So what’s your cup of tea? Hot or cold? While there are many teas from which to choose, the preparation for each is quite consistent.
Tips for Making Hot Tea
- Use cold water in your tea kettle. Warm water does not have sufficient oxygen and will tend to create a more dull appearance for the true tea connoisseur. Then, bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Your tea pot should be clean. Fill it with hot water for a few minutes to let it warm the pot. It’s a good idea to swirl the water around to ensure the inside of the pot is warm. By using a warm tea pot, your water will stay hot so the tea can brew properly.
- Place loose tea leaves or bag in the tea pot and pour the boiling water immediately over the tea. If the water isn’t boiling, the brewed tea will likely be weak and tasteless. Be sure to put the lid on the teapot.
- Brewing time can vary, based on the type of tea used. A green tea might be steeped for only a minute or two. Black or oolong teas are typically steeped for three to five minutes. Usually, herbal teas steep for five minutes or more. While a white tea typically steeps for five minutes, it can be steeped for as little as four and up to as much as 15 minutes. It is important to adjust the steeping to your preferences of taste and smell (http://www.planet-tea.com/preparation.html )
Source: http://www.octaviatea.com/pages/Tea-Guide-Page-Ten.html
In Tea Time, written by Nancy Ahmon, similar direction for making the perfect cup of hot tea is provided, but she also offers recipes for the perfect accompaniments, such as Russian Tea Cakes, Lemon Cranberry Scones and Savory Salmon in Filo.
Prefer iced tea instead? Follow these steps from Tevana to create the perfect glass.
- Start with whole-leaf, loose tea leaves rather than using tea bags, as they can be filled with dust.
- Double the amount of loose tea used in a regular brew. See chart. (www.teavana.com/tea-info/how-to-make-tea).
- Like sweet iced tea? Tevana suggests using rock sugar while steeping. It will dissolve more easily in the hot water and enhance the natural sweetness of your iced tea.
- As soon as the tea is brewed, pour into a pitcher or glass that is filled almost to the top with ice. This immediate cooling process will help the tea retain its flavor and scent.
Ever hear of sun tea? That’s right! This old-fashioned method for making iced tea means you don’t even need to turn on your stove!
Source: http://tipnut.com/making-sun-tea/
Tipnut.com (http://tipnut.com/making-sun-tea) suggests filling a pitcher with 8 cups of cold water and then adding the tea. Six to 8 tea bags – or the equivalent in loose tea – should be used. After sealing the pitcher with a lid, the vessel is placed in the full sunlight. The pitcher should get a minimum of 2 to 3 hours and up to four hours of sunlight.
After the tea has been brewed in the sun, strain out the tea and refrigerate. After fully chilled, pour into a glass of ice.
You Tell Us: Do you prefer hot or cold tea?
Ruth Kinzey, Reputation Strategist at The Kinzey Company - www.kinzeycompany.com























