The cup of life

From Legion Summer 2009

My mouth is watering as I take a seat in the Chesterfield Hotel’s Charles Suite. All I can concentrate on is the delicate aroma of tea leaves that lingers in the air. The others around the table don’t seem as distracted as I am. They’re listening intently to International Tea Consultant Tim Clifton, who is enthusiastically explaining the detailed process that goes into producing the perfect cuppa.
It’s no surprise that these people are taking it so seriously. Around 60% of the people who attend Tim’s tea masterclass, which he co-hosts with Tea Consultant Jane Pettigrew, are either working in, or hoping to enter, the multi-million pound tea industry.

Tea has always been big business in the UK, but in the past few years, shops have begun stocking all kinds of exotic varieties, and we’re becoming a nation obsessed with the quality of our cuppa.
“Tea is experiencing a sort of Renaissance in this country at the moment,” says Tim. “We’re seeing an increase in the amount of people who are running tea shops that stock really good unusual teas that weren’t available 20 years ago.”

Jane agrees. “It’s the same as what happened with wine in the 50s and 60s. People have a much greater understanding now,” she adds.
But the variety can still be overwhelming. With hotels and tea shops now offering extensive menus of teas from all over the world, customers could be left baffled. But as long as they’re serving up
a quality product, you can’t make a bad choice.

“Many people come to our classes and say they really don’t like black tea, but that’s because they’ve only drunk thin, uninteresting stuff. When you give them a wonderful Assam or a Kenyan tea, their whole idea changes they will always start exploring to find something that suits their palate,” Jane explains.

Tea is good for you
One of the reasons for tea’s surge in popularity is the media attention that it has been getting. Tim explains: “The press is always taking so much interest because tea is a phenomenally healthy drink. In the world we’re living in we’re becoming more health-conscious, and tea’s got so many ticks in the right boxes.”

The UK Tea Council recommends that you drink at least four cups of tea a day to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s packed with antioxidants, and vital nutrients such as zinc and folic acid. It’s also a natural source of fluoride, which can boost dental health.

The levels of caffeine in tea often cause confusion for consumers. Although all types of tea contain caffeine, the levels are substantially lower than those found in coffee. And the way it is absorbed into the body is quite different. “It absorbs more slowly,” Jane explains. “It lifts you without making you feel agitated.“There really is no bad news about tea. It’s all good news.”