Tea 101

Many of you may know I'm a HUGE tea lover. Coffee just doesn't do it for me but a cup of hot tea is heaven. All tea comes from the camellia sinensis plant. If you are drinking something that did not come from this plant (chamomile, mint, tulsi, rooibos, etc) it is not tea.

White, Green, Oolong, Yellow, Black and Pu-erh teas all come from the camellia sinensis plant and the type of tea is determined by the processing methods used on the plucked leaves.Tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes mental acuity. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine creates a sense of "mindful awareness."Tea can be prepared in any vessel by steeping the leaves directly in hot water as long as you strain the leaves out of the water before drinking.

The more oxidized the tea leaves are, the hotter the water temperature should be when steeping.Loose tea can be steeped multiple times. Some teas can be re-steeped 20 or more times. The flavor is gradually extracted from the leaves with each subsequent steep.When shopping for tea, look for companies that offer information about where the tea is from, how it was processed, who grew it, and most importantly-when the tea was harvested. 

Steeping Your Tea When steeping the tea, be sure the tea can flow freely through the water, this rules out tea bags, tiny tea infusion baskets, tea balls, etc. Ideally, pour water directly over the tea and then strain before drinking. If you must use an infuser, a large finum strainer [photo left] works nicely and still allows for proper water flow. Depending on the type of tea you are steeping there are two important variables you must pay attention to: water temperature, and steeping time. I'm assuming you are using good water, as tea is 98% water – using a strong chlorinated water would be a bad idea. In general, hotter water must be used for highly oxidized teas. Remember, you are preparing a drink that you should enjoy, so always take tea instructions with a grain of salt. Experiment often to discover the "sweet spot" with your teas and remember-a good tea is a forgiving tea. If your tea is bitter, reduce the steeping temperature. If your tea is too weak, increase the amount of tea leaves used or increase the steeping time.  

 Great online place to get wonderful teas https://www.chicagoteagarden.com/