Tea Talk on National Tea Day By Joan Thomas-Spiegel, Ph.D.
Tea Talk on National Tea Day
By Joan Thomas-Spiegel
April is tea month with a National Tea Day on April 21 in the United States. Besides April 21, there is a United States National Tea Day on January 12, International Tea Day on May 21, and a full month for Earl Grey and one for Iced Tea depending upon year and location.
Why do we see a beverage with such dedicated drinkers? It should be noted that tea is the world’s most consumed beverage following water. It has been popular for at least 5,000 years. If we go back to the days (not so long ago for those of us who enjoy camping) that water needed to be boiled in order to be safe to drink, it doesn’t take much imagination to see that one would be tempted to put something into the water. Plain boiled water on a daily basis just doesn’t leave many of us interested.
What is tea? Officially, tea must contain the leaves of Camellia Sinensis (from Asia originally). If a hot liquid with herbs does not contain CS, it is not really a “tea”, but an herbal infusion. Both green and black teas are made with CS. The difference is in the preparation of the leaves (the amount of fermentation), and even the time of year harvesting the leaves (first or second flush, e.g.).
Is it true that drinking tea is beneficial? The short answer is “yes” with a few caveats. Do not drink more than about 3-5 cups per day. You gain benefits of anti-oxidants with around three cups, but more than that runs the risk of excessive caffeine and leaching potassium from your body. So just as my mother told me, “Everything in moderation.”
As we begin our April month of tea, there are a few items I would like to add from my viewpoint as a long-time tea “connoisseur”. I recently read that one should celebrate Tea Day (month) by drinking a cup or a mug of tea. It sounds appropriate, but I would say no cup or mug made on its own will taste the same as a properly brewed pot of tea. Another source said that tea bags often contain plastics so they should be avoided and replaced with loose-leaf tea. I agree that loose leaf tea is the way to best brew tea, but that relates more to the quality of the tea in tea bags compared to loose leaf. If you doubt me, cut open one of your tea bags and take a look at the tea “dust” inside. Now look at any loose-leaf tea and you will see a major difference. For a beverage in which the time of year the leaves are picked makes a significant difference in flavor, it is easy to see that there will be differences in quality and flavor with regard to tea bags or not.
Another often misunderstood term is the idea that Orange Pekoe teas contain orange. This is incorrect. The “orange” comes from the Dutch royal family House of Orange. In the 1600s the company brought teas to Europe and the best of the black teas was reserved for the royal family. “Orange” then implies the best quality of tea.
Now that you are feeling a little thirsty for the flavor of a tea—whether it is Queen Elizabeth’s choice of Earl Grey (daily without cream or sugar) or a traditional afternoon tea from Harrod’s in London, here are a few hints of places to enjoy afternoon tea locally. Trump’s in Palos Verdes serves a lovely afternoon tea. You must make reservations by phone or in person ahead of time. They prepare each tea serving by reservation. While I have a personal concern with the quality of teapots and cups (did I mention I am a tea snob?—I mean connoisseur), the overall experience is very nice and enjoyable. McKenna’s Tea Cottage is another location for a traditional tea in Seal Beach. Reservations may be made online at their website or by phone.
One or two more hints: If black tea bothers your stomach, add a small amount of milk. If you are drinking a flavored black tea (black currant, for example), try adding a small amount of sugar to bring out the fruit flavor. Do not add milk to a tea or herbal infusion with hibiscus as the milk will curdle. If you prefer a bit of lemon in black tea, you may want to also add honey. It doesn’t take much to change flavor, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Why is afternoon tea the perfect and timely event with friends this April 2022? Afternoon tea talk is limited avoiding politics and religious conversations. Talking about work is also frowned upon. International Tea Day began as a celebration of free trade between nations. In this time of strife in some areas of the world, celebrate with friends by discussing pleasant things and showing you care about each other. It will be a little challenging to some of us, but well worth the effort for an afternoon of peace, tranquility, and friendship.
Happy Tea Day on April 21! I am starting now and plan on making a month of it.
Bio:
Joan moved to Palos Verdes in 1959. She appreciates the hill (including San Pedro, Torrance, and surrounding areas). Dr. Thomas-Spiegel has taught multiple undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology and research. She has served on the board of the National Council on Alcoholism and worked in the fields of mental health, substance abuse, and research. Her other publications have focused on research in college student success and practitioner research for faculty.
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