Like China and India, Germany has a rich tea culture – but most have never heard of it

Stefan Feldbusch serves Darjeeling First Flush in classic Frisian porcelain, in small, delicate cups that are slightly chipped. “I think the taste is better in thin-walled cups,” says Feldbusch, who is chief tea taster at the family-run Laurens Spethmann. “I’ve always had a soft spot for tea.” Frisia, in northwest Germany, has its own tea culture, dating back to the 17th century when tea was introduced by the British and Dutch. A century on, it had become popular throughout society – after all,...