If you only knew 5 things about tea that would give you a well rounded foundational knowledge on the subject what would they be? We have compiled a list below that while it won’t make you a tea expert will give you some fun facts to throw out the next time you’re drinking tea with friends. 5 Things You Should Know About Tea I. There are many legends around the discovery of tea as a drink. Chinese Emperor Shen Nung is said to have discovered tea when a leaf fell into a pot of water he was boiling. Another story says that a Buddhist Monk became so enraged that he fell asleep while meditating that he cut off his eyelids and threw them to the ground….
Archives
The quest for knowledge may not be completely satisfied by reading this posts in this category, but at least you’ll end up feeling a bit smarter for the effort!
Do you make these mistakes when brewing sweet tea?
Like many things in life, we are taught certain ways only to eventually teach others the same, passing down those skills. This is how we learn, it is how knowledge stays alive over generations and how you know the stories of people long ago. What happens though when the things we are taught aren’t correct? Since I’m obviously a little partial to tea I thought I might ask you the following question, “Do you make these mistakes when brewing Sweet Tea?” I’ve listed five of what I consider to be the biggest sweet tea brewing mistakes. 1) Poor Water Quality Many people when brewing tea use unfiltered water from the tap. Considering that the composition of brewed tea in a glass is mostly water, quality matters! Next time…
The Age of the Tea Clipper Ships
What is Sweet Tea?
Tea is a drink with a history dating thousands of years with its origins in the area of southern China. We don’t know exactly who first figured out that you could put the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis (tea-plant) in hot water and drink the resulting liquid, although there are plenty of legends. One of the most outlandish legends for the birth of tea says that a Buddhist monk became so distraught when he fell asleep while meditating that he cut off his eyelids and threw them to the ground. The next day two tea plants were growing in the exact spot he threw his eyelids. Serious, I’d say you can’t make this stuff up but apparently, someone did! The Origins of Sweet Tea…
Loose Leaf Tea vs Tea Bags
Loose leaf tea vs tea bags We at Sweet Tea Junkie have had quite a few folks asking what makes our tea different from the store bought teas? When I explain the differences I like to go into detail about Loose Leaf teas which are in general a higher quality better tasting tea, and tea in ready to steep bags which are generally a lower quality. So if you have a few minutes… Leeeettt’s get reeeaaady to rrruuummbblleee! It’s Loose leaf tea vs. tea bags in a battle to the finish! The Origins of the Tea Bag The earliest known patent for a tea bag (called a “tea-leaf holder”) was filed on Aug 26, 1901 and granted on Mar 24, 1903. The inventors were Roberta C. Lawson…
Recommended Books for Tea Lovers
My love for tea started at a young age. Being born in the South, and having at least six generations of family before me being Southerners it could be said Sweet Tea runs through my veins. In 2005 I started Sweet Tea Junkie as a social media joke simply to see how many “Sweet Tea Junkies” I could find on MySpace. The joke was apparently on me because within a few months I had over 8,000 followers and a business was born. We began as a “tea shirt” company and until 2012 that is all we did. 2012 is the year that I began doing research on tea and what it would take to produce our own line of Premium Southern Style Teas. A year…
Tea traditions and culture worldwide
My first experience with tea came at a young age, and what a glorious experience it was! Growing up in the South I had one of those Grandmothers that knew how to make Sweet Tea right and that was the only type of tea I drank for years. In fact, it was my childhood memories of her Sweet Tea that years later developed such a passion in me for good tea that I decided to transition Sweet Tea Junkie from a “tea shirt” company into a “Tea Company.” To this day in the South when someone asks if you want tea, they literally mean Sweet Iced Tea and nothing else. Then again, there are no other types of tea right?! Chances are if you go…
A history of Tea in 500 words
I would like to introduce you to a history of tea in 500 words. You can’t finish your cup of tea that fast! It is widely accepted that the Camellia Sinensis (tea tree) traces its origins to South East Asia. While we don’t know the exact details of who first made tea from the plant we do know that it has been consumed in China for thousands of years. Early on tea was collected and processed from wild plants. The earliest known tea plantations were in Szechuan Province China. Tea remained a regional beverage for years until it was popularized by Lu Yu (733–804), who wrote The Classic of Tea and performed somewhat of a “re-branding” of tea changing the name from Jia 檟 which…