Let’s Steep It Up.

Rainy days should be spent with a cup of tea and a good book. Like C.S.Lewis — there can never you can never get a cup of tea large enough or book long enough suit me. Let’s get real

Each of us have our own special way of steeping tea, and drinking it in that specific cup. I love watching the colours that release into the water as the tea leaves unfurl in the hot water.

I’m often asked which is better loose leaves or bags. Well, that is personal however for me, it is always leaves as tea bags dust ruminants from the leaves.

The kind of water used to steep the tea is important. I use running water or the one from my filter.

The temperature is also important, for tea to release its colour and flavour it needs to be hot, at the same time over boiling turns the tea bitter. The rough table I follow:

Green Tea         71^o– 80^oC

Oolong            85-93^oC

Black             90-100^oC

I have never made white tea so I am kind of clueless about it. warm the cup before pouring the hot water to steep. Else the lower temperature of the mug brings down the temperature and the tea will not release either the colour or the flavour.

This the golden tea to water ratio that works for me.  1tsp.tea leaves/cup +1 for the pot.

Milk proportion 1 cup milk for 3 cups water.

Boil the water to the required temperature, place the tea leaves in the teapot (make sure that the pot is warm) pour the boiling water and cover the pot with a tea cozy. Allow it steep. The steep time would be

Green tea         1-3mnts.

Oolong            3-5mnts.

Black             3-5mnts.

If you are using an infuser and no milk then you can get at least 2 steeps though the tea gets weaker with each infusion. My method is let the infuser till the water does not change colour. Then change the infusion.

What I have shared is generally what is followed in the west. Let’s talk Indian tea another time.