#Top5 Tea Facts with Heather McCollum

Top 5 Favorite Tea Facts

Hello! I am Heather McCollum, Scottish Historical Romance author and tea lover. Tea, to me, is more than a hot drink. It is slowing down, taking a breath, paying attention to life, and finding comfort in small things.

Tea was part of my growing up. My mother drank it all the time and would make me a cup so I could sit quietly with her and talk. Of course, when I was five years old, my drink was half milk, but it was still tea to me. I currently try to take the time to pull out china tea cups and a real teapot once a week to sit with my own daughter.

With my ongoing love for tea, and the ceremony around it, I purposely moved my next historical romance series to the late 17^thcentury, so I could include tea in the books. Finally, my heroine can sit with a hot cup (or bowl) of tea to energize herself, rally her spirits, or relax after a long day of holding her ground with the hero and outsmarting the villain.

Here are my Top 5 Tea Facts:

Legend says that the Chinese emperor Shen Nungused to have his servants boil his water for safety before he drank it. In 2737 BC, while sitting under a tree, some leaves blew into the boiling water. Since he was an herbalist, the emperor decided to drink it anyway. The tree happened to be Camellia sinensis (Tea Tree), and the drink became known as tea.

Tea was first advertised in an English newspaper in 1658. The “China Drink” was being served in a coffee house in London. It was very expensive, so it was only available to the wealthy.

King Charles II of England married the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza, in 1662. Catherine loved tea and ordered the leaf from China as soon as she arrived in England. With a royal example set, tea drinking spread through the upper classes.

Afternoon Teastarted in the 1830’s – 1840’s when Anna, the 7^thDuchess of Bedford began requesting it around four o’clock in the afternoon, since the evening meal didn’t occur until eight o’clock. The Duchess requested a tray of tea, bread and butter, and cake. It became a habit, and she invited her friends to join her small afternoon parties. Afternoon tea was sometimes called Low Tea because attendees would sit on low settees to partake in casual parties amongst the elite. It consists of tiny sandwiches, dainty scones and cakes, and of course tea.

High Tea– Despite the name, high tea started with the working class who weren’t afforded a lunch break. So as soon as they got home, they would partake in a hearty meal of meat, cheese and pies with their tea. The term High Tea likely came from people eating and drinking at regular tables instead of the low settees and couches of Afternoon Tea.

Thanks so much for joining me today. Stop by my website’s “Kitchen” to find a recipe for my from-scratch Chai Tea Latte. Heather’s Chai Tea Latte Recipe

Mairi Maclean is kidnapped on her wedding day by the enemy ofher dead husband. Taken north to the water-surrounded Kisimul Castle, she is held captive in the name of retribution. But The Wolf of Kisimul Castle soon learns Mairi is not a docile pawn in this game of war between neighboring Scots. Nor will she be frightened into walking down the aisle to wed the fierce Highland chief.

Alec MacNeil is set on revenge. When he finds his enemy dead, he takes his wife to replace the one that was murdered. An eye for an eye. A bride for a bride. But Mairi is more tiger than kitten and refuses to bend to his will. Set stubbornly against one another, the passion that flares between them threatens to tear Alec’s strategy to shreds.

Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical paranormal and YA romance writer. She earned her B.A. in Biology, much to her English professor’s dismay. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood of 2009 Golden Heart finalists. The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entrances Ms. McCollum’s heart and imagination every time she visits. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since her first journey across the pond. When she is not creating vibrant characters & magical adventures on the page, she is roaring her own battle cry in the war against ovarian cancer. Ms. McCollum recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero, rescued golden retriever & 3 kids in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.