THE LOOM BAR

Té House

a choice of tea, herbal and fruit infusions

ALL LOOSE LEAF TEAS (Tè)

£1.95 mug

The Tea Plant’s scientific name is Camellia Sinensis. It is related to the Camellia Japonica,a common garden tree or shrub. All tea comes from this plant whether it is a Green Tea, a Black Tea, a White Tea or an Oolong Tea. Tea grows best in tropical and subtropical climates with abundant rainfall and rich soil. Tea plants or bushes are usually kept between three and five feet. This height allows for convenient plucking of tender tea leaves. If properly cultivated, tea bushes can have a productive life span exceeding 100 years. Tea's origins date back to around 2700 BC It was thought to have first been discovered by Emperor Shen Nung in the mountainous areas of China's far western Sichuan or Yunnan province, and it was soon noted for it’s digestive properties and to remedy a vast array of ailments,

Tea was first recorded in the dictionary in 350 A.D. as ‘Tu’. The Tang Dynasty (620-907 AD) is said to be the Golden Age of Tea In 805 A.D a Zen Buddhist monk returnedto Japan from China with seeds of the tea plant to be planted in his monastery. The Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD) was responsible for ‘ spreading fragrant tea in the nine districts’. This is the Second Golden Age of tea and Teahouses begin to emerge as social and spiritual gathering places. Tea thrived again during the Ming Dynasty when fermentation was discovered to produce teas ranging from Green to Oolong to Black. In 1610 that The Dutch East India Company was formedand tea spread to Europe. Thomas Twinning opened the first Teahouse in Britain in 1717.