ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Tea’s origins are widely believed to be in China, with the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, native to the southwest of the country, particularly the Yunnan province. It’s an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of Camellia Sinensis. While tea has been initially considered as a “beverage” it is no longer considered just a “beverage” by itself but rather a drink with medicinal value. The speaker will introduce the history, tea manufacturing process, the types of genuine tea varieties, and the distinction between these genuine teas and “non-tea” types.
Speaker: Dr. Sampath Walgama
Sampath is originally from Sri Lanka (Ceylon), a country famous for the quality teas it produces. He graduated from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka specializing in Environmental Science and pursued his studies at the University of Queensland, Australia to obtain a PhD in Agriculture with a focus in Entomology. He worked at Sri Lanka’s Tea Research Institute as an Entomologist, gaining overall knowledge of Tea Science.
Sampath migrated to Canada in 2010 to do a Postdoctoral Program at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Lethbridge). He made Lethbridge home and continued at the Lethbridge College as an agriculture Instructor. He then moved North to Fort Vermilion for a Research Manager position at the Mackenzie Applied Research Association (MARA). He is enthusiastic about tea and despite the fact he doesn’t have an opportunity to work on tea, he continues to study, learn and talk about tea because of his passion and enthusiasm.
