TDE /Tea didn’t find its way to Persia until the 17th century when it became an expensive luxury. Qajar attempts to grow tea in Iran had been unsuccessful until Haj Mohammad Mirza, also known as Kashef-ol Saltaneh, was sent to India as the Iranian consulate. He managed to learn the secrets of tea plantation and slipped home to Lahijan with some 4000 tea plants and the rest is history.
Iranians have one of the highest per-capita rates of tea consumption in the world and since old times every street has a Châikhâne (Tea House).
Persian tea comes in a variety of subtle flavours, but its defining characteristic is its deep reddish-brown colour, which tea-drinkers can choose to dilute with water depending on their preference. It’s not that easy to find a glass of fair Persian tea and most of the tea in restaurants or cafes is cheaper leaves from Ceylon.