Tea culture is diverse in countries across the world, especially in China, Japan and the United Kingdom. See our posts on the Chinese tea ceremony, tea etiquette, serving tea and tea and food pairing.
The origins of the Japanese tea ceremony The custom of whisked tea was brought to Japan by Japanese Zen Buddhist monks studying in China and the Song fashion for whisked tea became enshrined as the method of preparation. It evolved during the 14-15th centuries and reached its apogee in the 16th century. The Japanese tea […]
Chinese Tea Ceremony: celebrating the ordinary serving of tea. Gongfu Cha is the original Chinese tea ceremony, designed principally for the preparation of oolong tea. This developed in Chaozhou in Guangdong province. There is a reverence shown to the tea: its delicate aroma is appreciated and its lingering taste is experienced in small cups where […]
Serving tea: loose leaf tips for tea rooms When serving tea it is important to follow a few points to ensure that your good loose leaf tea is given due justice in its preparation. Too often tea can be disappointing when drunk away from home and so we have noted these points – which may […]
Tea Etiquette: Tea dos and don’ts An unwritten tea etiquette (until now). Have you ever wondered what is the correct way to drink tea? Have you ever looked at others and thought \’they shouldn\’t be doing that!\’ or even, embarrassingly, others looking disdainfully in your direction whilst you are enjoying tea in a grand hotel. […]
Tea and Food Pairing: which tea to pair with your food? In many societies, particularly in Asia, tea is consumed with meals and a wide variety of food whereas in Britain we tend to limit our culinary horizons, as far as tea is concerned, to scones, hot buttered toast and crumpets and all manner of cakes, pastries, […]
Drinking Tea Poll? What people do whilst drinking tea? Our poll simply asked what you most commonly do when drinking tea. Images come to mind such as reading, having something to eat, reading or spending some time with friends. So what were the results? The most common activity (38% respondents) was browsing the internet. Perhaps this […]
Tea and Cake: what’s best with your tea? Discovering the UK’s Favourite Tea-Time Treats Tea and cake is irresistible. Up to 84% of the British population drinks tea and herbal infusions every day, amounting to approximately 60.2 billion cups being consumed every year. According to the United Kingdom Tea and Infusions Association, tea consumption forms […]
