Yaupon Tea Making Class

 

Have you ever wondered how to make tea from the Yaupon Holly Tree? Well if you would like to learn how to pick the leaves and make a delicious refreshing tea, then please join us for this class!

 

Yvette Clark is a business consultant from Bellaire, Texas. She and her husband Greg bought their property in Burton in 2013 and have been weekenders since then, learning over the years about their land and how to be good wildlife and native plant stewards. Along with making Yaupon Tea, Yvette's latest project is beekeeping. She loves to harvest beautiful honey in Burton and share it with her friends and neighbors! 

 

Yaupon Holly leaves and twigs contain antioxidants, caffeine, and theobromine alkaloid (a broncho-dilator) similar to cocoa plants. Also it has phosphodiesterase inhibitory effects, similar to Viagra. Yaupon Holly is the only caffeinated plant native to North America and is similar to South America’s popular Yerba Mate.

 

Use one teaspoon of dry roasted and crushed leaves in a strainer sieve or tea ball in an 8-ounce cup or mug. Pour in boiling water and let steep for 3-5 minutes depending on how strong you want your tea. The aroma, color, and flavor of dried Yaupon tea are similar to black tea from fermented Chinese camellia sinensis leaves.

 

Yaupon tea leaves can be stored in airtight jars or a dark tea caddy to preserve freshness, color, and flavor.

 

Source: https://www.chronicleonline.com/news/real_estate/making-tea-from-yaupon-leaves/article_57325c0a-7b9e-11ea-ad27-1b7a13209858.html 

History of Yaupon

Yaupon is native to the Southeastern United States. Its leaves were used for thousands of years by southeastern native tribes as a stimulating beverage, medicinal plant, and ceremonial drink. It is the only indigenous source of caffeine in North America. Yaupon is in the same Ilex family as Yerba Mate and Guayusa, plants of South America.

 

Yaupon was used by Native Americans for traditional medicine, sacred ceremonies, friendship rituals and as a stimulating tea-like beverage. It was referred to as the Beloved Tree, Big Medicine, ASI, The Purifier and the Black Drink.

 

Yaupon was nurtured and transplanted where it could grow, and Native American tribes traveled great distances to consume and trade Yaupon. Ancient vessels have been discovered to contain traces of Yaupon, as far south as Mexico where the Native Americans traded with the Mayans, exchanging Yaupon for Cacao. When paired together, Yaupon and Cacao was consumed as a sacred ceremonial drink.

 

The earliest European settlers valued Yaupon, as well. They attributed the extraordinary health and longevity of the native population to Yaupon use and consumption. At the time, the average European life span was 45 years while the Native Americans were living well into their seventies.

 

Early settlers traded with the natives for Yaupon, sending it back to Europe under several different names. The English called it Carolina Tea, South Seas Tea, and Cassina. Spanish settlers referred to Yaupon as Indian Chocolate because of its sweet flavor. The French referred to Yaupon as Appalachine after the Appalachacola Indians that had taught them about the plant. Yaupon was also known as Liberty Tea, sent to Boston to replace imported tea after the Boston Tea Party.

 

Source: https://yauponteahouse.com/pages/about-yaupon-teahouse