The earliest references to drinking tea are from China. Legend has it that a leaf fell into the water that Emperor Shen Nung’s servants were boiling for him. He found the taste refreshing, and little did he know, invented the first cup of tea.
In the early of 16th century, The Portuguese were the first Europeans to drink tea. Many Portuguese missionaries and merchants lived in Asia and brought tea back as gifts. At that time, there was a merchant brought tea for his family, and invited some friends to share the Chinese tea. However his mother cooked the tea, and poured the tea soup away, and then they start to ate the tea leaves. The tea leaves are bitter but they felt amazed. The merchant asked his mother why didn’t drink the tea soup, but eat the tea leaves, his mother said: “ the tea leaves are not tasting, the tea soup would be worse.”
The Dutch brought tea to Europe commercially. It was expensive though, and originally only high society could afford such a delicacy.
The most famous tea drinkers in the world didn’t initially take to drinking tea. It wasn’t until Charles II married Portuguese Catherine of Braganza and known tea lover, that tastes changed. Wanting to keep up with the new queen, Brits soon took to tea over coffee.
