Tea - China's Ambassador to the World

Tea grown and processed in China was a rarity in the rest of the world for the majority of history. The distances traveled by land were no further than they are today, but without massive amounts of preparation and funding, caravans were likely to fall prey to local bandits, climate that they had to adapt to, or even just getting lost in the vast deserts between China's western borders and the western world. A journey by land could last as long as a year or more if one started on the western coast of Turkey.

But this travel was done as early as the the year 200 BCE, thanks to the efforts of the Han emperor, Wu-Ti. His decrees that the empire's western borders be free from threat opened a route as far as present day Iraq and Northern India. India and China had a long history of trade, with Buddhism making its way east and Chinese silks and tea making their way west. Within the next two hundred years, Rome began to rise to power in Europe and spread its influence east to the deserts. It was inevitable that the two empires meet, even if only through trade.

Sadly, the trade ended with the fall of Rome in the 5th century. It was not restored in any meaningful way until the late 14th century expeditions of the famous Polo brothers from Venice. Even after their contact with the court of the Mongol rulers at the time, China's tea remained a rare trade good with the occasional nomadic tribe across the intervening countries. The west was tea-less.

With the age of exploration and colonization of distant parts of the world by European concerns, Chinese tea was introduced in the 1600's to Europe by Portuguese and Dutch traders looking for rare items to sell to the markets at home. The major factor in the willingness to trade in tea was the preparation by the Chinese. The hard dry blocks of black tea stood up very well to long travel, and the simple fact that tea was something new were enough to turn it into a luxury item to have if you were noble or had aspirations of moving up the social ladder.

Tea became a staple of life after the restoration of Charles II to the throne of England in1658. He took a Portuguese wife, Catarina de Bragança, who had made drinking tea into a daily event amongst her inner circle. Thanks to their influence, the practice spread quickly in through the aristocracy of England, and their Dutch trading partners. From there it was inevitable that the growing middle class copied the habit until tea had reached a greater popularity than coffee or the rare chocolate drinks being introduced to the Spanish courts of the time.

Tea did have a powerful effect in England. There was a strong movement amongst religious leaders to reduce the spread of coffee as powerful stimulant, and beer was seen as low and destructive. Tea gave a refreshing feeling and slight stimulation that was not overpowering. As tea edged out coffee houses and started to outsell beer and ale, taxes were raised to the point where the cost of a cup of tea was more than doubled by the tariffs and taxes. But the insertion of tea into English culture was complete and there was nothing that would remove it, even taxes beyond reason.

The Boston Tea Party - England Brings Tea to India

The Boston Tea Party in December 1773 was a pivotal moment in history. It showed that not only was the need for equity between the government and the governed, but the power a simple item could exert over human affairs. The moment remains a strong memory that inspires thoughts of true independence individually and as a Nation.

The Tea Act, having been passed by British Parliament in 1773, was met with resistance. Colonists felt it denied their right only to be taxed by elected representatives. The then Royal Governor of Boston, Thomas Hutchinson took the protest to new heights by holding the tea hostage, not realizing that restless protestors would use this opportunity to destroy the whole lot.

The result of the tea party was felt as far as England, where King George III signed the Boston Port Act. This essentially shut down all commerce in Boston until the money lost in taxes to the crown, as well as the money lost by the East India Company that owned the tea, was repaid. This further unified the colonies to act in defense of each other. It seems that tea became a rallying cry, and one of the major factors in the American Revolution.

To recover from the loss of tea tax revenues, the English colonies in India experimented with cultivating Chinese tea plants. This was successful and India today remains the source of Darjeeling black teas, which are among the most popular in the world. This lead to tea's growing involvement in daily life as English land owners began to control more of the country than India's own people.

The main thrust of colonization was mainly commercial in interest. The East India Company was England's answer to the Dutch East India Company, which was the primary source of much of the trade between Europe and the countries of India, China and Japan during the 15th through 18th centuries. Increases in opportunity created the exchange of legends and lore, as well as the cultivation of multiple types of tea, though almost all of them were descended from plants originating in China.

Tea trade in India did have numerous added benefits for the country. Having a plethora of plantations throughout the sub continent meant that transportation to port had to be both reliable and fast. British engineers created new roads and built bridges over rivers and valleys that had previously been obstacles to travel in the country. In the 1850's the British railways were built. The money for the rail came from taxes paid for by a combination of tea and cotton grown in India and sold abroad. This rail system enabled travel in days as compared to previously it took weeks to cover the same distance.

Tea stayed after India's independence in 1947, where it still produces more than 30% of the world's tea. It also enables more than 10 million people to work directly either as production, preparation or transportation to market. Half of the people employed in this vital industry are women, making tea not only a part of India's history, but a source of income and independence for a large part of the country.

In a very strong way, tea became the catalyst for change in two countries. Both America and India owe quite a bit of their history, commerce and interactions to this simple beverage.

Which Teapot Style Fits You the Best?

Teapots have a long history of being used all over the world. The very first one was designed by the Chinese around a thousand years ago. Originally, leaves would be used in the making tea. The tea leaves would be put in the pot itself and then hot water would be added to the leaves. After a little while the water would mix with the leaves creating warm tea. The first pots did not arrive in Europe until the late 1700's when the trade routes with Asia were established.

In later years the tea pot got its trademark shape that is still used today. Over the years they have changed design. From Victorian teapots to the post modern teapots. Designers are always looking to try new designs out. Yet the basic design idea is still the same it has a handle, a sprout and a lit. Pots now a day come in all shapes and sizes from small to big squares. It would be hard to go into any housing shop and not find at least a dozen different styles to choose from.

In the late 1900's English designers came up with a companion to the tea pot. It is called the tea cozy. The tea cozy fits the tea pot like a glove. This glove keeps the heat in the pot better.

Tea pots these days are used mainly as decorative pieces that look good on a small table or in the kitchen. But in some families they have made a new recurrence after not being used for years. It is amazing in the year of 2010 that the tea pots of the past are making a come back and even the younger generations are starting to take pride in a well made cut of tea.

Make Perfect and Stylish Tea Bags With a Tea Bag Machine

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Blended Teas Create a Unique Flavor Profile All Their Own

So Who is Earl Grey, Anyway?

Earl Grey is one of the most recognizable and popular blended teas, but there are many others that fill the need for those tea drinkers who wish to have the very same flavor profile with each and every cup.

They want to know that each time they purchase an Earl Grey or English or Irish Breakfast, it will always be the same strength and flavor. And to satisfy the needs of their customers tea blenders work studiously to recreate that same flavor profile over and over again.

It's not an easy task to replicate the exact same flavor profile repeatedly. Tea blenders must taste hundreds of samples of different teas to come up with the perfect combination, sometimes mixing over thirty different teas to arrive at just the right blend.

It's a complicated process, with teas from different regions, tea estates, and seasons, being tested to come up with the right recipe.

Tea tasters work within a rigid set of standards, with samples of dry leaf set out, each in their own containers in a long row on a testing bench. The tea is then carefully measured to a specific weight (usually 5.2 - 5.6 grams/ 0.18 - 0.2 ounces), and placed in a special lidded brewing mug. Boiling water is added to black teas and slightly cooler water added to the more delicate green or white teas. A timer is then set for five to six minutes (or less for certain green teas). When the tea is finished steeping the lidded mug is tipped on its side in a tasting bowl where a serration in the lip of the mug allows the brewed tea to run into the bowl.

In a process much like wine tasting, the wet tea leaves are poured onto the upturned mug lid and placed beside the tasting bowl. The tea taster then uses a rounded spoon, quickly slurping the tea so it hits his taste buds, then rolling it around in his mouth to determine the full flavor of the tea before spitting it out into a portable spittoon that moves along the work bench.

The tea taster evaluates not only the quality and value of the tea, but also the appearance of the dry and wet leaf, and the taste and aroma of the liquor.

Once he arrives at just the right recipe, the combination of teas is loaded into a large cone shaped hopper, with a blending drum that thoroughly mixes the teas together. The tea is then packaged and sent to the customer.

The Classic Blends

Over many centuries certain teas have developed according to specific likes of individual nationalities. For example, the British like a strong, robust tea to get them going in the morning. It's a totally different story in Russia where they have developed a taste for a dark, smoky flavored tea. For nearly every taste and desire, there is likely a tea to satisfy the demand.

Some popular blended teas include:

Earl Grey - this is probably one of the most popular and recognizable blended teas in the world. Using a traditional blend of China and Indian teas, Earl Grey is flavored with bergamot, an essential oil from the citrus like bergamot fruit, which resembles an orange in taste.

Depending on the amount of bergamot oil used, Earl Grey can taste wonderful, or absolutely awful. If too much oil is used the tea can taste like dish soap. But if too little bergamot oil is used, you may as well be drinking plain tea. When done right, though, you have a wonderfully refreshing cup of tea with a hint of citrus.

Many different tales exist on how Earl Grey got its name. One tells of a British diplomat on a mission to China, who saved the life of a Mandarin. Deeply grateful the Mandarin gifted the recipe for the flavored tea to the diplomat and also to the then Prime Minister, Earl Grey, who served from 1830 - 1834.

Another version tells of how it was the Earl himself who saved the Mandarin's life, and was then given the recipe as thanks. Yet another story tells of how the recipe was a gift to the Prime Minister at the end of a successful diplomatic mission.

It's not likely any of the stories are true, but no matter the circumstances surrounding it, Earl Grey still remains today, one of the most popular blended teas ever marketed.

Today you can find many different versions of Earl Grey, using China tea, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Silver Tip, smoked tea (Lapsang Souchong), and even green tea, oolong, and decaffeinated teas.

Breakfast blends - these blends are designed to go with heavy, fatty foods such as bacon, sausage, fish, smoked meats, and fried eggs. Some of the more popular breakfast blends are:

English Breakfast - this is usually blended with teas from Assam for their malty, smooth flavor, and Sri Lanka and Kenya for their strong deep flavors. Also some American companies use blends of China Keemun teas exclusively as a base for their English Breakfast teas.

Irish Breakfast - this tea is usually strong and dark, made with a blend of Kenya and Indonesian black teas.

Indian Breakfast - is usually a blend of Darjeeling and Assam, or Assam and Nilgiri, or sometimes a mix of all three. Indian Breakfast is generally a lighter, more fruity blend with slightly astringent Darjeelings.

Afternoon blends - these include the "O-Clock" tea blends (Four-O-Clock, Five-O-Clock teas), which usually include a blend of India and Sri Lanka black teas, sometimes with a hint of jasmine or bergamot oil.

Some companies prefer to keep their afternoon blends lighter, using a base of Darjeeling or China and Taiwanese teas.

Russian Caravan - this blended tea uses a combination of black China teas that have a slightly smoky flavor, trying to recreate the original teas that were transported by horseback to Moscow from China.

During the seventeenth century when Chinese tea producers first began making black teas for export to far off lands like Russia, the manufacturing process employed drying tea in large ovens using local pine wood, giving the teas a slightly smoky flavor.

The teas may have had an added exposure to smoke from the caravan's many camp fires along the trade route on the journey back to Saint Petersburg. The smoky flavor is an acquired one, but today many consumers worldwide, swear by it. A small amount of Lapsang Souchong is usually added to the blend to give it the slightly smoky flavor.

Today you can find just about any flavor combination to suit your taste. And if you can't find just that right blended tea that is to your liking, you can easily make up your own blend of teas. Just get some fillable tea sacs or bags and choose your favorite loose leaf teas and you're ready to go and experiment to your heart's desire.

Just remember to take lots of notes along the way, so you can always recreate your perfect blended tea.

Potential Risks Involved In Drinking Weight Loss Tea

The road to weight loss is not always paved very smoothly, which often forces some people to take a shortcut. Among the most popular methods of losing weight is taking weight loss tea. This form of tea is widely advertised as being both effective and safe, but what most tea drinkers do not know is that there are actually numerous potential health risks posed by this habit. This is why it is necessary for you to consider taking a longer look at your slimming tea before you actually begin drinking it on a regular basis, as there are a number side effects that you are going to want to take into account.

Many of the side effects of drinking this sort of tea stem from the fact that it tends to contain a somewhat high level of caffeine. Some people believe that because they are not drinking coffee, they are not consuming any caffeine, but this is not true. Drinking weight loss teas on a daily basis can cause any or all of these problems:

Tremors - Overdosing in caffeine can cause involuntary muscular tremors. The most obvious manifestation is trembling hands which can range from intermittent to constant.

Upset Stomach - Drinking Chinese weight loss tea can also cause an upset stomach not only because of the excessive intake of caffeine but also due to other ingredients that act as laxative.

Loss of Appetite - Among the reasons why drinking tea in order to lose weight seems very effective is that it curbs your appetite to the point that you would not feel hungry or even thirsty for days at a time. This is not healthy at all seeing as the body needs nourishment in order to function normally.

Irritability and Loss of Sleep - When you pump your system full of caffeine, it is only a matter of time before you experience insomnia and irritability. You can expect to toss and turn all night, creating a disturbance in your entire system.

Severe Dehydration - This is among the most dangerous side effects of drinking tea. Since you will likely move bowels more often than necessary, you are at a high risk of becoming dehydrated and undernourished as well.

Why You Need Tea Cups and Saucers

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Here's a question. Can you name somebody who needs a nice tea set? Somebody for whom the right collection of tea cups and saucers would help them feel a bit more peaceful and serene?

Maybe a better question is who doesn't need that kind of help.

It's become a fact of life these days that our lives are too fast and too busy. We spend each day bouncing like a pinball from this point to that point with nary a pause to draw a breath. We are hooked to our cell phones and Blackberries and a host of other technologies that keep us plugged in but never quite seem to satisfy us.

In that world - and it's a familiar world to almost all of us - isn't there something to be said for sitting down to a slow and tasty cup of tea?

Tea parties themselves might have fallen out of favor, but the principles behind them remain essential. Who does not want to gather with friends or family members and enjoy some simple but delicious foods and a beverage over the kind of slow pace conversation that we all long for?

Sounds like a little slice of heaven, doesn't it?

The right tea set can be like a gateway to that world.

So what do you need to look for when you are on the search for the perfect tea set? Well, it helps to remember that the tea cups and saucers have to look right. They need to be aesthetically pleasing. Keep in mind that tea is simply content - really important content and you don't want to skimp on it - but it's not what your guests are looking at.

Tea cups and tea saucers are containers. If they don't look and feel like something attractive - if they don't contribute to the sense of pace and pleasure that you want your body to encourage, then they won't work.

Remember, you could dump the tea in any old mug and it will taste just fine. But the effect would be quite different. Don't forget that.

Tea sets have four elements that you can't miss out on. There is the tea pot, the tea cup, the saucer and the milk pitcher. You need a good teapot and pitcher, sure, but the cup and saucer are where the buck stops. Because that's where your guest is going to experience her tea. She won't just be focused on flavor and texture - she'll be focused on the material the cup is made from, how the handle fits her fingers, and what type of design appears on the cup's side.

The tea cup and the saucer, in other words, are what sets a regular tea party apart from one that is truly special.

Got a thing for the perfect tea set? Check out Tea Cups And Saucers, a one-stop online resource for all tea lovers.