NO BEVERAGE ON EARTH IS CONSUMED IN SUCH QUANTITIES AS TEA

No Beverage on earth is consumed in such quantities as tea. It's made from tea leaves of the tea tree which grows in damp tropical or subtropical regions and woul reach a height of 10m if it were not pruned to bush size.



Tea growing is said to have originated in pre historic China,where farmers used to perfume he water, which had to be boiled before drinking with the dried leaves of the tea tree.


Depending on the treatment of the leaves,tea belongs to one of three groups:
1. Green Tea
2. Black Tea
3. Oolong Tea


GREEN TEA
After plucking, the leaves are fired in chambers. This means that they are dried by passing hot air oven them for certain period time.


BLACK TEA
After plucked, the leaves are spread on racks where they dry, losing 50% of their moisture content.

The leaves are then rolled by machine to break up the cellular structure,which allows the subsequent fermentation to take place at an increased speed. The fermentation, which takes place at around 27 degree celcius,is stopped by firing when the leaves have assumed the desired qualities.

In sifting machines, the leaves are sorted into the two main grades " Leaf Teas " and " Broken Teas ". Leaf teas are said to be more delicate, where as broken teas are stronger and darker in colour. Fannings and dust are used for teabags.
in general,Teabags produce tea of lesser quality,but for obvious reasons,are very popular.


OOLONG TEA
Oolng tea is semi-fermented and combines the green Tea's delicacy with the Black Tea's strengt.