Tea Thyme is a new section designed for readers to share their favorite tea recipes. The section will feature recipes, tips, herbal remedies, and product news as available. The section will also provide tea and herbal vendors a relevant place to promote their products. Tea Thyme is scheduled to debut in the Spring 2018 Issue, which is due out the beginning of March.
Tea is one of the oldest beverages known to mankind and is enjoyed across the globe. Some attribute its discovery and invention to Chinese emperor and herbalist Shennong in 2732 BC. One day, on a trip to a distant region, a leaf from a wild tea bush fell unnoticed into the boiled water presented to the emperor. The emperor found the flavor refreshing, and tea was born.
Today, tea is consumed for pleasure and to ease sore throats and other ailments. It also has been ingrained in traditions and customs from around the world.
China
The Chinese emphasize the flavor and preparation of tea. The Chinese Tea Ceremony brings about peace, tranquility, enjoyment, and truth. The art of making tea is called “Cha do,” and the Chinese take tea seriously. The Emily Post Institute says tea is heavily incorporated into all aspects of Chinese life. Tea is served with the same care for service that is applied when serving wine in other countries.
Britain
Tea is often associated with England, and the British fervor for tea helped spread it to the New World. While tea only arrived in England in the 1600s, the country embraced it, making “afternoon tea” a popular tradition. The traditional tea hour was between 4 and 5 p.m., when tea was served as a light refreshment between lunch and dinner. There also are specific ways to prepare and serve English tea, such as pre-warming the teapot and preferential use of loose tea or larger tea bags in a teapot instead of single-use teabags in a cup.
Russia
Many Russians also love tea. Tea was once considered an upper-class product, but it is now enjoyed by Russians of various means. Zavarka, a very strong tea that can be enjoyed for several rounds, is very popular in Russia.
India
The Emily Post Institute offers that India is one of the world’s largest tea suppliers, and the population consumes more tea than any other country in the world. Chai is the national drink, and hosts often serve a spicy milk-tea to guests.
Japan
The Japanese have their own tea ceremonies, also called “The Way of the Tea.” A ceremonial preparation of “matcha,” which is a powdered green tea, is as much about performance art as it is about the tea itself. The tea is served to a small group of people in popular teahouses.
Send YOUR favorite tea recipe and / or remedy to info(at)therapeuticthymes(dot)com. Please put “Tea Thyme” is your subject line. Be sure to include your name and city/state for proper attribution.
Editor’s Note: With the exception of the introduction, the article is from Metro.
(c) Therapeutic Thymes, 2017
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