A Storm in a Teacup Trivia Quiz

Answer: Camellia Sinensis

Camellia Sinensis is a species of evergreen shrub native to Asia whose leaves and buds are used to produce tea. There are four major tea types which are black, green, white and oolong but they all come from this plant. It is how the the leaves are treated after they are harvested that creates the different teas. All the leaves are withered, rolled and heated and then the different teas are created using different processes.

Answer: Kyusu

Kyusu are traditional Japanese teapots which are usually made from porcelain. They are specifically designed to brew green tea (tea that has not been as highly processed as teas such as Oolong or black teas). The word "kyusu" literally translates from the Japanese language as "teapot" although it is generally used to refer to a teapot with a side handle.

Answer: Samovar

A samovar is a Russian device that is used to heat water to make tea. Its name derives from the Russian words for "self" and "meaning to boil" and can be loosely translated into English as "self-boiler". Traditionally the samovars were heated with coal or charcoal but the more modern ones are heated by electricity.

In Russia the most common kind of tea prepared is called "Zavarka". This drink tends to be quite strong and drunk with milk and sweeteners. Some of the more traditional drinkers of zavarka place a sugar cube in their mouths while drinking it.

Answer: 2 oz

After war was declared in September 1939 the British government were worried that attacks by German submarines on ships bringing food from abroad would lead to food shortages so they introduced rationing to ensure that people would get an equal amount of food each week. Tea rationing was introduced in July 1940 and the adult allowance of tea was 2oz (equivalent to 50g) per week which was enough to make about three cups a day. Rationing lasted in Britain from 1940 to 1954.

Answer: Tasseomancy

Tasseomancy is the art of divination using tea leaves. The word derives from the French words for "cup" (tasse) and "divination by means of" (mancy). Tasseomancy involves interpretating the patterns left by the tea leaves after a cup of tea has been drunk and using them to form an interpretation.

In the "Harry Potter" books by J K Rowling, Tasseomancy is taught by Professor Trelawney as part of Divination classes.

Answer: Sharon Owens

"The Tea House on Mulberry Street" is a book by Irish writer Sharon Owens that was originally published in 2003. The plot revolves around the couple Penny and Daniel Stanley who run "Muldoon's Tea Rooms" in the city of Belfast and the various characters that frequent the establishment.

Answer: Earl Grey

The character of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by British actor Patrick Stewart) was raised on a vineyard in France. However by the time he was born (in 2305) the French language has become obscure and that is why he speaks with an English accent and has quintessentially British habits. The character has a penchant for drinking Earl Grey tea and orders his tea "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot".

Answer: Yes

The first tea to be produced in Britain was on the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall, England. Scotland's first commercial tea plantation is at Dalreoch on the side of a highland hill near the Perthshire village of Amulree. It has now been realised that tea plants do not need heat and humidity to grow but can be grown in temperate regions which have plenty of moisture. Because of this many people have begun to cultivate tea bushes in their own back gardens there has been a significant growth in sales of Camellia Sinenis plants in garden centres in recent years.

Answer: Liverpool

The 2017 survey by the instant boiling water maker manufacturer "Redring" found that the residents of the city of Liverpool in the North West of England were the biggest lovers of tea, drinking an average 1,460 cups every year. The survey also revealed that the average Brit will consume 66,685 cups of tea in their lifetime.

The majority of those polled enjoyed their tea with milk but no sugar.

Answer: Yorkshire Tea

Yorkshire Tea is produced by "The Bettys and Taylors Group" which is based in Harrogate in Yorkshire. The £7 million advertising campaign launched in 2017 celebrating the brand as a place "where everything is done proper" featured famous personalities with Yorkshire links.

These included Michael Parkinson who was born in Cudworth, a village near Barnsley, the Olympic Triathletes, the Brownlee Brothers, who were both born in Yorkshire and the band Glasgow-based band Franz Ferdinand whose bass player, Bob Hardy, was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire (a little bit more tenuous!)