Starpack Tea & Coffee: Tea research

For my luxury range I have decided to focus on tea rather than coffee as I myself enjoy tea more than I do coffee and I think therefore will have more interest in the project.

Tea
Tea is made from a combination of boiling water and leaves. The leaves are taken from the Camellia sinensis (China, Korea and Japan) and Camellia sinesis assamica (Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka) plants. 

Types
There are a few different types of tea. These include: Black, Green, White, Oolong (type depends on process). Flavoured teas include jasmine, earl grey, chai. Then there are tisanes or herbal infusions - peppermint, chamomile etc. These are not actual tea as they do not come from the tea plant, but rather from other plants, and are used in the same way as tea.

Origins
Chinese myth/legends - Shennog (Emperor and inventor of agriculture and Chinese medicine) was drinking boiled water as leaves fell into it. The water changed colour and out of curiosity he drank it and was surprised by the taste. Then tested medical properties of herbs on himself and counteracted the poisonous ones with tea.
During the Han Dynasty in 2nd century BC was used as medicinal. During the Tang Dynasty, tea drinking became popular and spread to Korea and Vietnam.
During the Sui Dynasty (589–618 AD) tea was introduced to Japan by Buddhist monks.
During the Song Dynasty (960–1279), production and preparation of all tea changed. The tea of Song included many loose-leaf styles (to preserve the delicate character favoured by court society), and it is the origin of today's loose teas and the practice of brewed tea.

Where?
China
Tea originated in China. Biggest producer of tea in the world, accounts for 18.5% of worlds exports.

Britain
Introduced to Britain by Portuguese princess who married Charles II.

India 
Britain introduced tea to India to rival China.


Obscure facts

• second most consumed drink in the world after water
• approx 1500 types of tea
• US drinks mostly iced tea - prepared with lots of sugar
• Lipton is the worlds best selling tea brand
• 725 BC China gives tea its own character "ch'a."
• Thomas Sullivan mistakenly invents teabags when he sends tea to clients in a silk bag and they steep the whole bag.
• art of reading tea leaves is tasseography
• 'agony of the leaves' the way the leaves unfold when hot water is poured on them