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Brewing A Proper English Tea

April 11, 2013 By
tea menu

tea menu

 

Can’t travel to London today?  No problem.  In this post we bring a fine British gentleman to show you how to brew a proper pot of English tea.  I know you will enjoy this demonstration straight from across the pond.  Need some actual British Tea?  I recommend ordering from www.EnglishTeaStore.com  they have a great selection of teas and treats.  My favorite treat is Hob Nobs.  Those tasty oatmeal biscuits covered with chocolate are the perfect partner to a cup of brisk tea.  I also highly recommend English Tea Store’s own Irish Breakfast blend.  This tea is filled with get up and go!

And now for the instructions:

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Simple Tea Latte’s You Can Make At Home

April 6, 2013 By
Tea latte

Tea latte

 

Dear Tea Fans,

It is time again for a series of recipes.  These recipes are designed for making simple tea lattes in your home.  A latte is a term used for “coffee milk” but in this case we will be using tea and milk instead.  Feel free to replace traditional milk for soy or even almond or rice.  You will have to experiment and see what tastes best to you.   Lattes can be served hot or poured over ice (if all ingredients are already cool.)  The recipes included are pretty easy but for some inspiration here is a super cool video on latte art!  Don’t start here but get some fun ideas!

 

 

Now here are some recipes:

 

Earl Grey Hot or Iced Latte

8 ounces of strongly brewed hot Earl Grey Tea
4 ounces milk (could be soy)
3 tbs Vanilla or Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup

Pour hot tea into serving cup.  Stir in syrup, steam milk
and add it to cup.  Stir and top.

If you wish to ice it start with cold tea and add cold milk
frothed into the cup.  Stir.

—
Simple Indian Milk Tea

Experiment with the one cup concept of creating personalized
chai.  This recipe is an example but you can offer a variety of
spice options and customize it to the individual.

For one cup tea :

2 tsp Indian black tea (finally cut)
2/3 cups water
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cardomom or small piece of crushed ginger
1 teaspoon sugar or stevia

Put tea in disposable filter in water and let it boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Pour in milk and add sugar. Let it boil until the milk rises.
Add crushed cardomom pods or ginger.
Serve hot.

In Indian style:
For better taste, tea should be boiled for long time. The more you boil, the more creamy it will be. The amount of sugar can be varied with your taste. (the Indian’s drink it SWEET)

- – -

Masala Spice Chai Latte

Ingredients:

3 – 4 Tea Spoons Darjeeling
A chunk of dry ginger (or fresh ginger if dry isn’t handy)
3 – 4 cardmom pods, crushed (See Note below)
3 Cloves
Small piece of cinnamon
A Tsp of SOANP
(I don’t know the name. Can be found at Indian grocers. Also indian restaurants keep this for your pleasure after dinner. Looks like cummin seeds)

1 or 2 whole black peppers (optional)
Sugar to taste
Milk (atleast Vitamin D, low fat won’t do)

Brewing:

Bring 2 cups of water to boil (microwave or otherwise). Add all the ingredients and boil again for about 15 seconds. Let stand for a minute. Warm milk in a pot.

Filter tea into cups.

Add milk and sugar. That’s IT.

If you don’t like to spend much time, mix all the spices and coarsley grind them. Boil water and add tea and a tsp of this ground spices. Rest is as above.

Note: Since cardmom is expensive, I peel them and add the skin to my stock of tea leaves. This gives a distinct aroma. Of course you boil the skin with water.

- – -

HOT PEPPERMINT & CREAM

A dollop of sweet whipped cream, nutmeg and a little chocolate are the perfect topping for a warm cup of peppermint tea.

SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups    Freshly Brewed Peppermint Tea
½ cup    Heavy Cream
2 tsp    Sugar
Ground Nutmeg
Grated Semisweet or Powdered Chocolate

DIRECTIONS:
Briefly heat the strained, steeped mint tea in a small saucepan over medium heat, until bubbles form at the edge of the pan. Whip the cream in a small bowl, adding the sugar gradually, until the cream is stiff. Pour the mint tea into a cup, then top with cream, nutmeg and chocolate.

HELPFUL TIPS:
Don’t allow the tea to steep too long or the tea will be too strong for most tastes. If too strong, add a shot of hot boiling water.

- – -

Mint Tea Latte

INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons black loose-leaf tea
8 ounces filtered water
2-3 fresh spearmint leaves (with stems)
4 ounces whole milk
1 teaspoon unrefined (raw) sugar (gives better taste)

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring the water to a boil (let sit for a few minutes to prevent burning the tea). Place loose-leaf tea, mint, and sugar in a French press (or tea pot), add the hot water, stir, and let steep for about five minutes.
Froth milk, add to tea, and pour in a large mug.

If using the tea pot method, strain tea in a large mug and enjoy.

—

Green Matcha Latte

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 matcha green tea powder
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup low fat soy milk
2 TBS sugar or stevia or ??

Mix all ingredients together with handheld frother and serve
over the top of ice.  Remember that a little matcha can go along
way to be sure to taste test this first and make sure the porportions
are right for the type of matcha you are using.

–

Snickerdoodle Delight Latte

1 OZ Torani Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup
1 Cup Milk
1/2 cup of black tea brewed strong  (enough leaf for 1-2 cups)

Steam the milk and the syrup together and froth.  Add the hot tea.
Pour into a cup and add the froth on top.

This can also be done cold if all ingredients are kept cold!

 

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Tea Review – Try Something New

February 11, 2013 By
SAMSUNG

 Tea Drawer

 Is There Such A Thing As Too Much Tea?  NO!

Dear Tea Friends,

My drawers are currently FILLED with tea.  I have been sampling tea till it comes out my ears, in order to write this article for you.   Are you ready to try a new tea?  Are you ready to support a small tea company?  Do you need a special birthday, Valentine or St. Paddy’s gift?  If so, this article is for you.   Here are the simple steps I would like you to take.

 

Step #1 – Read the article and decide what sounds yummy!

Step #2- Order it and support the vendor mentioned. (tell them you read about them on Tea Party Girl)  Don’t wait.  Take action.

2012_darjeeling_first_flush_sourenee_black_tea_dry_leaves_1

 

 

 http://www.darjeelingteaxpress.com/

 

 

The first company to send  me teas was Darjeeling TeaXpress.  They sent only Darjeeling and it came straight from India to my home in Kansas. (pretty cool).  I enjoyed a variety of their first and second flush offerings and it is surely some of the freshest tea I have ever reviewed.

Here’s a bit about the company:

DarjeelingTeaXpress is a Darjeeling based progressive Tea Brand with a singular focus on delivering the best Darjeeling Teas to tea connoisseurs and consumers worldwide. Founded by tea entrepreneurs with a strong knowledge about the Darjeeling tea industry, DarjeelingTeaXpress was started with a vision of sharing authentic Darjeeling teas with the world, the way it was meant to be enjoyed- a fresh cup of the highest quality.

The aim at DarjeelingTeaXpress is to reach as many customers, consumers and Tea Connoisseurs as they can all around the world. It is their passion to share our Darjeeling teas in their freshest and finest state so that customers get full value for their money and can enjoy a cup of tea to its fullest anytime of the day.

DarjeelingTeaXpress  is a brand that believes in innovation and we took the first step in reaching our customers personally by creating the first online tea store dedicated only to Darjeeling Teas at highly reasonable prices. It is the perfect place for tea connoisseurs, retailers, wholesalers and tea lovers who only want the best Darjeeling teas.

The teas:

I was sent a set of samples each from specific plantations in Darjeeling.  Giddapahar, Goomtee, Sourenee Blossom, Gopaldhara.  They sent a variety of types including first and second flush, green and black muscatel.  The teas were exceptionally fresh and even an untrained palate would be able to enjoy the different tastes of each region.

My personal favorite was the Sourenee Blossom – Special Black Muscatel.  This single estate tea stood out from the rest.  It has a natural sweetness and a flowery scent.  It is very smooth and mellow with an astringent finish.  This means it is a great cup of tea for any afternoon gathering you might have.

Here is the link to this tea: http://www.darjeelingteaxpress.com/2012-darjeeling-first-flush-sourenee-bio-organic-black-tea.html

If it is out of stock try another tea from the Sourenee region.  You will be very satisfied!

 

red-hot-chai-tea

WWW.THETEASPOT.COM

The Tea Spot, known for unique tea innovations, was the second company on my list.  Based in Colorado, the Tea Spot has had products and teas featured in Oprah’s magazine and all over the media.  They have a fun approach to tea and they sent me some flavored teas perfect for the winter months.  I love their “steepware” particularly the no drip teapot and their super cool, steep and go.

In addition to cook steeping products they also carry a full line of quality teas.  I personally sampled their Harvest Spice and their Red Hot Chai both of which would be fantastic hot or iced.

Harvest Spice is a limited edition product originally designed for the holidays but honestly, this tea makes ANY DAY a holiday.  Imagine a cup of black tea wrapped in layers of orange peel, cinnamon and cloves.  The aroma is simply heavenly.  The tea tastes fresh and flavorful and over ice becomes exceptionally refreshing.  You can order Harvest Spice at: http://theteaspot.com/black-spiced-tea.html  but remember it is a limed edition.  SO ACT NOW!

Red Hot Chai is perfect for those of you who love spice but want to avoid caffeine.  This Chai blend uses Rooibos as its base so there is no caffeine only natural, healthy antioxidants.  This herbal blend has a spicy kick that again would be great iced or hot.  Filled with ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, cinnamon and a splash of vanilla, Red Hot Chai indulges your Chai cravings without all the calories.  You can order Red Hot Chai at http://theteaspot.com/red-hot-spiced-chai.html .  This herbal tea is also a limited edition.

Personally, I liked the Harvest Spice, iced with a touch of stevia.  YUM.

 

teaconnemaramorning-2WWW.TRAILLODGETEA.COM

Lastly, our featured advertiser, Trail Lodge Tea, sent me a great collection of unique samples.  Trail Lodge Tea not only offers fantastic products but one of their teas help support a mission work in Mexico! ( which makes it even more special).  Trail Lodge main emphasis is Fair Trade and cause related tea programs which makes buying from them extra special.

March is right around the corner and with it comes, St. Paddy’s Day.  As an Irish decedent I love celebrating afternoon tea on March 17th so what could be better than offering my guests Connemara Morning from Trail Lodge Tea.  Connemara Morning is an Indian black tea with a splash or Irish cream flavor and a dash of Shamrock sprinkles.  This tea is not only fun to serve your guests, it makes a terrific party favor for each and every Irish wannabe!  You can order Connemara Morning at http://www.traillodgetea.com/Connemara_Morning_p/teaconnemaramorning.htm

My favorite tea from Trail Lodge is their Mexican Cocoa Rooibos which is extremely unique.  It blends Rooibos, Honeybush, Mexican Cacao and a kick of chili!  This tea will wake your taste buds up naturally.   Drink this tea hot or iced and remember that each and every cup gives back to the Ninos De Mexico charity.  http://ninosdemexico.org/   The tea is available at http://www.traillodgetea.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=cocoa+rooibos.  

 

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The Beauty of Tea

December 15, 2012 By
Ban Zhang 2009 Pu-erh Tea

 

Ban Zhang 2009 Pu-erh Tea

Some thoughts about the beauty of tea…..

Blind people can enjoy tea, of course, but as with the rest of their lives, they are denied a beautiful dimension–the visual. Forget about drinking tea for a minute. Let’s extol the drink for its delightful impact on the eyes.

 

Tight cakes of pu-erh tea are beautiful in their own right, with the darkened leaves compressed into intertwined, unfathomably complex blocks. Aroma aside, each cake is a singular mysterious matrix of formerly green leaves tenderly plucked and processed to create a whole, till they are plucked from the cake to create a brew.

 

A first-time tea drinker can be surprised by the startling color of tea soup. Dark brown leaves might be expected to produce a liquid of the same hue, but the magic of infusion can turn muddy brown to golden yellow. The soup of the Wuyi Oolong Rock Pure Da Hong Pao tea — a Wild & Bare Co. favorite – is as yellow as the most glistening lemon, the most shimmering field of rapeseed, the most vibrant sapphire. It literally is a sight to behold–before drinking. In the mind, the tea still glitters golden as it flows into the belly.

 

In the same way does Keeman Mao Feng Black Tea transform itself when embroiled in hot water, but the soup for this tea is not golden. The dried black leaves of this tea become scarlet, a pulsing red liquid that begs for peering into as one does a blood-red sun at day’s end. Suspending thought just to bask in the color of the tea is a reconciliation of mind and spirit.

white tea

Dried white tea leaves are among the most delicate of tea sights, including the leaves of the White Tipped Silver Needle Bai Hao Yin Zhen tea from southern Fujian. The leaves are light brown, which is an OK color but quite bland, wouldn’t you say? Yet the neutral color is the perfect backdrop for the tiny, silvery white hairs that sprout thickly along the needle-shaped leaf. The fine down is akin to that found on a baby, or to the delicate tendrils sometimes seen through microscopes. The gentle down helps produce a velvety drink.

 

Other teas are green–including the jade green dried leaves of Handmade Imperial Zhu Ye Qing, or the dark green leaves of Handmade Premium Liu An Gua Pian. It is true that the entire rainbow of color is not found in tea–a light blue tea soup probably should be emptied down the drain and an investigation begun–but the golds and greens and reds of the tea kingdom genuinely enrich a tea brewer.

 

Perhaps the most visually dramatic sight at tea is provided by the unfolding of blooming or flowering tea. This family of teas is crafted in the same way a piece of art is crafted, with painstaking labor. But unlike the sculpted rock, the thrown clay, or the brightly brushed canvas, the beauty of blooming tea is not revealed until hot water is added to a glass cup containing the tea. That is when the leaves unfold to reveal a flower blossom. The infused color of the leaf and vibrancy of the blossom combined with the actual “blooming” action of the tea balls can be breathtaking.

 

Drink the tea? Of course. But before you do, don’t deprive yourself of the pleasure of seeing it.

 

++

This article was provided by Rebecca Nolan of  Wild and Bare Tea.  Connect with their teas and their websites!

http://wildandbare.com

http://www.facebook.com/wild.and.bare.co

http://twitter.com/WildandBare

 

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Is Tea too much Work?

August 18, 2012 By
pour-tea

Dear Tea Friends,

I recently came across this “classic” post from the early days of Tea Party Girl.  The founder, Jenny Wells, had some great thoughts on the time it takes to make tea and why it’s important to spend the time!  At the end of this article I have some updates on ways to save time making tea.  Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see my personal list.

++++++++

As a tea lover, educator, and promoter, it’s amazing how often I hear from people that brewing loose leaf tea is too much work.

When I began to drink tea at home, I never gave the “work” a second thought.

Again, could this be because many, many Americans don’t know the great taste and experience of a brewed pot of loose-leaf tea?

The goal of enjoying a pot of properly brewed loose-leaf tea motivated me to learn proper brewing techniques.

Yes, brewing a decent pot of tea is more work than microwaving tap-water in a mug for a bag of herb crumbs from the grocery store. And yes, making dinner Rachel Ray style is more work than visiting McDonalds. (Rachel, by the way, claims to “hate” tea and I’m wondering what kind she’s drunk…herb tea bags, maybe?). But, oh the reward, the essence, the feast of the senses properly brewed tea brings!

For those of you who are brewing loose-leaf tea at home, here are my top five tips for great tasting, smelling, and “tempatured” tea:

1. Use filtered water. A decent cup of tea (and a lousy cup of tea) is made up with 95% water. The water taste makes a tremendous difference!

2. Don’t over-boil your water. All the steam pouring out of your tea kettle while you’re off getting the mail? It’s two part hydrogen and one part oxygen,right? Water without oxygen tastes flat.

3. Learn the correct brewing times for the leaves you’re using. Green tea, for example, cannot handle the heat of boiling water or long brewing times. If the green tea you’ve tasted is bitter, this is why. Brew green tea for 2 minutes at rapid steam but not the exploding steam of boiling water.

4. Throw away the mesh balls everyone owns and no one uses for brewing loose-leaf tea. They are only good for one cup of tea at a time. Tea leaves must have room to expand if they are going to release their flavor. Purchase a tea sock,sack, or pot with an infuser instead.

5. Choose a beautiful cup (try one with a thin-lip, they far surpass chunky dime-a-dozen mugs in experiencing beauty on your lips), fill it only 2/3 full so it doesn’t cool down before you finish, and try your tea with the sugar in your treat, not your tea. (For richer blacks, a touch of milk can hit the spot).

(Yes, I fit all my favorite tips over 5 into number 5…couldn’t resist!)

Don’t forget! Only brew tea that SMELLS great.

Embrace the “work” and learn the rich reward of brewing tea daily for your health and heart!

Meet Me For Tea at Three,

Jenny

++++++++++

Dawnya’s time saving, tea making, suggestions.

If life has got you on the run adapt some new technology and keep using great loose leaf tea. 

The Steep and Go by Tea Spot 

 

#1  The K Cup Adapter -  While the Keurig is not the ideal or most flavorful way to make tea, it can be adapted in a pinch.  Don’t waste your time and money buying the K-cup teas.  They are junk.  Instead buy an adapter and choose a small cut tea such as an English Breakfast.  Buy the tea loose leaf and scoop 1 1/4 tsp into the K Cup Adapter.  In 60 seconds you have tea that while not as good as brewing correctly, is tolerable in a hurry!

 

#2  Personal Iced Tea - Here’s a great way to make custom iced to on the go.  Grab a bottle of your favorite water, put a pinch of your favorite loose leaf tea in the container and add this amazing filter.  In no time you will have fresh steeped, iced tea.  Easy to drink and easy to travel.

 

#3 Brew On The Go- These easy to use disposable filters work great for both coffee and tea.  Keep them in your desk along with a tin of your favorite loose leaf tea.  Brew your water in an electric kettle and “TaDah! you are done!”  These filters are affordable and easy to take with you.

 

Tea Party Girl asks:  What’s your secret for making great tea?

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