Herbal Blessing: THE ART OF BREWING

In order to produce the best cup of tea, one must blend two natural ingredients: fine loose leaf tea and clear water. However, the following essential tea accessories and precision in brewing are also necessary:

A right sized teapot and the correct measure of tea: Start with a teapot that holds the quantity planned to drink in a sitting. Making a small amount in a large teapot allows too much air which can affect the flavor and temperature, so if drinking alone use a single-serving pot. Rinse out the teapot with boiling water before adding the tea to clean it as well as warm the vessel. Loose leaf tea may be added directly to the pot giving them room to open up to their full flavor potential. The recommended amount of loose leaf tea is 1 teaspoon per 6oz cup or 1 heaping tablespoon per 4-6 cup teapot. This may be adjusted to suit individual taste by adding more or less, especially with larger leaf varieties and herbals. Rinsing the leaves with hot water before infusion also removes any dust and begins to open the leaves releasing the tea’s aroma, which should be savored to appreciate the full flavor of the tea.

A basic strainer: When using loose leaf tea, a strainer is necessary to catch the steeped leaves. There are several types available for use from bamboo to mesh, depending on the size of the leaf needed to strain. Once brewed, remove the leaves from the water immediately as continued steeping results in bitter flavor.

A proper storage container: It is essential to store tea properly as air, light, moisture and heat are all detrimental to tea. Some possibilities include a tea caddy, a metal tin or an air-tight canister. Do not store in the refrigerator as cold causes condensation that can ruin tea. Tea easily takes on the odor and flavor of its surrounding and should not be stored near strong-smelling food. In general, black and oolong teas may be stored for a year or two, however green, white and herbals should be used within 6 months to a year. A tea is past its best when it has lost its aroma and the brew is dull.

A great kettle, fresh cold water and the right temperature: Purchase a well-designed electric kettle for a quick boil or a stove-top version with a whistle. Both heat water from the bottom to the top and when uniformly hot, bubbles rise and steam escapes. Since tea is 95% water, it is critical, so always start with cold water, preferably fresh spring water and definitely not distilled water which is purified of its minerals and produces a flat-tasting infusion. Tea scholar, Lu Yu, provided the following visual key for the various stages of boiling and water temperatures needed to brew the different types of tea:

1^st stage (170F/80C) – little bubbles like the eye of fishes swim
on the surface
2^nd stage (195F/90C) – bubbles like crystal beads rolling in a
fountain
3^rd stage (205F/96C) – billows surge wildly in the kettle

White tea requires water just before the 1^st stage as the kettle just starts to make a sound, green tea at the 1^st stage, oolong at the 2^nd stage and black and herbal tea the 3^rd stage.

A timer and the correct steeping time: Timing your steep is essential, although a few seconds isn’t going to matter, close approximation is key. Steeping time depends on the type of tea – white tea should steep from 30 seconds to a minute, green tea for 2-3 minutes, oolong 3-4 minutes, black 4-5 minutes and herbals 5-10 minutes. If stronger tea is desired, more tea leaves should be used rather than steeping longer. However, re-steeping of loose leaf teas is common, generally two to three times, sometimes more. To re-steep it is usually necessary to increase the infusion time slightly.