Green tea is made by briefly steaming the just harvested leaves, rendering them soft and pliable and preventing them from fermenting or changing colour. After steaming, the leaves are rolled, then spread out and "fired" (dried with hot air or pan-fried in a wok) until they are crisp. This produces a greenish-yellow tea with a slightly astringent flavour which closely resembles the taste of the fresh leaf.
I find the Twinings green tea varieties more fully flavoured than their other herbal and fruit teas. But then again green tea is a very strong flavoured drink. In this blend apple and pear have been added in order to reduce some of the bitterness of the green tea. The result is refreshing brew with just a hint of apple and pear. I do find this combination much more palatable than drinking ordinary plain green tea. The colour should be of a light golden shade. Sugar or honey can be added to taste.
Of course this is not just a tea about flavour. Green tea is marketed as having extra health benefits in comparison to normal tea. Although there is still some debate between 'experts' as to how much extra benefit there is in green tea, it is argued that green tea is a natural source of antioxidants, the chemical compounds that inhibit oxidation and thwart free radicals. It is said to be a strong source of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) an antioxidant that acts as an aid to fight disease and general wear and tear. It essentially protects cells & DNA from damage.
Preparation is straight forward: drop a tea bag in a mug and add freshly boiled water. It should be noted however, not to over-brew the tea. The tea bag shouldn't be left in for much longer than two minutes as this can produce a very bitterly flavoured tea.
A box of twenty tea bags will cost around about £1.20.
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