What the f-ck is Lapsang Souchong tea?
Lapsang Souchong tea is a black tea known for being smokey and unique.
Originally grown in the Wuyi region of the Chinese province of Fujian, Lapsang Souchong tea has a long history. Legend has it that this tea comes from the Qing era when the tea drying was delayed. To speed up the process, the leaves were dried by smoke.
These leaves are usually picked farther down the plant, away from the expensive bud. The tea leaves are then roasted inside a basket made out of bamboo, over a pine wood fire. The pine wood is what contributes the complex flavor through smoking. By smoking these leaves, tea growers can sell what would have been less desirable leaves before.
Lapsang Souchong tea is smokey, a little sweet, and full bodied. It can not only be used as a substitution for whiskey and other smokey drinks, but in cooking. To get a smokey flavor in your meat and seafood, simple add ground Lapsang Souchong tea leaves into a spice rub.
