There are four types of true tea: black, oolong, green, and white.
All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis bush,
of which there are at least several hundred
local varieties world wide. The specific manufacturing
of the leaf determines whether the
finished tea becomes black, green, oolong, or white.
Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princesswho wed Charles II of England in 1662,
is most likely responsible for introducing
tea to England. She hated both mead and ale
(the afternoon beverages of the day)
and couldn’t wait until her personal effects
arrived from her homeland, because
they included her favorite beverage: tea.
Soon her court was ‘mad’ for tea.
Ireland is to top tea consuming
country, at 2.96 cups per
person, per day!
Tea helps fight cancer, heart disease
and regulate cholesterol
Tea boosts the immune system
Tea suppresses the appetite
and inhibits excess body fat.
Tea fights harmful bacteria and viruses.
Tea may help strengthen bones with fluoride and flavenoids.
A 6 oz cup of black tea contains 34 mgs of caffeine.
Oolong tea ~~ 12.55 mgs.
Green tea ~~ 8.36 mgs.
Cup of Coffee ~~99 mgs.
Cola~~18.5 mgs
2oz Dark Chocolate~~37 mgs.
One sip of this will bathe the dropping spirits
in delight, beyond the bliss of dreams." - Milton
Thank God for tea! What would the world
do without tea! How did it exist?
I am glad I was not born before tea"
~Sir Philip Sidney, 1586
How to Brew a Perfect Cup of Tea:
Fill Kettle to required level with freshly drawn water.
This may sound quite obvious but there is a tendancy
to re-use boiled water or top up a partly filled kettle.
This de-oxygenated water does have an adverse effect on brewing.
Heat an earthenware or china tea pot
(stainless steel pots tend to taint the brew).
Use one teaspoonful of tea per person plus 1 for the pot.
When using teabags, use one teabag per person.
Take the tea pot to the kettle and pour freshly
boiling water over the leaves.
Leave for approximately two minutes and stir.
After a further 2 minutes the liquor is ready to pour,
using a fine strainer in the case of loose tea.
photos and info from me and google
Thank you so much for this very informative, educational post. Tea does indeed have a fascinating history.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love about Barbara Pym's novels are her frequent references to tea. One of her best heroines, Mildred Lathbury, is "a spinster who is forever making cups of tea", and that is how everyone views her, as a comforting solace amid the storm of their lives. And that is what tea is, after all, a small spot of warmth and comfort in an otherwise hectic day.
Oh, what lovely pics and tidbits!
ReplyDeleteDo you know Rooiboss tea? It's packed full of anti-oxidants, flavinoids and there is no caffeine, for those who cannot take it, like myself.
I love to start each morning with a cup of hot black tea, with sugar and lemon please!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you, Betsy! I LOVE tea. I drink it every day; it's one of my favorite things. I'm with CS Lewis, who said "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Blessings,
Reese
I am a tea drinker! Unfortunately, it runs through me just as quickly as I can drink it and my Detrol LA gets a workout.
ReplyDeleteBut my tea is too good to give up, so if that means running to the bathroom more often, it's ok w/ me.
Good post.
Lavinia ~ That is so true...drinking a cup of tea does add warmth and comfort! You have to sip it since it's hot, and that makes you slow down and take a breath!
ReplyDeleteBP ~ No, I haven't heard of Rooiboss tea! I'll have to try some...my husband is the big tea drinker here. I have a pot of coffee during the day, but I do have a cup of tea after dinner with him every evening. He can't take the caffeine (and I can't live without it!). Thanks for the tip!
MG ~ sugar and lemon in tea ~ yum!
Reese ~ Hi! Thanks for stopping by! So glad to "meet" you! :)
Anne ~ yes, coffee does that to me, too! But it doesn't stop me from drinking it! ha-ha!
I do love a good cup of tea! My very Canadian college roommate got me hooked on Earl Grey with a little sugar and milk.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful post....I too am a tea drinker...I do so love a tea party with my lady friends, but more recently with my little grandchildren..Lily and Ethan..believe it or not..they love the formality of the whole ritual..the conversations we have are so much fun..we are using water (tea) for now ... Cherrios and tea cookies...they are 3 and 5years old..... :) Dee Dee
ReplyDeleteBetsy, Thank you for your sweet comment on Meg :) Emily's death has been very hard on her, they were best friends. The hardest part for me, is that my sister (their mama) & her family live on the other side of the US, and we rarely see each other. I miss seeing my sister & most of all, her children growing up. My sister's children LOVE having tea parties. For Meg's 12th birthday, they had a very fancy, formal tea party (we love herbal teas - yummy!)...special little sandwiches, etc & of course, we all had to wear our prettiest dresses. It was very fun :)
ReplyDeleteLovely post! While coffee gets me going in the morning, I really look forward to my tea in the afternoon! I like mine with just a bit of milk, which I picked up while living in England.
ReplyDeleteHi Laa ~ yes, I'm with you....coffee in the morning and tea later in the day. I love both!
ReplyDeleteI am a huge tea lover!! In fact about a year and and half ago, I had some extra weight on me, and I've always loved tea. So anyway, I got real sick, and threw my morning coffee to the wind, I just didn't have the taste for it anymore. I started drinking green tea in the morning and several cups in the evening, because a cup of tea is so calming. And it's a great way to lose weight. I'm about fifty pounds lighter and I owe a vast majority of it to my daily cups of hot tea!!
ReplyDelete