Coaxing the Leaf

When brewing loose leaf tea, the water temperature- the vessel the tea is brewed in and the amount of time you let the tea steep is critical. Any variation of those elements can effect the taste, ever so slightly. Tea is at best a moving target when it comes to taste.

Tea is a testament to change. When first brewed and poured, it tastes different than when let sit in the cup for 10 minutes. The color changes, the bitterness becomes more prevelant.

I am a fan of White Peony Tea, a inexpensive white tea, also called in Chinese Pai Mutan. It has a roasted honey flavored taste- unique and maybe an aquired taste. I really don't know anyone who drinks the stuff (with the exception of my family).

The directions for brewing it from the tea company are nothing but brutal. They tell you to boil the tea to 180 F and then steep it for 5 minutes. I have brewed it that way, and the tea comes out nasty and thick.

Over the years I have played around with it- and this is how I recommend to make a superior cup of tea-at least today, because like everything in the world- its going to change.

1. Boil the water to 180F.
2. Fill a cup with ice and then pour water over it.
3. 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea into a clay yixing (YEE-SHING) teapot.
4. Pour the hot water over the leaves half of the way filling the teapot. Set the timer for 2 minutes.
5. After two minutes- pour the cold water into the pot, filling it. Set the timer for another two minutes.
6. Pour and serve immediately.

The company I buy my tea from is called Rishi Tea. It is organic, fair trade and falls within the psuedo liberal demographic I am a big target of by psuedo liberal marketers. Below is a link.

http://www.rishitea.com/