Temple of Heaven Gunpowder Green Tea 1 Lb. (Tightly Rolled Small Pellets)
"Temple of Heaven" is one of the highest grades of this unique and interesting Chinese green tea. Each leaf is tightly rolled into a "pearl" that "explodes" with a penetrating, refreshing taste. This tea produces a yellow-green liquor and is light and sweet in the cup.Gunpowder green tea gets its name because the tightly rolled green leaves resemble the powder used in cannons on 18th century British ships. When fully steeped, the tender whole leaves unfurl revealing this deep, rich flavor. A most unique tea that is among the most popular worldwide.The leaf for this green tea is plucked during April, corresponding to the time of the best quality. Legend has it that the name Gunpowder was given by a young English clerk who thought the tiny rolled green balls looked like gunpowder. The Chinese name for Gunpowder Tea is Siaou Chu, which literally means large leaf. Rolling the leaf has two effects on quality of the tea. It forces to the surface flavorful juices that otherwise would remain in the leaf. Rolling also forces out water, thus helping to reduce the tea's final moisture content. The pellet retains its shape during firing and keeps its freshness longer than tea not manufactured in pellet form.