A CUP OF DELIGHT

   Old Chinese philosophers  used to  maintain  that tea is  more  beneficial  for  health than  wine or water.  Tea  freshens  without  inebriating.  Besides,  it is not a  virus  carrier. According  to  modem  statistics,  people  across the world  drink  two  billion  cups  of tea daily,  which  means that every  second 23 thousand  cups of  tea are consumed globally.  Despite the fact that tea originated  many  centuries  ago and spawned a multitude of tea-drinking traditions,  our meetings  with  friends and  business partners  alike are preferably warmed up with an aromatic  cup  of tea. 

From  the  History of  Tea

  The  first  written  references  to tea ( Camellia  sinensis)   date back  to the 770 B.C. when  a Chinese by the name of Zhou Gun  made a remark  in his book  about a beverage  called  Tchai,  Cha  or Tay.  Later in the 2-4th   centuries  A.D. tea-drinking  became  widely  spread  in China   with the firsts  tea stores opened.  Shortly  after, tea was  valued  as a  healing  beverage  that should be made  with  boiling  water (earlier  fresh  spring  water was used). Later tea  traditions  got spread  in Japan,  Korea, India  and Mongolia. 

   Europe  first  tasted the delightful  beverage  made  of tea leaves  only  in the 16^th  century.  Among  the first  who  claim the credit  of bringing  tea and tea drinking  to Europe  were the Portuguese  who  began  tea  trade with   China in 1516,  followed  in later periods  by  other  European  nations.  At   the close of the 17^th  century  tea was  quite  popular  all over  Europe  reaching   the American  continent  in the beginning  of the 18^th  century.  In  Holland   and France  tea was   introduced  during  the first  half  of the 17^th  century, and  England  fell  in love with  tea  immediately  and forever.  Perhaps  the reason  was the  foggy  and  rainy  climate.  The English  love  drinking  tea at home  and at  work, at  official  meetings  and  friendly   gatherings, in  small cafes  and fashionable  restaurants.  

From  Tea  Plantations  to Manufacturing

  The best  way to collect tea is manually,  but  often tea leaves  are picked  with the help  of  machines  and  special scissors.  Harvesters  pluck the buds  or  twigs  of the tea bush  and the youngest  two  inches of tea leaves  since  they  deliver  the best  flavor  and  fragrance.  The processing has  specific  procedures.  First  of all, the tea leaves  are  weighed  and sorted  then  sent  to the factory  where they are cleared  of  dust and cut.  They  contain  concentrated  plant juice.  After that, fermentation  begins to derive  exclusively black  tea;  green  tea  does not have  fermentation.  To  preserve the scent  and taste  of tea it is highly  important  to watch  the fermentation  time,  humidity  and temperature.  This  process  is followed  by  drying  to keep  the leaves  from  losing  their  flavor.  The final  phase of  initial  tea processing  is sorting  by color and leaf  size,  after  which  the tea-tasters  carry  out  blending,  i.e.  mixing  of  various  teas  from different  areas  to  obtain better  aroma  and taste.  At the and tea is  distributed  and  packaged  in  the tea factory. 

 About  Tea

  Tea is a universal  curative  beverage  often  referred  to as “ an indispensable  ingredient to the  elixir  of  life”. In its  country of origin  tea  was initially  used as  medication,  then  as a ritualistic  beverage  and  only  later as a common  drink.

   We are reminded of the necessity  of  air  when we are short  of  breath.  The same apples  to tea.  Those  who  periodically   consume  tea in large amounts  are normally  used  to it and cease perceiving its  benefits.  But  the healing power of tea is  not devalued  because  of that. 

  Tea  is one  of the most widely- consumed  beverages in the world,  though  people do not always  consider tea as  a  beverage  with    a  wide range  of  therapeutic  effects  that contributes to many  physiological  processes.  Modern  research  indicates  that  the  prophylactic  effect  of tea  become  evident  when consumed  five  or six  cups  per day. Tea should  not be brewed too strong  especially  for people  with  certain  chronic  conditions.  It  should  ne not but   not boiling  hot  because  that way  it is  better utilized  by the   body  and  the  palate  receptors  better perceive  its  fragrance  and taste.  It is  doctor  recommended that tea-drinking  take  place 20-30  minutes  before  a meal.

    In Accordance  with the Weather

  While  nature  resuscitates  in  spring,  people  feel  fatigue   and  weakness  enhanced  by the  constant  drive  to  sleep. Various  blends  of  floral  teas  help  overcome  sleepiness  and  render  energy  and  liveliness.   

   In  hot  summer  weather  green  tea is more preferable.  To  quench  the thirst  and  freshen,  it  ought  to be drunk  cold.  You could  also  add a  few ice  cubes  to your  hot tea.

  In  autumn, depending  on  the  mod,  both black  and green  teas are beneficial.

  In winter,  black tea is  simply  necessary.  According to the Chinese tradition,  it  warms  the  body and helps  preserve  body  temperature. 

  Alpine  Spring  in One Cup

Tea is  wildly  popular  in Armenia  as well. Routinely,  it  is used  as a remedy  against  the  common  cold.  However,  lately  tea-drinking  has become trendy. Our city hosts  a  multitude  of  dedicated  tea-stores and tea-houses where the assortment of teas offered  is, to put it mildly, wide-ranging. Apart from Chinese, Japanese,  Indian, English and other  brands,  customers are offered a large variety of  Armenian  herbal teas.

  Historic  evidence proves that during the medieval period Armenians commonly used  herbal  infusions  for  therapeutic  purposes. Today  the herbs  growing in the Armenian  highlands are also utilized to make teas that are distinguished for their  remedial  effect and vital  significance.

  Among  the famous  brands specialized  in herbal  teas is the “Sari  Tey”  (Mountain  Tea) company, the product  of which  has  a general  run.  Basic  material  is  collected  from the ecologically clean  mountainous  areas  of Armenia  located  at a minimal  altitude  of  1500-1700  meters.  Herbal  teas are processed  according  to traditional  methods  without  chemicals.  The  assortment  offered is not very  large but all  teas are extremely  useful. 

   Lernayin  Kharnurd  (Mountain Mix)   contains thyme,  mint,  chamomile  and other herbs.  In medieval  Armenian  medicine  this mix  was  used  as a  sedative, disinfectant  and antiseptic  with a beneficial  effect  in  treatment of the common  cold  and gastrointestinal  conditions.

  Urtz (Thyme Tea)  is used  to regulate  blood  pressure, enhance  the immune  system  and to  treat  respiratory  diseases   and gastrointestinal  disorders. It is also an anti-stress  agent and an antiseptic.

  Urtz  yev  Moshi   Terev ( Thyme  and Blackerry  Leaf)  is a blend  to regulate  blood  pressure, to fight the common  cold  and to cure  gastrointestinal  conditions.

   Masour ( Dog-Rose)  is   used against  the common cold  and gastrointestinal  disorders.  Also, it is a disinfectant.

   Daghz ( Mint)  is  refreshing  and also know as an ultimate  cure for sleep  disorders,  cardical  insufficiency,  respiratory  and gastrointestinal  dysfunctions.  It is  also an  anti-stress  agent  and antiseptic.

    The teas derived  from the aforementioned  herbs  are not merely  medicinal: it is proven  that  when used  aright  they can  not only  benefit  your  health,  but  will also  render  you the pleasure  of tea-drinking  with exquisite  fragrance  and flavor.