I'd like you to click here and read this interesting report by Tomislav Podreka. America and tea is about to shift in a new direction.
A little 'true' story about America and tea.
Back...good! I remember one day while I was at work when someone in my department announced they had brought in white tea. At that time I was about three months into experiencing my first cups of loose-leaf white tea, so it got my full attention when I heard this.
Curious, I left my cubicle and went over to see a little cream-colored box labeled "Organic White Tea from China". I laughed to myself after lifting the box lid only to find it contained ordinary tea bags. Why was this funny? Keep reading.
Still curious, I brewed a cup only to find out it was a far cry from the loose-leaf tea I was brewing at home. To spare the manufacture embarrassment I won't mention the product name, but I will say that it tasted bitter and dull, and I had to suck on a few tic tacs to get the aftertaste off my tongue. This gave white tea a bad name in my department, and till today that box still sits in the cabinet.
That next week I brought in my loose-leaf white tea from home and asked my coworkers to try it. The result was a good one as the sweet aroma promised a cup full of flavor superior to those bags. Everyone enjoyed it..."now that's white tea” I said!
America and tea have this relationship with each other as like the story above. I remember reading that about 97 percent of Americans brew their tea using a tea bag. “Orange Pekoe” most Americans think is a type of tea, when in truth is a grading of tea, a notch above "fannings" which is the lowest grade.
When Americans buy their tea, seldom do they go shopping for loose-leaf tea; which is sad because this is truly the way to enjoy tea!
The good news is that America and tea will get to know each other more and more in the coming years, as every week a new study or report comes out mentioning the many health benefits of tea. Hopefully this leads more people (including Americans) to this site or others out there that suggest, and even push them (like me) to try loose-leaf tea, and open a new world plus many years of enjoying tea. It shouldn't only be about the health aspects however, but enjoying the taste as well.
Tea is starting to become more and more popular in America, even now at the time of this writing. America and tea will soon grow their relationship, and the next time you find yourself ready to buy a cup of coffee in the morning, change it up and ask for that healthier cup of tea...then hunt down some loose-leaf!
