The Story of Tea

by Mary Lou Heiss

  FAIR-TRADE CERTIFIERS

  Throughout Europe, Japan, North America, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand, more than twenty national “Labelling Initiatives” have been established to monitor and personalize the general standards, so that unique situations relative to certain crops or working conditions can be included in their national regulations. FLO International is the most recognized fair-trade standard-setting organization. FLO International initially acted as the coordinating association for the Labelling Initiatives but in 2005 the Certification Unit of the FLO International became a limited company, now known as FLO-Cert Ltd.

  FLO-Cert Ltd., as the umbrella organization now responsible for inspecting and certifying producers and trade for the twenty national initiatives, has been instrumental in generating the new blue and green common mark and has been phasing out most of the old marks, such as the various well-known national initiative versions of Max Havelaar, the original Fairtrade mark. By the end of 2005, FLO-Cert Ltd. was involved with the certification of more than a million producers, workers, and their dependants in fifty countries. As of the writing of this book, the FLO-Cert Ltd. mark is provided only to commodities, and only to those with origins in the Global South. All products that meet FLO Fairtrade standards must carry the newly designed Fairtrade mark. FLO-Cert Ltd. is also charged with guaranteeing that products sold under this new Fairtrade label conform to FLO International standards.

  Due to the autonomy of the other early agencies, there are still several certification agencies around the world that monitor and may certify or grant permission to use one of the many official labels for fair-trade products. Fairtrade Foundation and Rättvisemarkt are two such agencies; TransFair agencies monitor the United States, Canada, and Japan, but only food products. As has happened in the organic industry, organization has had its benefits and problems, but most observers feel that fair trade has benefited those for whom it was established. They believe that in general it is helping to provide better living conditions for some of the world’s poorest workers and those suffering from various forms of marginalization. Fair-trade monitoring has been particularly valuable in increasing the awareness of women’s value in the marketplace by ensuring equal pay and in protecting children’s rights to education and limited work at a defined age requirement.

  In the case of tea production many tea-growing countries instituted their own regulations regarding workplace standards and labor policy years ago. In Kenya, for instance, the government of Jomo Kenyatta gave all the land back to the people, and the government is now responsible for all education and the health care of tea workers. Under the Kenya Tea Development Authority money from fair-trade supplements cannot go to workers; rather, it must be reinvested in an estate’s infrastructure. In fact, many fair-trade supplements in tea-producing regions are invested in physical operations because they cannot be legally provided to the workers as compensation, so fair-trade regulations don’t always reach the goals intended.

  One of the reasons that fair trade is able to continue is the commitment of the buying public to support it. The retail consumer has to be charged a premium to purchase the item being sold. The consumer pays directly for the costs of the economic model, by paying a higher fair-trade base price for the goods, plus the fair-trade premium that supports the fair-trade system. This is known as the direct-contribution system; however, fairly traded goods do not all employ this principle.

  There is no validation system for nonfood goods; rather, merchandise is traditionally sold through “company stores” (such as Ten Thousand Villages), church groups, trunk sales, and so on. An honor system works for these goods, the majority of which come from village women working alone, in small groups, or from small entrepreneurial businesses that produce limited quantities of an item. According to the Fair Trade Yearbook, this works because “the very variety of handcrafted items are their strength … unique handcrafted items are not subject to direct comparisons with regard to price and performance.” In the marketing of food products, the validation system of the identifying mark is of some assistance in identifying fair-trade goods, but there are many fairly traded food items that do not carry the mark and compete instead in the open market at competitive prices.

  Ethical Tea Partnership

  The Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) is a positive example of industry leaders establishing a program by which the methods of tea production and the living conditions of its workers can be monitored and improved upon from within its own industry. Founded in 1997, the ETP is an international, noncommercial alliance based in Europe and North America, whose purpose is to independently monitor the life of tea workers worldwide. Beginning with Kenya, Malawi, northern India, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Indonesia, ETP monitoring now extends into Argentina, Brazil, China, and southern India. Funded completely by its members (who are leading tea packers), the ETP complements such groups as Fairtrade.

  The key elements of ETP monitoring are openness and autonomy. When the independent ETP monitors from PriceWaterhouseCoopers visit a tea garden, they note both current conditions and changes from previous visits. Because they are familiar with local statutes, languages, and customs, these monitors evaluate and report on the conditions in the garden without prejudice. Usually visiting a garden for several days, they interview workers, managers, owners, and members of the community, who interact with those on the tea estate. There is no mandatory economic model, rigid certification standard, or cost to the tea garden, and there is no value-added mark that brings a higher price for the estate’s tea production. The tea produced by an ETP estate competes in the marketplace along with the other tea from its region. Any increase in price that it might command is based on its higher quality and the reputation brought to it by having been grown under higher standards.

  The goal of ETP is to continually improve the quality of the workplace so that the product’s quality will also improve, so that tea buyers and ultimately tea drinkers will prefer to purchase tea from ethically sourced gardens. As there is no identifying logo allowed, the only way that the consumer knows of a tea’s affiliation with ETP is that some packers promote the ETP by listing its Web address on a tea’s package. Many bulk tea sellers also endorse the goals of the ETP, and in some cases they will identify a garden-specific tea as being monitored.

  The tea industry has seen many changes throughout the decades, including adherence to many involuntary and voluntary regulations regarding production, distribution, and marketing, combined with the social and political upheavals of recent generations. As the world’s tea drinkers become more familiar with an increased variety of types of tea, and learn about the natural history and methods of production of high-quality teas, improvements in both the quality of life for the workers and the tea itself will certainly continue.

  IN CHINA TEA IS NOT CONSUMED WITH MEALS; rather, it is embraced as a thirst quencher and refresher before and after meals as well as for an energy boost throughout the day. In Japan, however, some teas, such as Konacha, are praised for their ability to harmonize and pair with strong-tasting or oily foods like raw fish. In India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam tea is consumed whenever the mood strikes, and a cup of spiced chai has been known to quell the fire of mouth-numbing, spicy-hot dishes.

  Fragrant and versatile tea leaves are also often used in cooking, where the flavor of a particular style of leaf subtly complements and enhances the flavor of the food with which it is paired. Across Asia each spring, just as the previous year’s supply of tea dwindles, a fresh crop of new leaves floods the market, when the annual tea harvest swings into production. In China, when newly emerging bamboo shoots begin to poke their heads above ground, for example, other seasonal greens and vegetables begin to reappear in the markets. This happy coincidence means that it is time to purchase new tea for sipping and to relegate what little remains of last year’s tea supply for kitchen use.

  Cooking with tea is both fun and easy. Think of tea as an ingredient—use green or oolong tea to crea
te flavorful yet delicate infusions when poaching, steaming, braising, or marinating fish or shellfish. These teas are also useful in creating flavorful big-bowl noodle dishes. For marinating pork, beef, or chicken, use brewed black or oolong tea to add a flavor boost. Pluck the tea leaves from your teapot and finely chop them, then add as you would greens to rice dishes, stir-fries, or savory meat sauces. You might include tea leaves in your savory fillings for homemade dumplings. The flavor of tea never overpowers. It is a versatile seasoning that can also be used for adding a delicate hint of color to sauces, fruit desserts, and breakfast smoothies. Follow the Japanese example and add matcha powder for flavor and to bring about a bright, emerald-green color to cakes, cookies, puddings, and ice cream.

  Tea is rich in healthful antioxidants as well as in vitamins A, B, E, and K. From these leaves we can obtain a wealth of minerals, such as chlorophyll, copper, fluoride, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Vegetable soups and light broths can benefit from the subtle flavor that tea contributes; use brewed tea instead of water and you are building in flavor as well as adding vitamins and healthful antioxidants.

  This chapter highlights some of our favorite recipes for cooking with tea. Enjoy!

  SAVORY CHINESE MARBLED EGGS (CHA YE DAN)

  MAKES 8 EGGS

  These marvelous eggs are a staple at tea markets in China. We see them offered at breakfast or lunch or as a snack. The intensity of flavor and depth of color is controlled by the quantity of ingredients added to the steeping liquid, combined with the length of time that the eggs are left to steep. Our classic technique produces beautifully colored eggs and minimizes the green-ring effect that often appears around the yolk of hard-boiled eggs. The eggs must be left uncovered in the fridge for at least one week before use. This airing changes the chemistry of the eggshell lining and allows the shell to be shed without tearing the marbled finish.

  These deliciously flavored eggs add a bit of zip to an appetizer plate or provide an exquisite garnish to either a green or composed salad. Although these are often served with beer in China, marbled eggs may also accompany a properly chilled Beaujolais or Provençal rosé or a toasty hot tea such as Longjing.

  8 large eggs

  1 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

  18 points of star anise

  2 sticks Ceylon cinnamon

  2 large pieces dried mandarin orange, tangerine, or orange peel

  12 whole black peppercorns

  4 tablespoons Assam tea leaves (or other dark-liquoring and flavorful full-leaf tea)

  2 tablespoons black soy sauce

  1 or 2 slices crystallized ginger

  6 Sichuan peppercorns

  1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

  Place the eggs and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a heavy saucepan, large enough to hold the eggs in one layer. Add cold water to cover the eggs by 2 or 3 inches. Bring the water to a boil over high heat; then decrease the heat to low immediately and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

  Drain the pan and quickly cool the eggs by either running cold tap water over them or placing them in a bowl of ice water. Let them sit in cold water until well cooled, about 20 minutes. (Quick cooling helps prevent a green ring from forming around the yolk.)

  To make the marbling mixture, combine in a small bowl the star anise, cinnamon, orange peel, black peppercorns, tea leaves, soy sauce, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and sherry vinegar. Set aside.

  One after the other, resting an egg in the palm of your hand, crack the outer shells by carefully tapping them with the back of a wooden spoon or rice paddle. This creates a weblike pattern in the shells that will color during steeping. Try to cover the eggshells with random cracking, but don’t worry if there are large portions of solid shell, as these eggs will also look enticing.

  Place the eggs in a nonstaining saucepot. Add the marbling mixture and about 3 cups of cold water to cover the eggs completely. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 3 hours, checking them occasionally to rearrange the eggs and spices for even cooking. Add water as necessary to maintain the liquid level.

  Turn the heat off and let the eggs steep in the pot, covered, for at least 10 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove the eggs and discard the steeping liquid.

  If serving the eggs at room temperature, peel them carefully to reveal the pattern and serve. Mound them up in a bowl, halve, and arrange them attractively yolk-side down on a platter, or quarter them to use as a garnish.

  Peeled eggs will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Unpeeled eggs will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

  CLAMS IN SWEET WHITE MISO AND GREEN TEA BROTH

  SERVES 4

  This easy-to-make soup is so delicious you will add it to your everyday repertoire. Create your own variations: instead of clams, substitute narrow strips of sweet white fish, or for an elegant flourish, butterfly two dozen shrimp and add them, tails attached, to the miso broth. Add a splash of color with finely shredded spinach or seaweed. Boost the aromatics with crisp, clean slices of fresh lemongrass. For a burst of flavor, finish the dish with a dash of the sassy Japanese-Style Red Pepper Spice Mix.

  24 small to medium-sized Littleneck or Countneck clams

  JAPANESE-STYLE RED PEPPER SPICE MIX

  1 tablespoon black peppercorns

  1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

  1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

  1 tablespoon brown or white sesame seeds

  ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  ½ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (preferably agridulce, or bittersweet)

  BROTH

  1 quart plus 1 quart water

  4 tablespoons green tea leaves or 8 green tea teabags

  8 tablespoons sweet white Japanese miso

  1 (2-inch) knob gingerroot, peeled and finely grated

  Wash the clams in a pan of cold, clean water. Scrub the shells and discard any that are cracked or gaping open. Change the water several times and leave the clams to soak for 10 minutes, to disgorge any remaining sand. Rinse the clams well and set aside to drain.

  To make the Japanese-Style Red Pepper Spice Mix: Using a mortar and pestle, crush the black peppercorns until you have small, cracked pieces that are not too big but not yet powder. Add the sea salt and crush just a little. Add both types of sesame seeds and crush until they begin to lose their shape. Mix in the cayenne and the smoked paprika and combine well. Set aside.

  To make the broth: In a kettle bring 1 quart of the water to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes. Place the loose tea leaves or teabags in a 1½-quart saucepan. Pour the water over the tea leaves, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and brew for 2 minutes. If you are using loose tea leaves, strain the brewed tea into a saucepan. If you are using teabags, lift them out and press them gently against the side of the saucepan to drain before adding the brewed tea to the pan.

  With the remaining 1 quart water, brew the same tea leaves a second time, using the method just described. Add this second infusion to the brewed tea in the pan. Add the miso to the brewed tea and mix well. The miso will separate. Add the gingerroot to the tea and miso mixture. Mix well and set aside.

  Place the clams in a 4- or 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven and add enough water to cover. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat, then cover the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the clams have opened.

  Using a slotted spoon, remove the clams from the pan. Drain the clams, then divide them among soup plates, being careful to not dislodge them from their shells. Stir the tea broth and ladle a generous amount over the clams. Scatter a sprinkling of red pepper spice over each dish and serve hot.

  PINEAPPLE JEWEL RICE WITH SPICY SHRIMP

  SERVES 4

  In Xishuangbanna, the tropical region of southern Yunnan Province, the owner of a local restaurant presented us with one of his specialties—a fresh pineapple filled with fragrant stic
ky rice. The addition of pu-erh tea is our idea, a nod to the hill tribe people of Xishuangbanna and neighboring Myanmar, who have a history of “eating tea.”

  Preparing sticky rice requires a different method of cooking than other types of white rice. We find the natural sweetness and chewiness of sticky rice quite appealing. Thai sticky rice must soak for eight hours before cooking (although it may be steamed a day in advance; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed).

  Be sure to read the entire recipe before starting. This recipe requires one whole day and multiple cooking techniques. None of it is difficult, however, and the results are incredibly tasty and beautiful.

  3 cups uncooked Thai white sticky rice

  1 cup Japanese rice vinegar

  4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  3 tablespoons hot chile paste

  6 tablespoons peeled and chopped gingerroot

  Juice of 1 lime

  2 pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined, and washed

  1 can unsweetened coconut milk

  ¼ cup packed light-brown sugar

  4 tablespoons coarsely chopped wet pu-erh tea leaves

  1 ripe pineapple, whole

  Place the rice into a 2-quart saucepan. Cover with lukewarm water to 3 inches above the top of the rice and soak for 8 hours.

  Drain the rice and rinse. Line a steamer basket with a double layer of cheesecloth and place the rice in the basket. Fill the bottom of a wok or steamer pan with boiling water and set the steamer basket on top. The rice should be suspended above the boiling water and not come into contact with it. Steam the rice for 45 minutes, or until the rice becomes opaque and sticky. Add more boiling water as needed during steaming to prevent the pan from drying out.