The wannabe-vegan member of our team (who shall not be named) is always on the lookout for good hot beverage alternatives to cow’s milk tea and coffee, and this green tea might just make the cut. We like that it's a loose leaf green tea (no horrible microplastic-leeching tea bags), and that the ingredient list is both clean and short: green tea, turmeric, ginger and black pepper. Considering the number of folk in our circle of family and friends who've been cycling through colds, fevers, and assorted respiratory nonsense lately, and the constant AQI discourse that seems to be the new normal, this feels like a good time to add an immunity-boosting green tea to our routine.

In 1917, the owner of Goodrich Tea Estate in Kaulagarh, Darbar Sahib, was on the verge of losing his estate to the British as collateral for unpaid dues. Seizing the moment, Sheo Parsad (who ran a modest provisions shop in Dehra Dun where he also sold tea sourced from Goodrich Tea Estate) stepped in, covering the debt under the condition that the estate be leased to them. Fueled by the success of this venture, the families expanded their holdings, eventually earning the respected title of the ‘Chaiwalas.’ By 1960, the Chaiwala tea estates spanned across India, producing an impressive 10 million kilograms of tea annually. Wah Tea Estate was established in 1857 in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, by the British.In 1953, the Chaiwala family took over Wah Tea Estate, and today, it is nurtured by the third and fourth generations.