The Perfect Pot of Tea

There is, in fact, an art form and a science to bringing the brew to perfection. The perfect pot of tea is far more than just pouring boiling water over some leaves.
The first step is to fill your tea kettle with cold water. Always use fresh water, and don't rely on old water that has stayed in the kettle from the last time. Turn the kettle on to boil. Make sure your kettle is a stainless steel, non-reactive vessel.
While the kettle is heating, fill your clean teapot with hot water. (Since the polyphenols in tea can go rancid if they are left in the pot, making your tea taste bitter, it's important to wash your teapot thoroughly after each use….unless, of course, you're using a Yixing teapot!)
Essentially, you are pre-heating the teapot, a process which helps keep the tea warm and allows the leaves to open fully. Dry the teapot out after it has been warmed with the hot water.
Pick your pleasure and select the tea leaves you are going to use. In general, use 1 teaspoon of loose tea for each cup, placing the leaves into your infuser. If you're making tea for more than six people, add one extra teaspoon of leaves for the pot.
Bring the teapot to the kettle so that heat is not lost, and then pour the boiling water over the tea leaves in the pot. Use the teapot's lid to hold in the steam and properly steep the tea. For black teas, the proper steeping is three to five minutes.
Allowing the tea leaves to steep for more than five minutes, or pressing or squeezing the wet tea leaves can result in a bitter taste because too many of the polyphenols are released. Stick to the time-honored formula of a teaspoon per cup. You can't make a perfect pot of tea by using poor quality leaves and increasing the amount of time it steeps, or by using more tea and steeping it less time.
Herbal tisanes and green teas require five to ten minutes of steeping.
In England, and for many tea lovers, making tea by the cup instead of in the pot - is improper and taboo.
While you may never earn a perfect 10.0 at the Olympics, or find the absolute perfect match-made-in-heaven, it's easy to make the perfect pot of tea.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lady Dawnya Sasse, is author of the world's first online tea business programs entitled "Start a Tea Business" and "Start A Children's Tea Party Business." To learn more about her online classes and to sign up for her FREE Tea Radio Broadcasts visit her site at
http://www.TeaEvents.com
.
This article may be distributed freely on your website, as long as this entire article, including links and this resource box are unchanged.
Copyright 2005 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved. Tea Events

http://www.TeaEvents.com

Basic Steps To Make Great Tasting Tea

Tea can be made many different ways but there are some guidelines you can follow to insure you get a great tasting cup. Some people learn by trial and error and others have the information passed down from their parents or other relatives. Not everyone knows how to make tea the correct way.
Some people even add a little sugar or other sweetener but this is all up to preference. Believe it or not this can greatly affect the flavor and overall enjoyment of the tea. You also want to use fresh, high quality water.

Try to get it as fresh as possible for the richest flavor. Before beginning make sure you have a high quality tea from a reputable source.
These are some basic guidelines to follow but always refer to the recommendations set forth by the tea manufacturer. Popular green teas should be steeped at a temperature of 160 to 180 degrees for a lesser time of 2 to 3 minutes. Popular green teas should be steeped at a temperature of 160 to 180 degrees for a period of 3 to 5 minutes.

Oolong tea is recommended for approximately 190 to 203 degrees for a period of 3 to 5 minutes. Black tea usually requires boiling water of around 212 degrees for a period of 4 to 6 minutes. This occurs when the tea is placed in the water for a period of time, but this will vary greatly with the type of tea you are making. Steeping is an important process that allows the tea to flow into the water.
It is a good idea for the tea to be brewed in a large deep pan, to give ample room for expansion of up to 5 times the leafs' original size. The best way is to just brew the leaves loose in the pot as the ancient cultures once did. Plus you get the full experience of brewing tea, not just the enjoyment of the cup. To get the leaves out when steeping is done you can strain them or use a tea infuser. These are products designed to remove every excess leaf from the water at the right time.
Drinking tea is a terrific way to relax with your friends. Now you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
James McDonald writes for findteaonline.com where you can find
flavored tea products
Read our related articles for tea information and even find a teapot or fun gifts for the tea lover in your family. including green, black, white, and other delicious teas.

How To Make Perfect Tea

As a tea drinker of some 30 years experience here is my contribution as to what makes the perfect cup of tea. The best way to make tea has been a subject of great debate for centuries.
Good quality water is essential for the perfect cup of tea. If you use tap water then run the tap until the water is cold and fresh. Spring water is best due to its purity and lack of additives such as chlorine and fluoride which can affect the taste. Always use fresh water if possible.

1.
2. Preferably use a teapot made of china or earthenware.
Pots made of certain types of metal such as enamel silver
or copper can impart flavor to the water. Stainless steel
is okay.
Warm the pot beforehand with a little hot water. 3.
4. Add at least one level teaspoon for each cup of water
that you are going to add. Adding loose tea to the pot is
the best way for the tea to infuse properly but many people
prefer to use a tea strainer or infusing basket for
convenience sake.
Pour boiling water directly onto the leaves and then stir the water before placing lid back on the teapot. 5.
6. Let the tea steep for between four and five minutes. If
using green tea three minutes is best.
Remove or strain the leaves to avoid overbrewing. 7.
8. The cup that you drink out of can greatly affect the
taste of the tea so choose wisely. A good quality cup made
of china will definitely enhance the whole tea drinking
experience. Avoid wide shallow cups which cause the tea to
cool in next to no time.
9. Pour milk into the cup first. Ah, yes this is the step
that causes most controversy. Many an argument has been
had concerning whether or not it is best to add the milk to
the tea or vice versa. I have always preferred milk first
then tea but my husband argues that it is easier to
regulate the right amount of milk by adding milk
afterwards!
Now scientists have waded into the debate and the verdict
is clear. The UK Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)has warned
against the practice of adding milk to tea after it is
poured. It seems that dribbling a stream of milk into hot
water makes "denaturation of milk proteins" more likely.
And who would want that?! At high temperatures, milk
proteins - which are normally all curled up foetus-like,
begin to unfold and link together in clumps. This is what
happens in UHT [ultra heat-treated] milk, and is why it
doesn't taste as good a fresh milk," says Dr Andrew
Stapley, a chemical engineer at Loughborough University.
It is better to have the chilled milk massed at the bottom
of the cup, awaiting the stream of hot tea. This allows the
milk to cool the tea, rather than the tea ruinously raise
the temperature of the milk.
Umm, somehow I don't think so!! The milk or tea first debate is now over! So it is now settled.
10. Lastly, drink tea without any sugar. I must admit to
being a reformed sugary tea drinker and you know what that
means. Yes, I am now passionately against putting sugar in
tea. As one who has sat on both sides of the fence I can
say that tea is so much better without sweetening. Sugar
only serves to mask the taste of the tea. Not only that too
much sugar is not good for you and why spoil what is now
being recognized as one of the world's great health drinks
by adding sugar. When I stopped taking my two spoonfuls of
sugar in my tea it took me about three or four weeks to get
used to the new taste. However once I got used to it there
was no going back.
So there you have it - the perfect cup of tea!
Lorraine Bevere is the webmaster and operator of FOG
Tea
For questions or comments about this article, please visit: which is a premier source of information about tea.
http://fogtea.com

The Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea

The tea has no caffeine and only half the tannin of ordinary tea. Apart from being refreshing to drink, in place of ordinary tea and coffee, it has the advantage of containing minerals and powerful antioxidants. Having no oxalic acid it also does not irritate the kidneys.
The Japanese scientists, who did studies in the 1960's, discovered Rooibos contains a powerful antioxidant similar to SOD which is thought to retard aging and quercetin which is believed to have potent anti-inflammatory properties. Besides that Rooibos is also found to contain aspalathin which counteracts the atherosclerotic processes that result in heart disease. Due to this the Japanese promote it as an Anti-Aging Tea and import large quantities of the tea.
Polyphenols help protect the body from damage by free radicals. In South Africa research found that the polyphenol content in Rooibos is similar to green tea. Research was done elsewhere where the French found that hair lotion containing Rooibos promoted faster hair growth with improvement in the hair condition and caused no allergic reactions.
Rooibos has been found to be helpful with general health problems. It relieves digestive problems, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and constipation. Having a calming effect it helps with irritability, insomnia and depression.
Both pre natal and breast feeding Mothers supplement their intake of manganese, calcium and fluoride drinking Rooibos and therefore promote strong teeth and healthy bones in their babies. Rooibos, when applied at every nappy change, relieves nappy rash and when drunk by the baby relieves colic.
Preparation of Rooibos is the same as ordinary tea. First warm the tea pot with boiling water and then place one teaspoon of tea or tea bag per cup required in the pot. Pour over boiling water and let infuse for a few minutes. The longer it is left before drinking the more antioxidants the tea will contain. Can be served plain, with hot or cold milk or lemon. It can be lightly sweetened with honey or sugar or just left without any sweetening. Rooibos also makes a wonderful ice tea.
Just replace the water in a recipe with the tea. In South Africa Rooibos Tea is often used in day to day cooking as not only does it add important minerals and antioxidants to the diet and help digestion, it also enhances the flavors of the cooking.
Next time you are in your health shop or in a department store stocking specialty teas, why not pick up a packet and try it out?

The Art of Sweet Tea

Outside of the Southern United States, there is nothing more coveted by a Southerner than a good glass of sweet tea. Sweet tea is an art developed over the centuries to comfort the poor sweaty people of the South, despite what you will hear the native English say.
To make a good glass of sweet tea, you must remember four principles:
It must be strong.
It must be sweet.
Sugar does not dissolve in cold water.
Brand matters! Don't use fancy tea bags - Lipton and Tetley make the best tea and can normally be purchased for under a dollar a box.
After that, the rest is easy.
To make the concentrated tea:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Add 4-6 Lipton or Tetley family sized tea bags to the boiling water and reduce the heat.
3. Let the tea bags steep for at least 10 minutes.
4. Remove the tea bags, squeeze them out (but don't break them!) and discard.
5. Add at least 2 cups of sugar to the concentrated tea and stir until it is all dissolved.
6. Turn off the heat and let the tea cool for at least 30 minutes.
To make the sweet tea:
1. Fill a pitcher halfway full with ice.
2. Add the sweet tea concentrate to the halfway point of the pitche
Fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water. 3.
Refrigerate until cold. 4.
To dispense the sweet tea:
1. Get a large glass and add ice cubes.
2. Pour the sweet tea into the glass.
3. If you want to be fancy, garnish with a lemon or a sprig of mint. If you are rebellious, garnish with a lime.
In the South, sweet tea is the ultimate equalizer. You can be dirt poor or filthy rich, but if you are in a home in the South, you will probably find a pitcher of sweet tea in the fridge. It doesn't matter if it's served from a jug from Mrs. Winner's or from a crystal decanter, it all tastes the same. It's even more popular than The Varsity Restaurant, fried green tomatoes, and fresh vegetables. Sweet tea has made its mark on the world, and no self respecting Southerner can travel without it.

How To Make A Cup Of Tea

Before the British declare war for such sacrilegious treatment of our favourite beverage, I thought it necessary to provide a short instruction on the ancient art of tea making. It has come to my attention that many Americans believe that all tea should be made with ice. English readers, this may shock you.
For those still living in the dark ages a saucepan or a small bowl over a campfire will suffice, but cold water straight from the tap will not. * Boil a kettle full of water.
You can always water it down afterwards. However, make sure you read the packet beforehand and if in doubt make it too strong rather than too weak. Different brands of tea require different amounts of tea leaves for required strengths, but in general it should be one teaspoon for each person drinking and one for the pot. Empty the water out, then place tea leaves into the pot (these can be placed within a tea ball if you have one).

* Pour a little hot water into the teapot (preferably china rather than novelty) to warm it.
Merely leave to brew for between three to five minutes - any shorter and you will not get the flavour, any longer and it will stew. Do not drop the pot or stick it in the microwave. Do not add ice cubes or sugar. * Pour boiling water into the teapot.
It is also an offence to use milk in certain brands of tea, so do remember to check whether your chosen variety is better served with milk or lemon. This is an offence on a line with spitting into the pot, which should also be avoided. Never, ever add it afterwards.

* If you are using milk, pour it (from a china milk jug) into the matching china tea cups first.
* If you had not used a tea ball, you will have to strain the tea before pouring it into the china cups. A tea strainer is similar to a small sieve and does the job easily.
Until the invasion. Wonder out loud if this was really what the Boston Tea Party was all about, then dismiss it as paranoia and get on with your sweet iced-tea drinking lives. Sit back, relax, put on fake British accents and wave your pinkie around wildly, mocking pretentious Englishwomen who do not believe Americans can make tea. * Add sugar as required and stir with your solid silver teaspoons.
Andrea drinks tea, and a lot of it. She actually quite likes Americans, but that doesn't stop her disapproving of their beverage choices.
Andrea is an author on
http://www.Writing.Com/
which is a site for
Poetry
.

Hibiscus Tea

The use of Hibiscus tea is thought to have started in ancient Egypt. In the Arab world, the tea is known as "karkady" or "karkade." Made from the flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa, this drink is served in homes and restaurants, particularly in Egypt. It is also popular in several other countries and has made its way into the United States.
The reason for the wide acceptance of this tangy and tasty potion could be the several medicinal properties of the Hibiscus flower. The flower is rich in vitamin C(good for colds), helps to increase appetite, has laxative and diuretic effects, improves circulation and helps in reducing cholesterol.
Hibiscus tea can be served hot or cold and is made from fresh or dried petals or "calyx." There are a number of recipes -- some are simple, while others are more complicated. Normally, spices like cinnamon are added.
A simple method to make the brew is to pour one cup of boiling water over half a calyx or 1-2 table spoons of petals, cover and strain after 5-10 minutes and sweeten to taste. Add honey, lemon, orange peel or juice if you like. For a fruity punch, blend with dried fruits. Hibiscus can be mixed with regular tea also.
Dried hibiscus flowers are soaked in water for two days and strained -- no boiling is involved. One of the easiest, yet most time consuming, is the Sudanese method. Often, a recipe can be improvised or a new one found.
They are available in sachets and boxes in stores or by mail order. Finding Hibiscus flowers should not be a problem.