People usually think that tortoiseshell flowers and green tea are more compatible, and high-grade flower tea can be divided into one, two, three or even five flowers according to the different number of flowers and the amount of flowers. One might wonder why it is called "tortoiseshell", which is said to be that its fruit stays on the tree for the winter in the first year, and when it bears new fruit on the tree the following year, the old fruit in the first year changes from yellow to blue, and two generations of fruit remain on the tree at the same time.
There are not a few people who like to drink flower tea, and tortoiseshell flowers are the favorite of many people. Tortoiseshell flowers are also known as tortoiseshell orange, huiqing orange, huichun orange, citrus shell flower, generation flower, lime flower, etc., for the tortoiseshell flower Citrusaurantium L.var.amasa Engl. of buds. Its plants are evergreen shrubs or small trees, and the height is about five to ten meters.
The distribution area of tortoiseshell flowers is mainly for various regions in the south of China, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Guizhou and other places have some places to cultivate, it is generally believed that the tortoiseshell flowers produced in Suzhou are of the best quality.
The Chinese Herbal Medicine Dictionary focuses on its flowers: "The flowers are solitary or clustered in the leaf axils; Calyx cup-shaped, apex 5 lobes, nearly oval; The petals are often 5, oblong and round, white; The stamens are about 25, and the base of the filigree is connected to several bundles; The ovary is superior, oblate spherical, cylindrical, and stigma-headed. The citrus fruit is orange-red (it turns dirty green again the following summer) and is nearly spherical in shape with enlarged calyxes. ”（1）
Tortoiseshell flower photo
<h2 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > the fate of tortoiseshell flowers and flower tea</h2>
The ancients of our country loved flowers and cherished flowers, and they also liked to drink flower tea. Flower tea has a unique position in the history of tea in China, and the ancients once said that "tea attracts the fragrance of flowers, to benefit the taste of tea" is to describe the beauty of flower tea.
Cai Xiang of the Song Dynasty wrote in the "Tea Record": "Tea has a real fragrance, and the tribute person uses dragon brain and ointment to help its incense, and Jian'an folk try tea, but they do not enter the incense, afraid of robbing it of its truth." If you cook it, mixed with rare fruits and herbs. ”（2）
It can be seen that in the Song Dynasty, there have been perfect records of adding "rare fruit and herbs" to tea, but I don't know if it is completely consistent with our current flower tea?
But in the Ming Dynasty, Gu Yuanqing and Cheng Rong both talked about the method of making flower tea in their respective "Tea Recipes". That is to say, the kilning of flower tea has a history of nearly 400 years in China.
Taking Cheng Rong as an example, his record is: "Mumei, jasmine, rose, rose, huilan, lotus, orange, mast, wood fragrance, plum blossom can be used as tea." When the flowers bloom, pick the whole of the aroma of the half contained and half put, measure the amount of its tea leaves, pick the flowers for tea, three teas, one flower, use a magnetic pot of tea, a layer of flowers, between the full, the paper is solid, into the pot of heavy soup to cook, take out to be cold, wrapped in paper, roasted on the fire and dried. ”
Tortoiseshell flowers will not open, its buds have been in a state of bud waiting to be placed, generally in May and June to pick buds, first bake them with a rapid fire to 70% or 80% dry, wait for its color to become yellow, and then turn the fire small, bake with a low flame until it is completely dry, pay attention not to burn it.
The flowers of tortoiseshell flowers are very large, the petals are thick and the flower pedicles are small, the aroma is strong, and it will not dissipate for a long time, which is very suitable for making flower tea. Dry, yellowish-white, fragrant, with intact flowers without breaking, is the best of it.
Generally speaking, flower tea is made of refined tea leaves, plus fragrant flowers. Floral fragrance and tea aroma mixed, and has a certain tonic effect, it is very popular with people.
The tea leaves used to make flower tea are called tea blanks, while the fragrant flowers are selected through the process. The flowers selected must be harmless to the human body, meet the health standards, and must not conflict with the taste of the tea, and the two are natural.
Another feature of tortoiseshell flowers is that their reproduction is more difficult, the survival rate is not very high, and the time required for growth is also very long, generally speaking, it takes about fourteen or fifteen years to flower on a large scale. But tortoiseshell flowers are also very long-lived, with a lifespan of more than 80 to 90 years. （3）
Tortoiseshell flowers are slightly bitter, but the rich aroma of the characteristics can let us ignore this bit of bitterness, its smell can make people clear, common tea made of tortoiseshell flowers, including tortoiseshell flower tea, "three flowers slimming tea" and so on.
General flower tea is divided into three categories: black camellia tea, green camellia tea and green camellia tea, people usually think that tortoiseshell flowers and green tea are more generally matched, high-grade flower tea according to the order and the amount of flowers can also be divided into one, two, three or even five flower tea. （4）
One might wonder why it is called "tortoiseshell", which is said to be that its fruit stays on the tree for the winter in the first year, and when it bears new fruit on the tree the following year, the old fruit in the first year changes from yellow to blue, and two generations of fruit remain on the tree at the same time. （5）
Tortoiseshell flower tea
<h2 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > the style of tortoiseshell flower tea in various places</h2>
It is worth noting that in recent years, it is also popular to directly soak tortoiseshell flowers in water, rather than drinking them with tea leaves. Today, tortoiseshell flowers have finally waited for the moment when they become the protagonists.
As mentioned above, Suzhou camellia is a treasure among camellias, because its flowers are mostly distributed near Tiger Hill, so it is also known as "Tiger Hill Camellia". In the past, Huqiu and Changqing townships were also known as the "Hometown of Camellias".
Tiger Hill people have a long history of planting flowers, Qianlong's "Yuanhe County Chronicle" said: "Tiger Hill people are good at using the magnetic pots of Pansong, Ancient Plum, Shihua, and Jiahui plants for several cases. Every flower and tree, all have considerable. There are people in the garden who want to cultivate flowers and fruits and weave bamboo screen hedges, but they are not workers. According to legend, Song Zhu Nai misled the country with the huashi gang, and his descendants rebuked him, not with the four people, because of the industry to plant flowers, and now his legacy is also the same. ”（6）
Since the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, tea shops and tea stacks have appeared in the area of Shantang Street under the Huqiu Mountain in Suzhou. "Buy flowers during the tea fighting season, only choose the long head and dry long; The price of flowers gradually increases and the tea decreases, and the south wind is full of incense for ten days. "It is to describe the grand scene of Tiger Hill flower tea at that time." （7）
Tiger Hill Sword Pool
Vietnam is adjacent to Guangxi, China, and their tea drinking customs are also closer to Guangxi, but Guangxi people prefer jasmine tea, while Vietnamese prefer to drink tortoiseshell flower tea, although the two are slightly different, but the method of preparation and drinking are quite similar. （8）
Once upon a time, the old teahouse in Shanghai had its own set of rules, and outsiders looked confused. Tea drinkers do not need to shout loudly when ordering tea, a gesture can make the guy understand: the index finger is straight green tea, the index finger is curved is black tea, the five fingers are stretched slightly bent is chrysanthemum tea, and the extension of a small finger is boiled water, and the gesture exclusive to tortoiseshell flower tea is to reach out and shake the fist. （9）
Suzhou and Changshu generation, has always been prosperous in style, very particular about etiquette. In old age, when the local people entertained guests, if they were female guests, they would pay homage to jasmine tea or tortoiseshell flower tea, commonly known as "fragrant tea".
<h2 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > the fate of tortoiseshell flowers and medicine</h2>
Tortoiseshell flower tea is good for the human body, after all, it can also be used in medicine. The "Grass and Flower Spectrum" once wrote: "The citrus shell flowers are delicate and fragrant, smell broken, and planted next to the fence, which can be used for medicine." ”
Old Shanghai Tea House
< h2 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > epilogue</h2>
Tortoiseshell flowers are very beautiful, and tortoiseshell flower tea is also very delicious, which is really interesting.
【Reference】
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