The world of tea is already complex enough, with all kinds of terminology floating around—so it’s no surprise that things occasionally get… mixed up. The problem is that this confusion can make it harder for people to properly understand what they’re drinking. The Problem with “Chai Tea” By far the most widespread misuse of tea… Continue reading

The internet often presents us with an endless stream of novelties and distractions—though it can still be used for practical matters like paying your electric bill. Many of these novelties fall into the category of time-wasters, but occasionally you come across something more useful. One such tool is the Google Ngram Viewer for tracking word… Continue reading

To say that deciphering tea terminology is challenging would be a considerable understatement. There are hundreds—if not thousands—of tea varieties, many of which have multiple names, particularly those originating in China. Take puerh, for example, which refers to a category of tea and is spelled in several different ways depending on the source. Even experienced… Continue reading

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “argot” as “an often more or less secret vocabulary and idiom peculiar to a particular group.” Read on for a few examples of argot specific to tea and check out The A-Z of Tea Types here. Agony of the Leaves A fanciful description of what happens to tea leaves when hot… Continue reading