Green teas probably top my favorites, but what bothers me very slightly is that it's not very local... like, at all. I mean, half way across the globe for this stuff. And the environmental aspects... you know what I mean.
So say tomorrow I were to eat and buy totally local. What grows here in the midwest USA that's reminiscent of Camellia Sinesis (aside from Nettle tea)?
Good luck... you could try to grow tea in some North American locales, not sure what the results would be in terms of brew-able leaf.
If i, for some reason, were forced to consume local food/beverages only, i might move to Japan... sencha, rice, miso, tofu, etc... altho, i believe they import most of their rice and soya beans.
I'm in favor of 'localism' where possible, but we humans are so globally inter-dependent that 100% "local" (100 mile radius? 50 mile radius? same country?) consumption is just not feasible. Besides, environmental impacts are in some cases less severe when each geographic area produces what it is most fit to produce, rather than trying to force each location to produce everything it requires...
An interesting aside, animal-agriculture produces more carbon emissions than all human transportation combined. So if you really want to help the environment, eat fewer animal products... instead of worrying where your oz of tea comes from
If i, for some reason, were forced to consume local food/beverages only, i might move to Japan... sencha, rice, miso, tofu, etc... altho, i believe they import most of their rice and soya beans.
I'm in favor of 'localism' where possible, but we humans are so globally inter-dependent that 100% "local" (100 mile radius? 50 mile radius? same country?) consumption is just not feasible. Besides, environmental impacts are in some cases less severe when each geographic area produces what it is most fit to produce, rather than trying to force each location to produce everything it requires...
An interesting aside, animal-agriculture produces more carbon emissions than all human transportation combined. So if you really want to help the environment, eat fewer animal products... instead of worrying where your oz of tea comes from
In the UK we have a tea estate called Tregothnan based down in Cornwall. Unfortunately they appear to blend their teas with Chinese and Indian ones, however I think it's purely due to the fact that the estate doesn't yield enough tea to meet the demand. I'm yet to try it but I am certainly curious to do so.
http://www.tregothnan.co.uk/
I am tempted to buy a teaplant off them in an attempt to grow my own, anyone else tried this?
Jack
http://www.tregothnan.co.uk/
I am tempted to buy a teaplant off them in an attempt to grow my own, anyone else tried this?
Jack