For women who love afternoon tea parties
(C) Christopher Shay for The Wall Street Journal
I had to share this article from the Wall Street Journal. It features a tea artist in Bangladesh, Mr. Gour. He has worked for years to create layered tea drinks and I am seriously impressed.
The article is below:
http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/06/07/the-secret-of-the-seven-layer-tea/#
Enjoy!
Dawnya
The first iced teas are said to have been made with Sri Lankan leaves during the World Fair in St. Louis, MO in 1904. Up until that time, America usually imported only green teas. In 1904. Sri Lankan tea growers sent a representative to show off their finest blends. Unfortunately the world’s fair was blazing hot and few people were interested in a steaming cup. Out of desperation, the salesman poured his hot brew over ice and instantly, a new American beverage was born.
Today we drink iced tea everywhere we go. If you want to make a great cup at home the following suggestions will help you succeed:
The easiest ways to create a traditional brew is to use hearty and full- bodied teas without any malty flavor. I recommend focusing on black teas and herbals as greens, oolongs and whites can be tricky.
Choose a high quality loose-leaf Ceylon, Nilgiri or Keemun for your traditional icy beverage.
Choose a high quality loose-leaf Rooibos if you want to stay caffeine free. There are many flavored Rooibos such as lemon, lavender or peach that will make a great glass of tea. Remember Rooibos is an herbal plant and does not contain any of the actual tea leaf.
Want to get creative? Try adding a shot of flavored syrup (like a raspberry) and then floating fresh blueberries and a raspberry in each glass.
If you prefer lemon, float a few lemon slices in your pitcher and then serve.
To easily brew iced tea at home, cold brewing is your very easiest option. Simply fill a pitcher with 2 quarts water. Fill a paper tea filter with 8 tsp of tea and chill overnight. In the morning you will have a great glass of refreshing iced tea.
Supplies for brewing your own iced tea are readily available online and in many grocery stores such as Whole Foods. Some important items to own are paper tea filters( also called a tea soc), loose tea which is sold by tea shops or companies like Harney, Rishi or Numi at many stores or are available for sale online.
If you plan to make iced tea often you might consider purchasing a iced tea pitcher from Bodum. These pitchers allow you to brew the loose tea in a section of the pitcher and then easily remove it to serve.
No matter which tea you choose you are sure to be a success if you get creative and drink with friends!
Imagine drinking a tall glass of naturally sweetened iced tea. Now imagine all of those antioxidants and healthy vitamins flowing through your body. Isn’t it great to know you are taking care of yourself even when you drink your favorite summertime beverage?
Here are three easy ways to naturally sweeten a tall glass of tea:
#1 Honey. Each and every year new studies prove that honey is good for us. So why don’t we use it more?
Here is an easy technique to creating a Honey Simple Syrup which tastes great in iced tea as well as many other cold beverages.
You will need:
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Honey
Boil the two until all the honey dissolves . Cool and pour into an easy to squeeze bottle and place in your fridge. This Honey Simple Syrup will last for up to 2 weeks and will taste great added into your cold tea.
Want to get creative? Why not add lavender, strawberries or cinnamon to the cold syrup. The flavor will infuse into your honey syrup and taste great!
#2 Stevia Extract. Stevia is an herb several times sweeter than sugar. Stevia powders are readily available in grocery stores but vary greatly in taste. The best stevia product I have found is made by NuStevia and can be ordered directly from their website or may be found in your health food store. (they may even be willing to order it for you!)
Nu Stevia makes a stevia extract that is perfect for Iced Tea. Place just a few drops of the liquid stevia into your tea pitcher and your beverage will be ready to serve. Stevia extracts also come in flavors such as vanilla which would taste great with any icy beverage.
#3 Agave Nectar
Agave liquid is the nectar from the agave fruit. This nectar is a great substitute sweetener for Vegans, Diabetics and anyone looking to avoid using sugar or honey.
Agave melts easily into a glass of iced tea so there is no need to create a syrup or order a special extract. Agave can range in quality so shop around to find one that is not only good tasting but also good for you.
Remember, a great glass of iced tea is only as good as the tea you are using. Be sure to use a high quality loose-leaf tea such as Ceylon, Keemun or Yunnan. These teas are often available at stores like Whole Foods or your local tea shop.
A great glass of tea is within your reach! Now go out and steep.
Here are some more articles you may enjoy:
A Quick and Easy Way To Make Iced Tea
Do You Know Where Your Tea Comes From?
Tea Party Girl Asks? What do you sweeten YOUR iced tea with?
Iced Tea was created in 1904 in St. Louis, MO but believe it or not it is actually drunk in a variety of countries including; Austria, Canada, China, Thailand and Turkey. In the U.S. 85% of all tea consumed is in the iced or sweet tea form. Many of my Tea Party Girl readers are in warm locations and are requesting some help making iced tea.
First off, let me start by saying the iced tea makers available at Target and Walmart, are NOT needed. In fact they are NOT even good. (but that is another story)
So, it would be good to know how to make it right?
A quick and easy guide to making Iced Tea. In this article I want to share two super cool secrets to making iced tea WITHOUT alot of time and energy.
Here’s what you will need:
Great Loose Leaf Tea. ( I suggest black tea for iced tea such as a Ceylon or a full bodied Kemun.)
A Pitcher of Filtered Water ( approx 2 quart)
Here’s what you do:
Place 16 teaspoons of loose leaf tea in a large tea sack. Place in pitcher of cold water. Make sure the tea sack is saturated with the water and place the tea pitcher in the fridge. Wait overnight or 8 hours.
DONE!
Yep. That is the way the professionals do it and you can too! You don’t need an iced tea machine. You don’t have to boil the water. All you need to do is put it in the fridge and wait.
Can’t wait? (Try this neat trick!)
Here’s what you will need:
Loose leaf tea
A Martini Shaker – pre- chilled
Ice
Boiling Water
Teapot
Tea Sac or Tea Filter
If using a 4 cup teapot use 8 tsp. tea. Brew the pot of tea using the tea sack or tea filter for the tea. Use boiling water and steep for 5 minutes. Fill the martini shaker with ice. Pour the tea over the ice in the martini shaker. Put the top on the shaker and shake till the ice is melted and the tea is cool.
Pour the tea into a glass, add a sprig of mint, lemon or fruit. Repeat.
Not only will you amaze your guests... you will look super cool doing this!
Like this? Read these articles:
How to Make Inexpensive Iced Tea that Wows Your Friends
The Guide to Planning a Tea Party–Spring Edition
Tea Party Girl Asks: What is your favorite tea to use for iced tea?
Are you searching for a type of tea to share with your tea party friend? Consider Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka. This tea has an amazing rich heritage and goes well with a variety of simple tea menus for all times of day. below you will find a great deal of information on this delicious drink.
Produced in Sri Lanka, Ceylon tea is a black tea that is fully oxidized. It is grown all year round; however, the best and highest-quality Ceylon teas are grown in February and March and then again in August and September. In the remaining months of April, May, June, October, November, and December, the Ceylon tea yield is higher, yet lower in quality. Ceylon tea harvested in January has the lowest quality of all.
There are three types of Ceylon teas: high, medium, and low grown. The high grown Ceylon teas are the best quality, while the low to medium grown Ceylon teas follow behind. The high grown Ceylon teas picked at peak months of the year have a truly delicate flavor that your customers will certainly fall in love with. There are even some rare, highland Ceylon teas that grow at 7,000 feet – but these are very difficult to find and greatly expensive to purchase. Customers purchasing these teas will no doubt enjoy an exquisite and exciting adventure in both flavor and scent!
On the other hand, medium grown Ceylon teas have strong leaves and are typically sold for commercial use. The average tea drinker will appreciate a tasty cup of this brew. Lastly, low grown Ceylon teas produce strong, but plain drinks. They are often used as filler teas for blending.
The tea gardens in Ceylon that produce the best and highest quality teas include Nuwara Eliya and Dimbula. Keep in mind though, that these are also the highest priced! However, they can be well worth the money for avid tea drinkers who enjoy tasting rare and delectable drinks. Other tea gardens, such as Kegalla which lies in the low country, yield more common teas. These are sold worldwide.
Ceylon teas can be enjoyed with just about any type of food – especially breakfast foods such as biscuits, tarts, and toast. It can be enjoyed in the morning, afternoon, or as a soothing drink before laying down for a good night’s rest.
Other than water, tea comes in second on the list of the most consumed beverages in the world. Ceylon tea in particular is known for being a healthy drink to consume. It contains no calories, fat, or carbohydrates. Instead, it is a natural source of vitamins and mineral nutrients that help with a body’s growth, digestion and sense of well-being.
Recent research also shows that Ceylon tea is rich in dietary antioxidant flavonoids – even more so than than fruits and vegetables. These antioxidant flavonoids protect the body’s cells as well as the immune system. It is widely believed that drinking tea slows down the aging process and helps people live longer lives.
Other great articles on tea:
Keemun: The most popular tea in town
Savoring the different tastes of Oolong teas
Tea Party Girl asks: Have you tried Ceylon? What is your favorite tea estate in Sri Lanka?
