By Carol Negiar

Back in the 18th century only the elite drank tea, but today in Paris everyone can enjoy a good cup. In recent years, fancy tea shops are flourishing around the city and, along with hundreds of tea salons, provide a welcome alternative to the insipid liquid served in most cafés and brasseries.

But what is tea? In France, a 1932 law decreed that for a product to be called “thé” it must come from the leaves or twig ends of the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. In England and the United States “tea” can refer to other plants, such as those used for herbal teas (infusions in France).

Matcha, the fine green tea powder © Kelly Cline

Tea is available in tea bags (thé en sachets), which contain “dust” or “fannings”—pulverized tea leaves from different countries—and in whole tea leaves, or loose tea (thé en vrac), which is of higher quality and is usually sold in a brûlerie along with coffee or in a specialized tea store.
In fact, all loose teas come from the Camellia Sinensis plant, but exist in several “colors.” “Black” tea, often called English tea, is the most consumed in France and is fermented. On the other hand, “green” teas from China and Japan (where only green tea is produced), are not fermented.

“Yellow” teas are green teas with a short fermentation process and “blue-green,” or oolong teas, are partially oxidized. Until a recent marketing offensive by major brands, “white” tea was a rare non-fermented tea from China that includes a tea plant bud and the top leaves only. Finally, since a U.S. company copyrighted the name of a South African plant known as “rooibos,” tea companies selling it started calling it “red” tea to avoid being sued.

A good tea store must be able to tell how long any tea should infuse, the ideal ratio of tea to water (source water is recommended rather than tap water), at what temperature the water should be poured, and how many infusions can be made with the same tea leaves. Purists also avoid iron teapots and use only ceramic or clay.

Carol Negiar co-founded Chajin - La Maison du Thé Vert Japonais, 24, rue Pasquier, Paris 8. www.chajin-online.com.

Favorite tea spots

• For authentic utensils, choice of teas and tea spirit:
Terre de Chine, 49, rue Quincampoix, Paris 4
Thés de Chine, 20, boulevard Saint Germain, Paris 5
Tch'a, 6, rue du Pont de Lodi, Paris 6

• For ambiance:
Mademoiselle Li, Jardin d'Acclimatation, Bois de Boulogne, Paris 16

• Best tearoom:
L'Artisan de Saveurs, 72, rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris 6. www.lartisandesaveurs.com

• Special Mention to Young Entrepreneurs:
Le Bar à Thé, 9, rue Antoine Vollon, Paris 12. www.barathe.fr
Comptoirs San Bao, 23, boulevard Pereire, Paris 17 and 39 bis, rue de Montreuil, Paris 11. www.san-bao.fr

• Best chocolate and tea mix:
La Petite Fabrique,12, rue Saint Sabin, Paris 12

The Chajin Matcha Cake

Matcha is the fine, powdered green tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony and to dye and flavor foods such as soba noodles and green tea ice cream. Its refined color and delicate taste make it a fashionable ingredient. Make sure you use good-quality vacuum-packed matcha (Chajin sells it at €12/100g). Freeze it after opening; it stays in powdered form and is easy to re-use.

80g wheat flour
40g chestnut flour (available in some organic stores)
140g granulated sugar
100g butter
20g matcha ryori
3 eggs, well-beaten
2 tsp baking powder

Pre-heat oven to 175°C. Sift matcha and mix well with the sugar. Add 75 ml of water and stir; it will feel more like a batter than a liquid. Add butter, then the eggs. Mix the two flours and baking powder together and incorporate them into the matcha mixture. Pour into a rectangular cake pan lined with waxed paper. Bake approximately 45 minutes.

If you feel adventurous, you can top your servings with 4 tbsp of sweet red beans (anko) or make a marble cake by layering the matcha cake batter and anko.