New York’s 4th annual Coffee and tea festival is offering people the chance to learn about and try beverages from around the world.

[Lynda Calimano, Event Producer]:
"You know it’s very hard to go to a supermarket and know what a tea taste like when looking at a box or a can. Here they can actually taste the tea, they talk to the tea blender, the tea master, and the coffee blender. And they can really get an essence of the coffee as well as a sample of the taste."

Tea and coffee, coffee and tea, this is really the place to come and learn about it all. And at the same time have great fun.

The festival has everything from iced tea to coffee beer to the highest quality coffee beans and afternoon tea party traditions, on a more serious note.

 [Ellen Easton, Tea Authority & Author]:
"In 1841, my ancestors brought tea plants from China and India to the colony of S and they started the tea industry in the colony of S.Ms Easton’s ancestors also invented the industrial tea bag in New York in 1913."

And for the budding coffee connoisseur, there are also tips for making a great brew.

[Jean-Francis Perrot, Coffee Expert]:
"So great bean first thing, then great roast within 3 or 4 weeks of consuming it, and ground as close as possible to the moment that you use it."

Apart from the tea and coffee, there was also food, cocoa, and chocolate and entertainers.

And what does the public think about the festival?

[Howard Wholl & Camille Sperrazza, Visitors]:
"It’s very interesting. I went to the tea tasting ceremony and I learned what to do with all the tea, which I never would have thought of.Yeah, you can spread them on your body…They didn’t say that, they said to put it in rice and use it for aromatherapy. It was very interesting."

Meladie Cao, NTD, New York.