Given the popularity of
Here's Mud in Your Cup, I thought that it would be enjoyable to start a thread about tea. As a tea enthusiast, I appreciate some of the finer points of the art of brewing. For those who crave additional knowledge, visit
Tea (Wikipedia).
When I was child, the only tea that I encountered was bagged tea by Lipton or Tetley. I was not impressed. There's nothing wrong with tea bags, per se, but the problem was that the quality of the tea therein left much to be desired. Connoisseurs tended to prefer loose tea for that reason. I get most of my tea from
Harney&Sons and prefer to go directly to their store in Millerton, NY (about a 50 minute drive from my home). There, one can request that a cup be brewed and sampled before buying, as well as the opportunity to enjoy any of their teas in their small cafe (now
there's an oxymoron!). John Harney, the founder, is semi-retired but his son Michael and Brigitte, Michael's wife, run the business. Michael is often away buying teas in exotic places while Brigitte minds the store. I highly recommend a visit, if possible. You will find it to be a pleasant, rewarding experience.
I tend to disagree with those who advocate brewing by timing the steep (the Harneys brew that way). My method is to place loose tea in a
permanent tea filter and brew it from there. I put water into a
Bodum electric water kettle, let it come to a boil, and then pour it into a
Pilyvuyt teapot until the pot is half full. This allows the water to go slightly below boiling temperature (tea leaves, like coffee grinds, should never be boiled). I then immerse the tea filter into the pot (it hangs on the rim so it doesn't fall in) and pour more water into the teapot until it is full. I don't time the steep, but instead, I wait a short time, swirl the filter, and then temporarily remove it. This allows me to taste the tea to see if it is ready. Usually, it isn't because I prefer to err on the light side. I then put the filter back and allow some more time, repeating the process until the tea tastes right to me. When it is brewed to my satisfaction, I remove the filter and serve.
I have tried many teapots but I prefer the Pilyvuyt to all others. It retains heat admirably, so the tea does not cool too quickly. In addition, the pour spout is designed very well, making it easy to pour without dripping onto the table. I recommend that a white teapot be used, regardless of the brand, because you will be able to see the color of the tea, an indispensable aid in judging if it is correctly brewed.
The amount of loose tea added to the filter varies with the capacity of the teapot and the type of tea. My teapot brews about 4 cups and I use 4 teaspoons (what else?) of tea. For some teas, Darjeeling in particular, I prefer to use heaping teaspoons because of the high concentration of tannins in that variety. The bouquet appears before the tannins and, if you don't use extra tea, you will have to steep the tea for extra time to extract the flavor; this also brings out the tannins. Tannins cause an astringency that I find to be unpleasant. By adding extra tea, the bouquet can be emphasized without getting too much tannin.
Oolongs, on the other hand, have little tannin and need to be brewed for a long period of time. Naturally, I add extra tea so that I don't have to wait until the next day for a good cup! Green teas seem to require extra time as well, and can be tannic. As with all matters culinary, personal preference is paramount so you will have to experiment to see what suits your taste.
Not all teas are constantly available. Here are my favorite Harney teas, in no particular order:
Sungma (from Darjeeling)
Kenilworth (from Sri Lanka, although they are still called Ceylon teas)
Earl Grey Supreme (better than Earl Grey)
Fanciest Formosa Oolong (Oolongs from Taiwan are better than those from mainland China)
Gyokoru (Japanese)
Black Currant
Rose Scented
Hot Cinnamon Spice
Jasmine
Citron Green
Golden Tip Assam (from Assam, naturally)
Undoubtedly, I have left some out. Another fine tea company is
In Pursuit of Tea. I am very fond of the Nantou Oolong. Check out
Palais des Thés as well. I particularly like Thé Des Moines.
Hopefully, others will add to the list and share their favorite brewing techniques. Drink tea, live long, and prosper!
