Hillside Tea: Connecting Cultures

December 14, 2020

Hillside Tea- purveyors of traditional teas, located in Duluth, MN.

What has long been marketed as “tea,” is commonly an herbal blend. Traditional tea is specific to the plant.

The tea plant, also known as Camellia Sinensis, is an evergreen species whose leaves are used to make what we know as tea. This plant, native to East Asia, is represented by two main varieties; sinensis and assamica. They are the source of the many hundreds of natural hybrids, cultivars and variations that have continued to be processed into tea over the centuries. There are many words, languages and categories used to define the nature of tea and tea processing. Each possessing nuance and artistry depending on the style of tea and the performance of process. Teas are named for their ascetic, after cultivars, by season, and by traditional processing steps. Ancient techniques and modernization work together amongst an ever evolving landscape and changing environmental conditions.

hillside tea

Although there is much to learn and be practiced, we at Hillside Tea seek to share beautiful teas with our community in a way that is easy to understand and accessible to all. By providing important details about who grows the tea and where those people live, along with the process they have crafted to create vitality in their lives, we hope to encourage a deeper appreciation for the human experience. The flavor and variation in tea is a reflection of a unique natural world shaped by the human spirit.

Learn more about traditional tea types:

Tea, like coffee, has the opportunity to connect people and cultures from afar. With a world full of information, it’s important dive deeper, look within, and consume consciously.