There are about 8 billion (ok thousand) websites, books, cd's, videos out there that are related to tea. Each one has a slightly different version of what tea is (or is not). It can really make one's head spin, I know it did mine when I first got started.

My name is Rachel Johnston and I will be your hostess on this exciting journey! Let’s start with the basics. Tea is essentially a beverage made from the leaves, twigs and buds from the plant (tree) Camellia sinensis which is part of the evergreen family.

In the wild, the Camellia sinensis plant would grow anywhere from 16 feet (5 meters) to 50 feet (15 meters). Now that is one tall plant!

Tea grows in subtropical conditions (loves monsoon country). You can find this amazing plant anywhere from Northeast India, China, the Himalayas, Kenya, Japan, Taiwan (Formosa) and even in the UK and US!

Basically there are 4 basically types or ways you will see/consume tea of tea:
Black tea
Oolong tea
Green tea
White tea

They all come from the Camellia sinensis plant.
The difference in names and tastes comes from how the plant is processed after being plucked.

Some of the most common terms for processing tea leaves are withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying or firing.

We will explore which methods are used on which teas in a future article.

That, my friends, is what "tea" is. Shall we say, in a teacup!

Stay tuned for more opportunities to explore the world of tea. In the mean time, please feel free to post your comments and questions here in this post. I would love to hear from you!