Beau-tea-full

While tea has been enjoyed for centuries, of late there’s been a surge in its popularity in its many and varied incarnations. You can grab a cuppa on the go with an iced tea, drink to good health with fermented kombucha, join devout foodies who drink infused gourmet teas or sip an indulgent tea cocktail.

It probably comes as no surprise that tea was first discovered in China. The legend goes that almost 5000 years ago Chinese emperor Shen Nung was relaxing under the leafy branches of a Camellia sinensis tree, heating water in a pot. A few leaves drifted in on the breeze, landing in the pot. He scooped them and some of the water up and let it cool a moment before taking a sip.

Shen Nung is a mythical figure but it is very easy to imagine an unknown ancestor having a similar experience in which leaves, either accidentally or experimentally, were added to heated water. The rest is beverage history.

Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. As a drink it’s second only to water. It is grown in many parts of the world including