Wednesday 2 May 2012

Liu An Gua Pian

To Liu An town for another of China's most celebrated green teas. The name is usually
translated as 'Melon Seeds', but in fact Gua Pian just means flower seeds, and if anything the leaves look more like sunflower seeds. But that's not the point, and I've got far too hung up on tea names before.


We were scheduled to visit a farm and processing unit owned by Mr. Wang, but before this we visited him in his shop in Liu An.


This is in the tea marketing district, and I counted 25 tea shops in the same square, all of them showing samples of the new spring teas. It seems that dusing the spring season everyone has there teas on show for regular and new customers, and this is where much of the business is done.


On to the farm, in another beautiful area, steep hillsides covered in blossom.



The picking is very unusual. The picked leaves are about 4cm long, and are carefully pulled off so that no stem is attached. This is quite unlike most green teas, where the buds and tiny young leaves are picked.




The leaves are allowed to wilt and soften, before two stages using a wok - the first to denature the leaf ezymes, the second to shape the leaves. This is done using a small soft brush.

I had a go at this but I think my efforts were below the trequired standard.





What particularly characterises the Liu An Gua Pian process is the strange baking process. The shaped leaves are placed on the conical tops of tall upturned bamboo baskets, then heated briefly and repeatedly over a charcoal brazier. 

 
 
The basket is in place for only a second or two before being removed and the leaves sifted by hand in order to dissipate the heat. This is repeated 80-100 times until the baking is complete.