It's Always Tea-Time in my House (Tea in general)

Member Name: TheWriter

Product:	Tea in general
Date:	14/04/09 (108 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tastes great, cheers me up, IM ADDICTED TO IT!

Disadvantages: Caffeine, diuretic

***Useless- I mean useful!- Information***

Tea was created more than 5000 years ago in China.

Tea firstly appeared in Europe in 1560!

Various speciality teas have ridiculous (or cool, depending on your viewpoint) names and the funniest I have ever heard of is "Iron Goddess of Mercy", or Ti Kuan Yin, which is a Chinese speciality Oolong tea grown in the Fujian province.

The most famous Chinese tea (also with a funny name) is lapsang souchong

Darjeeling is the most famous from India (and is known as the "champagne" of teas!

Earl Grey is one of the most popular in England but I actually don't like it because it has an unnatural perfumed aroma- most unlike tea at all!


***Types of Tea***

To the (undiscerning palette) there are only different "brands" of tea (like PG Tips, Tetley, Yorkshire Tea etc) but these all fall under the same category of English breakfast tea- a good all rounder, a general tea. But actually there are thousands of varieties. The leaves that make tea come from all over the world and they all produce a different cuppa. Also, some teas are added to e.g. rose petals mixed with the tea leaves can be purchased, which alter the flavour. Or the tea leaves can be prepared in a different way (e.g. smoking the leaves which again alters the taste.) The combinations are endless and the varieties are now vast- perfect for the tea connoisseur!

Speciality teas have become really popular and you can buy them in various shops around the UK as well as online.

The various teas have different flavours and some are better suited to certain times of day or situations. "English breakfast" tea, for example, is perfect for breakfast (or afternoon tea in my opinion) whereas camomile tea is great for relaxing the nerves.

The different types of tea can be categorised by the area the leaves are produced from. China has a vast selection, with many varieties expensive and specialty teas.

Chinese teas include:-
Lapsang Souchong (the most famous Chinese tea)
Oolong teas (love that name) - these are a variety of chinese teas
Keemun
Yunnan
Chun Mee....The list is endless!


***Also available are teas from:-***

India
Sri Lanka
Kenya
Malawi
Taiwan
Zimbabwe
Japan
Indonesia
South Africa
Tanzania


***My Opinion***

I love tea! I think I'm addicted to it. I'm really clean living and I don't drink or smoke or take drugs - tea is my only weakness! Even some of my mugs have "tea" on the side of them and my obsession is so well known that I was once given a huge Friends-style mug with "i love tea" on the side as a gift!

The best tea in my opinion is green tea. It's amazing (see my review on green tea for more info!) But I only drink this now and again.

PG Tips is my favourite, offering a full blend taste which hits the spot everytime.

I drink about two cups of PG Tips or Tetley (whatever is in the house) a day. I love a cuppa when I feel ill, tired or if I'm feeling down. It always cheers me up, which is both sad and pathetic but also a better alternative to Prozac.

I drink a cup of tea for breakfast and munch toast or a toasted teacake which both taste great with tea. I know people who drink in the region of 5 cups a day so the two I drink isn't too bad...really, it's not, it could be so much more if I gave in the Dark Side of Tea Temptation!

Tea is great with biccies (or chocolate for a real caffeine hit!) I always feel incredibly relaxed when I have a cup of tea and a chocolate bar or chocolate digestive with it and that's the best way to relax at the end of a busy day. I have to have a cuppa while watching The Apprentice or Frasier or whilst reading a good book.

I would really like to go and have afternoon tea at the Ritz or somewhere similarly posh and enjoy delicate little cakes and biscuits with some delicious hot tea- all very civilised and la-di-da...

I looove tea! I just wish it was more healthy. There are health benefits to drinking it but the caffeine is better avoided and also its a diuretic which explains an ex-colleague of mine who used to drink 8 cups of coffee during the work day and disappear to the Ladies every 30 minutes....Apart from those negative points its brilliant!! TEA FOR EVERYONE!!

Summary: I enjoy tea every day! Its a British classic staple!