Tea

Tea is one of the most consumed beverage made by steeping the dried leaves, buds, and twigs of the Camellia sinensis plant in warm to hot water. Depending on how the plant material is handled, the flavor and color of the tea can vary widely, and many teas also include additional flavorings, which complicate the flavor even further. Some people also refer to beverages made with other plants as teas, although this is actually incorrect; unless the drink contains Camellia sinensis, it cannot be called tea.

This plant has been cultivated in Southeast Asia for thousands of years, and it is a very important part of Asian culture and tradition. Myth has it that tea was first consumed around 2,700 BCE by a legendary Chinese emperor, Shennong. When European explorers reached Asia , tea was one of the first things they brought back with them, setting off a passion for tea which endures to this day.

Camellia sinensis prefers cool, rainy weather and medium to high elevations. Tea cultivators harvest only new buds and leaves during the picking season, and then dry and roast the tea. Depending on when the tea is dried, the leaves ferment to different levels, creating different flavors. Non-fermented leaves are used to make white tea, a very mild beverage, while green tea is more heavily fermented. Oolong and black tea are much more fermented, bringing out the sharp tannins in the leaves.