Due to the way recent history of tea has developed in the West (from the 19th century to the present), it is considered, in this part of the world, as a drink “for women”. By this I mean that thanks to the custom of English tea time, invented by a woman, and the fact that in Mexico we still confuse any infusion of other plants with tea, it is not surprising that we think of tea as a drink “for grandma” and in the best of cases “for women”. Especially considering that the knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants has been transmitted mainly to women as a safeguard for the health of the family, mainly grandmothers.

Nothing could be further from the truth, since in the East, where tea comes from, the great masters of this ancient drink were always men. Furthermore, the propagators of the custom of drinking tea were also men (Buddhist monks) and the great ceremonies created for its enjoyment were also made by men, for men. The Cha no yu, the Japanese tea ceremony, for example, was performed by a man for his lord, whether he was a samurai, a governor or the emperor himself. In North Africa, where tea is widely consumed, the person in charge of preparing and serving it is also the man. Women were allowed very little contact with tea and it was not until many years later that they were allowed to learn about the ceremonies.

Nowadays, men and women drink tea in the East, Africa, the United States, America and Europe. So, broaden your horizons a little and give dad the tea he will enjoy during his afternoons of reading or even better, prepare him a brunch or an afternoon tea accompanied by a tea that goes with all the delicacies you will prepare, I recommend a Darjeeling Selimbong EURO TEA (click on the image and learn more about this tea, its prices and presentations).

Olivia Medina

Tea Master, EURO TEA