The name ‘Gunpowder Green’ was one I had heard long before I ever encountered it, and so I was quite excited when I was handed a sample by one of the T2 shop assistants with a recent purchase. I decided (given the obvious gravity of the occasion, and my ongoing search for any old excuse) to make a brew using my traditional Chinese tea set, bought over from China during a recent visit. The significance of this lies in an old Chinese saying; ‘The second brew of tea is the finest,’ and in fact the leaves are often ‘washed,’ or the first (quick) brew discarded (although in recent times this may be explained by the use of pesticides and the effects of pollution in China, I am sure the saying is older than such influences). The Chinese Tea Ceremony, for those unfamiliar, involves making 3-4 brews of tea from one spoonful of leaves, in a small, clay teapot. This process allows for an entirely different tea drinking experiencing as the flavours of the tea are released layer by layer.

I’m ashamed to say my first brew was discarded after I discovered just how sensitive the leaf is to heat, be sure to follow the brewing instructions carefully on this one, although a slightly bitter taste* remains which was particularly evident in the first brew. The rolled leaves of the Gunpowder Green are similar in appearance to crushed cocoa nibs and have a rich, earthy smell with smoky tobacco undertones. Overall, the tea is a satisfying, earthy cup with the taste of those deep green leafy plants that just have to be good for you, it made me wonder what the nutritional value of the leaf might be.

The second pot was a milder brew and (true to tradition) my favourite cup. The slightest hint of licourice -which is good for digestion and sore throats- lingered on the tip of my tongue, making me salivate. The third pot, on the other hand, brought out the smoky flavour of the tea. Drinking the fourth (much weaker) pot I fancied I could taste the goodness of the leaf itself, the iron, zinc, calcium and other vitamins that inspired mother nature to flavour the leaf so, and inspired me to brew a final pot to add to my dogs’ water bowl before laying the exhausted leaves to rest in my compost bin.

Gunpowder Green and all its goodness will make a welcome addition to my (somewhat overcrowded) tea cupboard, and perhaps my morning routine.g

Jennifer McKeown

Doctor of Chinese Medicine

*According to Traditional Chinese Medicine principles, bitter foods have a purging effect (although there is a slightly astringent quality here which may negate that to some extent), I would recommend this tea as a morning coffee alternative to anyone trying to cut back.