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More
than a century before the pyramids of Egypt were built, a mythical emperor of China, Shen Nung reined over the people of the
Yellow River valley. He had a habit of boiling his water as to kill bacteria that infested ancient unfiltered river water.
One day while enjoying a cup of boiled water in his palace courtyard, a strong gust of wind blew some nearby tealeaves into
his cup. Emperor Shen Nung could not ignore the rich aroma that wafted from the accidental concoction. After taking a sip,
the savory flavor and rejuvenating sensation delighted the emperor so much that putting tealeaves in boiling water became
a cultural tradition. Thousands of years later, tae has become one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. As
its popularity increased across the globe, countless innovations have been created to suit regional tastes. Delightful additions
include adding milk and sugar, flavoring with fruit or mint, and serving with ice. Recently, scientific studies have shown
that tea can provide many health benefits, including cancer prevention. Though tea has changed through the millennia, it still
retains much of the hearty flavor and rich aroma enjoyed by the Chinese so long ago in the far away Yellow River valley.
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