About Tea » How to Prepare Tea
How to Prepare Tea
The
following is a general guideline to prepare tea. The method of
preparing tea will vary according to the specific tea and one's taste.
1. Boil Fresh Water
Fill a kettle with fresh cold water and bring the water to a boil.
2. Heat up the Tea Set
Pour
the boiling water into the teapot and let it stand for 15 seconds. Pour
the water from the teapot into each of teacup. Pour away any remaining
water into a water bowl.
3. Place Appropriate Amount of Tea in Tea Pot
Put
approximately 2 grams of tea per person into the teapot. The amount of
tea can be adjusted according to the tea and one's preference.
4. Pour Water into the Tea Pot
Pour
the appropriate temperature water into the teapot. Use boiling water
(212°F) for black teas, water at 185° - 195°F for oolongs, and water
at 170° - 180°F for white and green teas.
5. Steep the Tea
The
length of time one needs to steep a tea depends on the type of tea, how
many times the tea has been steeped, and one's personal preference.
Generally, let the tea steep for 1 to 2 minutes the first time, then
slowly increase the length of time the tea is allowed to steep. The
time can be more slowly increased for black and oolong teas, and more
quickly lengthened for white and green teas. Black and oolong teas may
be steeped many times, but white and green teas are usually steeped 3
to 4 times.
6. Pour the Tea into the Teacups or into a Warmed Pot
Pour
the steeped tea directly into the teacups. Or pour the steep tea into
another warmed pot or bowl separating the tea leaves from the water,
then pour the tea into the teacups. It is important to pour tea into
another bowl after the appropriate time of steeping to avoid a bitter
taste from developing.
Before steeping an aromatic pot of delicious tea, there are a few things to consider. . .
It
is important to buy and store properly high-grade tealeaves. In
purchasing tea, buy in small amounts often. Tea should be stored in
airtight container away from light, strong odors, moisture, and heat.
Green tea may be tightly sealed and stored in the refrigerator. While
most teas are best when fresh, some teas, like the Pu-erh Tea, gets
better with age.
The
quality of water is indispensable to bring out the full flavor of tea.
It is essential to use fresh spring water, bottled water, or filtered
water.
Select
a tea set according to use, size, and aesthetics. Glazed ceramic,
procelain, east iron, and silver tea sets are not porous and hence
suitable for a variety of teas. Chinese Yixing teapot is porous and
would be best utilized by using one teapot for a single type of tea.
The lining of tea deposit collected in the porous Yixing stoneware adds
to the taste of tea. Ideally, it is best to have several teapots, one
for the strong teas and one for the milder teas. In choosing a tea set,
select one that is aesthetically appealing and functional for your
daily enjoyment.
In
caring for your tea set, never wash a teapot or tea set in a dishwasher
or with dishwashing detergent. In daily usage, pour away the tea, rinse
with hot clean water, and turn the teapot and cups upside-down to dry.
Occasionally, you may boil your tea set for three to five minutes to
clean it. It is recommended that you boil your tea set before you use
it the first time. Another option for all tea sets, except Yixing, is
to pour two tablespoons of baking soda into boiling water, soak the tea
set overnight, rinse thoroughly, and let dry.
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