Even though tea is also grown in Southern Vietnam, Geoff continues to only source tea from mountainous tea growing regions. “It should come from a higher elevation. It does prefer a particular type of soil, a peatyloamy and neutral to acidic soil. It should be on a slope. Tea doesn’t like to be waterlogged. “It should have adequate sunlight but the leaves should not be in direct sunlight. It’s best if it’s misty or shrouded most of the year.” Geoff said he’s really pleased with the products he and Ngoc have developed over the years, working in cooperation with the farmers to improve their techniques and guarantee their livelihoods. “Ngoc has a much better nose than me and she’s become very knowledgeable about techniques,” he said. “She works with the people we deal with to improve what they make and create products to our own specifications. “She’s got some very good ideas about producing teas that will have particular characteristics when it’s made and bring greater enjoyment to the drinker.” To organise a tea-tasting session at Hatvala’s tea studio, email info@hatvala.com. hatvala.com.
MORE BEER, MORE BEER More than 4 billion litres of beer were consumed in Vietnam last year, a year-on-year increase of 6%. That represents nearly 43 litres per person, according to figures from the Vietnam Beer Alcohol Beverage Association reported by the Vietnam Economic Times. Vietnam’s beer-drinking market is forecast to expand even further, to 5.5 billion litres, or 52 litres per person, in 2035. Vietnam was the eighth biggest beer consuming market in Asia in 2008, rising to third spot in 2016, the newspaper reported.
UNSEASONAL RAINS UPSET FLOWER FARMS Southern Vietnam might be in for a dreary Tet, after unseasonal weather decimated the region’s flower crops. In late December, Typhoon Tembin dumped heavy rain over Vietnam’s southwest, inundating the region’s “flower basket” in the leadup to the country’s biggest festival, Tet. “If the roots absorb too much water, the plants grow quickly, and easily produce flowers earlier than planned. If they don’t bloom right on time for the Tet holiday, we’ll lose everything,” Be Tre Province flower farmer Nguyen Van Phuong told Tuoi Tre newspaper.
THE ABC OF TEA
T
here are four main types of tea, black, green, white and Oolong. They all come from the same plant, camellia sinensis.
Green tea
For green tea, the leaves aren’t allowed to oxidise, so the tea remains relatively green in colour and high in antioxidants. The leaves are picked and very soon after they’re subjected to high heat, which kills the enzyme that causes the leaf to oxidise.
Black tea
Generally, people will say black tea is fully oxidised. The tea maker tries to speed up the oxidisation process by rolling the leaves, which change colour from green to dark brown. Lots of chemical changes take place, producing stronger malt and chocolate flavours.
NEW RULES FOR UBER AND GRAB Ride-hailing apps Uber and Grab will have to obtain legitimate licenses and register to provide e-commerce services, under new rules announced by the Ministry of Transport last month. The new rules were introduced at the end of a two-year pilot period for Uber and Grab, during which arguments and violence often broke out between taxi drivers and newcomers. Under the new rules, Uber and Grab vehicles will need to display a logo, and an electronic receipt will be issued to the tax department after every ride.
Oolong tea
This tea falls in the middle of the spectrum. The tea maker decides when to stop the oxidisation process and as a result oolong teas have a much broader range of flavours, from floral to spicy.
White tea
Typically white tea is made with only the leaf buds. It doesn’t go through much processing, the buds are just left to whither for a long time. It is simple but time consuming and it generates a much more subtle and elegant flavour than green tea.
SAIGON STREET CLEANERS QUITTING Dozens of street cleaners have been quitting their jobs in Ho Chi Minh City in favour of lowerpaid less strenuous factory work, according to newspaper reports. Urban Environmental MTV director Huynh Minh Nhu said 50 of his company’s 400 garbage collected quit last year, including 20 who worked at the Tan Xuan Market in Hoc Mon District. Street cleaners earn about VND8 million (US$350) a month. Factory textile workers earn VND6 million ($260) a month.
AsiaLIFE HCMC 15