Tea History
Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. Oriental lore tells us that a distinguished Chinese philosopher first smelled this wondrous aroma when tea leaves fell from the sky into his pot of boiling water. Thus was born the legacy of tea that has endured for centuries. From China to England, from India to America, tea has acquired a vast multitude of followers, leaving its mark on every civilization. Each day, over one and a half billion cups of tea are consumed on the planet. Perhaps no other beverage has been the object of such sanctification and ceremony: in China tea was idealized by poets and codified by tea masters; all the beauty of the Japanese way of life is embodied in its tea ceremony. In Britain "tea time" has dominated daily schedules for centuries. In the New World, the Boston Tea Party sparked off a series of events that changed the course of history.
About Tea
All true tea - black, oolong and green - comes from an evergreen shrub called Camellia sinensis. Its flavors vary because of where the tea is grown and how it's processed. "Herbal teas" made entirely of herbs, flowers or bark are more accurately called infusions or tisanes. How tea leaves are processed determines how they're classified. Black tea is made from leaves that have been "fermented", or oxidized, over heat. Oolong is only partly fermented. Green tea, which is steamed, is not fermented. Researchers keep amassing evidence that tea - especially green tea, the kind that contains the most antioxidants - have many health benefits. Premium quality specialty teas are increasing in popularity. Indications are that specialty teas will grow even more rapidly over the next five to ten years.
