Tea at the Unicorn Wine Guild

Tea-related education and events, the enjoyment of the beverage and the culture of tea

Feb 28

Uses for Old Tea Bags

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

Old tea bags may not be good for tea, but do have other uses.  Several can be added to bath water to help ease sunburns, poison ivy itches and such.  A wet bag can also be used to ease razor burn.  You can cover a boil or “zit” to help bring it to a head.  Supposedly a wart can be treated by covering it with a wet tea bag for 10-15 minutes several times a day.  Moist tea bags can be cooled in the refrigerator and used as compresses for puffy eyes and even for headaches.

It can even be used to treat hair.  Brew 2 tea bags in a quart of water, cool and pour over your hair as a conditioner.  Rinse well or just pat  it dry if you want red highlights.   This same concoction can be used to clean wood floors and furniture and as a dye for fabric.

The bag can be opened and the dry leaves sprinkled on the carpet and then vacuumed to leave a nice scent.  Dry herbal tea bags can be placed in shoes and drawers as sachets.

Tea can be used as fertilizers and gardenias and ferns are supposed to love them.  And, finally, used tea bags can be placed in the compost heap to speed decomposition of the rest of the heap.

There are even more uses for the tea.   I personally have not tried a lot of these remedies, so cannot really recommend them.  Use at your own risk.

 

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Feb 17

Some Finer Points about Bagged Tea

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

Sometimes there is no choice but to utilized bagged tea.  Maybe the tea was a gift, or that’s all the restaurant or hotel serves.  In any case, bagged tea can be better than no tea.  (Can you tell that I’ve become a loose tea addict?)

First, if you receive bagged tea as a gift, or still have a favorite from the grocery, you can store the unopened box in a plastic bag for up to eighteen months.  Once opened, store the bags in a glass container that can be tightly closed, or a plastic container.  Be sure to only store one kind per container to prevent flavors from seeping from one type to the other.

As with loose leaf tea, begin with cold, preferably filtered, water in your kettle.  Black teas should be made with water that has just come to the boil.  Green and herbals with water that is below the boil, about 160-180 degrees F.  Steep black tea 3-5 minutes, green and herbal about 3.  Check package directions, especially for herbal as some actually want a 7 minute steep.

If the bag has a sting, take care to keep it over the edge of the brewing vessel.  If there is no string, then a spoon will aid removal.  A fork could puncture the bag.  Do not squeeze the bag.  Yes, I know there are bag squeezers available and you may have been taught to wrap the string around the bag and spoon and squeeze.  But, that just adds bitter tannins to the tea  best left behind.

If there is no tea bag holder, it is perfectly OK to ask for a small plate or bowl in which to place the used bag.  Do not place it in the saucer and then replace the tea cup in the saucer as you will just end up getting the bottom of the cup wet and that can drip on your clothes or the table.

If you are serving tea, do not place the bag in the cup, add water and then bring it to the recipient.  Either brew and  remove the bag, or bring the bag separate from the water.  Some people do like weak tea.  And please take care to have the water at the proper temperature.  Water that has  been boiled too long or even reboiled will release too much oxygen and cause the tea to be flat.

Tea, in its many forms, is still the second most consumed beverage on the planet.  The first – water.  Enjoy!

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Feb 5

Valentines Day Tea

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many are wondering what they will do to celebrate the day.  Many prefer a quiet celebration, still others choose a multi-generational raucous celebration and some will have no one to celebrate with through whatever kind of separation.    Whether alone, quiet with your significant other or at a rowdy children’s party, the day is a day of joy. 

Perhaps this is the year to start a new tradition. Offer to hold a “princess” tea for the little ones while allowing their parents a night alone.  Have fun at the dollar store and have plenty of princess “bling” for the girls or change up the theme and let them be pirates or superheroes or astronauts.  If you can add an etiquette lesson to the festivities, all the better.

Invite someone alone to share a tea with you.  If she is widowed, remembering happy times with her spouse can be very therapeutic.  A gift of a fancy handkerchief or a journal would be nice.  If you have photos of you and your special someone sharing good times with her and her loved one, a  framed photo or a photo album would be a wonderful addition.  If she is alone because hubby is out of town on business or in service to the country, perhaps a diva theme, a funny movie, or your own costume party can make the event fun.  Invite other girl friends to share in the fun.

Wait, you say.  Valentine’s is a day for lovers.  There is no reason that you and hubby can’t have a romantic tea.  Candles, chocolates, a little romantic music, some wine and even a romantic movie can add to the event. 

For some assistance with any of these ideas visit Tea Party Girl at www.teapartygirl.com.  Have a wonderful and memorable Valentine celebration!

 

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