Cool Off
- Marcia Lam
Our Bay Area August days may alternate between chilly fog and warm sun, but summer in China means hot and muggy. Imagine 104 degrees and high humidity. The minute you step outside, you’re drenched in sweat. Definitely dog days that call for gallons of iced tea, right? Wrong. Even on days that sizzle, people in China drink hot tea. But that’s because they know something about the properties of tea. When it’s hot outside, one doesn’t drink just any tea; one drinks green tea.
The secret? Green tea combats heat inside and out. It helps cool both the external body and the internal system. According to the ancient text of Chinese herbal medicine, the body has two aspects, Yin and Yang (cold and hot), which need to be in balance in order for the body to function effectively. When the body is too hot, consuming food, tea or herbs with so-called ‘cold’ properties will bring it back to a balanced temperature. Thus summertime is tailor-made for green tea, while winter calls for black.
One particular green tea prized for its ‘chilling’ effect is the famous Dragonwell green tea from the Westlake Village area outside of Hangzhou, in Zhejiang Province in central China. Dragonwell are fine, hand-flattened leaves with a sweet, nutlike yellow brew. It is a great tea to drink on a hot day. And a perfect antidote to too much fried or spicy food, especially if some chrysantheum buds are added to the tea. All will help to restore the body’s balance. (A word of caution: drinking too much green tea might cause diarrhea in those with sensitive stomachs. By adding some ginger to the green tea, you can counter this effect.)
So, when you want to be “cool as a cucumber”, go for the ‘green’.
How to Throw a Tea Party
-Sue Worthman
First step: throw out any notion that a tea party must include a) only women; b) the wearing of dresses (and gloves and hats); c) flowered teapots and china cups. The only must-haves for a tea party are a) good tea; b) good things to eat and c) good company. And because it’s a party, a little more care, effort and thought given to table settings, dishes, etc.
That said, here are some basic ingredients and steps.
1. DECIDE IF YOUR PARTY WILL HAVE A THEME. That would dictate the kind of tea service, tea, and food you want to serve. For instance, if you decide that you want to throw a Victorian or English-style formal tea, then you’ll want a complete tea service (pot, creamer, sugar bowl) and assortment of teacups—all preferably bone china and flowered. You’ll want to serve great black teas (preferably scented like Earl Grey or Rose), along with tea sandwiches, cookies, scones, and the like. If you’re going for an Asian theme, such as Japanese or Chinese, then your tea set would more likely include a clay pot, with small cups, the tea would likely be greens or oolongs (although certain blacks would be appropriate), with sweet and savory snacks, possibly dim sum and almond cookies, or mochi, wasabi peas and sweet bean cakes. If your theme is Russian, then you might choose smoky teas like Lapsang Souchong and offer preserved cherries and chocolate. Indian? Consider chai, or straight Darjeeling, along with samosas.
2. SERVING AND SEATING: Set up a table for serving the tea, and another with food and plates, if you’d like guests to mingle about. Otherwise, set up a sitting area with a table for both serving and eating. (Don’t worry if you don’t have enough chairs; big floor cushions around a coffee table works well, too.)
3. TEA SET: Use your nicest tea set, if you have one, with matching cups. Or, your nicest teapot and best selection of cups-and-saucers or Asian-style handle-less cups, along with teaspoons. (A party is not the time for everyday mugs, unless that’s all you have.) Arrange everything neatly on one end of the serving table. Provide a sweetener (sugar cubes lend a particularly special touch, as does a honey pot with spoon), lemon slices, milk (or milk substitute). It’s good to have a pitcher of hot water to dilute the tea. If you’re serving more than one kind of tea, then you’ll need a service for that as well.
4. TEA: Use loose leaf, not bags. Although serving a single kind of tea makes things very easy, your guests might welcome being offered a choice between caffeinated (black, oolong, green) and herbal. Or, a choice between black and green teas. (Tip: 80% of the caffeine in tea can be removed with a simple steeping for 45-60 seconds ONLY. Discard the liquid but keep the leaves, and then pour fresh boiling water over them. From there, steep as usual.)
5. FOOD: Place your ‘treats’ –whether sweet or savory—on platters and cake stands in the middle of the table.
6. TABLE SETTINGS: Plates, napkins and utensils can be arranged either at peoples’ places, if you will serve and eat at the same table, or by the food. Here again, use your ‘best’ of everything in terms of dishes and utensils. Try to use cloth napkins, if possible.
7. SERVING: The host/hostess does the pouring and serving. Ask guests for their preferences – sugar, lemon, milk – and prepare tea accordingly. Add sugar before lemon because the acid in the lemon will prevent the sugar from dissolving. If you’re including a second tea service, ask one of your guests whether he or she will pour that one. Invite guests to help themselves with the food. Replenish as necessary.
8. ENJOY YOURSELF! It’s a party. Keep the tea fresh and hot and the food plentiful. The heart of the party—the guests—will flow from there.
Customer Corner
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Name: Inca Ung
City: Oakland
Occupation: Healthcare case manager
Favorite Tea: Frozen Summit oolong |
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Inca Ung is one busy woman. On the job, she’s plowing through mountains of detailed paperwork and phone calls related to casework management. Off hours, she’s plowing through choppy Bay Area waters, competing in dragonboat races, or playing babysitter to her great-niece Catherine (seen here in the photo). But she has a tea-drinking habit that speaks to her of relaxation and the pleasure of leisurely time spent with friends and family.
“Tea is a great way to unwind. I love coffee, and drink it in the morning for a much-needed ‘kick’. But by afternoon, when I’m feeling overwhelmed by work, I reach for tea. It destresses me. Savoring a cup of tea, I can still be productive, but everything is more manageable.”
Inca also likes how tea helps people gather socially. “Everyone is so busy these days with their jobs and families; it’s hard to get people together. If I head out to L’Amyx, I can call my friends and have them meet me there. Over tea and carrot cake, we can catch up. It’s the same when I’m at my boyfriend’s house. Offered a choice of tea or coffee, I’ll always take tea. Sharing tea with his family seems to make the conversation better, easier. It’s….I don’t know how to explain it.” Convivial? “Yes! That’s it. More convivial.”
So there you have it. A busy woman’s secret for less stress and more time spent with family and friends. Sip and savor!
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