Being a first generation Canadian and coming from the Indian subcontinent, I always had this notion that Canada is a coffee loving country with people turning to Tea only recently for the health benefits it offers. Until, I recently started watching “Murdoch Mysteries” on Netflix, a very popular and well-made Canadian drama based in late 19th to early 20th century. For those of you who aren’t aware, Murdoch Mysteries revolves around a Toronto based detective named William Murdoch who solves city’s gruesome crimes using methods that were fairly unknown around that time. The series just finished its 13th season and is a must watch for everyone interested in high quality thriller drama.
In one of the early episodes of the very first season, the protagonist (William Murdoch played by Yannick Bisson) tastes coffee for the first time and isn’t very impressed with the bitter taste. He dismisses the drink straight away only to be ridiculed by his assistant, constable George Crabtree (played by Jonny Harris) who thinks coffee is here to stay!
Don’t we all know that not only did coffee stay but it took over all other beverages in popularity. One name that all Canadians identify with and are proud of is “Tim Hortons”, the uber popular coffee chain that is synonymous to the Canadian identity today.
There is enough jargon on Tim Hortons, Canadians and their love for coffee, so I wouldn’t go there. Getting back to the Murdoch Mysteries; I noticed with pleasure, how patrons, whether in the police station or in their houses offered guests a cup of tea! It resonated with my own roots in India (which also was a British colony) where the first thing guests are offered is a tea! While I knew the colonial connection, Canada has and upon becoming a Canadian citizen, I pledged my allegiance to the Queen of England, who is still the head of state in Canada, somehow it never occurred to me that its tea and not coffee, which used to be the beverage of choice for Canadians up until the late 1940s when coffee started gaining “steam”.
In the recent years, Tea has started gaining some lost ground and its comeback can be attributed to the health benefits it offers and its popularity amongst the younger generation which considers tea as a healthier choice than other beverages. As per Food Service and Hospitality report Specialty Teas including functional teas offering health benefits are among the main drivers among the tea category. Just like coffee tea has got countless variants based on how it is processed. One thing is common in most of the variants though that they are healthy and delicious!
