Opinions vary on the correct technique
for brewing the perfect cup of tea, but the following are generally accepted
folk wisdom and tips for the perfect pot of tea.
Draw cold water fresh from the tap so that it's full of oxygen.
Use good quality tea and bear in mind that different types of tea
leaves require slightly different brewing times.
If using a tea ball or infuser, don't fill it to the brim; tea leaves
need space to expand as they seep.
Bring the cold water to a boil and remove from heat.
Warm the teapot by pouring a little of the just-boiled water and
swishing it around the pot, then let it rest for a minute or two before
pouring it out. A warm pot will help keep the water hot, crucial for proper
brewing.
If using loose tea, the conventional wisdom is to add one teaspoonful
of tea for each person to be served, plus one for the pot.
Re-heat the water in the kettle to the boiling point, and then fill
the teapot with the required amount. Some insist that you take the pot
to the kettle to achieve the best cup of tea- the less distance the kettle
must travel, the more likely the water is to stay hot. Avoid letting the
water continue to bubble away on the stove - those bubbles are carrying
away the oxygen and over boiled water leads to tea with a muddy taste.
Let the tea steep, or brew, for about two to five minutes before
serving, more or less time depending on personal preference.
If serving tea with milk, the milk should be poured into the cup
before the tea. Sugar is added after the tea.
Why do many Teapots not have strainers
From the mid-17th century, teapots were made with strainers to prevent
the tea leaves from being poured with the tea into the cup. By the 1960's,
the tea bag had become the popular way to drink tea. As a result, spout
strainers began to disappear from teapot designs by the mid 1970's.
An ancient Chinese ode to tea:
The first cup moistens the lips...
The second cup breaks my loneliness
The third cup searches my barren entrails
The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration
The fifth cup purifies me
The sixth cup calls me to the realm of the immortals
The seventh... I can take no more.
We hope you enjoyed our teatime trivia.
If you have additional trivial we would love to hear it.
