Some of World's Weirdest Teas You Didn't Know People Drink
A cup of tea is undoubtedly one of the most popular drinks loved by millions of people, it is the only drink consumed by people from all over the world.
It is usually produced using green tea leaves, however there are many other types made using a large number of other tea leaves and ingredients from different parts of the world.
International Tea Day is observed annually on May 21st, according to the United Nations (UN).
In honor of this day, Gulf moments will let you know some of the most unusual teas in the world:
Russian Brick Tea
If you imagine tea manufactured from massive bricks, you're not far off the mark. Russian brick tea is named from how it is produced. It was one of the famous tea varieties across Central Asia and Russia
Black tea dust and tea fannings are steamed and compressed to form solid brick-like tablets and then these tablets are used to make tea just like we use sugar cubes.
Nowadays, it is merely a novelty or decorative object. There are a few facilities still manufacturing it, but Russian Brick Tea is likely to fade into obscurity.
Blue Tea
The blue colour that results from brewing the leaves is what many people throughout the world find strange about this tea. The explanation for the colour is straightforward and logical. It is often made from dried butterfly pea blossoms found in Thailand. Blue Tea’s favour is floral, and many people pair it with a splash of lemon that turns the tea purple.
Panda Dung Tea
Panda Dung Tea is one of the most expensive teas worldwide and produced in the Ya’an mountainous region of Sichuan, China.
In the process of making this tea, panda dung is used as a fertilizer for the growth of the tea plants. The pandas only absorb 30 percent of the nutrients they eat, leaving the 70 percent for the fertilizer from which this tea is made.
Bubble Tea
It is a type of cold tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s.
Bubble tea is mixture of several products such as milk, fruits, and tapioca chewable balls with a tea base.
This tea-based drink is served as a cold drink with a straw to enjoy it.
Tomato Mint Tea
This is a kind of delicious tea that is loved by many people around the world. It has tomato as the main ingredient and an added mint flavor that provides uniqueness to the cup.
It's like drinking hot soup or broth in a cup of tea.
Awabancha Tea
Awabancha is an artisan-produced post-fermented tea from Japan’s Tokushima prefecture.
Awabancha is fermented with lactic acid bacteria on Japan's Shikoku Island.
The fermentation with lactic acid bacteria results in tea with a low amount of caffeine that is usually high in green tea.
Fermented Yak Butter Tea
It is prepared by mixing regular tea with yak butter and salt, and it can take up to half a day to prepare. It is a popular drink in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, Bhutan, India and Tibet.