There are a number of Yaupon tea makers here in TX, my favorite here in ATX is Local Leaf if anyone’s looking to try some. I enjoy the Yaupon I’ve had, it’s a something like a lighter green tea,...
There are a number of Yaupon tea makers here in TX, my favorite here in ATX is Local Leaf if anyone’s looking to try some.
I enjoy the Yaupon I’ve had, it’s a something like a lighter green tea, but (at least in my experience) also responds well to heartier steepings and doesn’t fall into the tannin taste you often get out of strong green tea brews.
I look forward to it growing in popularity and getting to try more growers teas!
Very interesting article! I live a little bit above the latitude at which it grows, so I've never seen it personally... but I'm certainly interested in buying some now! My partner is very big on...
Very interesting article! I live a little bit above the latitude at which it grows, so I've never seen it personally... but I'm certainly interested in buying some now! My partner is very big on tea, so this would make a great present :)
What a fascinating story about a tea with an unfortunate name.
What a fascinating story about a tea with an unfortunate name.
In 1789, William Aiton, a famed botanist and the first superintendent of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, appointed by King George III, gave yaupon its controversial scientific name, Ilex vomitoria. While some believe that Aiton’s nomenclature reflected yaupon’s ritual consumption among Native Americans, others believe it was a politically motivated smear campaign to further squash the threat to the English tea trade. Whatever his underlying motivation, Aiton’s unsavoury naming tainted yaupon’s reputation and instilled a lasting fear of unwanted side effects.
There are four main hollies that are consumed for their caffeine actually: i. paraguayensis, guayusa, kaushua, vomitoria, aka yerba mate, guayusa (creatively named after the people who consumed it...
There are four main hollies that are consumed for their caffeine actually: i. paraguayensis, guayusa, kaushua, vomitoria, aka yerba mate, guayusa (creatively named after the people who consumed it in northern South America), kuding (Chinese) and yaupon. I'm a regular consumer of yerba mate, and have been wanting to try the other three (all easily sourced, actually). They've all got fascinating histories as beverages, and more caffeine than tea.
It sucks that yaupon was dragged through the mud by William Aiton, but hopefully we can see a resurgence in its popularity.
There are a number of Yaupon tea makers here in TX, my favorite here in ATX is Local Leaf if anyone’s looking to try some.
I enjoy the Yaupon I’ve had, it’s a something like a lighter green tea, but (at least in my experience) also responds well to heartier steepings and doesn’t fall into the tannin taste you often get out of strong green tea brews.
I look forward to it growing in popularity and getting to try more growers teas!
Very interesting article! I live a little bit above the latitude at which it grows, so I've never seen it personally... but I'm certainly interested in buying some now! My partner is very big on tea, so this would make a great present :)
What a fascinating story about a tea with an unfortunate name.
There are four main hollies that are consumed for their caffeine actually: i. paraguayensis, guayusa, kaushua, vomitoria, aka yerba mate, guayusa (creatively named after the people who consumed it in northern South America), kuding (Chinese) and yaupon. I'm a regular consumer of yerba mate, and have been wanting to try the other three (all easily sourced, actually). They've all got fascinating histories as beverages, and more caffeine than tea.
It sucks that yaupon was dragged through the mud by William Aiton, but hopefully we can see a resurgence in its popularity.