Alone or in good company, while reading a book or just sitting on a sofa, drinking tea is often a good way to keep stress away and an occasion to have a chat with friends. This beverage is the result of what we receive from nature, the Camellia sinensis (tea plant), whose leaves are infused in hot water. Tea boasts centuries of history since its drinking dates back to the 3rd century BC in China, that still holds the record in the world production of this product.
"Cup of tea" by motograf, used under a Creative Commons license.
The different types of tea can be classified according to the processing method. There are fermented, non-fermented and also semi-fermented tea, where the word “fermentation” refers to the oxidation process - leading to the darkening of the leaves - tea leaves are subjected once picked.
We can distinguish:
Other kinds of tea may be added, e.g. Assam, an Indian black tea, Gunpowder tea, a Chinese green tea so called for the peculiar round shape leaves are given, and all the blends that include vanilla or bergamot scents (this last blend is called Earl Grey).
Most people know how to prepare tea, but perhaps, some of them don’t know that every variety needs a different steeping time and water temperature. On the one hand, pu-erh and black tea need boiling water to release their flavour and as much as two to three minutes to steep. On the other, white, yellow, green and oolong tea need just hot water and from one to two minutes steeping.
Besides milk, the taste of tea could be exalted by adding mint, ginger, almonds, cinnamon, pistachios, cardamom, agave nectar or even butter.
Served in a mug, as most British people have it, or better, in a fine porcelain tea set, along with scones with butter, butter biscuits and/or cakes, tea can be a satisfying and filling up break.
Dry leaves of green tea.
Tea is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. It also contains theanine and caffeine, two nervous system stimulants. Green tea above all is the richest in these substances more than the black one (because it doesn’t undergo oxidation) and has the most positive effects on man’s health. It is an antibacterial, reduces blood pressure and it would reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer.
Britain is worldwide known to be very fond of tea. There are many picturesque tea-houses where the (stereo)typical 5 o’clock tea can be tasted and where gourmands can gratify their palate with all sorts of cake. The same cannot be said for Italy. Although there are many people who do appreciate this healthy beverage, tea is more associated to the idea of being ill.
When we have temperature, a cold or stomachache we have recourse to this hot, digestible drink, maybe accompanied by some biscuits or, in case of stomachache, by rusks. Otherwise, what Italians often drink, better, always drink is coffee. Sometimes in a hurry in an Italian bar or relaxing themselves while having a chat with friends, they hardly ever renounce to this concentrated black liquid, which is a powerful ally to wake them up in the morning.
Nonetheless, a brave man in Sant’Andrea di Compito (a little village in the province of Lucca, Tuscany) decided to start to cultivate tea in 1987. This attempt turned out to be a success. The tea plant has found a propitious territory and has since grown and sold. If it is true that coffee remains at the top as the most appreciated drink, tea is going to be more and more successful among Italian people. Of course, thanks to the great circulation of information and goods in this globalized era that makes possible to find all kinds of tea.
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