Many people love tea and will enjoy it on a daily basis, but few know the history of their drink or where it came from. Chinese stories say this delicious liquid was created in 2737 BC when an Emperor was sitting in his garden near a tea tree with a bowl of hot water. The wind blew, and a single leaf from the tea tree fell into his bowl causing a unique brew to begin. He enjoyed the scent, so gave it a taste and became a fan of the flavor immediately. It wasn’t until 350 BC that tea was officially mentioned in the oldest surviving Chinese dictionary called the Erh Ya.
Changing the Brewed Flavors with Fruit, Vegetables and other Additions’
During the Tang Dynasty, an author by the name of Lu Yu wrote a monograph on tea called the Ch’a Ching or The Classic of Tea. It was the first written piece to bring gourmet tea to the eyes of the people by mentioning that ginger, ginseng, peppermint, orange peel and even onion were boiled along with the tea leaf to add a depth of flavor. Today, many connoisseurs and casual drinkers of the beverage still add a variety of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flower petals to add a zesty depth to the unique flavor of the loose leaf tea.
* Vedic Chai is a popular gourmet loose leaf tea mix that uses a variety of herbs and vegetables in with chai and other ayurvedic leaves. This can include pepper, cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass, cardamom and clove which bring a rich and delicious flavor to your cup.
* Few teas can really be enjoyed iced, but a berry tisane is one of those. With the delicious additions of cranberry, orange, lemon, blueberries, hibiscus and more you can get a full flavor enjoyment from this tea whether it is served hot or iced.
Tea is Enjoyed Throughout All Civilizations
While tea may have originated in China, it has not hesitated to reach across the globe. By the 1600’s it was said to have made its way into Russia by introduction from a Chinese ambassador. By 1650, it was being sold as a medicinal drink in Europe. Settlers brought tea to North America and enjoyed the drink up until 1773 when the Boston Tea Party shunned tea as being unpatriotic. Those long since forgotten political disagreements have drifted into history and Americans are once again enjoying this diverse and delicious beverage. You can visit LoveTea.com for more information today.