On Purple Wings

Steam billows, the teapot fragrant. I enter a state of desires diminishing. Within the stillness, a further pleasure. Nothing coarse or superficial. This is drinking tea. – The Minister of Leaves: Republic of Tea

For a long time now, people are converting their lifestyles into a healthier one. I for one, is a coffee junkie and is guilty because I could have choose tea over it, but I didn’t.

My foodie travel and all in between buddy is a coffee addict too, however, she’s been hooked to teas lately. Years ago, I remember her just having one at every chance, if she spotted her favorite milk tea brand which is Dakasi.

We know that teas like coffee is rich in anti-oxidants too. And upon my first time to try this milk tea, I instantly love it and religiously researched for the best ones.

So what’s with milk teas? What kind of tea are they using and mixes it with milk and tapiocas? Or pearls or boba? Oh, another reason why I intentionally not that interested is due to my lactose intolerance to tea and milk. It is really hassle on my part to discover that my tummy is in trouble and I’m not home yet.

So, I really wondered, who (and where) this Milk tea craze began? I’ve been seeing Bubble tea stations here and there. In just one street? There are like 2-3 stations in awesome interiors and ingenious names. Hear some of them:

• Creativitea
• Infinitea
• Serenitea
• Bestea
• Chemistea
• Sharetea
  and so on.

From where the teas came from? and where is the best tea coming from? I see symbols of the Buddha in most stations. It misled me into thinking it is from Thailand or India, and thinking that Taiwan is a Buddhist country too. Is it an indication that their teas came from the same country? Or of course only those with “Thais” on their names. =) When other countries like India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, are Buddhist too.

The countries that grow the biggest production of teas are China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. While they are mainly grown in Asia, South America, some parts of the Black and Caspian tea. Other countries like America and Africa are trying to grow their own due to demands. https://www.palaisdesthes.com/en/understanding/countries/

It is said that tea is the most consumed drink after water.

The only tea I’ve known in my entire life are Twinings, Lipton and Nestea. I heard about Oolong tea when my sister in law encouraged me to drink it due to its’ high-dose of anti-oxidants. And the famous “salabat” which is made from ginger is something I really detested and we also refer to it is tea. My mentor used to make some for me before my performance as I used to sing during elementary days. I didn’t like its’ taste, I just have to drink it as swift as I can so as to please my mentor since they will be calling my attention if I wouldn’t be able to reach some octaves during rehearsals. I do not like the taste.

Nowadays, I even see on Social media, liters and liters of Bubble teas are being brought home by junkies. Perhaps, I should look at it positively, they are doing something good to their bodies. Instead of consuming softdrinks which I stopped drinking too for years now. They are having teas. =) Just a warning, tea on its’ own is healthy. however, when you mixed them with sugar and milk, the benefits of it is greatly reduced, when all I thought is that I’ve gone “healthier” drinking milk teas lately. Let’s discover which countries produce teas.

The Top 10 countries producing teas are as follows:

I think I have to rephrase my inquiry to Google. What brands are known for producing the best teas? So from these brands, we will be able to establish as to what countries produces the best teas? https://www.marketing91.com/top-tea-brands-in-the-world/

Twinnings – Farm—> India

Twinnings is the oldest tea shop in London. It’s flagship store being 300 year old historically. Their pride is on challenging the status quo of tea. With a history dating back to 1706, quality tea has always been at the heart of what they do. Renowned for creating vibrant and aromatic blends that are loved by all, from Earl Grey and English Breakfast to Chai Lattes and super fruity infusions, they focus on the details, because it matters most. https://www.twinings.co.uk/

Tazo – Farm—>Kenyan highlands to the west of the Rift Valley, the tropical provinces of northern Argentina, the mountains of West Java, the beautiful settings in Malawi, the bustling port cities of Mombasa and Dubai.

Tazo’s founder: Steven Smith, explained the name and it’s as good an indicator as any of the spirit of creativity, adventure, and originality that TAZO is built on, comparing it to the whirling mating dance of pharaohs of ancient Egypt. It’s also synonymous with the cheery salutation used by residents of Easter Island in the 5th century. It’s pretty incredible. He conjured unexpected flavor blends by mixing unconventional ingredients wherever and whenever he found them. And he did it with style. https://www.tazo.com/us/en/

The Republic of Tea – Farm: Sri Lanka, India, Japan, China, Taiwan and South Africa.

The Republic of Tea is a privately owned American tea company based in Larkspur, California that makes and sells more than 300 varieties of teas throughout North America. The Republic of Tea is known for packaging its loose teas and tea bags in tall, cylindrical tins. https://www.republicoftea.com/

Lipton – Farm: Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, and China.

Lipton is a British brand of tea, owned by Unilever. Lipton was also a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom before it was sold off to Argyll Foods, to allow the company to focus solely on tea. The company is named after its founder Thomas Lipton. They have a long-term goal for sustainable tea production and sets out the strict standards of pesticide and chemical use their suppliers must meet. https://www.lipton.com/us/en/home.html

Yorkshire Tea – Farm: Africa and India.

Yorkshire Tea is a black tea blend produced by the Bettys & Taylors Group. It is the most popular traditional black tea brand sold in the UK. In 1886 Charles Edward Taylor Founded CE Taylor & Co., later shortened to “Taylors”, the company was purchased by ‘Betty’s Tea Rooms’ which today forms Bettys & Taylors Group. https://www.yorkshiretea.co.uk/

Celestial Seasonings – Farm: Colorado

Wild herbs hand-picked from the rocky mountains of Colorado, Celestial Seasonings serves more than 1.6 billion cups of tea a year. Included in their lines are green tea, chai tea, rooibos tea, wellness tea and Cool Brew iced tea, and the ingredients, over 100 of them, are sourced from over 35 countries. They’ve grown so much since they first started out picking those wild herbs in the Rockies, and still driven by that same entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for making tea that’s good for people and the planet. http://www.celestialseasonings.com/

Harney & Sons – Farm: China, Taiwan, Japan

Harney & Sons is an American tea company founded in 1983 in Salisbury, Connecticut, and now located in Millerton, New York. They specialize in high-quality loose teas and herbal teas, and offer several products that are organic and certified kosher. https://www.harney.com/

Dilmah – Farm: Sri Lanka

Dilmah is a Sri Lankan brand of tea, sold internationally. The company was founded in 1988 by Merrill J Fernando. The name Dilmah was chosen by combining the first names of Fernando’s sons Dilhan and Malik. https://estates.dilmahtea.com/

Dilmah is the brand that Picked is using. It is one of the nicest coffee shops in our area.

Bigelow Tea Company – Farm: Sri Lanka

The Bigelow Tea Company is an American manufacturer of dried teas based in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded by Ruth C. Bigelow in 1945, based on a recipe she marketed as “Constant Comment” tea. https://www.bigelowtea.com/

Tetley – Farm: Africa & Asia

Tetley is a beverage manufacturer founded in 1837 in Yorkshire, England. It is the largest tea company in the United Kingdom and Canada, and the second largest in the United States by volume. Tetley’s manufacturing and distribution business operates in forty countries, selling over sixty branded tea bags. https://www.tetley.co.uk/

And while we’ve finished dissecting what countries produces the best tea, So it now answered my wonderings why most of the shops I’ve seen has an image of the Buddha. =) Now, how do we classify a good tea?

According to Seven Cups, also an American tea company based in Tucson, Arizona: “Green tea should taste fresh, not stale, and should not be too astringent. Black tea should be full bodied and fresh. In general, good tea has a sweet aftertaste and should feel very slippery going down the throat. The aftertaste should linger for a noticeably long time, like the feeling you have after listening to music, when a good tune lingers. Some teas can provide a very interesting taste by sipping some water while the aftertaste is present, the effect being quite dramatic.

Remember that tasting tea is like tasting wine: slurp it to aerate it (unlike in Western countries, in China slurping your tea is a sign of appreciation and knowledge and not considered bad manners!), let it slide down the middle of the tongue in one sip, and down the sides of the tongue in the next, followed by the whole tongue with big slurping. Pay attention to the subtleties and the complexity of the tea. A large part of learning to appreciate tea is learning to slow down and pay attention to the subtleties.” https://sevencups.com/learn-about-tea/how-to-judge-tea/

So why the need to add milk to tea? One of the practical reasons based on history is:

That in the 17th and 18th centuries the china cups tea was served in were so delicate they would crack from the heat of the tea. Milk was added to cool the liquid and stop the cups from cracking. This is why, even today, many English people add milk to their cups BEFORE adding the tea! https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/texte/drink_tea.htm

Makes sense right? And another reason is:

Adding milk creates a smoother flavor and slightly sweetens the tea. It’s a popular way to serve tea in many parts of the world and it is an easy way to dress up your average cup of tea.​ A perfect way to mellow and smooth out the flavors of tea, particularly some of the bitter notes especially found in black tea.

The addition of milk results in a less astringent, less bitter flavor. Not only does milk cover up the flavor of the tea, but it also binds to some of the bitter chemical compounds found in tea. Some of these bitter compounds are very beneficial to health. Due to this, if you’re drinking tea for health reasons, tea without milk is a better choice. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-milk-tea-765143

Health-wise, here are the top 10 healthiest teas you might want to stick into drinking:

Chamomile

Well known for its calming properties, and preliminary evidence supports this. It may also help relieve premenstrual symptoms and high blood lipid, blood sugar and insulin levels.

Peppermint

It relieves discomfort of the digestive tract. Studies have found that peppermint oil can help relieve nausea, cramping, spasms and stomach pain.

Ginger

Best known as a remedy for nausea, and studies have repeatedly found it to be effective for this use. However, several studies have also found that ginger can help relieve period pain, and it may offer benefits for people with diabetes.

Hibiscus

May help lower high blood pressure and fight oxidative stress. However, it shouldn’t be taken with a certain diuretic medication or at the same time as aspirin.

Echinacea

Prevent or shorten the duration of the common cold. While several studies have found it to be effective for this use, the evidence on the matter is conflicting.

Rooibos

Preliminary evidence suggests that rooibos tea may help improve bone health and reduce heart disease risk, but more studies are needed.

Sage

Improves cognitive function and memory. It may also benefit colon and heart health.

Lemon Balm

May improve antioxidant levels, heart and skin health and even aid in relieving anxiety.

Rose Hip

High in vitamin C and antioxidants. Its anti-inflammatory properties may reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis. Studies have also found rose hips effective at fighting aging of the skin and reducing stomach fat.

Passion Flower

May help improve sleep and reduce anxiety. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-herbal-teas#section10

Let me personally add Oolong tea. So that makes it 11. =) Oolong tea may not be as well known as green or black tea, but it has similar health benefits. These include benefits for heart, brain, bone and dental health. In addition, it may boost your metabolism, decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and protect against certain types of cancer. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/oolong-tea-benefits

Why the craze?

There have been a few stores offering milk teas for the past years, however, there is a significant growth and popularity (probably because of social media) of this Milk tea trend, of people drinking milk tea, of business owners putting up one even there is a milk tea station some blocks away from theirs. Look at how the trend went on.

Thankful to Yummy.ph I discovered while doing my research that Carmen’s Best have a milk tea variant already. I really must try it. =)

This is what’s good about blogging, learning is truly infinite. Honestly, it took me days to do my researches, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Becoming an instant fan of Milk tea, what I define best is that I can taste the earthy flavor of the tea, better yet, experience its’ aroma. The creaminess of the milk, just the right sweetness (although most of them asked your preference), and the quality of the pearls or “sago”. It should be chewy for me. =) As I enjoy each cup, I can’t help but wonder, what brand of tea are they using? =)

So, here are my dozen favorites:

1. Happy Lemon
2. Nham Cha
3. Tiger Sugar
4. Macao Imperial
5. Coco
6. My Girl
7. Black scoop
8. Dakasi
9. Hongkong King’s Milk tea
10. Cha time
11. Teaquiera
12. Drip tea

Currently, drinking a cup of milk tea makes me happy, just like coffee does. I have more on my list of brands to try. Though, I’m glad that those within my area great ones too. =) Also, since sugar is my number one enemy here, it’s a good thing that they now asked for your preferred sugar levels. So it isn’t 100% for me. =)

Nowadays, with the millennial’s meme that “Milk tea is Life.” I think I could agree. =) #pearlfever #milkteatrend #milkteaislife

Featured image courtesy of: https://dribbble.com/shots/5784557-13-365-Bubble-tea