Tea the BeverageTea is not the beverage just for little old ladies gathering for an afternoon repast any longer. Don’t get me wrong, little old ladies still gather (and I'm one of them), but so do youngsters and oldsters, hipsters and hippies, young mothers and daughters, young fathers and sons, friends and lovers, businessmen and businesswomen. In our tea salon, we see people of all ages, from every walk of life. They’re all comfortable in the environment, whether it’s just a cup, sharing a pot, a full afternoon tea or lighter cuisine. In the tearoom section of our website we’ll get more into what made our tearoome so people friendly, but for now, let’s talk about why they want to be there in the first place… it's the tea.
First, a little about the beverage. It’s made by steeping the buds, leaves or twigs of the plant Camellia Sinensis in hot water for a few minutes. But you knew that! So let’s discuss some of things you may not know. For instance, did you know that the first tea consumed was probably from the whole leaf? The leaf undried, unprocessed?One of my most pleasant experiences was backpacking in the Ansel Adams Wilderness near Mammoth Lakes. Trail tired. Ready for a good night’s sleep in my sleeping bag with my sidekick, Lenny the Dog, at my side. What better way to relax than with a cup of tea. But having to limit my 35 lb pack to the necessities of a 6 day backpacking trip, the tea had stayed behind. So we make do. I boiled water and tossed in a few pine needles and sat back under the stars to enjoy my tisane. I’m sure that was how the first tea was brewed. Perhaps it was even Shen Nung, the emperor who is said to have discovered the first tea by accident, who found that wonderful brew as the leaves fell into his boiling water.
There are so many types of tea, truly something for everyone’s taste. From matcha to the white and green teas high in anti-oxidants, the metobolic boosting oolongs, and the anti-viral blacks. Come along with me to learn more about the many different type of teas. To continue your journey through the world of the beverage of tea follow the links below.
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