Our collective history has recorded many uses and applications of more teas than I know exist. Any processed or dried leaf can be made into a tea, technically.  After fresh water, tea is the most consumed drink in the world. Why we consume tea is driven by feelings and stories of real and perceived properties within. Coffee and related beverages have seen a per-capita usage drop, while tea and derivatives are increasing globally.

I have used tea for waking up or calming down before sleep, for its light flavour or candy-like sweetness, and to ward off or recover from a cold or sickness. In some cultures, teas are used in medicinal practices. Polyphenols are documented to have vast health benefits. This may seem outlandish to some, but even sceptics must admit to the properties of some tea. 

If you have a few minutes, why not discern a few types with me? In no particular order;

• Green, White, Brown, and black tea. How dare I lump them together? Their differences are in how far along they are in the oxidation process. That process of the same Camellia Sinensis leaves furnishes each distinctive taste. 

• Oolong is cultivated specifically. People report a reduction of inflammation, assistance with multiple skin issues, improved sleep, and hypoglycaemic or blood sugar reduction. I taste a vivid roast rice/barley flavour and enjoy it for slowing down a full-speed day.

• Because it is fun to say, Ashwagandha is next. Frequently known as Indian ginseng, this tea has a natural earthy-soil-like flavour and leans to the bitter side of the scale. This tea is often mixed with cardamom, honey, and buttermilk. 

• Jasmine tea has a distinguishable smack of Jasmine (no joke) and is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.

• Masala Chai is full of a variety of spices blended so that none stick out but create a new flavour. With PROPERTIES that help fend off viruses and bacteria.

• Mint tea of all kinds Mint is easy to grow in many climates. Enjoy a simple gardening and tea hobby where you drink tea relaxing near the plants you make it from. 

• Darjeeling tea has a bitterness in the initial flush. As you relax and enjoy another cup. The taste alters to a smoky and sugary tea. Mostly consumed in India, it is thought to assist with heart health, weight loss, and possess anti-cancer properties. 

• Want to know which tea put my head on the pillow the fastest? Chamomile tea. Once slow cup and goodnight. The flavour and tongue-feel combination are unique, lustrous, and floral.

That is just a tease of all the varieties to delight in. The best method for making tea was taught to me by a Japanese friend of mine.

Boil #1, happens when you see the tiny bubbles forming in the water on the vessel's surface. 

Boil #2, occurs as those bubbles release from the surface. Make your tea now. Water is calm and happy.

Boil #3, is also known as a full-rolling boil. Water is angry. Go back to #1.