Today we decided to dive into the tea traditions around the world. And to start with, we will share with you the tea traditions in Thailand.
Iced Tea
When thinking about Thai tea the first thing that comes to mind for most is Cha Yen, or Thai iced tea. A strongly-brewed, red-colored, sweet tea poured over ice. It is often made from black tea powder. Other versions are made from loose black tea with sweetened condensed milk.
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cha_Yen_-_Mint_Thai_AUD2.50.jpg#/media/File:Cha_Yen_-_Mint_Thai_AUD2.50.jpg
Herbal Infusions
Thailand offers a wide variety of herbs that are used to make infusions, like Roselle, Butterfly Pea, and Lemongrass.
Roselle Tea is considered to be a very healthy drink in Thailand. Roselle Tea is high in vitamin C. It is made from dried Roselle flowers and is known to reduce fever and cough, and also as a constipation remedy. Warning, too much of Roselle can cause you more toilet trips than you’d like 😉
Butterfly Pea. This purplish blue beauty queen is generous enough to offer you some beauty benefits, smoothing your skin and silkening your hair.
Lemongrass is very popular in Thai cuisine but can also be infused to make (iced) tea. It has a light citrus flavor and is believed to help with digestion, reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.
Tea Cultivation
Historically Thailand is not known for producing tea. Still, in recent years there has been a growing interest in tea in Thailand, and the country is now starting to establish itself as a producer of high-quality tea. One of the most prominent tea-growing regions in Thailand is in the northern part of the country, an area that is known for its high-altitude mountains, cool climate, and rich soil, which provide ideal conditions for growing tea.
After the crackdown on the opium trade in this region, the Thai Royal Family initiated several projects to support farmers' transition to cultivating other crops.
The development of high-quality and specialty teas in the region was accelerated by the expert knowledge, trade connections, and business ethic of ethnic Chinese communities.
The main category of tea made in Thailand is lightly oxidized rolled oolong, a tea style common in Taiwan.