🍃🫖 What Is Tea? 🫖🍃

The answer to what tea is may surprise you.

A lot of people lump pretty much anything that is brewed and isn't coffee into the "tea" category. But what exactly is "tea"?

The correct definition of tea is a drink enjoyed either hot or cold and made from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Did you know all "true" tea comes from just one plant - Camellia Sinensis?

One of the biggest misunderstandings people have is that they think different teas come from different plants.

Not so.

Black, green, white, oolong, puerh, and rare yellow and purple teas come from the same Camellia Sinensis plant. It's the tea's processing that determines its type.

So, if I asked you what would you call a drink made by pouring boiling water onto dried plant leaves and letting it brew?

You would most likely answer tea.

That's a trick question because some beverages include non-tea ingredients like fruits, herbs, spices, or other plants like Rooibos and Honeybush that you can brew. The correct name for those beverages would be Herbal Blends or Tisanes.

Does it really matter whether you distinguish between tea, herbal blend, and tisane instead of using the word tea to cover them all?

I think it depends on who you are speaking to.

Tea professionals talking with each other will use the correct terms, at least most of the time, LOL.

However, most consumers will just use the word tea, and in my world, that's perfectly fine.

I don't get hung up on calling Non-Camellia-Sinensis beverages herbal blends or tisanes. I will most likely call them tea, for simplicity's sake, when speaking with my customers.

In my store, the teas are separated into categories, making it easy to find the type of tea someone is looking for.

When I speak with my customers, I ask them what kind of tea they like: black, green, oolong, white, puerh, caffeine-free, rooibos, or herbal teas.

Many people are unsure about the difference, so I enjoy educating them about the variety of "teas." As a tea store owner, this aspect gets me passionate about what I do. It's fun to help people learn about tea and introduce them to a new world.

I will freely admit that there are three things I hold dear in life: good tea because life is too short to drink bad tea, the feeling of a good book in my hands, and my golden retrievers. I hope you will join me in becoming part of the club that savors good tea.

If you live near the store and want to learn more about the various types of tea, you're invited to join us for a Tea Tasting Class/Event on Tuesday, September 24th at 6:00 p.m. Whether you're new to tea or an experienced tea enthusiast, this class is perfect. We'll share our knowledge about different types of tea, allowing you to see and smell the leaves before and after brewing and, of course, taste the brewed tea, which is the best part. Seats are limited, so please register online now to reserve your spot.

Do you have any questions or need a tea suggestion? Feel free to reply to this email, call, or text. We're here to assist you every step of the way!

~Dani

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. It is not to replace the advice of a qualified healthcare or medical professional.