The wikipedia article has some interesting information about the deep dark origins back in Yunnan Province, China. Both science-wise and the 2737 BC origin myth.
It's extraordinary just how culturally important this little drink (not the English Breakfast Variety per se) just really is. Random examples - the Japanese Tea Ceremony and the English and their "You just need a cup of tea and you'll be right".
But goodness, as a trade item it's had a bit of a history. Basically the popularity of tea came down to the East India Company needing something to fill their holds with and sell on the way back. The degree of success they had is extraordinary. Let that be a lesson to business eh? You could be making very long term cultural changes you had no idea about. I'm not even going to mention the opium. Or the Boston Tea Party.
Actually I was a bit shocked in London. The coffee wasn’t too bad.
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