全的密封不透光包裝，讓茶包保持最原味的甘甜，
背面有貼心的成份標示，讓營養看的見~
隨身包輕巧好撕，令人驚豔的茶包出爐囉~
三角超立體的茶包，裡面是最新鮮的原片烏龍，
有別於一般市售茶包的茶末碎片，沁春茶包誠意滿滿，全是一整片完整的茶葉~
沁春茶包與有名的市售茶包放在一起，
明顯感受到不同之處，也更凸顯阿朗茶農的質樸可愛~
開始泡茶囉~
等待著茶葉在茶中舒展開來，
茶葉像是做伸展操般的張開呼吸，
滿滿的茶包實在是誠意十足，
茶包泡6分鐘之後即可取出，可重複沖泡，讓幸福的茶香充滿一整天~
(PS.照片裡的茶葉是取自於茶包裡的茶葉喔! )
漂亮金黃色的茶滑順清雅，還帶有淡淡的天然桂花香氣，
原來是阿朗茶農在種植茶葉的時候，旁邊剛好有桂花相伴，
這種美麗的巧合，正是上天給我們最天然的饗宴，
希望你也可以來嚐嚐這處處充滿驚奇的 " 阿朗沁春茶包 "
阿朗茶~沁春茶包
烏龍原片三角立體茶包
2.5 g x 20鋁箔單包
售價 新台幣300元/盒
Taiwan Tea Paradise
"Formosa, the enchanted isle" describes Taiwan's beauty and abundance ─ a miracle of a spiritual land and outstanding people. Located in the sub tropics, this beautiful treasure island has ample sunlight all year round, appropriate temperature, lost of rain and dew with green mountain slopes plentiful on the island ─ it truly is an ideal environment for growing tea.
Tea History and Cultivation
Taiwan's tea plants were originally brought over from Fukien Province on the mainland. Currently 21,000 hectares are given over to cultivation of tea.
With advanced methods of cultivation, curing and preparation, over 20,000 metric tons of tea are produced per year. The principal tea growing regions include the counties of Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Nantou, Chiayi, Hualien and taitung, each with a lively local tea promotion center. 
Taiwan Oolong Tea and Taiwan Green Tea
Varieties of tea grown in Taiwan include green tea, black tea, pouching tea, iron goddess tea, flower-secnted tea and oolong tea.
World Famous Taiwan Tea, Taiwan Oolong Tea and Taiwan Green Tea - AgExporter
Taiwan Oolong Tea Brewing Guidance
In Taiwan, the most common way to make oolong tea (also spelled wulong tea or wu long tea) is Gong Fu style. Making oolong tea this way requires a small earthenware teapot. The oolong tea is served in small cups, and the same oolong tea leaves can be brewed many times.
Making tea gong fu style is ideal for Taiwan oolong tea. The short brewing time allows the sweet flavor of the oolong tea to come out without excess caffeine or tannin. Even those who are sensitive to caffeine can drink this type of oolong tea all evening and still get a good night's sleep.
Water
When making tea of any sort high quality water is essential. This is especially true for Taiwan oolong tea because of the subtle flavors that are revealed through proper brewing techniques.The best water for making oolong tea is spring water. If you don't have access to spring water, you can improve tap water by letting the chlorine escape before making the oolong. This is done by letting the water sit uncovered for 24 hours. Chlorine can also be removed by boiling the water for 5 minutes in an uncovered pot, but this method is not recommended for oolong tea because it makes the water flat.
Temperature
Water for making oolong tea should be just below the boiling point - about 85 - 95 degrees Celsius or 185 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Rather than measuring the temperature, try removing it from the heat when the large bubbles are just starting to form.Utensils
A typical Taiwanese oolong tea set consists of an unglazed clay teapot, a serving pitcher, a strainer, several small ceramic tea cups, a scoop for putting the oolong leaves in the pot, and a tray to capture water. Tea towels can be useful for drying the bottom of cups before they are served, and prongs are used to remove used oolong tea leaves from the teapot.Almost every household in Taiwan has this type of oolong tea set. The tray can be a simple round design made from stainless steel or an ornate decorative object made from carved wood or stone. Decorative trays have a drainpipe which leads to a small bucket underneath. Decorative trays for making oolong tea are prominently displayed and may even be integrated into a table top.
Method
When the water has reached the correct temperature, a small amount is used to rinse the teapot and cups. Oolong tea is then measured into the teapot - usually to about 1/4 or 1/3 of the volume of the teapot. The oolong tea leaves are not handled - a scoop is used to put the tea into the teapot.The teapot is filled about half-way with hot water. This first infusion is not for drinking - it allows the oolong leaves to "awaken" and start to unfurl. It also removes excess dust from the tea leaves.
The teapot is swirled around to distribute the water evenly through the tea leaves and then poured out into the serving pitcher after about 10 seconds. The pot is immediately filled again for the first drinking infusion.
As the tea is steeping the liquid from the serving pitcher is poured into the cups to heat them up. This water is then poured over the tea pot to draw steam through the hole.
The first steep is quite short - 30 to 50 seconds depending on the type and quality of the oolong. Making oolong tea is a delicate art and finding the appropriate balance between volume, temperature, and steeping time requires knowledge of the tea leaves. If the first steep is too strong or too weak, you can adjust the brewing time for subsequent steeps.
The oolong is poured through the strainer from the teapot to the serving pitcher and then to the individual cups. The cups are arranged next to each other and the pouring is done in a continuous circular motion. This allows each cup to receive oolong tea which is identical in taste and color.
The bottom of the cups are wet from the tray and the spillage so they should be briefly placed on the tea towel before serving.
After pouring the oolong the teapot can be immediately filled with hot water for the subsequent brew. Each brewing time can be slightly longer than the previous.
With a good quality tea, you can expect to get 5 to 8 brews before the tea starts to lose its flavor.
Taiwan Oolong Tea Brewing Guidance,Taiwan Oolong Tea,Formosa Oolong Tea,Chinese Tea Wiki-
