TEA
In the Yamari Empire, tea is a very important component. The ingredients in tea are wide and varied as are its uses. Even though there are many flavors and combinations of ingredients for different teas, tea is divided into only two major types: Herbal-tea and Stimulant-tea.
Herbal-teas:
Herbal-teas are, obviously, teas made from natural herbs and plants. These teas range from the highly flavorful to bland, proven health aides to folk remedies and anything in between. Herbal-teas are usually reserved for household use. Recipes and ingredients are subject to individual tastes and vary from home to home. These teas are used in most welcome-rituals, blessings, Temple ceremonies and the like as well as simple drinking enjoyment.
Stimulant-teas:
Stimulant-teas are commercially made and sold teas. No town and few villages are without their tea stalls. Teas of this sort are divided into three categories: Black, Brown and White. These teas differ from herbal-teas in almost every way possible. Stimulant-teas are thicker (think really thin milk-shake) and the flavors are stronger. Everyone has their own favorite things to add to teas such as milk, cream, honey or chocolate, vanilla, berry or nut flavorings. Since stimulant-teas are commercially made and sold, they can be bought and taken home or consumed outside of the home. Tea stalls are popular gathering places for people to meet for various reasons: courting, work-breaks, meeting friends, business deals, etc. It would be highly acceptable to arrange a date, for instance, at a tea stall. Also acceptable to buy a tea to seal a business transaction. It would be a breach in protocol to actually have the business meeting at a tea stall, however. The parties involved would only adjourn there after the meeting was over.
Black Tea: Strong, harsh, heavily flavored tea with high caffeine content. Normally drank in the mornings and whenever one needs a strong energy boost.
Brown Tea: Comes in Mild, Medium and Strong. A Strong Brown tea has half the caffeine content of a cup of Black tea. Medium has about 75% of a Strong Brown and a Mild has about 25% the caffeine of a Strong Brown. Brown Teas are flavored with different nuts. Almonds, walnuts, chestnuts, etc.
White Tea: Very mild and sweet. Mainly considered a dessert tea even though it is quite acceptable to drink throughout the day. Very low caffeine content, can be flavored however a person wants and usually heavy on the honey or sugar. Always served as the main beverage at tea-time.