Today, I want to talk about something I’ve been getting into lately – Chinese green tea. I’ve always been more of a coffee person, but recently I decided to give this whole tea thing a try. And let me tell you, it’s been quite the journey!

First off, I had no idea there were so many kinds of green tea. I mean, I thought tea was just, well, tea. But apparently, there’s this whole world of flavors and types out there. I stumbled upon something called “Mao Jian,” which is rolled into these little spirals. It’s pretty neat, not gonna lie. They say you gotta pluck the leaves in the spring, roll them, let them rest, and twist them into shape. Sounds like a lot of work for a cup of tea, but hey, I’m open to it.

Making the Tea

So, I got myself some of this Mao Jian tea and tried making it. The instructions I found were pretty simple. You put some tea leaves in a glass, then pour hot water that’s about 80 to 90 degrees Celsius. You only fill it up like a quarter of the way. Then, and this is the fun part, you swirl the glass around and just enjoy the smell. I did this, and man, it does smell good. After about 30 seconds, you add more hot water to fill the glass. That’s it! It felt really fancy, swirling it around like that.

Lots of Choices

I also learned that there are other types of Chinese green tea, like Longjing, also known as Dragon Well. I haven’t tried that one yet, but it’s on my list. Apparently, it’s from some place called West Lake. Sounds exotic, right? I’m really getting into this whole tea culture thing. Who knew there was so much to it?

Caffeine Concerns

Now, I was a bit worried about the caffeine. I mean, I’m used to my morning coffee kick. But it turns out green tea has way less caffeine. Like, 25-45 mg per cup, compared to coffee’s 80-110 mg. But there’s this thing called matcha green tea that has more, like 60-70 mg. So, I guess it depends on the type. But still, it’s not as intense as coffee, which is good for me because I don’t want to be bouncing off the walls.

Final Thoughts

Overall, my adventure with Chinese green tea has been pretty awesome. It’s like this whole new world I never knew existed. It’s a bit overwhelming with all the different types, but also super exciting. Plus, it feels healthier than drinking coffee all the time. I’m no expert yet, but I’m definitely enjoying the process of trying different kinds and learning how to make them. I just put the leaf into the glass, add hot water, then smell, and add more water. It’s really a simple thing, you know? It is easy.

• What I did:
• Tried Mao Jian green tea.
• Learned how to brew it.
• Discovered other types like Longjing.
• Found out about caffeine levels.

So yeah, that’s my little tea journey so far. I might try that Dragon Well tea next, or maybe some other kind. If any of you have suggestions, let me know! I’m all ears. I will keep going.