Tea Lovers

 Waltrim estate nestles in the Lindula Valley of Talawakelle Region in the Nuwara Eliya District at an elevation of 1207-1448 meters above the sea level.Acclaimed as the Flag bearer of Lindula region of Watawala Plantations.Waltrim was recognized for high quality of tea processing. This estate was the beneficiary of a "state of the art"factory that was newly constructed and commisioned onthe 18th of March 2011 after a disaster struck on 28th April 2008 when the old tea factory went abalze spontaneously in an inferno that literally struck from nowhere. Within an hour the building was reduced to ashes completely gutted by a fire. Watawala plantations rather than lamenting over this catastropic situation through its sheer determination built a new ultra-modern state of the art and ecofriendly tea processing centre at a site just 100 meters from where the old factory was located.It was the goal of the company to revive the glory and fame of the Waltrim Mark by making it the bes...

Blooming tea is also known as flowering tea. This is a combination of edible flowers and black tea or green tea leaves that is like a bulb. Tea leaves are plucked in early spring in the morning before the buds are opening. Then the leaves are sewn with cotton thread and tied to a flower like Jasmine, lily, lavender or chrysanthemum. Then the leaves are shaped into balls, cones, mushrooms or any other shapes. Then the shaped teas are withered, oxidized and fired. After forming the ball, the flowering tea is sealed to secure the freshness. This product is placed on a boiling water, and you will see that the ball will unfurl gradually and open all the floral petals which look like a blooming flower. Therefore this tea is named as blooming tea. Blooming tea comes in a variety of flavors such as Jasmine, Marigold, chrysanthemum, lily, and lavender. This blooming tea has enormous health benefits to the consumers. Being the fan of the blooming tea, it is important to know what health bene...

 Four Seasons Oolong Tea from Taiwan 👉🍃🌍❤   This Four Seasons Oolong (Si Ji Chun) is a wonderfully aromatic lightly oxidised oolong grown around Mingjian Township in Nantou County, Taiwan. It is an expressive tea, yet it makes a very refreshing drink. This particular batch is from an autumn crop, plucked in March 2020. Four Seasons Oolong is named after the cultivar that is used to make this aromatic tea, Si Ji Chun , which started appearing in Taiwan in 1980’s. It is said that one farmer near Taipei noticed a tea bush in his garden growing much quicker than others. He planted that particular tea bush more systematically and could harvest leaves from it throughout the year, including during winter time when the bushes are normally dormant. Si Ji Chun has become very popular in Taiwan, as well as other countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam. It favours low altitude conditions but also provides farmers with a consistent crop throughout the whole year. The leaves that ...

Purple tea is a special type of tea produced mostly in Kenya, and smaller amounts in Japan, China and India. Unlike yellow, green, oolong, black, dark or white tea, purple tea is not a tea type–it’s a cultivar called TRFK 306/1 that can be used for making all types of tea. It’s a tea that contains same anti oxidants as purplish and blueish fruits such as blueberries, red cabbage or chokeberries – anthocyanins. In fact, purple tea contains very high levels of anthocyanin – 135 times more than regular green tea. However, purple tea doesn’t brew into a cup of purple-colored tea. The name comes from the fresh tea leaves of a tea plant that have a distinguishable purple hue. Naturally purple or blue color in teas is very rare, such as deep blue intense color of a herbal Butterfly Pea Flower tea.

👉Black Tea manufacture:   Withering: The objective of withering is to reduce the moisture in the t ealeaf by up to 70% (varies from region to region). Tea is laid out on a wire mesh in troughs. Air is then passed through the tea removing the moisture in a uniform way. This process takes around 12 to 17 hours. At the end of this time the leaf is limp and pliable and so will roll well.   Rolling: Tea is placed into a rolling machine, which rotates horizontally on the rolling table. This action creates the twisted wiry looking tealeaves. During the rolling process the leaves are also broken open, which starts the third process - oxidisation.  Oxidisation: Once rolling is complete, the tea is either put into troughs or laid out on tables whereby the enzymes inside the tealeaf come in to contact with the air and start to oxidise. This creates the flavour, colour and strength of the tea. It is during this process that the tealeaf changes from green, through light ...

KENYAN TEA 👉🍃🌍  Kenyan Tea is bright, strong and flavourful and is widely used in many of the highly advertised brands. Our Kenya Pekoe Fannings Tea is sourced from East of the Rift KTDA Tea Estates which are regarded as producing the best pure indigenous tea from Kenya (Pure Kenya Tea) and are processed directly at source in their impressive array of tea factories. They are lovely teas and we’re delighted to share them with you. Tea was first grown in Kenya from 1903 but grew in scale in the mid-1920s. This growth was caused by colonial style farms but this development was damaged in the great recessions of 1929 and 1930. In the early 1930s Kenya had about 4800 hectares growing tea but due to legislation imposed by the colonial government there, small holder expansion was forbidden.  Kenyan became independent in 1962/63 and on the 20 January 1964 the KTDA (Kenya Tea Development Authority) was formed and given statute in law; “In order to promote and foster the development...

Ceylon Tea  Sri Lankan tea known for generations as “Ceylon Tea” is reputed for its’ taste and aroma world over. Sri Lanka is the largest producer of orthodox tea in the world. Currently, Sri Lanka ranks as the fourth largest tea producer of the world.  In the global export front, the country holds the position of third largest exporter of tea. Sri Lanka applies ISO 3720 as the minimum standards for tea. Sri Lankan tea growers and manufactures adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and produce tea under the highest social and environmental standards. The tea processing factories for exports continually improve and upgrade to meet required technical and hygienic standards to conform to the international food safety requirements.   ost Sri Lankan tea producers have also consistently promoted the adoption of the most stringent agricultural standards and practices, particularly through the adoption of international quality certifi...

Creative Ways to use Tea in your Cooking🍃😊  If you’re looking for some unique ways to spice up your favorite dishes, look no further than your tea box! Tea adds a distinctive flavour to any preparation whether sweet or savoury ,here’s some fun things to try....👇   👉If your recipe uses water, try using strongly brewed tea instead – cookies, breads, soups, marinades and stews are just some ideas where you could use this   👉Create your own unique dry rub for meats by adding ground black or green tea leaves into the mix. You can even use whole tea leaves as herbs.  👉Steaming rice and veggies with green or black tea leaves adds both a deliciously light flavour and fragrance 👉Add your favourite tea leaves to a smoker the next time you’re making smoked veggies or salmon. The tea leaves release their aroma as they burn and infuse some great flavours  👉Steep tea in hot milk for an hour or two before using in recipes like ice cream, custard and pudding...

 TEA TASTING - Chapter 01  Tea tasting, much like wine tasting, uses similar steps – visual, smell, taste and touch. A lot about a tea can be told by examining the dry leaves. Gently press some dry leaves in your hand – most new teas are a little springier and less likely to crumble than older teas. Tea tasting is the process in which a trained taster determines the quality of a particular tea. Due to climatic conditions, topography, manufacturing process, and different clones of the Camellia sinensis plant (tea), the final product may have vastly differing flavours and appearance. These differences can be tasted by a trained taster in order to ascertain the quality prior to sale or possibly blending tea. It is the taster who describes and values tea. His description of the liquor is based on taste. In its widest sense, which includes aroma, taste is a very complex property that has so far not been assessed chemically. A taster may deal with several hundred tea samples in a d...

Colombo Tea Auction  The first Tea Auction in Colombo was held on 30th July 1883 in the office of Somerville & Co., down Queen Street now renamed Janadhipathi Mawatha. Prior to this, many tea plantation people shipped Ceylon teas to the London Tea Auction or sometimes directly to overseas buyers. The Auction itself was only modestly successful with only one lot of Kabaragala un-assorted tea selling for cents 45 a pound whereas the other 4 lots remained unsold due to either lack of bids or due to bids received not meeting the Broker’s expectations. Despite debacles, Somerville & Co. and the other brokers persisted and were able to conduct auctions on a regular basis from 1885. In 1894 the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) set up the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association to formulate rules for the conduct of the Tea Auction. They promoted the common interest of buyers and sellers in the Colombo market. With modest beginning, Colombo Tea Auction (CTA) grew to be the largest tea au...

How to prepare Lemongrass Tea Sorbet??? Ingredients   1L of water  2 cups of granulated sugar  12 stalks of lemongrass (white stalks only), slightly crushed  1 lemon, juiced ¼ cup of tea made with 2 tablespoons of Ceylon black tea leaves Preparation : Bring water to boil, add sugar and lemongrass and let it infuse for 15 minutes. Add tea leaves and keep for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine meshed sieve and let it cool. Add lemon juice and place in freezer until frozen hard (about 8 hours). Process in small quantities in a blender until slushy and creamy. Place in cool goblets and serve immediately, garnished with fruits, mint leaves etc.

How to prepare Pineapple Tea Punch????? 🍍🥤🍃 Ingredients 5 cups of water  1/3 cup of Ceylon black tea leaves or 15 tea bags ½ tsp of grated nutmeg  1 cup of white sugar  6 cups of pineapple juice  1 cup of lemon juice  1L of club soda, chilled  Preparation:  Bring the water to a boil, add tea leaves and let it infuse, then add nutmeg and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Stir and strain into a punch bowl, add sugar and let it cool. Mix in the fruit juice. When ready to serve, mix with chilled soda and pour over ice cubes.

How to prepare Chocolate Tea??? 🥤🍫🍃  Ingredients    1L of milk  ½ cup of sugar  60g of bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped  2 tbsp of Ceylon black tea leaves  6 cardamom pods, crushed slightly  2 whole sticks of cinnamon 4 allspice berries, crushed  1 tsp of vanilla  Garnish with :  4 cinnamon sticks  Preparation:  Place all the ingredients in a pan except the garnish and simmer until the chocolate is fully dissolved. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to infuse for 10 minutes, then let it cool and strain. Freeze for one hour. Break up the frozen mixture and process in a blender until slushy.

How to prepare Iced Tea Lemonade🥤🍃🍋  Ingredients-   1L of water  6 tbsp of Ceylon black tea leaves  3 cups of cold water  ¾ cup of sugar made into a syrup with ¾ of cup water  1 cup of fresh lemon juice  Preparation-   Bring the litre of water to a boil, remove from heat and add tea leaves. Keep for 3-5 minutes. Stir and strain into a container, add the cold water and the cooled sugar syrup. Pour in the lemon juice and mix well. To serve, pour over ice cubes.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SILVER TIPS TEA Ceylon Silver Tips tea is easily considered to be one of the more exclusive and exquisite teas in the world. From the processing of the Camellia sinensis plant buds to the way the end product is brewed, the tea gives out a light, sweet and sublime taste that satisfies many palettes. However, did you know that with its unique taste, Ceylon silver tips tea benefits are plenty? From the boosting of the immune system to helping your mind stay focused in your daily tasks, this particular Ceylon Tea does wonders to the body. By choosing Zesta’s Silver Tips Jar, your experience will be all the more special in addition to its benefits of silver tips tea. Silver Tips Tea and Heart Health It has been researched that the antioxidants contained within the silver tips tea is known to have a positive effect on the circulatory system and the heart. This is attributed to the fact that the compounds help in reducing the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol from the blood...

SABARAGAMUWA Regional TEA  Sabaragamuwa is Sri Lanka’s biggest district, the teas of which are low-grown as its estates range in elevation from sea level to 610m. Sabaragamuwa, sandwiched between Sinharaja in the south and Adam's Peak wilderness in the north, produces a fast-growing bush with a long leaf. The liquor, too, is similar to that of Ruhuna teas, dark yellow-brown with a reddish tint. The aroma, however, is noticeably different from the Ruhuna products, with a hint of sweet caramel, not quite as strong: yet exceptionally stylish. RUHUNA Regional TEA   The teas of the Ruhuna district are defined as “low-grown” as they are cultivated at an altitude not exceeding 600m comprising vast sub regions from coastal plains to Southern edge of Sinharaja Rain Forest. The soil, combined with the low elevation of the estates, causes the tea-bush to grow rapidly, producing a long, beautiful leaf. Full-flavoured black tea is a distinctively unique Ruhuna specialty. Ruhuna factories p...

The use of the names of the tea-growing regions of Sri Lanka is strictly restricted and controlled. Only teas that conform to a registered, legal definition of origin and manufacture can bear the name of a given district. First, the tea must have been grown entirely within a particular ‘agro-climatic region’ (the technical term for ‘district’). This usually implies a particular altitude range as well; for example, tea from Uva district will have been grown at an altitude between 1,000 and 1,600m (3,000-5,000ft.) above sea level, while Nuwara Eliya tea will have been cultivated at a higher altitude range, averaging 2,000m (6,000ft). Secondly, the tea has to have been ‘manufactured’ within the district. Fresh tea-leaf does not travel well it has to be processed within a short period, and every large estate has its own factory dedicated to this operation. While the regional definition permits some latitude regarding the actual processes of manufacture, most Ceylon tea is still made accord...

By the 1960s, Sri Lanka's total tea production and exports exceeded 200,000 metric tons per year and in 1965 Sri Lanka became the world's largest tea exporter for the first time. In 1963, the production and exports of Instant Teas was introduced, and in 1966 the first International Tea Convention was held to commemorate 100 years of the tea industry in Sri Lanka. During the 1971–1972 periods, the government of Sri Lanka nationalized estates owned by Sri Lankan and British companies, taking over some 502 privately held tea, rubber and coconut estates, and in 1975 it nationalized the Rupee and Sterling companies. Land reform in Sri Lanka meant that no cultivator was allowed to own more than 50 acres for any purpose. In 1976, the Sri Lanka Tea Board was founded as were such other bodies as the Janatha Estate Development Board (JEDB), Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation (SLSPC) and the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority (TSHDA) to supervise the estates thus appropriated by...

The Planters Association of Ceylon was established in 1854 and in 1915 Thomas Amarasuriya became the first Ceylonese to be appointed as Chairman of the Planters' Association. Tea was increasingly sold at auction as its popularity grew. The first public Colombo Auction was held on the premises of M/s Somerville and Company Limited on 30 July 1883, under the auspices of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. One million tea packets were sold at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. That same year the tea netted a record price of £36.15 per lb at the London Tea Auctions. In 1894 the Ceylon Tea Traders Association was formed and today virtually all tea produced in Sri Lanka is sold at the auction supervised by this association and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. In 1896 the Colombo Brokers' Association was formed. In 1925 the Tea Research Institute was established in Ceylon to conduct research into maximizing yields and methods of production. By 1927 tea production in the country exceed...

Tea production in Ceylon increased dramatically in the 1880s and by 1888 the area under cultivation exceeded that of coffee, growing to nearly 400,000 acres in 1899. The only Ceylonese planter to venture in to tea production at the early stage was Charles Henry de Soysa. British figures such as Henry Randolph Trafford arrived in Ceylon and bought coffee estates in places such as Poyston, near Kandy, in 1880, which was the centre of the coffee culture of Ceylon at the time. Although Trafford knew little about coffee, he had considerable knowledge of tea cultivation and is considered one of the pioneer tea planters in Ceylon. By 1883, Trafford was the resident manager of numerous estates in the area that were switching over to tea production. By the late 1880s, almost all the coffee plantations in Ceylon had been converted to tea. Similarly, coffee stores rapidly converted to tea factories in order to meet increasing demand. Tea processing technology rapidly developed in the 1880s, follo...