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How To Make a Delicious Pot of Hot Tea

Peaceful, Relaxing Tea; one of the first things that I learned in seventh grade home economics class, nearly 40 years ago, was how to brew a proper pot of hot tea. This was an art that every young lady needed to master, and wedding shower gifts of the time (and for a decade after) often included bone china cups and saucers for those important ladies-only occasions at which tea would be "poured."

Alas, except among tea aficionados, it would seem that making tea properly is seldom considered today. Here's what you need to know.

Water Quality - Water quality will affect the tea's taste. If your tap water has additives such as chlorine or fluoride, consider using spring water. Warm tap water can carry minerals from the water pipes - always use freshly-drawn cold water.

The Teapot - Choose a china teapot with a spout that comes up to the same level as the top of the pot so the pot can be filled without tea running out the spout. Be sure that the handle of the pot is well-balanced and comfortable and that your knuckles don't touch the pot. A round pot is preferable as this allows the tea leaves to gently swirl with the water. Avoid metal teapots as they distort the taste of the tea.

Bags or Leaves? - Decide which form of tea you will use. Tea connoisseurs shudder at the mention of tea bags, as most bag teas are of a lower quality than the loose leaves. However, there are some quality bagged teas available. You might have a soft spot for a particular brand (Nova Scotians are very fond of their local "King Cole" brand) or may not want to mess with tea leaves. Leaves can be brewed in an infuser although aficionados prefer the loose tea alone in the pot. If you choose to use an infuser, try to stay away from the ceramic style which do not allow water to circulate and generally produce weak, flavourless tea. Choose an infuser that will allow the correct amount of tealeaves without packing tightly.

Type of Tea - Decide which type of tea you will use. All true tea comes from the leaves of a tree called Camellia sinensis. The leaves of this tree are picked and then "withered" or wilted. Steaming the leaves at this point will prevent oxidization-a process in which the leaf's enzymes come in contact with the oxygen in the air-and produce green tea. Oolong tea is prepared from partially oxidized leaves, while leaves that have been fully oxidized (for as long as four hours) produce black tea. Most purchased teas are a blend of these, sometimes with additives. For example, Earl Grey is a tea blend scented with the oil of the citrus bergamia fruit.

Making the Tea - Now that you've assembled your equipment, you're ready to make a proper pot of tea.

1. Empty any standing water from the tea kettle and fill with fresh water. Put kettle on to boil.
   
   
2. Once the water is very hot, but not boiling, pour some into each of two teapots and swish it around to warm the pots.
   
   
3. Just before the kettle reaches a boil, pour the hot water out of one teapot and add the tea. Use a teaspoon of tea per cup.
   
   
4. Take the teapot to the kettle. As soon as the kettle boils, pour boiling water into the teapot and replace the lid. Don't let the water over-boil, as it will lose oxygen and result in a flat-tasting tea.
   
   
5. Let the tea steep from 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the type of tea and strength that you prefer. Large leaves require more steeping time than small ones.
   
   
6. Empty the water from the second teapot and strain the tea into this pot for serving. This will prevent the bitter taste that results from sitting on the leaves for a long period of time.
   
   
7. Offer milk (never cream), sugar and lemon with the tea.
   
   
8. Cover the teapot with a tea cozy to keep the tea warm (never microwave to reheat!)

Prefer Decaf? - Although tea contains less caffeine per cup than coffee, if you are sensitive to caffeine you can decaffeinate tea by using this trick. Since 80% of tea's caffeine is released within the first 30 seconds of steeping, allow tea to steep half a minute and then pour off the water. Immediately add fresh, boiling water to the wet tea leaves and steep 2 to 5 minutes as usual.

Enjoy!

© 2004 Paradise Porch - Paradise Porch