History of Ceylon Tea

Varieties of Ceylon Tea	How it is manufactured	Grading  of Ceylon Tea	How to Make that Perfect Cuppa
Nutritional Value  of Tea	More on making that perfect cup	History of Ceylon Tea	Top of Page

In the 1840 a Scotsman by the name of James Taylor read about the Jewel of an Island called Ceylon and the opportunities existing there for growing coffee. A few months later he moved to the Hill Country area and planted not only coffee but also some tea seeds from India. The "ugly little shrub" was grown next to his acres of coffee and provided large yields. It wasn't till a couple of seasons later that a virulent leaf disease devastated his whole plantation but the "ugly little shrub" was immune and the Tea Industry came into being. Soon the perilously steep mountainside of the hill country were carpeted with the vibrant green of tea bushes. And Ceylon Tea became the worlds favorite beverage.
The origins of Tea was with the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung who was boiling water when the leaves from a nearby plant Camellia sinensis plant floated into the pot. The emperor drank the mixture and declared it gave one "vigor of body, contentment of mind, and determination of purpose." Perhaps as testament to the emperor's assessment, tea the potion he unwittingly brewed that day today is second only to water in worldwide consumption. The U.S. population is drinking its fair share of the brew; in 1994, Americans drank 2.25 billion gallons of tea in one form or another hot, iced, spiced, flavored, with or without sugar, honey, milk, cream, or lemon.

Cultivation
The Tea plant, Camellia Sansis, is cultivated variety of the tree originating from the region between India and China. The tea leaves are mostly hand plucked. When the plant is plucked two leaves and a bud are cut. An experienced plucker can pluck up to 30 kg tea leaves per day. To make one kg black tea, approximately 4 kg tea leaves are needed. One tea plant produces about 70 kg black tea a year. In a warm climate the plant is plucked for the first time after 4 years and will produce tea for at least 50 years. A suitable climate for cultivation has a minimum annual rainfall of 45 to 50 inches (l, 140 to 1,270 millimeters). Tea soils must be acid; tea cannot be grown in alkaline soils. A desirable pH value is 5.8 to 5.4 or less.
Scented and spiced teas are made from black tea. "Scented teas look just like any other tea," says FDA chemist and tea expert Robert Dick, " because the scent is more or less sprayed on. They're flavored with just about anything peach, vanilla, cherry. The spiced teas, on the other hand, usually contain pieces of spices cinnamon or nutmeg or orange or lemon peel so you can see there's something in there."

Black Tea Blends
Like coffee plants, tea likes hot days, cool nights and plenty of rain, and also like coffee, most high quality tea is grown in mountainous regions. During the growing season, tea is harvested every seven days. Only  the two tender uppermost leaves and terminal buds are plucked by hand. After this gentle beginning, the leaves are left in a hot room to wither, then put into a machine that rolls the leaves and releases their juices. These juices react with the air (oxidation) giving black teas the color and flavor we love. The tea is then dried in ovens (fired) and graded according to size. (this grading process is what is responsible for all of those confusing letters: OP (Orange Pekoe), BP (Broken Pekoe), and even FTGFOP (Fancy Tippy Golden Flowery Pekoe). Generally the more initials the better the Tea.

Herbal Teas
Not tea at all. Dried flowers, roots and bark have been brewed into a consumable hot liquid for many centuries as folk medicines throughout the Orient and Europe. The European tradition is to use only one main herb, such as Chamomile. Americans, on the other hand, traditionally concoct potions containing many different herbs and flowers such as Rosehips and Hibiscus.

---

The Correct Way to Make Tea

Pre-heat the pot by pouring boiling water into it. This will raise the temperature of the pot to 180  degrees Farenheit. Discard the water and add tea to the pot. This water has served its purpose: now use fresh boiling water. Pour boiling water over the Tea. This saturates the tea making for perfect extraction of flavor. Taking hot water to the table and then pouring it over tea will lower the water temperature too much and result in poor tea. For black teas steep a full five minutes, three for green teas. Good tea needs at least this much time to develop its full flavor. Decant the tea.

Medicinal Effects Of Tea
The extracts of tea contains polyphenols called catechins which are synergestic with vitamins E and C. Protective against digestive and respiratory infections and can reduce the cancer-promoting actions of carcinogens and ultraviolet light. The extracts can reduce cholesterol levels, and can also reduce high blood pressure . They are also helpful with the following with the following conditions:
· Aging
· Cancer
· Colds and Infections
· Heart Disease
· Hypertension
· Immunodepression