From java jungle to Elysian fields of tea

By Marissa L. Smithwick

Dawn approaches. Signs and sounds of life appear as warm-blooded creatures slough off the chill of night and lumber forth to greet the day. Chitterings and grunts, screeches and roaring fill the ether and rise to a crescendo as beasts gather for their early morning feeding. Many creatures are thrown together, instigating the occasional scuffle as each vies for position. Claws flash, accompanied by warning growls as dominance exerts itself, subordinates retreating with rumbling complaint. One by one each pulls away from the frenzy, hunching over hard-won spoils: double tall café latte with whipped cream and nutmeg, biscotti on the side. And so man has devolved to brutishness, compelled by the base sensuality of the elemental coffee bean.

Coffee drinking has soared in popularity, as evidenced by the proliferation of establishments such as Starbucks and Pete's Coffee. According to the Koffee Korner website, coffee made its historical debut in 850 A.D. and by 1995 coffee became: "the worlds [sic] most popular beverage. More than 400 billion cups are consumed each year. It is a world commodity that is second only to oil."

The fondness for this viscous black beverage has made such a stir that the phrase "coffee culture" has been coined to express this mania. Yet the use of the term "culture" is misleading, when you look at Webster's definition: "enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training" (Merriam). What enlightenment can be acquired while people madly dash around gulping high-octane fluid - like Espresso (Italian for "fast"), invented in 1903 by Luigi Bezzera (Sippy, Did you know) - from paper cups in a never-ending effort to get through the day? On the contrary, coffee's contribution to this sort of break-neck pace is a cause for the decline of the pursuit of intellect in modern society.

Conversely, the pastime of tea drinking is on a more elevated plateau of reasoning. Unlike coffee, there is no instant tea to speak of (not counting instant iced tea which is too distasteful to mention). In fact, the perfect cup of tea is achieved only after careful preparation. A favorite teapot is selected and filled with boiling water to warm. The warming water is tossed out and freshly boiled water is poured over tea leaves added to the pot, a measure of tea for each cup and one measure respectfully for the pot. A tea cozy is placed over the teapot to keep its contents piping hot through the patient steeping process, as well as to ensure a warm cup of tea through to the end of the pot. Once steeped, the tea is poured into delicate porcelain cups to which milk and sugar or honey and lemon can be added.

The slow and affectionate process of brewing and enjoying tea offers the luxury of peaceful meditation. Calming warmth wafts dreamily upward from a steaming cup of tea, begging the contemplation of a favorite tome or the stimulating company of good friends.

Tea is a thoughtful and truly enlightened repast. Discovered nearly 5000 years ago in China, as chronicled on the Stash Tea website, the practice of tea drinking has had a long and distinctive history. Tea was introduced to Japan by Zen Buddhist missionaries, including Buddhist priest Yeisei, "who had seen the value of tea in China in enhancing religious meditation." In Japan, tea was raised "to an art form resulting in the creation of the Japanese Tea Ceremony," tea houses, and tea gardens. Journalist-historian Lafcadio Hearn observed about the Tea Ceremony: "The supremely important matter is that the act be performed in the most perfect, most polite, most graceful, most charming manner possible" (Stash, History).

Starting in the late 1500s, tea found its way to Europe through Portuguese, and later Dutch, trade with the Orient. The regal celebration of tea gained popularity in Europe by leaps and bounds over the next three hundred years. During the 19th century, English custom included only two meals per day. This led Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, to suffer a "sinking feeling" in the late afternoon. To combat this annoyance, she invited friends to join her for an additional afternoon meal of tea, sandwiches, cakes, and other sweets, and thus was started the tradition of the afternoon tea (Stash, History).

According to the Stash website, in England "tea was the major beverage served in the coffee houses, but they were so named because coffee arrived in England some years before tea." These gathering spots were known as "Penny Universities," because "for a penny any man could obtain a pot of tea, a copy of the newspaper, and engage in conversation with the sharpest wits of the day" (Stash, History). Koffee Korner attributes these coffee houses with the origination of the term T.I.P.S., meaning "To Insure Prompt Service", whereas Stash credits the development of this idea, dropping coins in a box to inspire quick service from the waiter, to the Tea Gardens of England.

Even America has had a long and significant relationship with tea. When England acquired the colonial settlement of New Amsterdam (later New York) from the Dutch, the English found the settlers there were consuming "more tea at that time than all of England put together" (Stash, History). The popularity of tea in the colonies became an attractive target for British taxation, leading to the infamous revolt at the Boston Tea Party, which was the pivotal last step toward the American Revolution (Henretta 164-165). The United States won its independence from England, and the tea industry in America continued to flourish with the new country.

In the true spirit of American innovation, two important additions to the tea experience were invented in the United States. First, at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, tea plantation owner Richard Blechynden was inspired by a sudden heat wave to create the first "iced tea," which became the hit of the fair. Then in 1908, Thomas Sullivan of New York developed the concept of "bagged tea". A tea merchant who delivered wrapped tea samples to restaurants for their consideration, he "recognized the marketing opportunity when he realized the restaurants were brewing the samples 'in the bags' to avoid the mess of tea leaves in the kitchens" (Stash, History).

Tea drinking has infused the world with the refined art of rich traditions and elaborate ceremonies. This luxurious amber liquid has inspired religious meditation, royal and intellectual considerations, and even revolution. Tea is a civilized and courteous drink, imbuing the consumer with comfort and inspiration. According to Arthur Gray, "The spirit of the tea beverage is one of peace, comfort and refinement" (qtd. in Stash, Some of). Like a dream of Elysium, tea is lofty and ideal, a perfect symbol and testament to the civilization of man.

"Wouldn't it be dreadfull [sic] to live in a country where they didn't have tea?" - Noel Coward (qtd. in Stash, Some of)

Works Cited
Henretta, James A., David Brody, Susan Ware, Marilynn S. Johnson. America's History: Volume 1: To 1877. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000.
Merriam-Webster. "Collegiate Dictionary." Culture, noun: definition 4a. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 09 Feb. 2002 <http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary>
Sippy, Miku B. "Did you know that..." Koffee Korner. 07 Aug. 2001. BMI Global Consultants Ltd. 09 Feb. 2002 <http://www.koffeekorner.com/ >
Sippy, Miku B. "Koffee History." Koffee Korner. 30 Mar. 2000. BMI Global Consultants Ltd. 09 Feb. 2002 <http://www.koffeekorner.com/koffeehistory.htm>
The Stash Tea Company. "A History of Tea." A World of Tea. 2001. 09 Feb. 2002 <http://www.stashtea.com/facts.htm>
The Stash Tea Company. "Some of our favorite tea related quotations." A World of Tea. 2001. 10 Feb. 2002 <http://www.stashtea.com/quotes.htm>