Tea is a drink that is enjoyed the world over and it sits next to coffee as the most popular beverage. The tea shrub is widely found around the planet and is prepared in a million different ways, adding spices and herbs for improved taste. Tea is consumed hot and cold and the first evidence of tea consumption was 2700 BC, in Yunan China, where it was used as a form of medicine; humans are curious by nature and every plant, tree and shrub would have been chewed, with tea made with hot water, much later.
Chinese Aristocracy
We have the Chinese Emperors to thank for the popularity of tea; the Song Dynasty started the ball rolling, the Chinese rulers assigned several physicists to experiment with tea, with each succession adding more importance to tea as a beverage and medicine. They were very advanced for their time; they knew how to stop the oxidisation process when curing tea leaves by rolling the leaves after boiling.
Yuan and Ming Dynasties
The initial interest in tea continued during both the Yuan and Ming Dynasties; by this time, tea was served for visitors across Chinese homes, plus it was widely used for its medicinal properties. Fast forward to the present and you can sample the unique taste of premium white Peony Tea from Teavision, a leading Australian tea supplier.
Tea arrived in Europe
The early 16th century saw European mariners bringing tea into Europe; the Dutch East India Trading Company began to import Chinese tea into European ports, while the European aristocracy warmly embraced this delicious beverage. Although tea became a firm favourite for the gentry, working class people did not consumer tea; beer was actually the drink of choice for the masses at that time, mainly due to dirty water.
Tea goes global
In the late 18th century, tea was consumed in all parts of the world, with many plantations emerging on the Indian continent. Indeed, Ceylon took tea a long way and today, some of the best teas originate from this part of the world.
Australians love tea, both hot and cold and if you would like to sample Grade A teas. Google is your best friend.
