Chinese tea drinking a new fad in Medan
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan
Medan folks in North Sumatra have taken great delight in consuming various kinds of Chinese tea, as indicated by the presence of at least five Chinese-style tea houses that help drinkers appreciate the origins of this delicacy.
Tea buffs in the city can now enjoy their own style of tea parties and have affiliated themselves with the Medan Tea Club (MTC). Irwanto, Agus Sanjaya and five other peers, who were fond of gathering tea a decade ago, set up the club in 1999 to promote this pastime.
Starting off with 60 businessmen, bankers and attorneys, the club now has 150 members from Medan and its surrounding area. Some others from Jakarta and Surabaya, mostly Chinese- Indonesians, have applied for membership. Dozens of honorary members come from Singapore and Malaysia.
"Drinking tea together at tea houses with relatives and friends is also good for the health. Tea is good to ward off various diseases," assured MTC chairman Irwanto.
Irwanto, aged 58, said it takes a relatively long time to learn the art, philosophy and health benefits of tea drinking. His club has invited tea experts from China to share their knowledge and preparing skills.
MTC vice chairman Agus Sujana said the club had also imported tea from China and Taiwan to comply with its members' requests. The types now available are Oolong tea from Taiwan, green tea from China and black tea from Indonesia. With a monthly membership fee of Rp 100,000, MTC members get a discount of between 10 and 20 percent for the tea.
The highest quality imported tea costs between Rp 1 million and Rp 1.5 million per kilo, while Indonesia's black tea is sold at an export price of only between US$1.3 and $1.5 per kilo. PTPN VIII (a state estate company) in Sidamanik district, Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra, is one of the country's major producers of black tea.
The town of Sidikalang is also known as an Oolong tea producer. "A hundred hectares of its plantations belong to one MTC member," Agus said, adding that Taiwanese and Japanese investors were interested in developing this variety.
Oolong comes in different types and is processed through fermentation to produce a very mild taste and aroma. Prepared using an appropriate method, it is effective for eliminating excess fat and cholesterol, refreshing breath and lowering high blood pressure.
Green tea, also found in various sorts, is not fermented and retains its original taste and natural color. Containing vitamins A, C and E it is believed to be effective in warding off cancer, liver ailments and removing black spots.
Agus pointed out that the aroma of tea was determined by the quality of the teapot used. Those with a sharp, clinking sound are usually superior and more expensive. Teapot prices range from Rp 30,000 to tens of millions of rupiah. China's Che Sa kaolin pots are superb.
The tea-drinking tradition dates back 4,700 years. Chen Lung was the first to study tea and its medicinal use. Discovered in the western plains of Yunnan, China, tea spread to several other Chinese provinces, and was soon traded with various countries.
Europeans, especially the British, are a major consumer of Chinese tea. "Britain's per capita consumption of this tea has topped the world by reaching around two kilos a year, compared to only 1.8 kilos per capita in Japan," added Agus.