Confessions of a Tea Enthusiast
Introduction: I was once a coffee drinker, but that was prior to December 20, 1993. I remember the date because it marked the beginning my Christmas break that year. I had recently purchased a box of grocery-store tea, and on a whim, decided to make it rather than the usual coffee–I’d been drinking two cups of coffee per day for the previous few years. Around mid-morning, I developed a headache, which lasted until after supper. It wasn’t all that bad, but lingered throughout the day. Wondering whether it was induced by caffeine withdrawal, I made tea rather than coffee again the next day. Another headache appeared, but after a few hours it was gone. On the third day, I did the same thing, and suffered no headache at all. I concluded that my pattern of consuming two cups of coffee per day had caused me to become addicted to the stuff, and decided right then and there to give it up. Cold turkey. Done. Haven’t had a sip since.
Over the next few years, I learned to appreciate tea, and made it by brewing it in my cup, which I believe is common. I was coasting along fine, but one day I wondered if I was making it the right way and whether I could do better. I embarked on a search for the perfect cup of tea. I visited web sites and read a book about tea. Everything I found pointed to the use of a teapot, so I began shopping for one, which isn’t easy since they’re not found in big-box stores or those that offer kitchen appliances. Tea kettles are everywhere, but teapots are scarce in such places of business. (See definition of teapots and tea kettles below.) Cost Plus World Market is the only store I’ve found within an hour’s drive of my home that stocks teapots, and they periodically have some nice ones. Many excellent teapots are also available online. My current favorite are Bee House Teapots. They’re made in Japan and designed with short, study spouts that don’t drip. And they have convenient metal, clip-on lids. With a teapot in hand I was on my way to the perfect cup of tea.
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| Bee House 18-oz Saturn in Jeans Blue |
Tea: A Definition: Tea is the second-most consumed drink in the world; only water is consumed more. But it’s important to begin with a definition. Tea comes from the tea bush, Camellia sinensis a tropical evergreen species. It is grown in plantations, called estates, in many parts of Asia as well as Africa and South America. Several types of tea are produced from the leaves and buds of this plant: black, green, oolong, and a few sub varieties such as white and red. All other beverages that contain the word tea in their product names are not tea, and are not addressed in this document. These include all herbal teas, which are made from plants other than Camellia sinensis. Nor are decaffeinated teas addressed. The process that removes caffeine also removes some or most of tea’s numerous health benefits. I avoid these products, and don’t know how to make them.
Caffeine in Tea: Many people believe incorrectly that tea contains more caffeine than coffee. As a general rule, black tea contains about a third as much caffeine as coffee. Oolong tea, which I rarely consume, contains less, and green tea contains the least, at least in the cup. (Technically, the caffeine content of various types of tea before it is brewed is the same, but since green tea is brewed for a shorter period of time using a cooler water temperature, less caffeine finds its way into the finished product.)
Diuretic Effects of Tea: I read a relatively recent study that said that tea is not all that diuretic. In the study, people who drank only water retained 80% and passed 20% through their urine. Those who drank only tea retained 70%, and passed 30%, only a 10% difference. Since tea not diuretic, it can be used for hydration without worry.
Tea Kettle, Teapot: what’s the difference? I recently read a review of a stainless steel teapot during which the reviewer said the first time he placed it on his stove, the handle melted. As a result it went right into the trash. Clearly he did not know the difference between teapots and tea kettles, and I'm sure he's not alone.
- Tea kettles are simply vessels that heat water. Historically they’ve been designed for stove-top use, but electric ones are available. The only advantage I can see of using a tea kettle over a sauce pan is that a kettle facilitates easier pouring. Maybe that’s just me.
- Teapots, on the other hand, are vessels designed to brew tea, and unlike tea kettles, should not to be used on the stove, but rather, heated water is poured into them over tea leaves. I suspect that they came into use because they hold heat well, which is or should be their most important design criteria.
Why Use a Teapot? The secret of making great tea is water temperature. Black tea should be made with boiling water, and it should be kept as hot as possible while infusing (steeping). Teapots, once properly preheated, hold heat very well and are perfect for making tea. Tea brewed in a cup, on the other hand, loses temperature rapidly, unless a lid that holds heat in is used (and that may be how teapots originally developed).
Making Black Tea:
- Water: The cleaner and fresher the water, the better the tea. I use filtered water. Clear tap water that contains no aftertaste or odor also works well. Hot or warm water should not be used; it contains less oxygen, which is necessary to create optimum taste. Put the kettle on the stove, and begin heating water. Avoid boiling water for an extended time; that reduces the oxygen content and affects taste of the final product. Rather, the perfect time to pour the water from the kettle into the pot (see below) is when the water just begins to roll in a boil. Since the water inside most tea kettles cannot be seen, a good indication is when steam begins to shoot out of the spout or it begins to whistle. Heating water in a microwave oven works, too, but is not recommended because the water is not uniformly heated, and therefore loses temperature too quickly. Electric tea kettles, on the other hand, are highly recommended. They boil water quickly, and some turn off once the boiling temperature is reached.
- Preheating the Teapot: If you pour boiling water into a room-temperature teapot, it cools quickly and can't make good black tea. Accordingly it's important to preheat the pot, and it's easy. While the kettle is on the stove, boil about a third of a cup of water in a microwave oven or on the stove. This takes a little over a minute. Pour the boiling water into your teapot, and replace the lid. After it sits for about fifteen seconds, it should be very warm to the touch. At that point, cradle the teapot in both hands, and swirl the water inside gently–to avoid spillage. You should feel the heat rise up the sides of the teapot, and it will soon be too hot to hold. If it’s not that hot, add a bit more boiling water to heat it more thoroughly. Discard the water from the teapot as the kettle approaches boiling. With a preheated teapot the water you add from the kettle will stay at or close to the boiling point--perfect for making black tea.
- The Infusion Process: Place the tea bag or loose tea inside the teapot or its infuser, and pour the boiling water from your kettle over it. (If using loose tea, see Using Loose Tea below.) Let the tea steep (or infuse) for four to five minutes, but not more than six, beyond which the tea can become bitter. Do not squeeze the tea bag when removing it. All the stuff (tannins, mostly) that make tea bitter is still in the tea bag, and it will not add quality to the beverage.
Remove the tea bag, pour the tea into your cup, and enjoy. If a sweetener is desired, add honey or sugar.
Making Green Tea: The process for green tea differs from black tea in minor but important ways. Most people don’t like green tea, and I believe that’s because they haven’t learned to make it properly. Most people bring water to a boil like they do with black tea, but that makes it bitter. Green tea can be quite good and delicate, but two things need to be done differently:
1) Don’t let the water boil. Green tea should be made with water that’s 185-190 degrees rather than 212 (boiling). A good rule of thumb is to remove the kettle from the stove when the first wisp of steam escapes the spout.
2) Brewing or infusing time should be between two and three minutes rather than three to four as with black tea.
Loose Tea Vs. Tea Bags: Tea bags are relatively new on the tea scene. According to Wikipedia, tea bags first become commercially available in 1904. Prior to that only loose tea was available. Tea bags are popular because they’re easy to use and less messy. But many tea blenders or wholesalers chop the tea into tiny pieces, some of which are merely specks that some tea experts call “dust.” Loose tea provides more flavor because the leaf particles are larger and contain more oil, which contributes to taste. But tea bags, because of their ease of use, greatly outsell loose tea. A good cup of tea can be made with a tea bag, but the quality is generally better with loose tea.
Using Loose Tea: My Bee House Teapot came with an infuser, a screened container that fits inside the teapot. Infusers can be purchased separately but beware that some teapot lids won’t fit over them. If your teapot lid has a little nodule (bump) on one side that helps prevent it from falling off while pouring, it won’t fit over an infuser. To make two cups of tea, I pour a rounded teaspoon of tea into my teapot’s infuser, and pour boiling water over it. Then I vary the amount for subsequent pots if I want it stronger or weaker. The infuser can be lifted out, and the used tea leaves can be easily discarded. I’ve used loose tea without an infuser, too, by placing the tea in the bottom of my preheated teapot. That works well, but removing the wet tea leaves can be messy.
Storing Tea: Because tea is a leaf, it is sensitive and fragile. It is best if stored properly, which means away from heat and light. Often tea is sold in tin or metal containers. The tin keeps the tea dry, blocks light, and separates it from other aromas from food products in your pantry or cupboard, which also affect taste. If you buy tea that comes in a tin, before long you’ll have a small collection of perfect tea containers. Don’t store tins over the stove; rather, store them away from the heat of your oven. Some tea comes in foil, resealable packets, which are fine storage containers.
Health Benefits of Tea: Scientific research has indicated that tea has many health benefits including improving cardiovascular health, reducing risks of several forms of cancer, aiding the immune system, contributing to oral health, and helping to prevent obesity, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. These apply to both green and black tea. Some forms of flavanoids, which contain antioxidant properties, differ between green and black tea, but the differences are minor. We hear more about the benefits of green tea, mostly because the initial research of the health benefits of tea was conducted in Asia, where green tea is preferred. Later studies involving black tea have found the same benefits with only minor differences. As a result, consumers may follow their taste preferences and receive the same health benefits.
Many web sites contain health information regarding the benefits of tea. Here’s one from WebMD: http://tinyurl.com/ddakal
Cleaning a Teapot: After a while tannins (byproducts of vegetative material) build up on the inside of teapots. It may not cause a lot of harm, but looks unattractive, and eventually may affect the taste of tea, especially if you brew several different types of tea. A major concern is protecting the glaze on the inside of the teapot. Its smoothness minimizes the build up of tannins, and precludes the growth of things you don’t want in your cup. Accordingly, it’s not a good idea to use harsh scrapers or chemicals on the inside surface. But not to worry; a much easier method of getting rid of the built-up material is at hand, and the item you need is most likely already in your pantry: baking soda.
In a mixing bowl or measuring cup, make a mixture of about a cup of very hot tap water and around a tablespoon of baking soda–doesn’t have to be exact. Stir until the baking soda is dissolved, then pour the mixture into your teapot. (Using an alternate vessel to dissolve baking soda in water precludes using a spoon to stir the mixture in a teapot, which may damage the glaze.) Add hot water to fill the teapot, or so that the level rises above the level of built up tannins. Replace the lid and let it sit until the mixture cools to room temperature–a couple of hours will suffice.
Rinse with plenty of cold water. A soft sponge can be used to further remove stubborn tannins. If some are still present, repeat the process. I've never had to do it more than twice.
My Bee House teapot, an 18-ounce Saturn. It's about seven years old, and is used at least once every day, more so during winter. Tannins are visible in the photo below, and they often appear within a few weeks of daily use.
Here is the same teapot after cleaning it with baking soda as described above.
Odds and Ends (and weird musings):
- Tea Bag Design: The original tea bags were cloth envelopes. Today they’re made of paper similar to that used in coffee filters, or nylon. In 1952 Thomas Lipton patented the “flow-through tea bag,” and they’re still in use today, not only by Lipton but by other reputable tea companies. Tea expands as it is brewed, and the bag must have sufficient room to allow for its expansion, and that’s the only design criteria that matters. It seems to me that flow-through tea bags are too confining. I like pyramid-shaped tea bags such as those used by PG Tips, a tea blend from England. They have plenty of room for the tea leaves to expand during the infusion process. Some of Lipton’s better teas now come in pyramid-shaped bags, and I’m puzzled why any companies still use flow-through bags, unless it’s a matter of economics. I see the design as little more than a marketing gimmick.
- My Favorite Teas: I like estate teas. These are grown in tea plantations, known as estates. They are not blended, but rather are picked from the same estate, then collectively processed. Each estate tea has its own quality with regard to taste and boldness, and I haven't found a bad one yet. The factors that produce individual qualities of tea include climate, elevation, soil quality, and a few other factors.
- Tea Blends: Most tea is blended, which is to say tea from various plantations are mixed together to produce a certain taste sensation or quality. Some blends contain ten or more different teas, some of which are available only during certain seasons. When some teas are out of season, blenders replace them with one or two others–a mini-blend if you will–which maintains the original taste. A benefit is that blends offer the same quality and taste regardless of the season.
- Restaurant Tea: Most tea connoisseurs do not order tea in restaurants because they don’t serve a good cup of tea as described above. The problem usually relates once again to water temperature. They have “hot water” but it comes from the coffee machine or similar appliance and is heated only to about 180- to 185-degrees fahrenheit. For good black tea, as we’ve seen, the water must come to a boil, or 212-degrees F. Green tea might be okay in most American restaurants provided you remove the tea bag after 2 to 3 minutes, but not black tea. An exception to the restaurant policy involves Chinese restaurants; their tea is fine.
- The Humble Teaspoon: I suspect, but haven't been able to confirm, that teaspoons were originally used to measure loose tea. Tablespoons may have been used during meals, hence the name. I've read that teaspoons were originally used to stir tea, but that doesn't make sense to me. Anything could be used for that. But a smaller spoon became a useful measuring implement for measuring tea. Why else would they be called teaspoons? As further evidence, one need not look far to learn that teaspoons were originally smaller than they are today--1/4th of a tablespoon, at the time tea was first beginning to show up in Europe. As it became more common and less expensive, more of it was used to make a cup of tea, and teaspoons were increased to their current size, 1/3rd of a tablespoon. If it were only used for stirring, the size wouldn't have been important.
- Why I Use an 18-ounce Teapot: I make two cups of tea at a time. I measured the volume of the mugs I own, and they average 9-ounces. So an 18-ounce teapot is the perfect size for making two cups of tea.
Final Note: If you’re still reading, congratulations. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. I am definitely not a tea expert, but I may be able to answer a few questions. Otherwise, I hope this helps you to make a fine cup of tea!
Roger Hayes
Carlyle, Illinois, USA
rhayes17@gmail.com
