I had walked past Yixing Xuan Teahouse on Tanjong Pagar Road so often but never noticed it. Tucked away in a smaller than usual shophouse it was like stepping back in time as I entered this premise.
Charlene, a banker turned entrepreneur took over her father’s business as he saw retirement ahead of him. Passionate about tea which was very obvious during the appreciation hour we spent with her! My hard drive needed a severe upgrade, I thought to myself. I was not a tea drinker. In fact there was only one type of tea I loved which I would reveal later in the piece.
My first shock as Charlene began educating us on tea was that there was only one tea tree in the world and the British were responsible for spreading this tree from China to other parts globally. So today tea is found everywhere. Nice!
Another a-ha was that flower/floral-scented and herbal varieties were not classified as tea. These have become commonplace for so many who do not drink tea due to the caffeine content. Out you go!
The four different categories of tea were white, green, oolong and black. Now there’s something else I never knew. Each of these teas are harvested from different parts of a tea tree – silver needles, a few leaves from tips of the tree, sprouts and leaves/branches further down the tree.
Obviously the more labour-intensive harvesting like white tea for instance, came with a premium. Perfect for people who want the antioxidant and anticancer properties with the least caffeine, were white and green teas.
As Charlene continued with her tea facts, I revealed my favourite tea – Pu-erh tea. A very old tea considered a black tea, this was great for digestion and according to one of her clients, to lower cholesterol. I raised my hand! I was in.
Chinese tea drinking culture was a social thing to do in the old days, as people connected over this national treasure. I could just see how people looked forward to these rituals of drinking tea together akin to how we meet for food and drinks at a restaurant today.
This quaint experience ended with a few yummy dim sums to close the loop. We walked around the shop fascinated by the myriad teapots and tea cups on sale plus of course loads of tea varieties to choose from.
A highly recommended experience for those who would like to be acquainted with this culture. It was an inspiring afternoon of bringing the world of the old into the present.
About The Writer
Sylvia Fernandes was the first community reporter at Expat Choice back in 2017 and has since submitted over 200 reports detailing her lifestyle experiences as an Australian expat living and working in Singapore. She is a passionate foodie and world traveller. She began her professional life as a banker and later worked in headhunting, HR, and consulting before redefining herself as a coach and trainer in neurolinguistic programming.
Sylvia has impacted many people's lives today via her business, VIA Frontiers (www.viafrontiers.com), where she teaches corporate coaching, communication, and leadership skills. An artful facilitator, Sylvia is sought after at higher levels of management as she skillfully manoeuvres change through organisations.
When she is not with clients, her active lifestyle, fueled by membership at The Tanglin & Cricket Clubs, keeps her busy with Lawn bowling, swimming, and Mah Jong. Her greatest love is opera and entertaining friends at home. She has travelled extensively for business and pleasure, seeing many cities across the globe, but her current goals are to see the natural wonders of Alaska, South America, and Africa.
Join Sylvia as she shares her food and travel adventures through thoughtful reports and articles published and distributed on www.expatchoice.asia. If you would like Sylvia or any of our reporters, writers, contributors or reviewers to visit your business as a guest to report on your unique experience and have this report published on Expat Choice, contact us via email with details of you offering at contact@expatchoice.asia
a. 78 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088499
e. hello@yixingxuan-teahouse.com
w. www.yixingxuan-teahouse.com
fb. www.facebook.com/yixingxuan
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