Somewhere in the world it’s tea time, right now, depending on location and time zone.

Drinking tea has been a pleasure for thousands of years and began in China where a talented emperor, Shen Nung, is said to have discovered the beverage while on a visit to a distant region of the land.

Legend has it that he ordered all water be boiled before consumption. When the group stopped for a rest and the water had been boiled, some leaves from the above tree dropped into the hot water and produced a dark brown coloration. Curiosity invited him to taste the hot mixture and his lordship was infatuated by it. True or not, the story has merit.

Tea plant leaves were taken to Japan by a Buddhist priest and the brewed beverage soon became an important ceremonial drink there. Tea plantations sprung up there and in Korea.

Soon the trade routes to Europe resulted in the transportation of tea to the West but westerners had no idea what the plant looked like that produced the makings of the dark beverage.

Tea drinking in England commenced much later since there was a law at that time preventing trade with China. When the law was abolished tn the early 1600s, things changed. It is not really known why Britons took such a fancy to tea but it is known that they became the western world’s greatest fancier of this beverage — even when a 200 per cent tax had been imposed.

As well, the demand caused a great imbalance of trade with China, so the British conceived the idea of establishing tea plantations in India — a great success, as that country now produces more than 200,000 metric tonnes of tea a year.

Black and green tea are the most common types harvested but red and white varieties also are produced. Green tea is known to have healthful properties and is available locally but the red and white are less popular.

They all come from the same tree but are harvested at different times of growth. Tea trees would grow to be quite a height if left but producers cut them back severely so they branch out and produce an abundance of tender leaves.

In early years there were no stoves and water had to be heated to a boil in cast iron pots in the hearth. In the mid-1800s, the ranges or stoves we are familiar with today became a reality and pots and pans were used on the cast iron tops for heating and cooking.

Tea kettles came into being and were made in several different sizes. Cast iron types were popular, as were tin models.

In the accompanying photographs, the old tin kettle is smaller than most. There were fewer smaller models made, so they are now hard to find.

It was first thought that the white kettle was all ceramics but its weight and the fact that a magnet was attracted to its surface proved that it was indeed enamel over cast. The handle with its slim construction and the screws used to fasten the wooden part of the handle tells us that it is not old.

The attractive teapot was made in England by Woods prior to 1900 but its general physics would not look out of place on the modern dining table.

Tea kettles would make a dandy collectibles hobby and would best be suited for a rumpus or family room. They can be found in several sizes and made of brass, copper, glass (rare) as well as cast, tin and enamel. Prices should run in the area of $20 to $30, depending on condition and demand.

Collectible accessories for the tea table include cream and sugar sets. There is a great choice in this area, including ceramics, silver and silver plate. The latter used to be quite a popular collectible mostly for their quality and eye appeal. In recent years, however, people have tired of the constant care and polishing, but to retain their beauty and charm, polishing is indeed a necessity.

No doubt the Orientals used some kind of pot to brew their tea but teapots as we know them today were designed in Europe as were the cups we drink it from. The brown betty teapot was very popular, rugged and could be found in many of the homes of North America.

Today teapots are often not used in the brewing. Rather a teabag can be placed in a cup and filled with not just hot, but boiling water, left for a minute or so or stirred a bit to hasten its completion, drunk clear or with cream or sugar (or both). This method works fine for many, but the seasoned tea drinker is shocked at this shortcut in place of brewing in a pot.