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The British and Japanese are perhaps the best known for cultivating tea drinking into an art form. Americans are remembered for throwing it overboard during the Boston Tea Party. India holds the title of the world's leading tea producer. But the actual discovery of tea is credited to the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in the 27th century BC. Supposedly, a leaf from a nearby tree fell into his cup of hot water, and the herbal infusion was thus born.
Due to the Emperor's fine taste, the Chinese quickly took to the cultivation of the evergreen bush. Not too long after, the Japanese found their climate conducive to the hardy plant. Not until the 17th century, however, did the Europeans get their first taste of the refreshing elixir but had little luck with the plant's cultivation. Tea plants prefer tropical climates with rich, deep soils. India and Sri Lanka export most of the world's tea, but many African countries such as Kenya and Rwanda have extensive tea industries.
Tea has come a long way since Emperor Shen Nung and the cultivation of tea leaves is big business. According to Stash Teas, three basic types of tea exist: black, green, and oolong. The majority of tea is of the black variety where the tea leaf has been fully oxidized and fermented. Popular black teas include Orange Pekoe and Darjeeling. Darjeeling teas can also be further categorized into summer and spring varieties, depending on how soon young tea leaves are picked. Green tea is not oxidized and has a less hearty flavor than black tea. Green tea has been a favorite in Asia for many years, and is just now becoming more popular in the States. Oolong tea is a hybrid between green and black teas.
Surprisingly enough herbal teas are not true teas at all. Herbal teas are primarily made from roots, berries, and other plant materials. Rarely if ever are the tea leaves of the true tea plant -- Camellia sinensis -- used for herbal or medicinal teas.
A testament to the fact that tea is no longer a simple manner of brewing a leaf is the complex tea grading system established over the years. Tea grading is not standardized worldwide and many countries have developed their own yardsticks by which to grade their teas. According to Joy Edlund from Stash Teas, black tea grading in general reflects how the leaf was picked and how it holds up after the oxidizing process. Leaves that maintain much of their full size receive the grade of Orange Pekoe while those reduced to powder are crowned with title of Pekoe Dust. However, even Pekoe Dust can have excellent flavor and quality. Green teas are graded in a similar fashion but much more variety exists in terminology among countries. Chinese terms for green tea include Gunpowder and Imperial, while in Japan the terms Extra Choicest and Choicest are used.
From Africa to Asia, Europe to Latin America, whether hot or iced, sweetened or black tea has become a refreshing drink accessible to everyone. And with three thousand varieties to choose from tea is certain to please the most discerning tastebuds - even an ancient Chinese Emperor's.
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