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Tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. The best teas are made from the newest growth; typically the top two leaves and an unopened bud. We usually associate tea with beautiful gardens and rows of waist-high bushes. In reality, tea would grow into a proper tree if allowed to do so.
Tea has its roots - literally - in the lush, mountainous tropics of Southeast Asia. Most of the tea consumed around the world comes from one of two prevalent varietals of Camellia Sinensis - Camellia Sinensis Sinensis and Camellia Sinensis Assamica. The former is a smaller plant, adapted to the cooler, more rugged terrain of the mountains. The Assamica varietal is at home in the lower lying valleys and is better equipped to take advantage of heavy rainfall and intense sunshine.
Approximately 1,500 hybrids of these two varietals have been cultivated for their suitability to particular growing conditions and for the unique flavors they produce. Despite all this variety, the truth is that any single leaf can be made into any of the four types of tea! Indeed, while some varietals lend themselves to certain flavor profiles, the differences that define White, Green, Oolong, and Black tea are created primarily during processing.
There are many plant-based ingredients that are steeped (or brewed) like tea but contain no Camellia Sinensis. Most contain no caffeine and offer many health benefits. These are typically called Herbal Teas, or more properly, Tisanes.
All teas at The Cosmic Bean are loose and are packaged in 2 oz. stay-fresh packaging for you. You should be able to get 15-20 cups out each package of tea as you only need a teaspoon of tea per cup brewed.
For descriptions and contents of available teas, please view the following pages:
Blended/Flavored Teas
To order, see selections below:
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