Tea: the world's drink
Liz Klimas
Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: Arts
Sophomore Cara Burke has been drinking tea since she was 6 years old. She said she and her dad raced to the kettle in the morning to see who could wake up and heat up the water first.
"I pretty much drink every kind of tea," Burke said. "But black tea is my favorite. It has the strongest flavor."
According to the United Kingdom Tea Council's Web site, Japan and China were the origins of tea.
It became popular in England by the 17th century.
Tea's diverse uses from its health benefits, to its meditative and calming effects, to its societal traditions have been used over the centuries and are constantly being incorporated into Hillsdale's life.
"Tea is thought of as a social ritual," said Kiernan Schoeder, a sophomore who lived in England for 14 months in high school. "Tea is generally always associated with something sweet so that attracts people too."
Burke began inviting friends over for tea and a chat during her freshman year. They now meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Waterman Residence for tea and desserts.
"It started last year as just a bunch of friends," Burke said. "Now it can range from three people to a lot more people laughing, talking and drinking tea. It can be a real party."
Sophomore James Joseph tries to attend the gathering as much as he can.
He said he usually doesn't ask what kind of tea he is given but enjoys it just the same.
"I come because I like the people here," he said, including he hadn't drank much tea before unless with his grandmother.
Coffee versus tea
Burke said she is both a tea and coffee drinker but will always prefer tea.
"I like tea for the obvious reasons: it is better for you," she said. "Some teas can have as much caffeine in them as a cup of coffee but it releases it over a longer period of time.
This gives it a calming alertness instead of an instant rush and [subsequent] crash as with coffee."
Senior Cherrie Wood, student manager of Jitters coffee cart, said even with the espresso machine absent from Jitters tea consumption has hardly increased.
"People who come to the coffee cart want espresso so most of them have just switched to black coffee," she said. "I have found there is a lot more tea consumption when there is a cold going around campus though."
Types of tea
Burke likes to divide tea into three simple categories - black, green, and herbal and fruit.
When Burke travels overseas she likes to try tea of from other countries and has created a personal list of which have the best teas.
Although black tea comes from the same plant as green tea, black tea is stronger than other types. Varieties of black tea include Earl Grey, Irish Breakfast Tea, and Chai.
Burke said she thinks England makes the best black tea in brands like Taylors of Harrogate.
Though Burke has not yet traveled to Asia, she said she knows the best green tea resides there.
Germany seems to house the best herbal and fruit teas, Burke said.
"There are not a lot of good fruit teas from America," she said.
Best brands and local brands
For those unable to make it to Europe or the Orient for tasty teas, Burke said there are some fine cheap teas in the local Kroger.
"Bigelow is a pretty good cheap brand," she said. "The trick with cheap brands is to brew them light; brewing them dark could result in a more bitter tea."
Jitters offers Tazo brand for $1.00 plus tax on any size.
And The Gathering in Hillsdale has a slew of Revolution brand tea priced at $1.45.
Burke said most herbal and green teas are meant to be drunk straight whereas many black teas should be served with a little cream and occasionally a dash of sugar - though black teas need not always have the addition.
"I pretty much drink every kind of tea," Burke said. "But black tea is my favorite. It has the strongest flavor."
According to the United Kingdom Tea Council's Web site, Japan and China were the origins of tea.
It became popular in England by the 17th century.
Tea's diverse uses from its health benefits, to its meditative and calming effects, to its societal traditions have been used over the centuries and are constantly being incorporated into Hillsdale's life.
"Tea is thought of as a social ritual," said Kiernan Schoeder, a sophomore who lived in England for 14 months in high school. "Tea is generally always associated with something sweet so that attracts people too."
Burke began inviting friends over for tea and a chat during her freshman year. They now meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Waterman Residence for tea and desserts.
"It started last year as just a bunch of friends," Burke said. "Now it can range from three people to a lot more people laughing, talking and drinking tea. It can be a real party."
Sophomore James Joseph tries to attend the gathering as much as he can.
He said he usually doesn't ask what kind of tea he is given but enjoys it just the same.
"I come because I like the people here," he said, including he hadn't drank much tea before unless with his grandmother.
Coffee versus tea
Burke said she is both a tea and coffee drinker but will always prefer tea.
"I like tea for the obvious reasons: it is better for you," she said. "Some teas can have as much caffeine in them as a cup of coffee but it releases it over a longer period of time.
This gives it a calming alertness instead of an instant rush and [subsequent] crash as with coffee."
Senior Cherrie Wood, student manager of Jitters coffee cart, said even with the espresso machine absent from Jitters tea consumption has hardly increased.
"People who come to the coffee cart want espresso so most of them have just switched to black coffee," she said. "I have found there is a lot more tea consumption when there is a cold going around campus though."
Types of tea
Burke likes to divide tea into three simple categories - black, green, and herbal and fruit.
When Burke travels overseas she likes to try tea of from other countries and has created a personal list of which have the best teas.
Although black tea comes from the same plant as green tea, black tea is stronger than other types. Varieties of black tea include Earl Grey, Irish Breakfast Tea, and Chai.
Burke said she thinks England makes the best black tea in brands like Taylors of Harrogate.
Though Burke has not yet traveled to Asia, she said she knows the best green tea resides there.
Germany seems to house the best herbal and fruit teas, Burke said.
"There are not a lot of good fruit teas from America," she said.
Best brands and local brands
For those unable to make it to Europe or the Orient for tasty teas, Burke said there are some fine cheap teas in the local Kroger.
"Bigelow is a pretty good cheap brand," she said. "The trick with cheap brands is to brew them light; brewing them dark could result in a more bitter tea."
Jitters offers Tazo brand for $1.00 plus tax on any size.
And The Gathering in Hillsdale has a slew of Revolution brand tea priced at $1.45.
Burke said most herbal and green teas are meant to be drunk straight whereas many black teas should be served with a little cream and occasionally a dash of sugar - though black teas need not always have the addition.
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