the Azores ()
Tea is a staple in European kitchens, possibly even surpassing coffee’s popularity in certain places. But where does all that tea come from? You might not often stop and consider European tea production compared to other parts of the world. But Europe has a hidden gem when it comes to tea. São Miguel, the Azores’ largest island, is home to the only remaining tea plantations in all of Europe.
“Chá,” the Portuguese term for tea, has become an important part of São Miguel’s identity. Tea is not a native crop to these isolated Portuguese islands. While there is debate about how the first tea seeds actually arrived in the Azores, tea was given a chance when a cold blight wiped out the islands’ primary export, oranges. In an effort to save their economy and protect future exports, they planted tea. The island’s climate ended up being perfect for tea plants and it flourished. Another bonus? Common pests to tea could not survive in the Azores climate, meaning tea farmers did not need to use pesticides to protect their crops. At the height of its success, the islands had dozens of working tea plantations and they were producing an impressive amount of tea to export across the world. But after World War II when customs rules changed, tea production quickly decreased, leaving only a couple of tea plantations running.
Producing some of the nicest black and green teas on the market, there are currently two remaining tea companies on Sao Miguel: Chá Gorreana and Porto Formoso. Gorreana is the oldest and longest-running tea plantation—in business since 1883—and is one of the highlights of a trip to São Miguel. Tourists can visit both tea plantations, where they can experience the beautiful tea fields (which are green all year long), learn about the process from start to finish, understand the best way to brew tea and, of course, taste the tea. If there at the right time, tourists can also join in the annual tradition of harvesting tea at Porto Formoso with other community members at the very beginning of the harvest, the first Saturday in May.
Both tea companies produce organic green and black teas of the highest quality, including Broken Leaf, Orange Pekoe and Pekoe varieties. These varieties differ in what parts of the plant they are made from, leading to different flavors and strengths.
If you’re visiting the Azores, it’s easy to pick up a bag or two for a great souvenir whether you want to remind yourself of your amazing trip to the islands or share this tea with a friend. But luckily, it’s not too hard to track down some of this beloved tea if you are need of more. Azores teas are exported primarily to mainland Portugal, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Austria, France, Italy, Brazil, Angola and Japan. Once you’ve found Gorreana or Porto Formoso brands, find your favorite mug, heat up your water and get ready to escape back to the beautiful tea fields of São Miguel, if only just for a moment.
