The earliest known mention of tea in the literature of Europe appeared about 1559. It occurs as Chai Catai, “Tea of China” in Navigationi e Viaggi, or Voyages and Travels, by Giambattista Ramusio (1485-1557), a noted Venetian author who published a valuable collection of narratives of voyages and discoveries in ancient and modern times.
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Ramusio, as secretary to Venetian Council of Ten, collected some rare commercial information and met many famous travelers, among whom was Hajji Mahommed, or Chaggi Memet, the Persian Merchant credited with having brought the first knowledge of tea to Europe.
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Giambattista Ramusio – Excerpt from The Romance of Tea, by William H. Ukers and Annotated by @jamesnorwoodpratt
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