I recently purchased some "Gunpowder Tea" because the name intrigued me. What is the origin of this name?
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Grandma Roses - my avatar is my real dog
ANSWERS: 1
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Chinese gunpowder tea is a green tea from the Zhejiang Province in China. It takes its English name from the fact that each grey green leaf is tightly rolled into a tiny pellet, exploding into a long leaf upon being steeped in hot water. In Chinese, however, it is called zhu cha (pearl tea or bead tea, not to be confused with boba tea). Gunpowder tea production dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618..907) but it was first introduced to Taiwan in the 1800s. Although the individual leaves were formerly rolled by hand, today most gunpowder tea is rolled by machines (though the highest grades are still rolled by hand). When buying gunpowder tea it is important to look for shiny pellets, which indicate that the tea is relatively fresh. Gunpowder tea is exported to the Maghreb where it is used in the preparation of traditional North African mint tea. The Moroccan tea ritual is at the heart of any social gathering, from an informal visit to a neighbour to lavish soirees with dignitaries. A minimum of two cups need to be drunk as not to offend the host. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_tea
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