The History of Tea Written by Pam Preedy. “A nice cup of tea” was the panacea for all ills. For women, at a time when they were expected to remain in the home, it opened the way for a good gossip; a chance to mull over their problems with a friend(s). According to legend, the story of tea began in 2737 BC when Shen Numg, the Chinese emperor and herbalist was sitting under a tree while his servant boiled driving water. Some leaves fell into the water, he tasted it,…