As legend has it, tea was discovered in 2737 BC by a Chinese emperor when some tea leaves accidently blew into a pot of boiling water. Tea has been a part of many of the world's cultures for thousands of years. It has been an important in American tradition since the Boston Tea Party protested the British Tea Tax in Colonial Days.
All tea comes from the "Camellia sinensis", an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 60 feet in the wild.When cultivated for harvest, tea plants are kept at three feet.There are over 3000 varieties of tea each with its own characteristics. The growing and naming of teas is similar to the growing and naming of wine. The region where the tea is grown, the soil condition and climate, and the way the leaves are processed determines the flavor characteristics of the tea.
There are 4 types of tea processed from the top two leaves and buds. These top two leaves and the bud are hand picked, then processed into:
BLACK TEA- leaves are fully oxidized and dried.
Examples: English Breakfast
Darjeeling
GREEN TEA- leaves are not oxidized. Tea has a paler color and more delicate taste. 10% of the world's tea is Green Tea, and is especially known for the Japanese tea ceremony.
OOLONG TEA- popular in China and often referred to as the "champagne of teas". Leaves are withered, partially oxidized, and dried.
WHITE TEA- not oxidized... simply withered by steaming.
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HERBAL TEAS are not from the traditional tea shrub- the "Camellia sinensis". It has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. It is usually made from traditional medicinal teas combined with herbs that have a synergistic and complimenary action. Herbal teas are used today for many reasons, for example to calm the nerves (Chamomile Tea) or settle the stomach (Peppermint Tea).
