For Ms. Martino, it is a land that holds special meaning, a place where she collected childhood memories of women dressed in saris picking tea leaves in the hill country.

"My mom would have closets full of it," said Ms. Martino. "I remember thinking about it so positively and so enthusiastically."

Ms. Martino brought her family's tradition to Annapolis last year, opening an off-the-beaten path shop called Capital Teas at the intersection of Cornhill and Fleet streets where customers can sample, and sniff, more than 90 types of tea. Her selection ranges from the Great Great Grandfather's Tea, a black tea from the plantation of the late Mr. Van Reyk that costs $12 for 3 1/2 ounces, to the exotic hand-tied Chinese green tea called Madame Butterfly Jasmine for $17 an ounce.

"When you put it in water, it unfurls," Ms. Martino said.

And Ms. Martino said sales have been going so well she's planning a second Capital Teas location next spring, possibly in Annapolis.

The tea trade in the U.S. has grown exponentially over the past two decades. According to the Tea Council of the USA, tea sales increased from $1.84 billion in 1990 to $6.85 billion last year. There are more than 2,400 specialty tea rooms and retail shops across the country, according to the council. There's also a growing number of upscale hotels offering afternoon tea, according to the council.

Council President Joe Simrany said the main drivers behind the trend are not only the health benefits, but also the drink's upscale, international appeal.

"Just about all tea is produced in another country," he said. "There are literally thousands of variations of tea. It's part of our global culture today."

Traditional coffee shops are now providing their own tea lines, staring with the "granddaddy of them all - Starbucks," he said.

Stan Constantine, president of Baltimore Coffee & Tea Co, which has a location on Bestgate Road in Annapolis, said his company offers 100 varieties of tea, ranging from its popular Eastern Shore tea line to the Brassica tea, which contains a natural antioxidant found in broccoli. The antioxidant, he said, stays in the body for two days, as opposed to just three or four hours.

While the lion's share of his business stems from coffee and coffee-related items, tea accounts for 30 percent of the company's total annual revenue, he said. And he said he expects tea sales to stay constant in the wake of the economic downturn.

"Traditionally in times of economic turmoil, or recession, coffee and tea are not recession-proof, but they are recession-resistant," said Mr. Constantine. "They may not go out to dinner as often, but a cup of tea or a cup of coffee is part of their daily routine."

Hailing from Manhattan, Ms. Martino and her husband, a New York attorney and a Naval Academy graduate, decided to open Capital Teas in Annapolis in September 2007.

Ms. Martino said opening the store in Annapolis offered her a chance to continue her family's tradition while running a business of her own.

Her mother co-owns a U.S. subsidiary of Elmstock Tea, acompany that Ms. Martino's uncle runs in Australia. Elmstock Tea is a main supplier of teas in her store, she said.

Ms. Martino added that she loved the store's quirky historic building on Cornhill Street, saying the structure has an old world London look to it.

"It's right out of a Dickens novel," she said.

While Ms. Martino said it's quite possible to break the bank when purchasing tea, at Capital Teas customers can buy a 2-ounce minimum for between $6 and $7, she said. Some of her customers' favorites blends are the Annapolis Trio blends - Annapolis Treasures, Queen Anne's Pearls and Sailor's Delight - as well as six types of Earl Grey tea.

The store also offers Chocolate Strawberry Rooibos, a naturally zero-caffeine tea loaded with antioxidants.

This year, Ms. Martino said she plans to increase her online presence by revamping the company's Web site and offering a monthly series on the health benefits of tea and other topics including how to blend tea.

Despite the economic downturn, Ms. Martino said she expects sales to grow about 20 percent next year.

"It's not decadent," she said. "It's wellness for an affordable price."