Somehow my first notice did not get published (my error, I’m sure), but I want to let you know that there will be an Introduction to Tea Class at The Unicorn Wine Guild on August 8, 2009 at 4:00 PM. We will cover the history of tea, a bit about the different types of tea and how to make a perfect pot of tea. Call us at the winery 740/423-1300 to register. It’s free, but we want to have enough copies of handouts. Hope to see you there.
Making the Perfect Pot (or Cup) of Tea
The perfect pot or cup of tea is more than just some hot water and a tea bag. It is both an art and a science, just like any cooking project. The first step is to select your tea or tisane. For this discussion we will choose a tea. If you add sugar, sweetener, honey, milk or lemon gather it now. As with any cooking project, you don’t want to have to run to the store in the middle of preparations. You will need cold, fresh water. If your tap water is hard or tainted with other flavors a better product will result with the use of filtered or bottled water. Do not use distilled water. You will also need some implements: a kettle (preferrably made of a non-reactive material such as stainless steel), teapot and/or cup or mug (all these do best as ceramic or porcelain), strainer, teaspoon, and perhaps a cozy or cover.
Begin by placing enough fresh, cold water in the kettle for the number of cups you plan to make (up to the maximum volume for the kettle, of course.) If you are conserving water and there is a bit left in the kettle from your last boiling, either use it to water the plants or save it in another vessel for rinsing dishes. Ditto for any water you get from the tap as you will want to run it for at least 10 seconds before placing any in the kettle. While this water is coming to a boil, preheat the teapot, mug or cup with boiling water. (If you are using antique porcelain you may want to use water at a slightly cooler temperature.) Cover the pot, mug or cup with a cozy or lid. The purpose of this is to warm the receiving vessel so the tea does not cool too quickly and the tea leaves can open fully.
When the water in the kettle comes to a boil, turn off the heat and pour the water being used to heat the receiving vessel out of the teapot, cup or mug. (Again, if you are conserving water save this for rinsing dishes.) Fill the teapot, strainer or mug with the amount of tea recommended on the packaging or by the tea purveyor. Placing the tea directly in a teapot will allow the leaves to fully open. The usual is one heaping teaspoon of tea per cup to be made with another for the pot if over six cups. Experiment with this amount. You may want to keep a record as you may need more or less depending on the blend and your tastes. To keep the heat as high as possible, bring the pot to the kettle and pour in enough water for the desired cups of tea. Use the teapot’s (or mug’s) lid to hold in the heat.
For black tea the proper steeping time is 3 to 5 mintues. For green or white tea, boiling water can harm it so use water slightly below boiling and let it steep only 1 to 2 minutes. The recommended temperature for pu-erhs tea is a full rolling boil (212 degrees F.), black tea is just off boil at 212 degrees F., oolong is 185-210 degrees, green and white 170-185. If not using a thermometer, 185 degrees is reached when the kettle is off the heat for about 30 seconds and 170 at 60 seconds. This may vary depending on your kettle.
Allow the tea to steep the requisite time and then pour into mug or cup using a strainer to catch the leaves. (If using a strainer in a mug or teapot remove this so any remaining tea does not strengthen.) Keep any remaining in the pot warm with a cozy or towel. Do not try to express more tea by pressing or squeezing the wet tea leaves. This can result in a bitter taste from the release of too many polyphenols. If there is tea left in the teapot after all have been served strain it into another vessel or remove the tea leaves.
Serve with honey, sugar, sweetener, lemon or milk, as desired.
Tips: Remember lemon and milk combined will curdle the milk.
In England, and for many others, making tea by the cup is improper and taboo. It is properly made in a teapot.
In some countries the habit is to cover the leaves with water for 30 seconds and then pour that water out to cleanse of contaminants. A second pour of fresh water is then used. This practice can also be used to lower the caffeine level of the tea. Ninety percent of the caffeine leaches from the tea leaf in the first sixty seconds.
Many teas may be used more than once. To do this, increase the steeping time a bit for each subsequent preparation. Oolongs are especially known for this trait.
If you are using teabags, the standard is one for each cup of water and one for the teapot. If possible, experiment with the new pyramid shaped tea bags. They allow the tea to unfold more than the traditional bag.
Honey is best used when milk is not. Some feel that sugar and sweeteners numbs the tastebuds and therefore affects the taste of the tea. Some teas are actually designed to taste better with a little added sweetness.
Use of water that has been heated in the microwave is not recommended as the water can be superheated and “explode.” The oxygen content of water that is microwaved is altered. Have you noticed how sugar or tea added to this water will make it bubble and spurt?
If you live in a high altitude the lower boiling pressure of water may affect the brewing of pu-erh and black teas.
Keep your vessels in proper working order by descaling them often. You will need to do this more often if you live in an area with hard water. Check for chips and cracks as the minerals in the clay in a ceramic or porcelain pot or cup may leach into the tea.
There has been a longstanding argument of whether to add milk first or last. One camp feels that the tea should be tasted first and the other feels that the milk does better to cool the tea than the tea to warm the milk.
Tea is a plant. Store the tea properly for best taste. Keep it in a cool, dry place with low humidity. It is best kept in a tightly sealed tin or a glass container with a rubber ring. If using glass, be sure to keep it out of the light. Light, heat and moisture can ruin the tea before you get a chance to use it.
Teas and tastes vary. If you have never tried tea from loose tea, take the jump. As the wave of tea drinking increases it is possible to find more quality products at your own grocery store. With a little practice and sampling you will find the right one for you.
What to do with used tea
O.K. So you’ve been consuming more tea and you are getting into this recycling trend. So, what do you do with tea that’s been used for a cuppa? Here are a few ideas:
1. If your cat isn’t too picky about the litter (and I’ve had one that is) you can add green tea to your cat’s litter pan to help reduce the smell. It is suggested that you let the old tea leaves dry first.
2. Used tea bags can be placed in the refrigerator. They can be used to place on the eyes as a compress and help reduce swelling, making those tired eyes feel better. Of course the twenty minutes recommended for this can also be a great stress reducer. A little nap can work wonders. Regular Lipton tea bags has been recommended for the tannin in them. Also recommended is Chamomile tea
3. Used tea can be added to your compost pile.
4. Tea is also beneficial to your plants. Sprinkle the tea leaves around the base of your plants.
5. Used tea can also be used to make the refrigerator smell better.
6. I will mention that they are also useful as a dye for muslin.
Other uses will be discussed in the future, but this should give you some food – or tea – for thought.
Just What is Tea?
All teas are made from the top two leaves and bud of the Camellia sinensis plant. The way and length of time they are processed determines whether they are known as White, Green, Oolong or Black. Various fruits, herbs and other flavorings may be added, but they are still teas. However, your favorite “tea” may have no tea plant in it, but may be made of flowers, herbs or even roots. These are technically called “tisanes” even though Americans still call them “tea.” Second to water, tea is the most widely-consumed beverages in the world. It has almost no carbohydrates, fat or protein. Tea is a source of theanine, caffeine, theobromine and antioxidants. We’ll discuss caffeine at a later time. However, let me say that studies show that while there may be more caffeine in a tea leaf than in a coffee bean the way these two are processed results in less caffeine in the brewed tea than in coffee. Herbal tisanes usually have no caffeine.
There is no right or wrong tea to drink, unless you have some health issues. The idea is to drink what you enjoy. If your physician has recommended you refrain from caffeine you may want to explore your tea options a bit more. There are some wonderful herbal and decaffeinated teas. Talk to your local tea pervayor or spend some time reading the labels in the tea aisle of your grocery store.
The Story of Tea at the Unicorn Wine Guild, LLC
Through this blog I hope to share with you some of what I have learned (and continue to learn) about tea, tea-related events and products.
Officially, the story of Tea at the Unicorn Wine Guild, LLC, began in the summer of July, 2007. While planning our winery, the question came up as to what we would have to offer the designated driver or the tea-total-er. The answer was obvious. So, my tea education began in earnest and I have gained a greater understanding of the roll tea has played not only as a beverage, but as a catalyst to change society.
Unofficially, the story dates back to my childhood. My mother worked outside the home, so my grandmother was often my babysitter. Mamo and I would have an afternoon snack that included a cup of tea or a glass of milk. And, to make it special, she had a special cup and saucer just my size. So when she prepared her tea she made a cup for me with the same tea bag. That small cup and saucer, with a pine cone pattern on the side, was one of the few things I inherited when she died. Whenver I see it sitting on the shelf in the dining room I think of her.
I also inherited her tea set. Not a silver tea set. But the cups, saucers and dessert plates that she had acquired when she married my paternal grandfather. Mamo was his second wife. His first wife, my biological grandmother, died when my father was a small child. So, the tea set of 16 cups, saucers and plates – along with a sugar and creamer – actually had been in the family longer than Mamo. It is a beautiful set of Haviland China that my mother and I have built to a wonderful service for 16 over the years. My mother and I wondered at the number 16. Why 16? Then one day as I was reviewing the bylaws of the Hyperion Club it came to me. The membership limit was set at 24 as they met in members’ homes. Sixteen was probably the most that could be expected to attend any one meeting. And, of course, the hostesses would serve refreshments to the ladies with their best china. I am the fourth generation of my family to belong to that woman’s club (a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs since 1898) so I am sure that china has served well at many club meetings.
My mother is a tea drinker, too. I remember we had Nestea instant iced tea in the summer and Bigelow’s Plantation Mint or Constant Comment in the winter. I drank tea, too, until college when I had to stay up all night to study. The sorority house mother kept a pot going all night long and as we dormie’s didn’t have kitchen privledges nor were we allowed a way to make tea in our rooms, our choices were the water fountain or the coffee pot. It was a 30 cup pot and by cup 20 it could be awlfully strong, but it kept me awake. About that time I also discovered that coffee in hospitals and restaurants could be a lot fresher than the tea they served. (Remember, I said “could.”) As I work in surgery, I often don’t have time to steep a proper cup of tea and the coffee pot is most always on, so coffee became my drink of choice, at least while at work.
Then my physician suggested strongly that I needed to avoid caffeine and the search for a new source of hot beverage began. This was about the time the winery was being planned. Tea came back into my life as the answer. Not necessarily “real” tea, but herbal teas. So, prepare yourself a cup of tea and pull up a chair and through these blogs let’s become friends.
