In the Tea Culture in Vietnam, tradition and aesthetics meet in a beautiful union. Vietnam is known for its rich coffee culture, but the country also has a proud and deeply rooted tradition of tea that has shaped the nation's history and soul over the centuries. In this section we look at the various aspects of tea culture in Vietnam, where tea plays a central role in daily life and culture. From green tea to lotus tea and jasmine tea, we will delve into the different varieties that make up this tasty tradition.
In 1880, the production of tea began in Vietnam, when French colonial masters established the first plantation. In just 50 years, Vietnam became an important exporter of tea to Europe and Africa. Unfortunately, production was affected during the Vietnam War, but in the 1980s it resumed with new enthusiasm.
Today, Vietnam is the 5th largest producer of tea in the world and has both large plantations with modern technology and small tea gardens. Approximately 60% of the production is black CTC tea, 35% is green tea, and 5% are specialties such as jasmine tea (trà lài) or the unique local variety of flower tea, lotus tea (trà sen), where green tea mixed with and flavored with lotus flowers. Vietnam also has a special tea called Shan Tuyet that comes from rare local trees.
The Vietnamese themselves have a fondness for green tea, flower tea and herbal tea such as artichoke tea, while white tea is rarely drunk in the country. In Hanoi, it used to be primarily the elderly and people engaged in noble pursuits such as poetry and flower art who drank tea. But today, tea drinking is widespread among all inhabitants. Many people prefer a strong green tea and therefore let it brew for a longer time and use relatively many tea leaves.
Vietnam is also known as a major producer of coffee . In cafés, a cup of tea (Chè or trà) is always served alongside the coffee to cleanse the palate. Some people even mix tea into their coffee. In the summer, it is their iced tea (tra da) that is popular.
We love green tea at Nordic Tea - primarily because of the tea's clean, delicate taste and beautiful colour. But is green tea healthy? A new study indicates that there may be something to the matter.
