Chinese Dim Sum & Dishes-Tea

　Chinese tea once represented part of the mystery of the Orient to Westerners, with tea in Europe being prized almost as much as gold. Nowadays, of course, tea remains a global phenomenon, drank in cups on every continent and country, with Chinese tea a staple for many the world over.
　Why is tea traditionally served with meals in China?
　First of all, most Chinese dishes are greasy. That is why it’s best to drink tea with your meal, especially for those, whose digestions tend to be weak because of greasy food, as the tea can in fact work with the food to leave your mouth feeling refreshed.
　In Macao, some good Cantonese restaurants offer a separate tea menu. Indeed, some particularly high-class restaurants may also offer a tea professional, who is there specifically to provide patrons with the best quality tea and to recommend teas that go well with your meal.
　Types of Chinese Tea
　Here are a few of the best kinds of tea that are particularly worth a sip.
　Oolong Tea
　Thanks to the fermentation process, a unique scent arises in this tea. Unless it’s your very first time with Chinese tea, Oolong tea will leave you captivated and wanting more.

　Longjing Tea
　This is the best example of Chinese green tea and is a renowned specialty of Hangzhou, near Shanghai. If you see the shape of its tealeaves, which are dried flat, you can easily tell it apart from other types of tea. Its delicate flavor leaves the mouth refreshed.

　Puer Tea
　It’s from Yunnan Province of China, and is a fully-fermented tea. It’s black in color and is particularly loved by Cantonese people. It makes you feel relaxed and works really well at removing grease from the body especially after eating. That might be why Macao locals generally order Puer tea after eating Dim Sum or to go with their meals.

　Wuyi Tea
　It’s a tea from Wuyi Shan that goes through a process called Hongbei, giving it a deeply smoky flavor, which somehow, in the tea itself, lends a delicacy to its taste, meaning even beginners can enjoy it.

　Black Tea
　This is, simply, black tea. It differs from English black tea, which is a blended mix of various tealeaves, whereas, in Chinese black tea, what is enjoyed is the tea leaf itself. You can try out the different black teas that each region specializes in; it’s generally best to stick to Keemun black teas, which are the most accessible black teas and are widely popular.