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Green tea is more than a way of life in South Korea |
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by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee
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From the L.A.Times
 Seasonal changes are subtle in Los Angeles. Having lived here most of
my life, I appreciate the delicate, small signs that signal a new
season. Spring rains bring fluffy white clouds that gather above our
surrounding mountains. Large bunches of basil make their way into our
farmers markets in the summer. The autumn brings cooler nights. And the
Southern California winter yields fragrant lemons and tangerines, ripe
for the picking.
Although I love the mild climate of my adopted Southland, the cool
breezes and early morning fog this time of year sometimes find me
reaching for a cup of green tea and longing for the verdant hills of my
birth country, South Korea.
In early spring, the first leaves from the tea plant poke their heads
into the sunshine of Boseong, a tiny town in the southern part of the
country known for its tea fields. The leaves are harvested from early
April through the first part of September, but these earliest leaves
are the most prized. Handpicked by the local women who live in the
South Jeolla Province, they're sold for exorbitant prices at fancy tea
shops throughout the country.
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