In England, the serving and drinking of tea has evolved into an art and ritual complete with its own etiquette and customs. But you don't have to be British to cherish and enjoy tea. Around the world, the soothing aroma casts away anxieties and offers calm, as people of every country have learned to indulge in the simple luxury of drinking tea.

The English are quite particular about their specific "tea time" served in the afternoon, but most other people will welcome the tea interlude any time of the day or night. Perhaps Samuel Johnson said it best. "With tea amuses the evening, with tea solaces the midnight, with tea welcomes the morning." And the warm and hearty Chasid, Reb Moshe Rubin of Montreal would comment: "Drinking Tea, and reciting the Tehilim (Psalms), are not restricted to any specific time. They are always welcome. But the main thing is, they should both be served hot, not just lukewarm..."

Whence does tea derive its special healing powers, where does it come from, and what is its history?

Tea is steeped in many centuries of lore and history. From the Buddhist monks who used tea in their ancient ceremonies, to the American revolutionaries who tossed it into Boston Harbor, tea has played a major role in medicine and meditation, political upheaval, and social order.

Tea leaves are derived from a highly sensitive, temperamental plant (genus camellia, species sinesis) that is native to Central and Eastern Asia. According to Chinese legend, Emperor Shen Nong, revered for his knowledge of agriculture and medicine, was once boiling water, and the wind deposited some tea leaves into his pot. The pleasant aroma enticed Shen Nong to sample the accidental brew, and he found the flavor very to his liking. Other versions of the tale cite that the source of the tealeaves was not from a standing tree above the pot, but rather from a camellia branch that was fueling the flames below.

Tea became China's national drink, and in the eighth century Lu Yu published Ch'a Ching, the definitive tea production manual. No longer confined to medicinal and religious purposes, tea became a beverage of choice. Part poetry and partly a practical production guide, Yu's work standardized how tea is cultivated, manufactured, and infused. He also detailed the vessels and paraphernalia necessary to properly prepare and consume tea.

Tea flourished in China, but it was not until the seventeenth century that tea began to earn international fame as it expanded and gained a foothold in England.

Longing for exotic luxuries, Queen Elizabeth I founded the East India Company in 1600 to procure fine woven cloths, spices, herbs and other riches from the East. These oriental treasures included the import of tealeaves. At first, the East India Company's tea shipments were scarce, and subject to tariffs. But enterprising merchants ignored the royal monopoly and smuggled tea illegally. These contraband shipments increased the supply of tea in England, stimulating its sale and allure by offering the forbidden tea at a lower price. Tea was thus no longer reserved exclusively for high society, and soon replaced ale as England's national drink.

Tea drinking also blossomed in the English colonies overseas. By the turn of the eighteenth century, tea was publicly available to the people in colonial Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. But colonial tea trade was restricted to the Mother country. England imposed increasingly higher tariffs on tea to cover the expenses of the French and Indian War. These tea taxes angered the Americans and prompted them to take action. On December 16, 1773, outraged colonists disguised as Indians tossed hundreds of pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. Known as the Boston Tea Party, this dramatic event triggered the American fight for independence.

After the Revolutionary War, America staked its own claim in the Chinese tea trade, and tea became a source of social congregation. In both America and England, fine hotels housed tea courts and tearooms, where men and women would gather in the late afternoon to sip tea and exchange pleasantries.

Almost one hundred years ago, a frustrated tea vendor at the 1904 World's Fair, weary of trying to sell hot tea in the heat of summer, dropped in some ice cubes in an attempt to boost sales. The result was the first iced tea, which has since become a hallmark of supper tables in the American South.

Originally, tea was sold in little jars or containers, which were then boiled in water, and served from a little 'essence' saucer. But in 1908, Thomas Sullivan shipped tea samplers in little individual bags to New York restaurants. The restaurants began preparing the tea as is, without extracting it from the bag. Hence, the convenience of bagged tea was born, allowing tea connoisseurs to procure for themselves an individual hot cup of tea, as needed.

Tea remains a symbol of warmth, calm and serenity. From intimate family discussions, to old friends reuniting to exchange memories of the past, the ubiquitous cup of tea continues to bring people closer together.

Today, the leading name in better teas is Bigelow, with over half a century of experience in the importing, processing and blending of classic teas. In addition to their Black and Oolong teas, they are especially proud of their Green Tea, which is said to reduce the risk of cancer. Each of Bigelow's tea bags is over wrapped in an aluminum foil packet to preserve freshness.