Actually, we should call it the journey of Tea. That is because no one is absolutely certain as to where Tea actually originated. And without knowing that, we can’t start any history.
However, it is widely accepted that tea was being used in China from atleast 1000 BC, and there are records that the Qin dynasty, which flourished around 200 BC, had tea as a regular drink in their society. Several other South and East Asian countries and civilizations have tea as a part of their culture, and wherever they moved, they took their tea with them. Since the climate in those regions was similar, tea continued to flourish wherever it was planted – and it took on a bit of the local flavor with time. So we have special Teas from China, India, Sri Lanka, and other south-east Asian countries – each with a separate set of flavors.
The Portuguese were the first to bring Tea into Europe, and they did so during their sojourns for trade in South Asia. Catherine of Braganza, wife of King Charles II is said to be the first person to officially bring in the Tea habit to Britain, and like they say, the rest is history! Initially, due to limited availability, Tea was consumed only during religious functions, and common gatherings. But as Britain annexed various tea growing countries, it became easily available and became the beverage of choice it is today.
Several experiments have been conducted on Tea, and the result is Tea of various flavorings. For instance, Chinese experts were taken to the Azores islands to plant Tea, and they planted it along with flowers like Jasmine. That led to the tea coming up with a mild Jasmine flavor – and Jasmine Tea remains one of the most popular kinds of tea in the world today.
There is so much to be spoken about Tea. But what is even better is to brew a cup and settle down with it! Try it
