Tea

Historical and Geographical Context

All tea comes from two varieties of trees: C. sinensis, which is indigenous to western Yunnan in China, and C. assamica, which was first discovered in the Assam region of India. Leaves from individual trees can be harvested three to five times a year, and the quality of the tea is dependent on the season in which it is picked. The first leaves of the year create the highest quality tea. Both tree varieties are used to produce four forms of tea: white, green, oolong, and black. Flavor variety is derived from the length of time leaves are fermented and oxidized.

According to Chinese legend, ...