Indian tea "with an elephant": composition, method of preparation and reviews. Elephant tea is the traditional name for black tea.

elephant tea

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Tea "with an elephant" is the traditional name for black long leaf tea, produced in the USSR in packs depicting a stylized elephant with a driver. The tea was called "Indian", but like most modern packaged types of black tea, it was a blend (mixture) of products from different places and varieties. As parts of the mixture, Indian and Georgian teas are usually called, to which products from other regions could be added. In modern Russia, the Moscow tea factory produces a series of teas under the brand “That Same Tea”, the design of which is similar to tea “with an elephant” produced in the USSR. The Irkutsk tea-packing factory or the Moscow tea factory are indicated as the creators of the original mixture recipe. The original appearance of the box was developed in 1967 by order of the Moscow tea factory. In 1972, this tea went on sale. Mixtures of 2/3 Georgian tea and 1/3 Indian tea are called as blending options, as well as for “elephant” tea of ​​the 1st grade: 55% Georgian, 25% Madagascar, 15% Indian and 5% Ceylon tea. As a possible variety of Indian tea is called Darjeeling (one of the best Indian varieties). Tea recipes had to comply with the requirements of GOST / TU (GOST 1938-73, TU 10-04-05-28-88, GOST 1938-90). In the USSR, this tea was produced at a number of tea-packing factories, including Moscow, Irkutsk, Ryazan, Ufa, and Odessa. Each factory had its tea-tasters (tea tasters, English tea tasting), who from the purchased batches made up mixtures with the desired characteristics (taste, color, smell, price, etc.). In addition, the factories had a certain independence, in particular in concluding contracts for the supply of Georgian tea. Tea "with an elephant" - the traditional name of black loose tea, produced in the USSR in packs, which was a stylized elephant with a mahout. The tea was called "Indian," but as most modern types of packaged black tea it was a blend (mixture) of production of different field and varieties. As parts of the mixture are usually referred to as Indian and Georgian tea, which could added products and other regions. In modern Russia the Moscow tea factory produces a series of teas under the brand "the tea" - a design which is similar to tea "with an elephant", produced in the USSR. As the creators of the original recipe specifies the Irkutsk tea-packing factory, or Moscow tea factory. Original appearance the box was developed in 1967 by order Moscow tea factory. In 1972, this tea on sale. The blend is called blend of 2/3 Georgian tea and 1/3 Indian, and "tea with elephant" 1 grade: 55% Georgian, 25% Madagascar, 15% Indian and 5% Ceylon tea. As possible varieties of Indian tea called Darjeeling (one of the best Indian varieties). Tea recipes had to meet the requirements of GOST/TU (GOST 1938-73, THE 10-04-05-28-88, GOST 1938-90). In the USSR, this tea has been produced in several tea-packing factories, including in Moscow, Irkutsk, Ryazan, Ufa, Odessa. Each factory had their t-Masterov (tea tasters, eng. tea tasting), which was purchased from parties was mixture with the desired characteristics (taste, color, smell, price, etc.). In addition, the factories had a independence, in particular in the conclusion of contracts for the supply of Georgian tea.

In India, tea began to grow only in the 19th century, although tea trees in the northeast of the country have always grown. Tea leaves were collected and brewed by the locals, but the plant began to be cultivated with the advent of the English colonialists. In the 1930s, they brought tea bushes from China to set up plantations in India. From these few bushes began the great tea history of India. Currently, this country ranks second among the countries where tea is grown and produced.

Areas of tea production in India

Indian tea, known throughout the world, is grown on plantations that are concentrated in the following areas of the country:

• Assam,
• Sikkim,
• Nilgiri.

The best varieties of Indian tea are Darjeeling and Assam.

Tea Assam

The state of Assam is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the northern part of India. The tea trees from which this type of tea is obtained differ from Chinese tea trees in larger leaves. These trees give a good harvest, even if the weather conditions were unfavorable. The unpretentiousness of the tea species makes it attractive for cultivation and cultivation.

Tea Indian Assam - black. It is harvested twice a year: in spring and late summer or early autumn. The second fee is valued higher. Sometimes the collection lasts until December. Assam tea has a spicy floral honey aroma. It is better to drink this drink without additives to enjoy the pure taste. This variety is often used during the traditional morning tea in England.

Darjeeling tea

This tea variety is grown on the plantations of the state of the same name. The unique climatic conditions and soil features make it possible to obtain high-quality Indian tea with an exquisite taste and a refined aroma of nutmeg and flowers. The tea belongs to the group of black teas, but it is not fully fermented. Because of this, some consider it to be an oolong. This tea differs from the Assam variety in that it represents the Chinese subspecies of the plant.

The first harvest of the Darjeeling variety is carried out in the spring, it gives the lightest infusion when brewed. Then tea is harvested in June, it is valued above others. More tea leaves are collected in autumn and during the rainy season. But their value is not too high. Tea is very picky about storage conditions. It is better to store it in a cool place like oolong tea. This is what a refrigerator is for.

Elephant packaging: tea from India

Elephant tea - black tea, which was considered the best product of the Soviet era. In the USSR, they usually drank Georgian tea. In the 70s of the last century, Indian tea appeared on the shelves. On its packaging was an elephant with its trunk raised up. It cannot be said that the tea was 100% Indian. Rather, it was a blend - a mixture of Ceylon, Madagascar, Georgian teas. Such tea was divided into the first and highest grade, they differed in composition. The package of the first grade contained 15% Indian tea, 25% Madagascar, 5% Ceylon. Most of it was tea leaves from Georgia.

The highest grade of tea was better, it consisted of a third of real Indian tea, the rest was Georgian tea. Only the Darjeeling variety was used as Indian tea. The production strictly adhered to the requirements of GOST. The famous yellow packages with the image of an elephant were produced at factories in Ufa, Irkutsk, Moscow, Odessa and Ryazan. Special tasters worked at each factory, who made the necessary blending mixture, checking that all varieties met the requirements for smell, taste, color.

Tea packaging design

Indian tea was produced in two varieties, in addition to the information on the packages, the pattern was also changed. The blue color of the elephant's head denoted the first grade of tea, the green color - the highest. The design has changed a little over the years, it differed in different factories. But the elephant itself, as well as the cardboard packaging of tea, remained unchanged. The cost of such tea in Soviet times was: 48 kopecks for 50 g, 95 kopecks for 125 grams. The presence of Indian tea with an elephant at that time spoke of prosperity in the house. But the USSR collapsed, perestroika began, inflation, shortages. Along with other products, the favorite tea also disappeared from the store shelves.

Tea brewing rules

At that time, many housewives did not even realize that by throwing white sticks out of a pack with an elephant, they were depriving the drink of the most useful and valuable components. The white sticks, mistaken for garbage, were tips (tea buds), without them it was impossible to taste the real taste of Indian tea. Raw materials with tips are considered the most valuable. Indian tea was brewed simply, the tea leaves were poured into a heated teapot, boiling water was added and insisted. Most often, tea was diluted with boiling water or boiled water before drinking. In many families, it was customary to drink tea with milk.

Tea with an elephant: our days

Nostalgic for a past life, many are trying to find products with an elephant on store shelves. Indeed, you can see similar packs of tea, more often they have “The Same Tea” written on them, an elephant is drawn. Is it true that this is the tea that was in the distant 70-80s? As those who have already tried the drink say, it has no resemblance to Soviet tea. Neither the aroma nor the taste are similar. It is possible that this is our pampering with numerous tea varieties, or maybe tea was simply better in Soviet times?

Green Indian tea

In the north of India, besides black, green tea is grown. It is not in demand among the locals. It is produced by the following plantations:

• Dehra Dun, Almor, Garhwal. Tea leaves are distinguished by their small size, rigid structure. It turns out a low quality product. It is mainly exported to Nepal and Tibet.
• Valley of Kagra. Quite tasty tea grows on the tea plantation of the valley. It is similar to good Chinese varieties and is exported to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Darjeeling. Green tea is also harvested on plantations, but its volume is very small, but it is valued above the rest.
• Ranchi. This plantation produces tea of ​​Chinese varieties. It cannot be compared with real Chinese mountain tea, but it is quite tasty and strong.

White Indian tea

A valuable and very rare white tea grows in the state of Darjeeling. It is harvested on a spring day when there is no rain and the sun is too hot. Tea upper leaves and buds are collected only by hand. There are very few young shoots, so the amount of tea collected is small. White tea has a delicate taste with hints of flowers and fruits. It leaves a sweet aftertaste. Most appreciated by connoisseurs of Indian tea.

Even though China surpasses India in terms of quality and quantity of tea produced, Indian tea has a lot of fans all over the world. Tea is available, bright, has a rich color, taste and aroma. And those who think about tea with an elephant should try other varieties of Indian tea, their discovery can be a pleasant surprise for many.

Everyone whose childhood fell on the time of the existence of the USSR undoubtedly remembers Indian tea with an elephant. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, this tea disappeared from sight for a long time, but later began to appear, along with other "nostalgic" products of that period.

After a long break, I first saw him in GUM at Gastronome No1, where I often look for my favorite pistachio tartlet with raspberries and strawberries.

The familiar yellow pack with an elephant immediately caught my eye, but upon closer examination, doubts arose because "those same" packs were of course made from cheaper cardboard, and as far as I remembered, the elephant was not red, but gray (or blue) . By the way, there were two types of packaging on sale: square, smaller and rectangular, larger. The price, respectively, also differed 75 kopecks and 95 kopecks.

This tea was in short supply and just like that, it didn’t lie on the shelves in every store. Perhaps this is why it seemed so tasty, against the background of absolutely ugly teas "from a broom" and "hay", which were sold more freely and, of course, were inferior to it in taste. But I think that for us today, that tea from childhood would no longer seem so ideal. After all, we have the opportunity to buy really good tea.

But of course I bought a pack. Paid about 90 rubles, I think. In other places, it may be sold cheaper, but I met him in GUM.

I really like the packaging design. There is something attractive and familiar in it. The same longing for childhood, perhaps. I even like the very presence of this pack in my kitchen. You open the locker, and there is a familiar pack of tea with an elephant....

But I was haunted by the memory that the elephant in my childhood was gray (blue). I got on the Internet and realized that I was not mistaken. I already wanted to express my "fi" to the manufacturer, but when I looked at their website, I realized that with today's variety of teas, they simply could not produce only one type of tea, so they already have 5 elephants of different colors:

Red, blue, gray is Indian tea; as well as purple and brown are complex - this is Ceylon tea.

There are also picketed tea and tea in soft packs. Neither one nor the other interested me because they simply did not exist in my childhood. And the main motivator for the purchase was precisely the nostalgic moment.

The packaging is simply sealed, inside the tea is additionally packed in parchment. Now, this is somehow unusual, because most teas are packaged additionally in foil paper or something shiny. And here is a pleasantly rustling parchment paper, which, by the way, is not sealed in any way. You just need to unfold it and you can get to the tea.

Tea looks very ordinary, no frills. The tea leaves are black, medium in size, closer to small ones. Extraneous inclusions, debris and sticks, I did not find. Tea aroma, but not strong.

There is a brewing method on the package, but everyone already knows what’s what and everyone doesn’t care, I think, they do it in their own way. I brewed in a spoon with a mesh, as well as in a BODUM glass teapot.

Tea is brewed much faster than indicated, but for a brighter taste, it is better to let it brew a little though. Otherwise, only the color will turn out, not the taste.

Well, the tea is brewed and you can try it. Of course, I was waiting for some kind of explosion of memories, but it did not follow. Tea is like tea. Nothing special. My attitude towards him is completely neutral. Its color, aroma and taste are not bad, but do not cause me any special enthusiasm. The taste is slightly tart, moderately saturated, the aroma is ordinary tea. The tea is not bad, but if it were not for the box, I would not have singled it out and would not remember it.

Conclusion:
Indian tea The one is not bad and I can recommend it, but I have no enthusiasm. Ordinary tea in an interesting, nostalgic box. I want to try all the other elephants produced by this company, suddenly the very one lurks in one of them ...

- Where's your tea?

- To the left, a whole department. You'll see right away.

It's easy to say. Looking into a large supermarket in Delhi, I rummaged through several shelves before I came across loose-leaf black tea familiar from childhood. No wonder - after all, the culture of tea drinking in India is different from what we are used to. Soluble (!) Is popular - yes, like coffee - tea, which is poured with boiling water, as well as the "granular version" - leaves twisted into solid balls. "Normal" tea in our understanding in India is not easy to find. In the mornings, they drink masala tea from glass glasses - tea leaves with milk (the harmful influence of the British colonialists) and masala spices containing pepper and spices. You swallow such “happiness”, and your tongue burns - so sharply. But that's okay. In the state of Himachal Pradesh, where many Tibetans live, they prefer tea with yak butter and ... dried chicken powder. Both a drink and breakfast at the same time. Some tribes (in particular, the Gurkhas) do not brew anything at all, but simply chew tea leaves with ... garlic. In general, the naive idea of ​​India as a tea country is crumbling from the very first days of your stay.

Only female fingers

“Extensive tea plantations in India appeared only in 1856 - English planters brought seedlings from China,” explains one of the tea businessmen. Abdul-Wahid Jamarati. - Before that, only wild varieties grew here. Now tea is grown in three mountainous regions. In the northeast of India - in Darjeeling and the state of Assam, as well as in the south - Nilgiri tea is produced there. The taste requires cool weather and frequent rains: the leaves love to absorb moisture. The most fragrant tea is picked only by hand and only by women (their salary is about 5 thousand rubles a month in Russian money. - Auth.): men's fingers are rougher and cannot pinch off the youngest sprouts - flushes. During machine harvesting, everything is cut off in a row, so these varieties are cheap: experts cynically call them a broom. Personally, I am an ardent fan of tea, which is harvested in Darjeeling between February and May, it has a very bright and rich taste. By the way, never buy tea in the markets, where it is poured into open bags and kept outdoors all day. At such a leaf, the aroma disappears: it turns into chopped hay. I was in Russia and saw - you store the leaves incorrectly. Tea should be put in the refrigerator, at a temperature of + 8 °, so it concentrates its qualities. Do not keep in a paper box, the best option is a regular glass jar.

The most fragrant tea is collected only by hand and only by women. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

The plantations of Darjeeling are fascinating - huge mountains covered with greenery of tea bushes. My guide, 28-year-old Lakshmi from Tamil Nadu, assures me that she is satisfied with the position: “It’s not coal at a damn depth in a mine to mine.” She considers herself a tea professional, as she is able to collect 80 kg (!) of a leaf per day. The machine, by the way, collects 1.5 tons, but it is very small: we subsequently drink this dust, brewing tea bags. Rubbing the delicate leaves of a tea bush with his fingers, Lakshmi says: they grow back in two weeks, and in a year one can accumulate 70 kg of tea from one plant (2.5 times more in Assam). True, now some site owners are planting artificially bred varieties - the taste is not a fountain, but they will cut 100 kilos in six months. Alas, there are enough various frauds with tea in India.

For example, empty jars and packs with the inscription “Elite” or “Choice” are freely sold in the surrounding shops, and unscrupulous traders pour penny varieties into them: after all, only highly experienced tasters abroad can determine the quality of tea.

What's in the brew?

“Unfortunately, good tea is often sold by small firms,” they tell me at the plantation. “They throw in cheap versions of Kenyan or Malaysian, put the stamp “Made in India” and the pack goes to the international market.” How much counterfeit tea is sold in Russia, they could not estimate in Darjeeling. The British (and in Britain they love Indian tea no less than we do) carefully monitor the quality and strictly check the suppliers. Do they do it for us?

“Frankly, even the tea that the USSR bought could hardly be called Indian,” says businessman Vijay Sharma, whose firm sold tea to the Soviet Union in the late 1970s. - It was a blend, a mixture. Depending on the variety, the share of tea from India in the famous in Soviet times pack with the image of an elephant was only 15-25%. The main filler (more than 50%) was Georgian leaf. And right now, things aren't going well. I tried tea from sellers in Moscow and St. Petersburg, it turned out that they have no idea what period the collection (taste depends on) of Darjeeling. And what's more - Nilgiri tea is often sold as "elite" tea, although in India it is the cheapest, a drink for the poor, it is it that is packaged in bags. In places, Indonesian or Vietnamese tea was sold under the guise of Indian tea.

Cup of red pepper

I order tea from a street cafe in Delhi. It is usually cooked in an iron kettle (or even a saucepan) over an open fire. The leaves are sometimes boiled immediately in milk (at the request of the client) or in water, after adding cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and chili pepper. In general, from the outside it looks like cooking soup. A glass costs 15 rupees (13.5 rubles). The taste is something strange, and almost ten spoons of sugar are poured in: in India they love extremely sweet tea. I ask you to brew black Assam leaves without milk and spices. The waiter appears with a glass of steaming tea and ... puts a jug of milk next to him. "For what?! I asked…” “Sir,” his voice sounds with obvious pity. “But you won’t taste good!”

Summing up, I will say: deliveries of Indian tea to our country are still chaotic, sellers understand varieties poorly or frankly fantasize, pushing poor-quality tea leaves from other countries to the Russian consumer. I am generally silent about the price - in India, tea costs 130 rubles. per kilo, we can sell it for a thousand. It's a pity. Indian varieties, especially Darjeeling, are great, and our business has long had to work directly with India, and not buy tea at exorbitant prices through Europe and dubious small firms in India. So for us it will be cheaper and, most importantly, tastier.