The Custodians Of Pekoe
WINE&DINE|September - October 2020
A worldwide phenomenon, tea culture is prevalent in cultures across the globe. We shine the spotlight on three institutions doing their part in preserving the art and history of tea: Chá Gorreana plantation in Portugal, Jeju Osulloc Tea Museum in Korea, and the UK Tea Academy in London.
Priyanka Elhence
The Custodians Of Pekoe

Cha Gorreana

Reputed to be Europe’s oldest tea factory and her only remaining tea plantation, Chá Gorreana has been operating on the Azorean island of São Miguel in Portugal since 1883. Now managed by the sixth generation, the 45-hectares plantation was founded by Ermelinda Gago da Câmara and her son, José Honorato.

Hundreds of miles away from the city’s industrial pollution, in the green hills of the Gorreana estate in Azores, the island’s humid climate is perfect for staving off typical pests of the Camellia Sinensis. Internationally recognised for their quality, the handpicked green and black teas are completely organic; instead of using herbicide, pesticide, fungicide, dyes and preservatives, the plantation uses various natural methods such as free-roaming goats to manage weeds. Dubbed the ‘pearl of the Atlantic’, it has a greater polyphenol content and thus higher antioxidant activity compared to other teas.

The first seeds of the tea plant where brought over from Rio de Janeiro in 1820 by a native of São Miguel and commander of the royal guard at the court of King João VI, Jacinto Leite. As tea culture was growing amongst the masses and no longer seen as a beverage for royalty, members of the Sociedade Promotora da Agricultura Micaelense (São Miguel Agriculture Promotion Society) saw tea plantations as a way to replace the suffering citrus farms. But with no clue on tea cultivation, they hired two Chinese experts in 1879—master artisan Lau-a-Pan and his interpreter and assistant, Lau-a-Teng.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September - October 2020-Ausgabe von WINE&DINE.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September - October 2020-Ausgabe von WINE&DINE.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS WINE&DINEAlle anzeigen
New Blood
WINE&DINE

New Blood

The next-generation is breathing new life into the forgotten art of spice-mixing, peppering the traditional trade with renewed ideas and fresh perspectives.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
April - June 2021
Sharing Is Caring
WINE&DINE

Sharing Is Caring

Compared to its flagship at Serene Centre, Fat Belly Social at Boon Tat Street is a classier and bolder affair, in more than one sense.

time-read
1 min  |
April - June 2021
Nutmeg's Role In Singapore's History
WINE&DINE

Nutmeg's Role In Singapore's History

From tales of it being used to ward off the plague in mid-1300s Europe to one of the ingredients in dessert, we have all known, tasted, or at least heard of nutmeg. But not many know of the spice’s role in Singapore’s history.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
April - June 2021
New And Improved
WINE&DINE

New And Improved

The ever-profound chef-owner Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida finds more room, three to be exact, to express a Ha Ri philosophy at Hashida Singapore’s new location at Amoy Street.

time-read
1 min  |
April - June 2021
Pairing Spice-Driven Cuisines With Wine
WINE&DINE

Pairing Spice-Driven Cuisines With Wine

Pairing spice-driven cuisines with wine has long been a challenge but with a little imagination, it doesn’t have to be.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
April - June 2021
Let Land Grow Wild
WINE&DINE

Let Land Grow Wild

Niew Tai-Ran has worn many hats: aeronautical engineering major, investment banker, avid surfer, and, for the last 14 years, winemaker. Discover how this Malaysia-born, Singapore-native is championing the “do-nothing farming” philosophy at his vineyard in Oregon.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
April - June 2021
The South Asian Misnomer
WINE&DINE

The South Asian Misnomer

Incredibly diverse and varied than most know, Indian food is far more intriguing than butter chicken or thosai. Here is a crash course on the extensive cuisine from region to region, recognisable for the seemingly infinite ways of using spices.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
April - June 2021
Keepers Of The Spice Trade
WINE&DINE

Keepers Of The Spice Trade

From its glory days along trade routes to pantry staples all over the world, spices have become so commonplace that we’ve taken them for granted. For these three trailblazers, however, spice is their livelihood and motivation: Langit Collective working with indigenous rural farming communities in Malaysia; IDH’s Sustainable Spice Initiative; and chef Nak’s one-woman mission to share forgotten Khmer cuisine.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
April - June 2021
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice
WINE&DINE

Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice

Like food, spices bring vibrancy and variety to alcoholic beverages. Surfacing in unexpected ways on the palate, find everything from cumin to tamarind, cloves to cardamom enriching these drinks.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
April - June 2021
WINE&DINE

Building Blocks From The Archipelago

For the smorgasbord of dishes found in Indonesian cuisine, it is a little known secret that the modest bumbu, in all its variants, is the bedrock of such flavourful fare.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
April - June 2021