Tea Room

29/03/2022

27/03/2022

Make
Avoid purchasing expensive bottled teas or teas from shops that contain added sweeteners. To enjoy the maximum benefits of drinking tea, consider brewing your own at home. You can serve it hot, or make a pitcher of home-brewed iced tea during warmer months.
Black and oolong teas are generally steeped in hot or boiling water (about 210º F) and brewed for about 4-5 minutes. Green tea is steeped at a slightly lower temperature 180º F from 4-15 minutes. The longer tea steeps, the stronger the flavor with bitter notes.
Additives of sugar, cream, or milk can reduce the polyphenol content of tea. For the greatest health benefits, try serving tea plain or without too many additives. A dash of vanilla or cinnamon can mimic sweetness. Some fruit-flavored herbal teas taste naturally sweet to the palate without added sweeteners.

19/03/2022

Tea reached Europe in the 16th Century but people were using ceramic teapots in Asia and the Middle East 11,000 years ago.

17/03/2022

The art of reading tea leaves is called tasseography.

15/03/2022

What is white tea?
White tea is minimally processed, so it’s better defined by what it is not. It is not “fired” like green tea, but it is not intentionally oxidized like black tea. There is no rolling or shaping of the leaf, so the finished product will be big, bulky, dried leaves. The only deliberate action taken upon the tea leaves is a slow and methodical drying to reduce moisture and achieve a desired aroma and flavor. This simplicity limits it to only three different styles: Bai Hao Yin Zhen (“Silver Needles”), Bai Mu Dan (“White Peony”), and Shou Mei.
White tea often is described as “delicate”, but our experience does not bear this out. White tea is actually quite forgiving and can be steeped in almost any manner you see fit. It does not easily become bitter or astringent so there’s no need to be overly gentle. The flavors tend to range from bright/fruity/herbaceous for the less oxidized versions to spicy/nutty/woodsy for something more oxidized.
White tea (like green tea) is also commonly advertised as having less caffeine than other types of tea. This is not accurate. Like any other tea, the amount of caffeine in your cup is primarily dependent on how hot you steep it and how long you steep it. Many tea sellers suggest very low temperatures and short steeping times for white tea, which would greatly reduce the caffeine in your cup.

15/03/2022

Tea cups didn’t always have handles. At first, the English made cups without handles, influenced by the traditional Chinese tea bowls.