Tea Lady Online
FYI - Oolong Tea

Oolong teas are gaining in popularity.  Many Oriental restaurants serve Oolong tea or an Oolong/Jasmine tea blend.  
However, it still accounts for only about 3% of total tea production.

Growing conditions must be just right to produce a quality Oolong leaf.  Oolong teas are more sensitive to climate.  
The absolute best Oolong teas are harvested in the summer months.  Formosa Oolong (Taiwan) is considered
among the finest.  

The process begins in much the same way as for Black teas.  However, the fermentation is halted at about half the
time allowed for Black teas.  

From this point, the processing follows many of the same steps as Green teas.  However, the leaves undergo much
more shaking and bruising than Green tea.  This releases the flavorful enzymes from the leaves.   Then the leaves
are gently heated and allowed to air dry.

Meticulous care is exhibited in the sorting processes.  Ancient growers developed several rituals regarding the
names, quality, and sorting methods associated with Oolong tea.  

It's all just a bit snobbish!