I cannot describe to you how enamoured I am with teas and herbal infusions. I have a tea for every mood and occasion. Let me elaborate: to perk myself up in the morning, ginseng tea does the trick, to detoxify, ginger and lemon, to drink tea for my general well-being, I go with green, when I feel blue, peppermint tea. If I have trouble sleeping, chamomile, when I am writing these weekly articles, Earl Grey or Darjeeling, and the list goes on. I possess so many teas, tisanes and herbal infusions I could open a tea salon. Please note, officially, tea comes from the plant Camellia Senensis. If a “tea” is not from this bush, it is an infusion or tisane.

Here in Jamaica, it is a part of the personality to call every hot drink “tea”, especially in the countryside, when offering a hot drink the person is apt to say would you like some “coffee tea” or “chocolate tea,” for example. I love this quirk! Some common Jamaican tisanes are fever grass (lemon grass) if you have the flu, cerrasee to cleanse the blood, soursop leaf tea to calm the nerves or to aid your insomnia. I am quite sure that all of you reading this know a bush “tea” from your particular parish which is good for something or the other.

Teas come either pure or blended. Asia is king where world tea production is concerned, namely the countries of China, Japan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Tea comes in white, which is the rarest, to blue (oolong), green and black form, the most common. Naturally, prices reflect the colour of tea. There is also the South African bush “tea” called Rooibos which is red, and is becoming quite trendy. Many of us consume more blended black teas such as English breakfast (popular brands being Tetley, Red Rose), Earl Grey and Assam teas on a daily basis which are Indian in origin or herbal blends. White and blue teas are quite rare, but green, especially Chinese, is gaining in popularity because of the much-touted health benefits. Jasmine is a popular green tea.

I like coffee very much, but tea is closer to my heart. There is something more comforting about tea than coffee in my personal opinion, but I know many will argue with me on that. Jamaica is blessed with the famous Blue Mountain coffee which I adore, Ethiopian coffee is great too. If you are ever fortunate enough to eat at an Ethiopian restaurant, they have a lovely coffee ritual at the end of the meal. Otherwise, tea for me is a drink to linger over. If I have a friend who wants to come over for a chat, we converse over tea and biscuits.

Tea, like wine, is a personal preference. Some people have it with or without milk or sugar; some sweeten with honey or serve with a slice of lemon or lime. Again, it is what your palate craves at a particular moment. I prefer to have my tea au naturel to appreciate the nuances of the individual flavour.

I have been blessed to lead an international life and have been exposed to all sorts of teas and customs. From the smoky Chinese lapsang souchong which I will honestly admit that my palate is still not quite used to, the grassy Japanese gyokuro of which I confess to not appreciating in the beginning but which is now one of my favourite teas. I also participated in a beautiful Japanese tea ceremony with my old Japanese neighbour who patiently explained this tradition. I am quite fond of the spicy milky chai of India and yummy Moroccan mint which I enjoy preparing for friends after meals with mint leaves and Chinese gunpowder loose tea.

With tea on my mind, what better way to welcome the autumn season officially than with an afternoon tea with some girlfriends? Hosting tea is a fun way to get together to truly enjoy intimate company and conversation. Whether to celebrate a birthday, an engagement, a new baby, gossiping about a new love or politics, having tea is a light- hearted way to relax.

Tea can be a casual or very formal affair. Tea is normally served between 4:00 to 6:00 pm, and is usually a light repast of sandwiches, pastries and tea. Many hotels and bakeries in England, where this tradition originated serve tea. When next you are in London, have tea at Fortnum and Mason, the oldest tea merchant in the world and the official shop of the Queen, or the Browns, Claridges or Ritz hotels for a truly glamorous affair. Laduree and Mariage Frère are famous tea rooms in Paris. I was very lucky to live on the street where Mariage Frère is located and became friends with the guys who worked there. They were always giving me free samples. The tea there costs a fortune so I was indeed very lucky. Paris has many little tea rooms which were a joy to discover and I have a few secret spots where I used to hang out and do my writing or plan food events. Here in Jamaica, the Ritz-Carlton in Montego Bay and the Terra Nova in Kingston do very good teas.

The whole story of tea is much more in-depth than what I have written today. It is a fascinating subject with some famous moments in history such as the Boston Tea Party, and American Independence. Our West Indian sugar and Indian tea combined to make Britain’s most popular beverage in the height of the Empire, and the British still drink copious amounts of tea today. The Japanese and the Chinese argue about whose green tea is superior and the Sri Lankans are proud of their consistent quality black teas which are known as Ceylon tea. Tea is becoming hip again not only because of the variety, but also the antioxidant hype.

This popular beverage can also be drunk cold and is known as iced tea. It is typically made with black teas, but increasingly you find green iced teas.

Go on, go make yourself a “cuppa” and savour the different flavours and aromas. I bet you will never look at tea the same way again.

Hosting a Tea Party

Hosting a Tea Party should not be a hard task. I usually like to feature two or three teas, or if you prefer, you can get a variety pack or two and mix it up allowing your guests more choice. Always have milk, sugar, preferably cubes, and slices of lemon or lime on hand.

The most common tea sandwiches are made of egg, cucumber, smoked salmon or chicken, however, you can mix it up as you please and create your own twist.

It is traditional to serve scones.

Prepare the teapot by first swilling boiling water to warm it up. Afterwards, pour in the prepared hot water for your tea. This helps the tea to keep warm longer.

Always use freshly boiled water to brew your tea, and remember to use 1 teabag or 1 teaspoon of loose tea per person. Granted, know the brewing times of individual teas, as green tend to need less time than black.

The hostess should always pour the first cup of tea.