Tea
Camellia sinensis
Tea contains caffeine and so is a popular energizing beverage by itself or in combination with other things. Tea is associated with the element water and is treated with reverence by many Asian cultures and when the English first discovered it, they were willing to go to war and use such underhanded means as addicting the Chinese populous to opium to get their hands on it.
Tea leaves are used for divination and tea may be drunk prior to meditation to help achieve a higher state of consciousness.
Herbal teas are more properly called infusions or tisanes.
There are five varieties of tea commonly found in Western markets. The differences between varieties are differences in processing of the leaves and buds of the same plant.
Black tea is the most common type and is the result of leaves that are crushed, wilted and fermented through a process of enzymatic oxidation.
White tea is allowed to wilt, but not to ferment.
Yellow tea is allowed to wilt and turn yellow, but not to ferment.
Green tea is dried fresh, not allowed to wilt or ferment.
Oolong tea is wilted and bruised and allowed to ferment only partially.
Brewed black tea is rich in manganese.
Correspondences
Element(s): Water -
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Gender: Masculine
divination, meditation, consciousness, alertness, clarity
Recipes that contain Tea
Notes from the Test Kitchen
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