There is nothing quite as satisfying as a full-bodied cup of rich Assam tea, especially as the days get chillier. The flavor complements a wide variety of foods, from hamburgers to lasagna, from morel mushrooms to Mexican foods, from pecan pie to Crème Brûlée, and much more. For me, it’s especially good with a tasty lamb vindaloo (a spicy Indian stew) and pepper Naan (an Indian flatbread with coarse ground pepper baked in).

My affinity for palate-scorching cuisine, especially from India, began in the university days. We had an active exchange student program which gave me an opportunity to know people from several corners of the globe: South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and India (of course), to name a few. My tastebuds soon became accustomed to the blistering heat of kimchi, curries, and a variety of chili recipes (thanks to the exchange students from Texas!). However, learning more about which teas went best with these dishes didn’t come until much later.

One of the first I learned about was Assam tea, which comes from the Assam district of India. It is made from a tea plant variety called Camellia Sinensis assamica, a version that was better acclimated to the Assam region. The tea “liquor” has more bitterness that Darjeeling but takes milk and sweetener all the better for it. Milk is great for helping your tongue recover from a dose of spices, especially chiles and cayenne pepper. So, a nice cup of Assam with an ounce or two of milk and a spoonful of sweetener really puts out the fire.

The Assam tea I like best comes in “nuggets” that are perfect for spooning loosely into a teapot. The brewing time is about five minutes in water that has been brought to a full boil. I like my tea brewed strong, so you might want to play with the length of time to get the “liquor” to the strength that’s right for you. Remember that, as a general rule, if you put milk in the tea, you will want to brew it stronger. For those of you who think adding milk to tea is an abomination, I got the habit from an Indian friend, since that is often how it is prepared in his country. Of course, my time in Britain showed that this was their favorite method, too.

Some information has come out saying that milk in tea negates some of its health benefits. Since I drink tea primarily for enjoyment, this isn’t an issue for me. However, the milk does help me handle the acid in tea (far less than in coffee but still an issue for my “delicate constitution”). White and green teas aren’t a problem, but Assam, Ceylon, and Keemun definitely are. However, the main benefit of milk in my tea is to cool those tastebud fires.

Of course, I picked up a curry recipe or two while at university. The one I make most often is chicken curry. Cooking time takes awhile but gives me a chance, as the curry is bubbling in a covered pot over medium heat, to sample a cup or two of that tasty Assam tea (have to make sure it’s just right for my dinner guests, don’t I?). I never learned to make Naan, so I either serve store bought or make a whole wheat chapatti (another flatbread — this one is fried and resembles a tortilla).

Time to check the curry and see if it’s ready to enjoy with my pot of tea. Ah, Assam!

You can learn more about what A.C. calls the “tea life” on her blog, Tea Time with A.C. Cargill.

Sencha is the most common tea served as an every day drink in Japan. While there are high-quality Sencha tea leaves that are plucked by hand and served only on special occasions, Sencha is generally the daily tea enjoyed by the Japanese people. Sencha is steamed immediately after it is picked to instantly stop the fermentation process. This same process is done with all Japanese green teas.

Gyokuro is the highest grade of Japanese tea. It is considered a luxury and made from only the first flush. The resulting brew is a pale, yellowish green color, and it has a rich flavor. The bushes from which the Gyokuro tea leaves are plucked are kept in the shade beginning in about May. As soon as the first buds sprout, the entire crop is covered with mats, which reduce the light and force the tea leaves to produce a higher chlorophyll content. The reduced light results in a darker green tea leaf with lower tannins, which gives the tea a sweet, mild flavor. Just like the Sencha tealeaves, the Gyokuro tealeaves are immediately steamed to stop fermentation.

The final green tea is Matcha, which is a green powder made from grinding Gyokuro tealeaves. This powder is whisked in a bowl of hot water to make a frothy tea flavored drink. This it the tea that is traditionally used in cooking and is served in the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony. Since this drink is made with a powder you are actually drinking the ground tealeaves, so Matcha has the highest concentration of vitamins, anti-oxidants and catechins of any green tea.

There are three tea-growing regions in India. The Darjeeling and Assam regions are located in the northeast, and then Nilgiri is located in the south. Each tea region has different growing conditions, and as a result they yield very different flavored teas. About half of Indian tea is grown in the Assam region, which is at a much lower altitude than either Darjeeling or Nilgiri. Tea grown in this region has a malty flavor, and because it is full bodied, it is suitable to drink any time of the day.

The higher altitude and the colder climate make Darjeeling the perfect tea-growing environment, and some of the finest tea in the world comes from this region. Darjeeling tea is frequently referred to as the champagne of tea, and it is this tea leaf that the English prefer in their tea rooms.

While the Nilgiri region is also at a high altitude, it is located much further south than Darjeeling, so it enjoys a much longer growing season. Because of this the Nilgiri region produces four times as much tea per acre as the Darjeeling region. The black teas from the Nilgiri region are fruity and smooth and can stand up to milk or sugar.

While India is most famous for its black tea, it also produces white, green and organic tea. Black tea is, of course, still the most popular export, but recently green tea from the Darjeeling region is gaining in popularity as well.

The Darjeeling region is cold, wet and mountainous. There is a constant mist in the air, and combined with the extremely high altitude this environment is perfect for growing tea. Known as the champagne of teas, Darjeeling tea is lighter than many of its neighboring black teas. The unique environment of this region gives the tea a wine like flavor with hints of fruits, nuts and florals.

A good cup of Darjeeling tea has a very definite astringency to it, and along with its fine wine bouquet, it stands out among the tea grown in neighboring regions. Since this tea is so popular, it is not unusual for demand to exceed the available supply during any growing season. Because of this, some tea that is labeled Darjeeling is actually a blend, and if you look closely you will find that about half of the blend is another variety of black tea.

Because of its extreme climate, the Darjeeling region only produces about a quarter as much tea as the other tea regions in India. Tea leaves are harvested from late spring through autumn, and then the bushes are tended during the winter to maintain their health, but they will not produce a plucking again until late spring.

When you are lucky enough to sip a cup of pure Darjeeling tea, enjoy the moment, because the moment is getting harder and harder to find.

For many years the Chinese Empire dictated how tea crops were to be cultivated. While the Chinese Empire has relinquished its iron grip on tea production, tea is still an integral part of the country’s culture, history and cuisine.

Tibet has been drinking tea since the Chinese introduced them to it in the 9th century. In Tibet tea is made by boiling a tea leaf for thirty minutes. Then it’s strained through horsehair into a long, wooden container, and flavored with yak butter and salt and then emulsified. This robust drink was restorative and helped the Tibetans stave off the elements in their harsh climate and terrain. In Tibet, etiquette requires that a guest always be offered tea, and that their cup should never go empty.

Japan also discovered tea in the 9th century. The religious ceremony that surrounded tea evolved into the Japanese tea ceremony. Today in Japan tea is central to their lives. It is used to greet guests, found in vending machines, made into green tea flavored ice cream, and served at virtually every meal. Teas grown in Japan have been evolved to be less sweet and more potent than their Chinese counterpart.

Russia did not enjoy a cup of tea until the 17th century, and it was presented as a gift from the Chinese. Over the years black tea has been the brew of choice, but recently green tea is gaining in popularity.

Also in the 17th century the Europeans got their first taste of tea. Since tea was imported, it was considered a luxury enjoyed only by the wealthy. It became a mainstay in Britain as the afternoon tea became a commonly served afternoon snack for the wealthy and common folk alike. The British enjoy black tea with a dollop of milk.

Tea did not reach America until the 18th century, and of course it was popular among inhabitants who once lived in Britain. Americans enjoy all manner of tea, and have been credited with two innovations, the tea bag and iced tea.

The next time that you are enjoying your cup of tea take a moment to realize that this drink made from a simple shrub connects you in a very real way to the rest of the world.

With tight budgets, more and more people are turning to nights in instead of out. So, for your next girls’ night in, have an evening tea. This is not your pinkies-out afternoon tea, and tea companies are catching on.

Create a fun lounge time atmosphere by picking fun music and having guests dress as if they were still going out on the town. Serve sliced up fruit, which will pair well with many tea cocktails. If you want to reference afternoon tea, go ahead and serve tea sandwiches. If you are not in a cooking mood after a long week of work, pick up a box of frozen quiches from Costco (surprisingly delicious). Stacked slices of brie and apple drizzled with the slightest bit of honey make an easy light hors d’oeuvres.

Now for the most important part of any cocktail hour aside from the conversation: the drinks. Here of course, the drinks will all have a tea theme.

For cold options, look for a sweet tea vodka, of which there are several on the market. Mix with lemonade for a Naughty Arnold Palmer. Or make tea martinis. Make your own sweet tea and mix two ounces of sweet tea with one ounce vodka, and garnish with a lemon. The choices are endless, limited only with the teas you have in your cabinet.

If it’s a cold night in, go for hot toddies. Start with a cup of hot black tea, and stir in honey, brandy to taste, and garnish with a lemon slice. Mulled wine is also a great choice for cold nights. Simply simmer your favorite spiced tea in wine, never letting it come to a boil, and add sugar to taste.

Whatever “naughtea” cocktails you decide to serve for your girls’ night in, please remember to drink responsibly, have fun, and as always, enjoy your cuppa.

Get the scoop from Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!

Camellia assamica is the other variety of tea harvested for making commercial tea. These plants have larger leaves and a higher yield than the Camellia sinensis and are generally found growing in Sri Lanka and India. The tea produced from these leaves has a simple, robust flavor, which is frequently earthy with a hint of malt. Assam and Ceylon teas both come from the Camellia assamica plant.

Even though the highest quality tea is plucked from the Camellia sinensis plant, generally the leaf buds and very young tealeaves from either plant will yield a fine cup of tea. There are some teas like the smoked teas, however, that can only be made from more mature tealeaves. A good quality tea must also be processed correctly whether it is white tea which requires no processing, green tea which requires minimal processing, oolong tea which requires some oxidation or black tea which goes through the complete oxidation cycle.

With the many different options available during the plucking process coupled with the many different options available during the fermentation process, there are dozens of styles of tea available to the tea lover today. While the first tea shrub was grown in China as a medicinal plant in the fourth century, today India produces more tea for commercial use than any other country.

With gourmet tea sales increasing up to twenty-five percent each year for the last two decades, it’s obvious that demand for quality is high. And now that folks are tightening their belts during these tough economic times, more people are staying home and enjoying time with friends, family and a good cup of tea.

In the United States alone, gourmet teas account for over eight percent of 2009’s two billion dollar tea business. Specialty tearooms are popping up all over the United States. These tearooms are changing the pattern of tea consumption from that of a simple drink to more of a social occasion.

It is the indulgence that people can still afford to enjoy with a guilt free conscience. While gathering with old friends as well as new to visit and catch up on local news a tea drinker can enjoy a regular cup of tea side by side with friends indulging in their gourmet selections like Emperor’s White Garden, Silver Moon, Goût Sakura and Russe Douchka.

So whether you are enjoying the most special yellow tea costing $2,120 per kilo or a house blend, what a great excuse to gather with friends to share the news of the day.

For such a simple leaf, the tea plant has undergone amazing transformations in the cups of its drinkers over the centuries. There are as many ways to drink tea as there are leaves on camellia sinensis.

The Chinese people today drink tea as a simple infusion. But there was a time that so many additives made their way into hot water that tea became more of a vegetable soup, with onions and other foods mixed in.

Japanese people invented matcha, the powdered green tea used in the beautifully elaborate tea ceremony.

In many Thai restaurants, you can order Thai iced tea, often a black tea with coconut added, served with cane sugar syrup and coconut milk.

In Morocco and other Middle Eastern companies, green tea with mint is very popular.

The Bedouins prepare their tea after a campfire, giving it a strong smoky flavor.

Tibetans add yak butter and salt to their infusion.

In India, black tea is highly spiced and mixed with sugar and milk. On the street, this is sold in pottery cups that are then dashed against the ground.

In the United Kingdom, the most popular style is very strong, with lots of milk and sugar.

In the United States, we don’t have much of a tea culture, and yet people continue to find endless ways to drink the stuff. Some still like it black (or plain green), while others add a myriad of ingredients, such as honey or agave syrup, sugar, cane sugar, lemon, or even, as suggested by one company, maple syrup. Starbucks has created tea lattes, with whole leaf tea, steamed milk, and flavored syrups. Tea has found its way into beers, sodas, and juices. Americans also love their iced tea, sweetened or unsweetened, or mixed with lemonade to make an Arnold Palmer.

No matter how you steep it, tea continues to be the most consumed beverage in the world, yak butter or no.

Check out the scoop on tea at Stephanie’s blog!

Each region of the world enjoys their tea a little differently. For example, in areas of the world where sugar is rare, such as remote regions of central Asia, some of the locals flavor their tea with salt or yak butter. While this mixture creates a savory blend, in other parts of the world, the tastes run towards a sweeter blend. For example, Chinese teas are primarily green or semi-fermented which are naturally lighter and sweeter blends of tea.

Western tastes embrace the stronger flavored black tea blends. These blends compliment both sweet and salty food selections. The English discovered that most black tea blends also stand up well to a drop of milk, and this preference soon became dominant throughout the region.

France drinks its tea like it drinks its wine, enjoying everything from rare white teas to the strongest of black teas. The French understand that like wine their tea should compliment the plate of food that they are enjoying, and a result of this finely developed palette, they enjoy a different tea for almost each moment of the day.

Learning to taste a good tea is like developing an appreciation for good wine. A finely tuned palette happens gradually, and begins by tasting thoughtfully. In time you can develop the knowledge of where a tea was grown, which harvest it came from, how long it was fermented, etc., and until then just sit back and enjoy the learning process.