jrnyjunky wrote:AR, you know Schon, Perry and Cain used make their own tea, too.

That is most excellent! I hope they read this!
Some more tea history:
Classical Period (618-907 A.D., Tang Dynasty)
During this time, tea drinking evolved into an art form. Tea as part of the Chinese culture was epitomized by the book “Ch’a Ching” or “Tea Classic” written by Lu Yu in 780 A.D. This three volume book covered everything related to tea from the proper techniques to growing plants to brewing tea. There was even a detailed description of a formal tea ceremony utilizing 27 pieces of equipment. Due to the complexity and the great number of accessories needed for the tea ceremony, only the affluent connoisseurs could afford all the equipment and the servants needed to prepare the tea. The connoisseurs included scholars, officials, and members of the royal court who studied the teachings of Confucius. As a result, the culture of tea contained a poetic aura. Tea during this period was sold in a brick form. The leaves were steamed, crushed, fired, and crushed into a brick. Tea was made by breaking a piece from this brick and boiling it in water.
Lu Yu because of his book, “Tea Classic” is considered to be the “Father of Tea” in Chinese history. When he was a young boy, he was abandoned and Chi Chan, abbot of the Dragon Cloud Zen Monastery, adopted him. Lu Yu was brought up in the Zen tradition but decided to pursue the more poetic and scholarly ways of the Confucian tradition. After writing his “Tea Classic,” he attracted many students and became a friend of the Emperor.