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Lies, damned lies and the coffee lobby
Author: Dilhan, June 23rd, 2010 Fact and fiction should contrast as dramatically as black and white. Strangely that truth does not seem to hold anymore as the world enters a state of altered reality reminiscent of that which George Orwell described in 1949. In this dimension, it is not the State that is Big Brother, but something far worse. The history of tea is marked by more than the occasional subterfuge. Since Robert Fortune disguised himself as a Chinese Peasant to learn the art of producing tea in 1842, through to the Opium Wars and Boston Tea Party, tea has been no stranger to conspiracy and conflict. However the conspiracy in which tea finds itself involved in the 21st Century is one that is against tea itself. A Georgetown University Medical Centre study presented at the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism suggests that women who drink tea are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ignoring EULAR president, Prof Paul Emery’s words, "We do assert the need for caution in the inte... Read the rest of this entry » The Man with no Tea in him Author: Dilhan, October 21st, 2009
Te... Read the rest of this entry » 21st Century Beverage : terroir in tea Author: Dilhan, October 6th, 2009 The story behind your cup of tea is a fascinating one, for it is infused with art, history and dedication at every stage from hand picking the tender leaves through the ancient and traditional cycle of withering, rolling, fermentating, baking and sifting the tea leaves. And finally there is the art of tasting and selecting the finest. It is here that one of the most compelling aspects of this ancient herb becomes evident. An array of tea – around 7000 different teas - are tasted each week at Dilmah. Those teas, each different, with a spectrum of colour and taste, changes the week after - in colour, strength and personality. Terroir – the sense of place - is the reason for this wonderful variety. Tea, like wine, is influenced in taste, flavour and aroma by rainfall, temperature, soil conditions, sunshine, wind and of course the art of the tea maker. That natural alchemy determines the brightness, the subtle character of tea. Tea grown, for example, on Rilhena Estate, wit... Read the rest of this entry » The Harsher Truth behind the Harsh World Author: Dilhan, July 23rd, 2009 The global edition of today’s International Herald Tribune (July 22,2009) offers an image of Sri Lankan tea pickers in their scenic tea garden environment. The caption ‘Tea workers’ harsh world’ points to the paradox this beautiful image hides. Mark McDonald’s article goes on to explain that whilst Sri Lanka is the No. 2 Tea Exporter in the world, poverty amongst tea workers is increasing. True. Suggesting though that ‘..the fortunes of the Hill Tamil workers on its many plantations have not kept pace with the industry’s growth’ hides a much more complex reality than first meets the eye. Notwithstanding the superficial comment of the Ceylon Tea Traders’ Association representative that the workers are well cared for and not exploited, there is exploitation, but those responsible are not, as Mr. McDonald implies, the Tea Exporters and Traders in Sri Lanka. (more...)... Read the rest of this entry » …. and then there is tea (green tea for the firs Author: Dilhan, July 6th, 2009 If there was any doubt about the ancient wisdom that tea is good for human health, they were dispelled by the findings of the Fourth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health. Yet, like those that persist in smoking cigarettes in the face of overwhelming research advising against it, there are some who still do not favour the healthy and delicious herb. If the promise of protective benefits against every chronic disease does not lure, nor the prospect of reduced stress, greater alertness and less chance of Alzheimer’s Disease, then it must be left to the taste of tea. Taste buds battered by more provincial beverages than tea, or as likely its commoditised version, often fail to appreciate the sophistication in tea. The harmony of flavours that makes a good tea, can easily be misunderstood, especially where it is a good and fresh tea. Too often have I heard the astringency in a fresh, properly stored high grown Ceylon tea being mistaken for ‘bitterness’ and the richness a... Read the rest of this entry » One tea, two personalities Author: Dilhan, June 17th, 2009  Two mugs of tea, made using the same Dilmah Single Origin Pure Ceylon teabag, brewed for the same time in identical porcelain mugs and tasted seconds apart in the same conditions – yet entirely different. One has brightness, depth and strength, with the wonderful balance of richness and flavour that is the hallmark of Ceylon’s Dimbula region orthodox teas. The other, pungency but without depth, and strength without the diverse notes that formed the more complex character of the other tea. In appearance, they are similarly different to each other – the former a bright burgundy, with a tinge of orange around the edges where the tea ...Read the rest of this entry » White Lie Author: Dilhan, December 13th, 2008 
The surreal beauty of white – whether in leaf, infused leaf or liquor form - is a rare pleasure that every tea aficionado must enjoy. I do not mean the commercially driven and inexpert interpretation of white tea, but the real thing. It seems strange to have to make this differentiation because white tea should be, well .. white tea.
(more...)...Read the rest of this entry » It’s not size that really matters … Author: Dilhan, November 15th, 2008
Read the rest of this entry » Caffeine in tea – the story continues Author: Dilhan, November 8th, 2008 The subject of caffeine in tea is surrounded by misunderstanding and myth, which has too often led to tea drinkers sacrificing their enjoyment of the healthy herb in the belief that caffeine in tea is excessively damaging. Whilst a new study suggests restricting tea consumption during pregnancy to four cups a day due to the potentially negative effects of caffeine on the foetus, UK Nutritionist and Scottish Food Advisory Committee member Dr. Carrie Ruxton offers important guidelines on how to manage its intake without losing the benefits in caffeine. (more...)... Read the rest of this entry » Knowledge, Education, Quality – Tea Sommelie Author: Dilhan, November 3rd, 2008
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Hearing the advice, earlier this week, of a learned marketer who proclaimed that tea – in the form that we know and love it today - will disappear in five years, and that tradition, love for tea are obsolete amongst a new generation that desires only instant gratification, it seemed that the 21st Century is no time for artisans in tea. My friend’s thesis was sound - with the relentless advance of Wal Mart, the insistence on speed and convenience amongst a generation that tweets and SMSs in preference to writing or even emailing, the teapot could well become an obscure accessory. Suggestive though the signs may be, predictions of a demise in tea in the style it has endured for millennia may be premature.
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