As children, we were indoctrinated with the idea that tea was a part of a tea party, an activity that girls took part in during childhood with friends, family, and stuffed animals. For many, tea was something given to us by our mothers when we were sick, or a drink consumed by our grandmothers during red hat lady get-togethers.
The reality in the tea industry today is quite opposite. While many tea cultures exist and the idea of having a “tea party” is very much alive today, many other rituals surrounding tea consumption are growing in popularity and are driving the growth of the tea industry. While there are many places in Chicago today where you can enjoy this spectacle of an afternoon tea with a spot of milk, some sugar, and light fare, the rich culture of tea is rooted elsewhere and several men in Chicago are helping to bring tea back to it’s roots.
What are these roots you ask? Tea has been consumed for thousands of years, true tea comes from the camellia sinensis plant, a plant native to China and transplanted elsewhere around the world. Tea originated in China and thus the Chinese were the harbingers of modern tea culture.
When prepared correctly, Chinese loose-leaf tea needs neither milk or sugar, it is best consumed alone and without complicated tea-ware. The Chinese invented the gaiwan a simple cup with a lid, the lid is tilted slightly to allow the tea to escape when it’s ready leaving the leaves behind. This method of tea steeping has been around for hundreds of years and tea aficionados regard it as the best way to prepare a tea infusion. You may not know it but Chicago is experiencing a male-led tea renaissance, this is not your grandmother’s tea, this is pure loose-leaf tea from the country that started the whole tea thing.
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