S mall pieces of tea that float on the top of the cup mean a visit from strangers. T he Indian monk, Bodhidharma, fell asleep by meditating. To ensure this would never happen again, he cut off his eyelids. A tea bush sprang from the spot where they landed, producing a drink that would forever banish fatigue. I n China, a cup of tea is a customary way to welcome a guest.
High tea is the late afternoon meal of the middle class and includes a bounty of food.
D ating back 5,000 years, tea is one of the world's oldest beverages. T ea seeds come from the Camellia sinensis, evergreen plants grown to their full height of 20 feet. Small, white flowers that resemble apple blossoms, cover the tree like plants and from these flowers come the seed. Strictly speaking, tea is any black, oolong, green or the rare white varieties of this plant. There are over 3,000 types of tea cultivated in 35 countries.