Alright, alright, let’s talk about this black tea place, the one they keep yappin’ about in the newspaper crossword. Heard it’s called “Assam”, sounds like somethin’ you’d yell when you stub your toe! But anyways, they say it’s a big deal for tea, so let’s see what all the fuss is about.

Now, I ain’t never been to no Assam, mind you. I’m just a simple woman, but I know a thing or two about tea. Been drinkin’ it my whole life, you know, the strong stuff, the kind that wakes you up better than any rooster crowin’. So, when they say Assam is important for black tea, I reckon they ain’t lyin’.

What’s this Assam place anyway?

From what I hear, it’s a place over in India. Big ol’ place, I guess, with lots of green fields and sunshine. That’s good for growin’ tea, you see. Tea plants, they like that warm weather and plenty of rain. Just like my tomatoes, gotta have the sun to get ’em big and red.

• They say Assam is the biggest tea-growing place in the whole world. That’s a lot of tea, I tell ya! Enough to fill a whole barn, maybe even two!
• And the tea they grow there, it’s strong tea. The kind that makes your hair stand on end if you ain’t careful. They call it “black tea,” but it’s really a dark reddish color, like a good brick.
• Folks have been growin’ tea in Assam for a long, long time, way before I was even born. Generations of families, workin’ the land, pickin’ the leaves. It’s hard work, but somebody’s gotta do it, right?

Why is Assam tea so famous?

Well, it’s got that strong taste, like I said. And folks like that, I guess. It’s the kind of tea you drink in the mornin’ to get you goin’, or in the afternoon when you need a little pick-me-up. It ain’t like that weak stuff they serve in fancy restaurants, this tea’s got some kick to it!

And they use it to make all sorts of things, not just plain tea. They mix it with spices and milk, make that “chai” stuff. I tried it once, not bad, but I still prefer my tea straight, the way the good Lord intended.

Growin’ tea ain’t easy, you know

Takes a lot of work. You gotta plant the bushes, and then you gotta wait for them to grow. And then you gotta pick the leaves, just the right ones, not too old, not too young. And then you gotta dry ’em and crush ’em and all sorts of things. It’s a whole process, I tell ya.

But those folks in Assam, they know what they’re doin’. They’ve been doin’ it for years. They got the hang of it. And that’s why their tea is so good, so famous.

So, next time you’re drinkin’ a cup of black tea, think about Assam

Think about all those folks workin’ hard in the fields, pickin’ those leaves, makin’ that tea. It’s more than just a drink, you know. It’s a part of their life, their history. And it’s a taste of somethin’ special, somethin’ strong, somethin’ that’ll wake you up and get you goin’. Just like a good cup of coffee, but tea’s better, in my opinion. Coffee makes me jittery, tea just makes me feel right.

Other places that grow black tea

Now, Assam ain’t the only place that grows black tea, mind you. There’s China, they grow a lot of tea too. And Sri Lanka, that’s another one. But Assam, well, it’s the big one, the one they talk about in the newspaper, the one they put in the crossword puzzle. So, it must be somethin’ special. Though I say, good tea is good tea, no matter where it comes from. Just like a good tomato is a good tomato, whether it’s from my garden or the store.

So there you have it, that’s all I know about this Assam place and its black tea. Not much, maybe, but enough to know it’s important. And now I gotta go, got chores to do. Them chickens ain’t gonna feed themselves, you know.

Tags: [Black Tea, Assam, India, Tea Region, NYT Crossword, Tea Growing, Strong Tea, Chai]