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Podcast: We Are What We Ate: A History of Food and Society
Episode: Steeped in History: How Tea Shaped Empires, Trade, and Culture with Rebecca Gildea of the British Tea Museum
Description: On this fascinating episode, acclaimed British Tea Museum founder, Rebecca Gildea, who steeps us in tales of how humble tea leaves fueled rebellions, shaped empires, and impacted cultures across centuries.
We unpack tea's ancient origins in China and spread along the Silk Road. Rebecca shares insider knowledge on how tea taxes incited events like the Boston Tea Party, challenged monopolies, and spurred rampant smuggling.Â
She also enlightens us on evolving tea etiquette rituals, processing methods behind different tea types, and intriguing health benefits.Â
In th...