Tea, Please

Chinese legends tell of the discovery of tea by Shennong, the emperor over 5,000 years ago who developed Chinese agriculture and medicine. After Shennong boiled his drinking water to purify it one day, some leaves from a bush fell into his cup. Always curious, the emperor took a sip—and enjoyed the brew. A cup of tea was born. For centuries afterward, tea was a drink only

For the Chinese nobility who celebrated the tea ceremony. Tea was introduced to Europe in the late seventeenth century by Portuguese and Dutch traders, and before long, Britain was at the center of the world tea trade. Today there are several thousand varieties of tea growing in China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Africa, India, and recently also Argentina.