Tea and Cookies (4 page)
Authors: Rick Rodgers
R
OOIBOS
(pronounced ROY-bos), produced from a plant that only grows in South Africa, is called “red tea” by Westerners because both the leaves and brewed beverage are brownish-red. (What we call black tea, the Chinese call red tea.) The fresh rooibos leaves are black, but turn red after drying.
Y
ERBA
M
ATÉ
, popular in Latin America, is unique among herbal teas because it contains caffeine. To minimize its natural bitter flavor, steep it in very hot, but not boiling, water until it is as strong as you like.
STORING TEA
If stored correctly, green, oolong, and herbal teas will keep for about a year, and black tea for about two years. Pu-erh tea will keep indefinitely. At the opposite end of the tea spectrum, white tea should be served within a few months of purchase to best appreciate its fresh, delicate flavor.
Tea will grow stale more quickly when exposed to oxygen and light. To protect the tea from these factors, the best purveyors store their tea in metal containers. At home, store tea in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Metal canisters are best because they are less permeable to oxygen than plastic. Do not freeze or refrigerate tea, as the tea can pick up the flavors of other foods or undesirable aromas.
BREWING TEA
There is a tendency among tea lovers to dismiss tea bags as the worst thing that ever happened to tea. It is true that inexpensive tea bags are likely to contain the bits of broken leaves called “fannings” that are left over from processing whole leaves. And there is nothing romantic about wrapping your tea in cheap paper. Nonetheless, the convenience of tea bags cannot be disputed. Many top tea purveyors now offer their best teas in silk or nylon bags, a vast improvement over the old paper tea bags.
However, there is a single important reason that loose tea is preferable to tea bags. Tea leaves expand in hot water, and they need space to unfurl and come into contact with the water. Tea just doesn’t like cramped quarters (the best tea bags provide plenty of “elbow room”). For ease of preparation, you can’t beat tea bags, and they have their place. But whenever possible, make tea with loose leaves, and you are bound to notice a difference.
Without water, there would be no brewed tea. Tap water contains all sorts of additives (such as chlorine and mineral deposits) that can be tasted to varying degrees and will adversely affect brewed tea. For the best tea, use spring or filtered water. Note that not all bottled water is spring water, so read the label carefully. Don’t use distilled water, as virtually all of the minerals have been removed, and some need to remain in the water to bring out the tea’s flavor.
The water must be heated to brew the tea leaves. (Let’s leave alternative methods, such as the “Not” Sun Tea on page 35, out of this discussion.) The temperature and steeping time vary for each type of tea. Teas exposed to the incorrect water temperature or steeped too long can be bitter. Generally, less processed teas (white, green, and oolong) need lower water temperatures and shorter brewing times, and only black and herbal teas are brewed in water that is near boiling. Many tea producers now provide specific instructions for water temperature and steeping times with their tea. In the final analysis, brewing tea is a matter of personal taste, as some people prefer their tea stronger or lighter than others. Use the following chart for guidelines.
STEEPING SUGGESTIONS
Based on 6 to 8 ounces of water
TEA VARIETY:
WHITE
WATER TEMPERATURE:
180°F
STEEPING TIME:
30
SEC TO
2
MINUTES
AMOUNT OF TEA:
1
TO
1½
TEASPOONS
TEA VARIETY:
GREEN
WATER TEMPERATURE:
180°F
STEEPING TIME:
30
SEC TO
2
MINUTES
AMOUNT OF TEA:
1
TO
1½
TEASPOONS
TEA VARIETY:
OOLONG
WATER TEMPERATURE:
190°F
STEEPING TIME:
3
TO
4
MINUTES
AMOUNT OF TEA:
1
TEASPOON
TEA VARIETY:
BLACK
WATER TEMPERATURE:
205°F
STEEPING TIME:
3
TO
4
MINUTES
AMOUNT OF TEA:
1
TEASPOON
TEA VARIETY:
PU-ERH
WATER TEMPERATURE:
205°F
STEEPING TIME:
3
TO
5
MINUTES
AMOUNT OF TEA:
1
TO
1½
TEASPOONS
TEA VARIETY:
TISANE
WATER TEMPERATURE:
205°F
STEEPING TIME:
4
TO
5
MINUTES
AMOUNT OF TEA:
2
TEASPOONS
Courtesy of Admari Tea, www.admaritea.com
Also, some teas (in particular, white, green, and some oolong varieties) are meant to be enjoyed in several consecutive brewings. The tea is brewed in a very small pot and poured into cups that hold just a couple of sips. Each brewing will have a subtle flavor change, with the third and fourth brewings usually the strongest. Again, your purveyor will guide you in the specifics for each tea. These are definitely teas for contemplation and sharing with other tea aficionados in a kind of streamlined tea ceremony.
Start your tea brewing by filling the teapot with very hot tap water, and let stand for a few minutes to warm it. If you wish, you can warm the cups as well. In the meantime, pour water into a kettle or saucepan, allowing ¾ to 1 cup water per serving, depending on how strong you like your tea, and heat over high. Many tea lovers find that microwaved water makes a flat-tasting tea, so stick to the time-honored method of water boiled on the stove.
Whether or not the water should come to a full boil before adding it to the tea is a matter of dispute among tea lovers. Some contend that the Chinese are right in letting the water come to a full boil to “open the water.” Others say that you should merely heat the water to the desired temperature, even if it doesn’t reach a boil. If you go the “full boil” method, remove the water from the heat as soon as it reaches that point, as long boiling depletes the oxygen in the water, and your tea will taste flat instead of vibrant. The important point to remember is that tea can be damaged by using water that is too hot for the specific variety.
Personally, I always bring the water to a full boil, and then go from there. For delicate green, white, and oolong teas, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan, rather than a teakettle, to help it cool more quickly after boiling before adding to the leaves. A wait of about a minute, stirring the water occasionally to speed cooling, is sufficient. When brewing black, pu-erh, and tisanes, use a teakettle to bring water just to a full rolling boil. Even then, cool the water slightly for about 15 seconds before using, and avoid pouring sputtering water over the leaves. A thermometer is unnecessary—approximate temperatures are fine.
Empty the water from the pot, and add the tea leaves to the pot. The common practice is to use 1 rounded teaspoon (a teaspoon from a place setting, not a measuring spoon) per serving. For more than 4 servings, add 1 additional teaspoon “for the pot.” If you wish, put the leaves in a tea ball, which will contain the leaves and keep them from clogging the spout during pouring, but don’t overpack so the leaves have room for expansion. Pour in the hot water (cooled as needed), cover the pot, and let steep for the desired period.
Now is the time to discard the water from the warmed cups. Pour the tea into the cups, using a tea strainer to hold back the leaves, if needed. Add sweetener, milk, or lemon as you wish. If you are serving tea to guests at a special occasion, a little foresight will upgrade the experience. Use demerara sugar (a lightly refined sugar with golden, roughly shaped crystals and a lovely caramel flavor), sugar cubes, or honey instead of plain sugar for a more elegant presentation. Milk is preferable to half-and-half, as cream masks the flavor of the tea. Tie the lemon wedges in small pieces of cheesecloth to hold back the seeds.
A
cup of hot tea can soothe as well as revive, and iced tea is a well-known refresher. You probably have your favorite way to enjoy tea, but here are some new ways to make the beverage, featuring the beloved flavors of ginger, pomegranate, cinnamon, and even chocolate.
MAKES
2
SERVINGS
There are plenty of orange-and-spice-flavored teas on the market, but it is such a pleasure to personalize your cup. Enjoy it sip by aromatic sip.
1 orange
One 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half lengthwise
1 star anise
6 whole cloves
2 rounded teaspoons black tea leaves, such as English Breakfast
1.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove two 3-inch strips of zest from the orange. Juice the orange and measure out ¼ cup of the juice.
2.
In a small saucepan, combine 1½ cups water with the orange juice and zest, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. Let the mixture come to a boil slowly over medium-low heat so the spices can infuse the water. Meanwhile, fill a small teapot with hot tap water and let stand to heat the pot.
3.
Discard the water in the teapot. Add the tea to the teapot. Pour in the contents of the saucepan, including the spices and zest. Cover and steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour through a tea strainer into two cups and serve hot.
MAKES
2
SERVINGS
Here’s another suggestion for a flavored tea, this time using a combination of ingredients beloved in Middle Eastern cuisine. Pomegranate juice is enjoying newfound popularity for its tart flavor and antioxidant properties, and I usually have a bottle in the refrigerator. Add some mint from the garden, and the result is this wonderful hot beverage.
Six 3-inch mint sprigs
½ cup bottled pomegranate juice
2 rounded teaspoons
oolong tea leaves
1.
Crush the mint between your fingers and put it in a small saucepan. Add 1 cup water and the pomegranate juice. Let the mixture come to a boil slowly over medium-low heat so the mint can infuse the water. Meanwhile, fill a small teapot with hot tap water and let stand to heat the pot.