Bigdoggpinc
Shop online with Bigdoggpinc Prices a non spamming blog site for gourmet loose teas sourced directly from the artisan farmers who tender them. All types of loose leaf teas available. Free shipping over $49! Tea processing is five basic steps; some teas don't utilize all of these steps, while other teas repeat them several times. Basic processing is Plucking, Withering (allowing the leaves to wilt and soften), Rolling (to shape the leaves and wring out the juices), Oxidizing (see below) and Firing (ie: Drying).
The most crucial part, what defines the categories of tea, is Oxidizing. Oxidation occurs when the enzymes in the tea leaf interact with oxygen, after the cell walls are broken apart. This can happen quickly, through rolling, cutting or crushing, or more slowly through the natural decomposition of the leaf. Actually, you see the same process in a piece of fruit. Left to sit, an apple will slowly turn brown. Cut or bruise the apple, and it will brown much more quickly.