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Making a decent pot of tea...

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sunshineandsmiles

sunshineandsmiles

Sol-Id
Hi there folks...

I find the perfct aid to my explorations of inner light and other mysteries is a decent cup of tea. The sad thing in this day and age is that many do not know how to make a decent pot of tea from scratch. Many prefer the ease of using tea-bags, and when making other infusions of dried herbish matter, they believe that simply throwing boiling water on it and leaving it for a bit is sufficient...this is not so...

Making tea is a deeply spiritual practise for many. In making it properly, one adds to it's healing powers with one's own energies (or somesuch mystic babble).

So...in lew of this...I am writing this tek for a decent pot of tea (English method) so that you too may enjoy a well brewed cup of tchai to aid you in your adventures :D

Equipment and Ingredients:

. Loose leaf tea (must be of good quality*)
. Water-kettle
. 1 x Teapot (1 litre vol. makes approx. 6 cups)
. 1 x tea-cosey
. 1x tea-strainer
. Teacup(s) (depending on quantity of persons drinking the brew)
. 1 x tablespoon
. 2 x teaspoons
. milk/lemon juice (depending on the tea)
. sugar/honey/agave nectar

Tek:

1. Warm the teapot by holding it under hot running water until the inside of the teapot is warm to the touch.

2. Pour in a little warm water and using a tablespoon, spoon in the loose leaf tea (approx. 1 tbsp per litre volume of pot).

3. Boil the kettle, then pour the boiling water into the teapot. Place the lid onto the teapot and cover it with a tea-cosey.

4. Leave the teapot to stand for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving (this allows the tea to infuse properly, larger teapots/urns may require a longer time to infuse).

5. Serve by pouring the tea infusion through a tea-strainer into teacups.

6. Pour in the milk or lemon juice (serving suggestionss are usually given on the box, but in most cases this is a matter of taste).

7. Sweeten (if desired) with sugar, honey, or agave nectar.

8. Leave the teacup to stand until the tea is at drinking temperature.

9. Drink, sipping slowly and enjoying the aroma, taste, and (in some cases) texture of the tea.

I hope you find this tek helpful, and long may you enjoy a well brewed pot of tea :)

* HOW TO APPRECIATE AND STORE LOOSE-LEAF TEA

. The tea must be stored in a cool, dry place not touching any walls and raised from the floor (this helps to keep it dry and free of contamination).

. Keep tea stored away from strong chemicals, strong flavoured foods/drinks/condiments (such as cheese, worcestershire/soy sauce, and wine).

. The tea must be dry and crispy to the touch, as well as being aromatic (good tea fills one's nose well).

MUCH LOVE S&S xxx

. The tea must be dry and aromatic.
 
A few tricks from an old barista:

With tea timing is everything. If the tea is left in water too long, tannins will be released making for a more bitter flavor.

White tea - strain tea from water at the 60 second mark for best flavor.
Green tea - Strain tea between 2-3 minutes for best flavor.
Oolong tea - Strain between 3-5 minutes for best flavor.
Black tea - Strain around 5 minutes for best flavor.
Herbal teas - Typically herbal teas can be left for 5+ minutes without a problem.

Something necessary for retaining all the nutrients in yerba mate' that I find is very beneficial for most other herbs is to saturate your herbs with cold water till they are just barely covered in liquid before adding the hot water so the temperature raises more slowly and doesn't damage anything in the plant material.

Its also a good idea to let your kettle sit for a minute or so before pouring the water so it can cool down a bit, you want boiling hot water for coffee but tea seems to turn out better if the water is just hot instead of boiling. (to guess at a temp I'd say somewhere between 165-180 degrees)

"The first sip is joy, the second is gladness, the third is serenity, the fourth is madness, the fifth is ecstasy."
 
I seriously love to let my tea steep 20min/an hour/never remove the bag, and wait until it cools to room temperature. :? I suppose my baseline for "bitter" has been shifted. :p

I admire your observance of ritual. Not being tongue in cheek, Ayahuasca has taught me the importance of that same observance and mindfulness in preparing simple things, like tea. :)

A friend makes the most ridiculous rooibos chai lattes with almond milk and agave. Yum. <3

Edit: Maybe this is a slightly disturbing addition, but it's hilarious, so I will also share... When I was a kid (probably 2nd-3rd grade), I used to smash my teabag against the sides of the cup to make the strongest cup possible (shaman in the making?!?!?!). Sometimes the bag would explode and I loved to eat the herbs. Mmm. Chamomile and rosehips. Not sure if I've ever told anyone that before or why I just remembered it. ;) Oh, Inner Child...
 
"Edit: Maybe this is a slightly disturbing addition, but it's hilarious, so I will also share... When I was a kid (probably 2nd-3rd grade), I used to smash my teabag against the sides of the cup to make the strongest cup possible (shaman in the making?!?!?!). Sometimes the bag would explode and I loved to eat the herbs. Mmm. Chamomile and rosehips. Not sure if I've ever told anyone that before or why I just remembered it. Oh, Inner Child..."

I do that as well..makes strong green and black teas..
 
fractal enchantment said:
"Edit: Maybe this is a slightly disturbing addition, but it's hilarious, so I will also share... When I was a kid (probably 2nd-3rd grade), I used to smash my teabag against the sides of the cup to make the strongest cup possible (shaman in the making?!?!?!). Sometimes the bag would explode and I loved to eat the herbs. Mmm. Chamomile and rosehips. Not sure if I've ever told anyone that before or why I just remembered it. Oh, Inner Child..."

I do that as well..makes strong green and black teas..
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I'm even worse. People are often a bit appalled by my habit of squeezing the last drops of juice out of the teabags and drinking it, after i've finished the pot. Any pot of tea that contains less than three bags i consider too weak of flavor to be called tea.
 
TEA shirt!

^^So, someone totally has a t-shirt like this. ;) It's an endless source of entertainment, when people are like, "Oh, I love tea!"

"What kind of tea do YOU prefer?"
"I drink... STRONG tea..." [like, smash the herbs with a hammer, boil for nine hours and puke your guts out while being probed by alines... tea.. yeah 8) ]
 
I believe that every form of brewing deserves careful attention to detail and a certain amount of ritual. I always bless my brews (especially mushies) with a short prayer, poem, or reading from something that I really love. Lately it's been all about 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran :)

But yeah, back to tchai. Big love for the Assam :) Glad to know that many Nexians feel the same way.
 
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