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This 1890 photograph from the archives of the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, shows one JC Oswald (third person from the left), at a tea tasting room in Fuzhou in China's Fujian province. According to the photographer's caption, in order to consistently judge the color of the tea and the tea leaves, a tea-tasting room would face north and be top-lit, just like an early photographer’s studio.Read now
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Hamburger Bruft Thee
Read nowWe love these old ads for "tea." This one appeared in Ann Arbor Argus, 13 March 1891.
In a classified ad in another newspaper this same article claimed also to "loosen the bowels, thus breaking a cold at once," adding, "It is inexpensive and entirely vegetable, therefore harmless." Pre-FDA claims are so wonderfully imaginative. ;) -
Nepal Tea and Jun Chiyabari
Read nowNepal is one of the youngest tea producing nations in the world. It ranks 20th in the world in terms of total tea production according to 2012 data. Despite its young history, Nepal has earned a seat at the table with the “big boys” of tea.
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Masticating upon the origins of tea
Read nowThe other day chef-at-large Anthony Bourdain was munching on lahpet tuk, Burmese salad of fermented tea leaves. While for Bourdain it may be yet another weird/exotic (depending upon your point of view) dish to uncover, for us tea lovers...
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Porcelain from a storied past
We just returned after a 10-day break in Florida. It was wonderful to exchange the frozen tundra of Rochester, NY for the sun and sand. However, this time instead of just lazing around on the beach my wife and I decided to explore the place. Since we were staying at Vero Beach, which forms part of the Florida's famed "Treasure Coast”, the easiest thing to do was - no prizes for guessing right - treasure hunting.