The Rituals of Tea

The consumption of tea around the world, from the British Isles through India and China, is steeped in many rituals. Some are based on good manners; some on taste; and others on sheer tradition with no explainable or implied reason.

In this section, we would like to share with you some of the more popular concepts on the art of tea. However, we would like to point out that they are by no means the definitive rituals. There is no “One” way to enjoy tea. As long as the emphasis is on the personal enjoyment of this delightful beverage, how each person approaches it surely doesn’t really matter?

Click here for tea recipes

Is There Something Called a Perfect Tea?

People have very different ideas about tea; some like it strong and dark with milk and lots of sugar, some like it pale and fragrant without either milk or sugar. Tibetans like it served with rancid yak butter! The way a Malaysian Indian Muslim may like his tea prepared and served may be very different from that preferred by a Malaysian Chinese. People in Sikkim, a tea-producing state in north-east India like tea with… quite unbelievably... salt!!

What is important is to know how to make tea to suit your own taste. In this respect two things are vital:

§ your choice of tea, (types of tea)
§ the way you prepare it (either iced tea or hot tea )