A Brief History of Tea

No one knows with certainty who first had the odd idea of taking leaves from the Camilla Sinensis plant and adding them to hot water to make a brew. It may have been an accident at first, with leaves from the bush floating into a heated kettle. But almost certainly, the practice began over 5,000 years ago in China.

Black Tea, The Good Guy

All true tea is the product of the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. But, ah, what a difference a little oxygen and sunlight makes. Green tea is very lightly oxidized, Oolong moderately so and black tea the most heavily oxidized of all. There's even a fourth variety, white tea, that rarely makes it to western shores.

Can Tea Drinking Prevent Heart Disease?

The short answer to the question posed in the title is: no. But there are numerous studies that lend credence to a popular idea that tea can help improve heart health.

Can Tea Prevent Cancer?

The short answer to the question in the title is: no. But there are many studies that give weight to the belief that it certainly helps.

Decaf Tea

Decaf tea is a great addition to the tea tin. There are times when you don't need a pick-me-up, just a great tasting cup of tea. In fact, having tea often means the very opposite - taking a few minutes to relax, clear your mind and let the cares of the day flow away. A cup of decaffeinated tea can fit the bill very nicely.

Flavored Tea, A Cornucopia

Cornucopia: 'A symbol of prosperity and affluence, dating back to the 5th century BC.' In modern parlance, 'a great many very good things'. And that exactly describes the flavored teas that are available today.

Green Tea – Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

It is not always that we are so fortunate that something we enjoy is good for us. How lucky we are that green tea fits that role so well!

Grown in Asia, Enjoyed Around The World

For centuries the major tea producing countries have been in Asia, though Africa and even the U.S., on a small scale now grow the evergreen from which tea leaves come. China, Japan and India have long been known as the source of most tea products, with Taiwan and Ceylon contributing in the last two hundred years.

Herbal Tea – What's In A Name?

Herbal tea or tisane, which isn't actually made from the tea bush Camilla Sinensis, has been consumed for at least as long as the genuine article - over 5,000 years.

How To Brew Tea

What could be more important than preparing a fine cup of tea the right way? You've spent the time to find and the money to buy a good product.

How to Store Tea

You've gone to great lengths to find a great tea. You've spent two to five times or more what it would cost to get an ordinary tea from the grocery store. But even fine teas can go stale, like any agricultural product.

Introduction to the Ancient Beverage Moderns Enjoy

Tea, as a beverage, is older than coffee, older than wine and maybe even older than beer. Some may argue about the latter, since some types of beer may be as old as 10,000 years, while tea has been around for 'only' about 5,000. Fair enough, let's not quibble. Tea is old.

Loose Leaf vs Tea Bags

A modern dilemma. You're busy. You don't have time to perform a Japanese tea ceremony, carefully preparing each component, then drinking the result in a leisurely way. (A full ceremony, including food and drink can take five hours.) But you do enjoy a truly fine cup. What to do?

Oolong Tea, The Black Dragon

Green or Black? Sometimes you can't decide. Normally the middle ground is the province of those who just can't commit. But when it comes to tea drinking, compromise is no vice. Try Oolong.

Rooibos Tea, The Red Delight

Derived from the Afrikaans word for 'red bush', Rooibos is not a true tea. It comes from a plant called Aspalathus Linearis, rather than the Camellia Sinensis, which is generally used for making tea. But, as Shakespeare rightly said: 'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.' Or, in this case, taste as sweet.

Tea Tins and Tea Chests

Whether you prefer loose leaf or bag, or enjoy both, you'll want to keep that fine tea you searched so hard for in optimal condition.

Teaware Everywhere

If you can't find the kind of teaware online that suits your particular taste and needs, you should invent your own. The reason is simple: there is more variety in teapots, infusers, strainers, cups and more than there ever were add-ons for photography buffs.

Variety is the Spice of Life

There are, fortunately for tea lovers, as many types and blends of tea as there are kinds of coffee. And, that's a delightfully high number!

White Tea, Delicacy Personified

White tea is made from the same plant as is green tea, but undergoes a very different process. It begins with the rolled buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant, but suffers no oxidation.

Yerba Mate, South American Delight

Tea is most commonly associated with Asia. And it's true that the majority of tea comes from China, India and other countries in that area. But there are other countries that have the climate, soil and expertise to produce a fine tea.