Why Adopt South Korea's Green Tea Drinking Culture?
The art of drinking Green Tea or Nokcha in Korea, goes back as far as the 9th century AD in the Korean Culture and they have been known to have the highest levels of antioxidant.
In fact, when my uncle was diagnosed with nasal cancer, this was the drink he was advised by the specialist doctor to take once the chemo and radiation session was completed. Not surprisingly, I have also heard the same story from other friends of families.It would have been great to know how to make your own green tea then. Notwithstanding the medicinal value of the tea, I love the smell and everything about drinking it. In fact, I have one or two cups most days.
Korean Nokcha are available according to different grades.Ujeon, also known as woojeon is the highest grade where the young leaves are plucked in the harvest. Sejak is the second grade followed by Jungjak. This is not unlike the grading of olive oil or wines, really.
Korean Nokcha is made from tea leaves that have been dried to retain their green color. The best temperature for brewing Nokcha is between 60-68 degrees celsius as this is would be ideal for retaining the nutrients.
Koreans uses Nokcha to enhance the green color of vegetables or to neutralize fish or meat odors. Apart from that, you will find that the catechin in Nokcha also helps prevent food poisoning and geriatic diseases.
However, I especially love how the Korean Nokcha is so versatile that we are now widely using to bake cookies, cakes, ice-creams and even chocolates. People are even using it to bathe in and my mum even mixed it with yoghurt for her facial treatment.
The tea culture in Korea was widely known to be influenced by Buddhism and Taoism.
Suyangdado, the performing of tea ceremonies is used as a way of cultivating the serene mind. South Korea, a country with its picturesque springs and waterfalls is said to have a perfect backdrop since it is well known that "good tea requires good water".
The best known tea production regions in South Korea are Boseong in Jeollanam-do, Jeju-do and Hadong in Gyeongsangnam-do.
Boseong, with its miles and miles of rolling hills is amazingly beautiful and probably the most well known destination for green tea plantation. Make sure you visit Daehan Tea Plantation here as this is the oldest, largest and the most picturesque and colorful.
All these 3 regions holds a Nokcha festival annually.
