How about some tea tips today on Teapot Tuesday? I am by no means an expert but I do have a lot of resources at my fingertips so today I thought I would share just a few tea tips that might help some of you out there who don’t know about the various ways to brew different kinds of tea. Did you know that different types of tea require different temperatures of water? And what about that water? Is there a right type to use? Read on, dear friends, and I will impart my limited knowledge to you.
I got to thinking about it this morning as I brewed a cup of green tea to drink on the back deck. I have a book club meeting this week and I am leading the discussion. Yikes. I needed a nice calming tea to drink while I reread the book and I chose this lovely green tea that my daughter in law’s parents gave me. When they go back to China they bring back suitcases full of their favorite things and they always serve this lovely green tea when we visit so they graciously gifted some to me the last time we were at their house.
But the thing about green tea is that you brew it differently than you do with a black tea, did you know that? Yep. I found this handy dandy chart on one of my favorite tea vendor sites (Adagio) and thought it would be a good thing to share here.
Now this chart gives a range of temperatures for the lighter teas but I rely on my handy dandy boiler / kettle from Cuisinart for the precise temperatures. I LOVE this kettle. It has a place of honor on my coffee and tea bar and I use it daily. It is easy to use and does everything that I need it to do.
It is the perfect way for me to get the perfect temperature for my water for my tea. Yes, it may cost a little more than some other models but I have had this one for 5 years and it has never failed me.
But what about the water that is used for tea? Does it have to be “special” water? We fortunately have really great tasting water here so I do not use any special water at all. It tastes great out of the faucet or fridge and has no weird taste at all. “Experts” say that if your water is too hard with too many minerals it will make your tea taste bad. If you don’t have great water you can just use a simple carbon filter water pitcher to remove the extra minerals and any contaminants like chlorine. Rule of thumb – if you don’t like the way your water tastes out of the faucet you probably won’ t be happy with the way your tea tastes either.
There you have it – your tea tips for the day. Come back next Tuesday for more tea fun. Who knows what the topic will be? Leave me a comment and remember to Comment for a Cause – Transylvania Christian Ministry Sharing House.
