Longjing tea ◆

Thé Long Jing (Puits du Dragon)

What it is

The leaf is pressed flat by hand against the wall of a hot wok, a single motion that halts oxidation and builds the chestnut note at the same time. Eighteen bushes below Shifeng peak stand fenced off as imperial tribute plants, a title the story says Qianlong gave them in 1751 after the tea was credited with his mother’s recovery.

In the kitchen

Infuse at 80 °C, never at a boil — above that the chestnut turns to boiled spinach. For Longjing shrimp, steep 3 g for one minute, tip the softened leaves into the pan with the shrimp and use the liquor as the sauce.

Goes with

Shrimp Bamboo shoot Egg Scallop Chestnut Butter

Same species

Assam tea Ceylon tea Da Hong Pao Darjeeling tea Earl Grey Genmaicha

In season alongside

Celtuce Lamb’s lettuce Rapeseed honey Shepherd’s purse Bladder campion

Something wrong here, or missing? Tell us