By Rachael Gardner
The problem with coffee? It’s just not tea!
I know a lot of people are super into coffee. Coffee smells great, don’t get me wrong, but the taste and caffeine levels have never jived with me. My hot beverage consumption was pretty much limited to hot chocolate and apple cider until the fall of 2012. This thankfully changed through travel and exploration. As a part of my study abroad experience in Denmark, I traveled to the UK with two of my friends. It was on this trip that my love of tea was born. Not just the beverage itself, but the different cultural norms and values that come with tea.
Throughout the world tea is used as a way to connect with people, to do business, to spend quality time with family and friends, and even to get into the occasional argument over (to add milk or to not add milk….it’s a debate). Because of these global differences, I find I learn so much about a place, its people, and the culture through tea when I travel. The first thing I do when I land in a new place is order a tea at the airport. Will they ask me if I want milk with it? What are the tea options? Does it come loose leaf or in a tea bag? All of these things can tell me so much about a place and it’s one of my favorite experiences while I travel.
I have explored my love of tea on four continents (Australia, South America, and Antarctica – I’ll see you soon!). Ranked on overall taste and drinking atmosphere, here are my top three tea choices from around the world:
Number 3: Rooibos Tea (South Africa)
Rooibos tea is a warm and cozy herbal tea, which is reflective of the way I feel when I think about my South African friends. Its name means “red bush” and the leaves come from the Aspalathus linearis shrub. There is nothing better than a warm cup of rooibos tea, a rusk, and the South African sunset.
Number 2: Teh Tarik (Malaysia)
Teh Tarik is the smooth, sweet, creamy black tea that dreams are made of. Named for the puling technique used when the tea is poured, you can find this tasty drink at outdoor food markets, street vendors, and most restaurants in Malaysia. Be prepared to drink this hot, steaming beverage outside in 90 degree weather. Do yourself a favor and watch a YouTube video on the making of Teh Tarik – it’s amazing!
And coming in at number one……
Number 1: English Breakfast Tea (with milk and maybe a scone, thanks!)
As if there was any question about the best tea in the world, look no further than traditional English Breakfast Tea. The perfect amount of caffeine, practicality, and bluntness – sort of like the culture that it comes from. The debate can be had on milk or no milk, sugar or no sugar, but at the end of the day there is nothing better than a cup of breakfast tea to start the morning. A cup of tea in the UK was where my love for tea and tea culture began, so its only fitting that this show stopper would be ranked as number one.
So the great thing about all of this – if you want to experience the tea listed above, you can! You can travel to all three of these locations through St. Cloud State Education Abroad. Checkout the program options here: https://www.stcloudstate.edu/educationabroad/