Tea - A Glimpse into the Diversity and Simplicity

"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than of tea for one" - Chinese proverb

It is reported that tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, but I would think coffee is more popular in South Korea these days. The density of coffee houses is incredibly high with multiple options on every block.

I love a nice cup of French pressed coffee every morning, but as the weather starts to cool down, I typically start drinking more tea. To me, it is a way to recharge even if for a short period of time, and appreciate what hot water and various leaves, roots, berries and such can turn into. Let me explain.

The first traditional tea house I went to was in Seoul 20 years ago with my wife and her sister. The lighting was dim and there were many wooden tables and stools which appeared to be hand carved. The smells were earthy and natural, pulling me in quickly into the cozy space. Below is a photo of a bamboo leaf tea (right), ginger root tea (center) and a magnolia berry tea (left) from one of those early visits. Magnolia berry is also known as five flavors fruit or omija (오미자).

These traditional tea houses are scattered throughout the Insadong neighborhood in Seoul, but many other places and cities as well. They often serve traditional snacks like roasted rice cakes with honey that compliment the tea nicely.

Traditional tea houses are unique and give people a quiet space to talk, read, reflect or whatever they choose to do.

Some tea houses these days have timers with precise instructions on how long to infuse it. This photo was taken at a small tea house in Pangyo a few years ago.

Over time, I learned to appreciate more of these teas many with are served without any sweetener. Just like wine, teas offer subtleties in aroma, taste and color.

For example, I experimented with different ginseng roots with and without dried dates. We often slow cook red ginseng (홍삼) for 12+ hours with dried dates and the house smells amazing while brewing. The red ginseng root is grown for five years, picked and then steamed, unlike other ginseng root which may be grown for 1-2 years and only dried. The flavor of the red ginseng is very rich and complex, and you can get a few tea batches out of each root.

Recently, I grew some Burdock root and harvested it after two years. I thinly cut and dried it for about two weeks before storing in a glass jar. It is another one of those acquired tastes like roasted corn, barley and other teas that many Koreans drink.

Our collection of tea at any time consists of various green teas, bellflower (도라지), persimmon leaf, ginseng, and more.

My go to tea when feeling a cold upon me is honey citron tea (유자차). It is believed to be a hybrid from the mandarin orange and has a very high Vitamin C content. I also enjoy rooibos tea which uses the leaves from this red bush in South Africa.

I hope this short post introduced you to some new teas. There are many claimed health benefits and it is fun to make. You can share any of your favorites in the comments section!

If you are looking for an interesting book to read, A History of the World in 6 Glasses summarizes the pervasive influence of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and soda on human history.

Also, please check out other articles by the honorary reporters of Korea.net. http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/HonoraryReporters

Vincent L. Apa III

November 29, 2020