Helen Saberi

The Chinese sip it from tiny cups, the Japanese whisk it. In America they serve it iced. The Tibetans add butter. The Russians serve with lemon. Mint is added in North Africa.

Afghans flavour it with cardamom. The Irish and the British drink it by the gallon with milk and sugar. The Indians boil it with condensed milk. In Australia it is brewed in a ‘billy’ can.

Tea, made from the dried leaves of the evergreen shrub Camellia sinensis infused in boiling water, is consumed by millions across the world. It is the second most popular beverage