We Brits love a good brew, as a country consuming on average 165 million cups daily, the second highest consumption per capita worldwide after the Republic of Ireland.
Tea first originated in China over 5000 years ago from the plant Camellia Sinensis – the dried leaves, flowers and buds of which are infused to what we know and recognise as tea. The best quality tea grows up high and during harvesting only the top 2 inches of the tree is plucked. Now growing in 52 countries, China still today remains the biggest producer of tea, producing 1,980,000 tonnes of tea in 2014, followed by India then Kenya.
The Dutch first brought tea commercially to Europe towards the end of the 16th Century, with trade in the UK being driven forward by the British East India Company towards the start of the early 18th Century, where our love for it truly began. Containing half the amount of caffeine as coffee and rich in antioxidants drinking those 4 cups of tea a day can only be a good thing surely?!
The reason for this little Blog on tea is that we have recently changed our tea to the Canton Tea Co who are based in our little village Newford Green. Canton Tea Co take great care in sourcing their teas direct from small, family-run farms. We are now stocking a range of 6 artisan teas, ranging from English Breakfast and Earl Grey (some of the best we’ve tried) to Vanilla Black and Darjeeling all of which can be served along some homemade sweets.
