In Flanders, we call many warm drinks “tea”: ginger tea, chamomile tea, rooibos tea, apple tea… But did you know that “real” tea always comes from one special plant: the Camellia sinensis? Anything not derived from this particular plant is technically speaking nto tea. These drinks are actually called an infusion. These can be leaves, herbs, or fruits, such as mint, rosehip, or rooibos.
When pure tea is blended with other ingredients, we call it a blend – think of Earl Grey with its hint of bergamot.
And here’s where it gets even more fascinating: there is only one tea plant, yet we can make six different types of tea from it. The secret lies in the production process. This is how white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and post-fermented teas are created – all from the same leaves, but with completely different flavors and character.
At Boek & Tas, we work with specialty tea: carefully selected tea leaves of the highest quality, with attention to origin, picking method, and processing. This way, you can taste tea in its purest form. But of course, you can also enjoy delicious herbal teas and surprising blends with us.