Oolong 乌龙 wūlóng

Oolong Tea, known in Chinese as Black Dragon  Tea is among the most popular types of teas served in typical Chinese restaurants. Most varieties of Oolong are produced in the Wuyi Mountians of Northern Fujian and in the central mountains of Taiwan.

Oolongs are somewhere between green and black tea in oxidation, giving a full bodied flavor and aroma. Many oolongs undergo a unique roasting process which can last from 12 to 36 continuous hours under the careful eye of a tea master .Oolong tea leaves are processes in two different ways. Some teas are rolled into long curly leaves, while some are pressed into a ball-like form similar to gunpowder tea.

Teas contain a number of ingredients that have an influence on the human body. The quantities and percentages of these ingredients differ widely depending on the extent of fermentation. Oolong tea contains a large quantity of polyphenol which is the ingredient that generates the delicious flavor unique to oolong tea and also promotes beauty and health.

Clinical tests confirm that the continuous intake of oolong tea promotes the function of fat metabolism and contributes to controlling obesity.

It is also believed that regular drinking of Oolong tea is effective in delaying the appearance of signs of aging, such as dark spots and wrinkles, by strengthening the effect of copper-zinc-SOD.

Oolong tea is also highly effective in improving both spleen energy-weak and kidney energy-weak symptoms as diagnosed in Chinese herbalism.

This month at The Hutong we will be serving a variety of handpicked Oolongs.