At the Tearoom of the Ritz in London's upper class Mayfair, the watercress sandwiches must be water thin. Not because thickness has anything to do with improving gastronomic satisfaction levels but because it enhances the taste of Darjeeling's finest ' the outstanding orange pekoe. The service needless to say, is the best Wedge-wood can offer. Cut to a typical Sunday morning in steamy Kolkata. An overcrowded sidewalk café dishing out double-half cha to a motley group, busy in saving the universe. The ' that wonder drink ' has its own connectivity syndrome. The world of tea is seamless. It blends the booming canons in an 18th century Boston harbour with the quiet and elaborate ritual of an afternoon in Japan with effortless ease. It also has a resilience seldom talked about. In 1992, the redoubtable Coca-Cola came calling on the Indian shores. Pepsi Co had already found a toehold in the beverage market. With Coke's calling card in place, the marketing experts were busy forecasting a shift in beverage habits of the common man. After all, the entire tea industry in the country was only a fragment of revenues earned by Coke and PepsiCo. The ad budget of Coca-Cola in India was more than the turnover of most medium tea companies. However, 10 years down the line, tea continues to be the beverage of the nation and per capita consumption of carbonated drinks continues to languish at three bottles per year. The new millennium has brought a new threat: coffee. With the Yankees firmly in command over the world, coffee is ready to rule the waves. Tea needs a new makeover. But let's start the tea tale at the beginning.
THE BEGINNING
Tea is a Ritual Enjoyed for nearly 5,000 years. The origin of tea is attributed to many a legend but one, which has stood the test of time, is that tea originated in China. There is a story of a saint who, while meditating, fell asleep. On waking he decided to punish himself by cutting off his eyelids. The place where his eyelids fell to the earth a strange plant grew. The leaves of this plant if brewed could banish sleep. These leaves were later to be identified as tea. According to available sources the first Book of Tea was written by Lu Yu in 780 A.D. and the green, black and Oolong teas made their first appearance under the Ming Dynasty circa 14th century. The Chinese were sole suppliers of tea to the world till the Japanese broke their stranglehold in the 9th century and the first business rivalry was kicked off. Teatime
for India and indeed the rest of the western world began with the advent of the British. The seeds of Darjeeling tea ' of ten called the champagne of teas ' were planted in 1841. But commercial production began only in 1852. The second half of the 19th century saw a massive expansion in tea cultivation in India. And, the industry has never looked back. India today is the dominant force in the global tea market and produces more than 31 per cent of the world's total tea output.
WHY YOU SHOULD DRINK TEA
BUSINESS @ SPEED OF THOUGHT may be the order of the day but with it comes the stress of forever keeping the body going. Diets are the first casualty and the clock takes its toll. Tea should be drunk because it's healthy. As simple as that. Antioxidants or free radical scavengers from five or six cups of tea a day will go a long way in keeping your cholesterol level down, lessen chances of a heart or cancer attack. It's good for your eyes, teeth and plenty else. In the earliest treatise on tea called Cha Chung Chinese scholar Lu Yu says, "When feeling hot, thirsty, depressed, suffering from headache, eye ache, fatigue of the four limbs or pains in the joints, one should only drink four or five times a day. Tea tempers the spirit, harmonises the mind, dispels lassitude, relieves fatigue, awakens thought, prevents drowsiness and refreshes the body and mind." The pre-Confucian scholars were united in extolling the virtues of tea as a health drink over wine and water.
THE BEAUTY FACTOR
FOR THE BEAUTY CONSCIOUS, tea helps reduce skin damage and certainly unlike coffee, which has considerably high caffeine content Tea does not lead to stress. In fact it is a stress reliever. And, it is a known fact the major brands like Tropical Paradise, Michael Jordan cologne, Elizabeth Arden and Calvin Klein's CK-One use tea infused fragrances.
THE PROPAH CUPPA
HERE'S THE SET OF GOLDEN RULES for the golden brew: Different type of tea needs different water temperatures and different infusion times. Use only good quality tea. One small teaspoon of tea per person is a rough guide, though more or less can be added to suit personal taste. Use only fresh boiled water to pour over the tealeaves and infuse for about three minutes. Add milk or sugar to taste. One wood of advice, the crockery should be good to give a touch of class.
WHAT YOU MISS OUT ON IF YOU ARE NOT A TEA FAN
Tea has a lot going for it and if you are not a convert, it's time you become one. Tea is a healthy drink with a lot of style about it. It can well set the pace for the day and unlike carbonated drinks does not leave a damaging impact on your body, The pity is over the years the youngsters in the family have been told that tea is not good for them. Now research shows findings quite to the contrary. The industry's aim is to make the younger generation aware of the fun potential of tea and break the staid and old fuddy dubby image of the beverage. One of the great aspects of tea is the rituals and stories associated with it. For instance tea is a perfect drink for all hours. It's light and refreshing and there is an element of style in the service of it. The whole process adds to the grace of the occasion.
WHAT THE INDUSTRY IS DOING
It's one of the few sectors, which is completely dominated by private players. Over the years companies like Duncan's, Tata Tea, Williamson Magor and HILL have led the business. Now there are new challenges ahead. The task before the industry is to find new avenues of marketing. We should stop selling and start marketing. Tea is a lifestyle product and should be sold as such. It caters to every taste and every pocket and in that sense is a leveler. Our company for instance try and emphasise the quality of good life associated with tea. The packaging and branding and product quality is all tailored together to reflect this graciousness. Another aspect, which concerns the industry, is branding. Branding is a must for value addition. Packet tea is not only convenient but also ensures that chances of adding spurious elements are negated. Moreover, brands can be created to suit particular taste as well. However, companies must ensure that brands are built around quality and standards are maintained. The shift to packet tea would greatly benefit the industry. The industry has played a major role in the welfare of a large workforce. We must understand that a happy workforce is a must for the improvement of the industry. To this end we have to plough back a substantial part of our earnings to create a good working environment in the gardens. Tea attracts the highest slab of taxation, and it's time the government decided to do something about it. Because otherwise the goose that lays the golden egg may well be in trouble. Finally, tea may well achieve another first. It's just getting round to be the conduit to improving relations with other country for export policy……
continue to Part III
I am waiting for the answer to the part -1: if there are any harmful effects of excess tea consumption? And from tea, I mean the way Indians prepare tea: with milk and sugar. Something more: Is it perfectly fine to take tea just after having a meal? Or should we take only before the meals… Thanks for this info… (Rahul)