Let Us Connect over Tea!

The intoxicating aroma of the delicious drink, brewing breaks through the boredom of the morning and perks me up! You can be assured that it is indeed the one thing guaranteed to help me hang in there even in the face of the chaos of a busy day.?

Tea or better known as “Chai” in India has its origin more as a medicinal drink in Southwest China it is believed. However, the various forms and flavours of the beverage ranging from the white to green tea or a milky concoction have made its presence across the world, marking a niche for itself in the world market.??

The fact that the BJP government of India and our very own Prime Minister of India chose to leverage on the “chaiwala” dib on his past by coming up with the innovative and unconventional NaMo campaign of “Chai pe charcha” could also be considered as another indication of the importance of the drink in India.?

Origin of Tea?

Even if one considers China as the homeland for Tea, it is the British that set up the plantations for Tea across India and Sri Lanka.? The US also produces tea with Hawaii and South Carolina leading the list of places cultivating tea. China, Japan, Persia or Iran, Middle East and Taiwan, obviously are other countries famous for their beverages.?

Now, in China around 2000 BC or so, it came to origin mainly as a medicinal beverage and was later adapted to be the recreational drink, around the time of Chinese Tang dynasty.? Around the 16th century it spread to Europe, and then in the 17th century, it came to Briton.? By then Dutch also began to play a significant role in the European Tea trade.?

Major Types of Tea?

Tea can be classified into various types based mainly on the period that a tea leaf is oxidised and the processing method used. Meanwhile, the significant types of Tea, famous across the world, include White Tea, Green Tea, Oolong, Pu’erh, Yerba Mate and Herbal or Black Tea.?

White Tea:? A tea of subtle flavour, very delicate to the tongue is processed only a bit. The picked leaves are left to wither and dry and come out as a soft grey colour. Some of the widespread white teas are the Silver Needle or Bai Mudan. Other than prominently from Fujian Province of China, white tea is also cultivated in Nepal or even Yunnan.?

Black Tea:? Most popular beverage in Assam, Darjeeling, Ceylon or Keemun markets, black tea is oxidised heavily and will need to be brewed strong, bold and malty to get the best zing.? Now, processed black teas are also organised as per a grading system such as Orange Pekoe (OP) for full-leaf tea, and BOP shows a broken leaf black tea. Also used as a base for the Earl Grey tea, it is also known as Red tea in China as a result of the colour it gives off, once brewed to perfection.?

Green Tea: ?More steps to process and fewer steps to oxidise than for a white tea, Green tea is known so because of the tea leaves that remain green itself.? To yield the tea, methods such as pan frying and steaming are adapted.? Rather than the pan-fried teas, the Japanese teas that are steamed give off better vibrant colours. Not that the steamed tea is better, it is just that it produces a different variety of green tea. Sencha and Genmaicha are very well known Japanese teas. Japanese tea shaded for a few weeks up to harvest tends to produce more chlorophyll, generating a more vibrant coloured leaf, which can also be used to create richer Japanese varieties of tea such as Gyukuro and Matcha. Japanese teas are typically steamed, and Chinese teas are pan-fried, and the leaves usually let off colours from pale to deep green.??

Pu’erh tea:? Originated from the Yunnan Province of China, the tea is produced by fermenting it.? The two types of tea included raw (Sheng) and cooked (Shou). Pu’erh teas are sold in pressed cake formats. In flavour and colour, the brew can change from light to dark and earthy hue. How about popping a cigar with this, to get that edge??

Oolong Tea:? Considered the most complex of the teas to produce, the Oolong tea is semi-oxidised and originates from China and Taiwan. Some of the most popular Oolong tea types included Baozhong, Da Hong Pao, Dong Ding, Tieguanyin or Jin Xuan with a sweet, creamy natural flavour and promoted in the US as the ‘Milk Oolong’. The taste of the brew can range from sweet and misty honey to a milky creaminess or the boldly roasted zest.?

Yerba Mate Tea: With an origin in South America, introduced by the Gurani Indians there, the tea is also famous and grown across northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil. Known for its smoky to grassy flavour, the brew is best used as a medicinal as it gives off a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue.??

However, are you aware of the fact that all these tea types are produced from leaves of the same species, known as the Camellia sinensis plant??

Herbal Tea: Standing apart, is the Herbal tea, not made out of the Camellia Sinensis plant but is infusions of the fruit, leaves or other parts of the plant varying from the steeps of rosehip to chamomile, or rooibos. The soothing effect it emanates makes it a perfect brew to relieve stress.?

Culture and traditions steeped in Tea?

We have kind of already established that the habit of drinking tea can be dated back to 2737 BCE or so, the legend originating in China. The story behind it goes that the Emperor Shennong of China was surprised by the exotic taste of his cup of boiling water when a dried leaf of a plant fell into the container. Now, spread far, and wide tea ceremonies are very popular across cultures.?

China: They are known mainly for their traditions and rituals as well as the techniques used to brew and serve informal tea settings. Tea is considered as the way of life for Chinese. One of the most common Chinese tea ceremonies is the Gongfu Tea ceremony, where Oolong tea is served in a particular type of clay pot. “Cha Doa” talks about the talent of making tea. It is also strictly related to Daoism and Chinese philosophies of balance, harmony, fulfilment and enjoyment.

Japan: This country is expected to be the hometown where matcha is served.? Matcha is dried and ground to bright green powder.? It is also used for the traditional Japanese ceremony, which is known as the “Way of life or the Chado, which also is a spiritual experience. Starting off as a luxury, tea went on to be the necessity of life. In Japan, the tea ceremony represents two philosophies. One is the Ichigo Ichie, wherein it is acknowledged that every human interaction is a single action which could and will never happen again in the same way, whereas according to the Wabi philosophy, there is more prominence given to identifying beauty in the flaw and going on to appreciate all the insightful things in nature.?

Thailand: The Thai iced tea or the “cha-yen” a famous brew of the country is a strong black tea served with ice. It comes in several musky flavours such as orange blossom, cinnamon, star anise and ground tamarind etc. It also gives off a liquorice aroma.?

Middle East: In the Arab Countries, meanwhile, tea is the centre of focus for any social gatherings.?

Morocco:? Touareg or hot mint tea is popular in Morocco. Traditionally served in a tall glass, in three servings, each imparts a unique flavour.? You are expected to echo the wishes and meanings of life, love and death. Belief is that the first serving is “gentle as life” second as “strong as love” and finally the third serving is expected to be as “bitter as death”.?

Turkey: One would think that with the popularity of Coffee in the country, Tea would take a backseat. However, it is a highly favourite hot beverage and is cultivated mostly in Rize Province on the Black Sea coast of Turkey. It makes a significant part of the cuisine and is typically served in a small glass and an equivalent plate.?

Iran: One of the first beverages offered to a guest, the brew has a strong aroma and flavour that tingles your tongue. It is often served with a sugar cube, sweet or dry fruits to set off the otherwise dark and sweetless concoction.?

Pakistan:? It is a place, where black or green teas are equally famous and are termed as Sabz chai or Kawah, accordingly.? The green tea of Pakistan or the “Kawah” is served along the Pashtun belts of Balochistan and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, traditionally after a meal. Alternatively, along with the central and southern areas of Punjab or the metropolitan Sindh province of Pakistan, a milk and tea concoction with sugar or even pistachios or cardamom etc., better known as ‘Chai’, is more popular.?

Kashmir, bordering India- Pakistan:? Located at the border between India – Pakistan there are certain kiosks set up in winters selling the creamy tea pink in colour adding pistachio, almonds, cardamom or even cinnamon if required, known as the Kashmiri Chai or the “noon chai” mainly during celebrations or special occasions such as weddings etc.?

India: Known for a strong culture of tea, tea is drunk daily at almost all houses and even served to guests, primarily in the morning and evening. You can choose to add milk and sugar or have it black or can opt for green tea, as preferred in the country. You could also add the spices if you prefer to get that hot, delicious ginger tea, masala chai or the elaichi tea, according to taste. Sold in small cups, the cutting chai sold by street vendors are also very popular.?

Sri Lanka: When the coffee blight destroyed the economy, and the fields were abandoned, a Scottish farmer by the name of James Taylor decided to convert the fields to a flourishing tea plantation. It then went on to become a very significant part of Ceylonese festivals and celebrations such as weddings etc.?

Burma (Myanmar): Not just the hot tea, but the Burmese also drink the sweet tea or the green teas such as laphet-yay and laphet-yay-gyan, respectively. Laphet or the pickled tea leaves are also considered a national delicacy.?

Russia: Tea history of this country dates back to 1638, when tea was served to Tsar Michael. Since then the social gatherings were incomplete, if the tea was not served. The tea for the occasion was brewed traditionally in a samovar.?

France:? The very first French tea connoisseur is King Louis XIV, who had to have tea regularly as a medical aid against indigestion or as prevention against gout and cardiac disorders.? Later on, it lost popularity and was used modestly till the middle of the 19th century. It then went on to be more popular because there is tea, catering to all kinds of occasions, mood, and event or for every time of the day.?

United Kingdom: Considered a cultural beverage of Britain, it is customary to offer tea to guests. It is served either at homes or cafes or tea rooms. Afternoon tea with the cake was a popular event. In southwest England, the creamy tea was found to be highly prevalent and is served with clotted cream, scones alongside jam.? They also refer to it as an evening meal.???

Mali: Known for gunpowder tea, here it is served in three phases starting with the strongest tea, which is unsweetened. For the second serving the same tea leaves are brewed again with some sugar termed as “pleasant as life” and for the third serving these same tea leaves are boiled again with more sugar and is called ‘sweet as life”.? Same ways for a Malian custom, known as the grin, the green teas are most widely consumed. It includes the informal social gathering beginning from the compound gate in the afternoons and going on late into the nights. It is mainly celebrated in Bamako or other urban areas.?

Tibet:? Traditional tea of Tibet is known as Po cha and is crafted by brewing a brick of pemagul black tea for hours. You would then need to add milk, salt and Yak butter and churn it all together, so that it gives off a soup-like consistency.?

How does tea help people to connect with culture??

Meanwhile, the Chinese dialect used to term the brew is “cha”, which was later replaced with the Persian “chay”, India “Chai” or Bengali “cha” or even “Chaya” in Malayalam and “tea” in English. However, you can see that despite all the different names used, the brew helps to bring countries and different cultures closer. Many have also realised the importance of holding certain tea ceremonies or events where diverse cultures are brought together. It also increases participation as you see more people coming together and bonding over a cup of tea, helping them take time away from their busy schedules.

When you look at the various facts and history behind tea, you realise that the brew becomes more than just a drink to quench your thirst or to be used as a recreational or medicinal drink. In the eastern countries, tea is believed to be served and received with both hands, as an indication of showing respect.???