The Tea Corner

Now that the Holiday rush is over it’s time to sit back in your comfortable chair and think about what your goals are for the new year while sipping on a cup of your favorite loose tea.

Relax with a cup of tea!

Tea with Jane

“Jane Austen (1775-1817) loved tea.  She mentions tea so often in her novels and in her letters that I began to suspect that she was a true tea enthusiast…At the cent of almost every social situation in her novels one finds – tea.” wrote Kim Wilson in her book, Tea with Jane Austen.

For that perfect cup of tea, Jane Austin might make some of the following suggestions.

Always use freshly drawn water and never boil more than once. Twice boiled water has less oxygen thereby reducing the flavor and aroma of your tea. For a really good cup you need loose tea, which these days is not carried in all grocery stores. However, you can easily slit the top of the bags to get the amount you need for that perfectly brewed pot of tea for your party. If you are a lucky lady and find loose tea, you will not be disappointed. Loose tea leaves generally are larger than those in teabags and the tea itself is often of a higher quality. Tea very easily picks up odors so be sure to store your tea in airtight containers.

Generally, one teaspoonful of leaves for each cup of water makes a perfect cup. Some teas are lighter in character so you may need to try different quantities to suit your taste.

Some tea lovers allow the tea leaves to float freely in the teapot but a nice tea ball is perfect for removing tea leaves and most importantly prevents over steeping. Tea steeps best when it is kept warm while brewing. Whichever teapot you select, warm it by rinsing with boiling water right before you make your tea. A tea cozy will help keep the heat in during steeping. Be sure to never over steep. Over steeping will cause your tea to have a bitter taste. Always be sure to fill your tea ball only half full so the tea leaves have room to expand thus allowing all the flavor to flow through the water.

The temperature of the water plays a big part in the kind of tea you select. For oolong, black and herbal teas, use water that is at a full boil as it hits the tea leaves. And, of course, the length of time you steep is your own personal taste. Generally, five minutes for most black and herbal teas and seven minutes for oolongs. This will give your very nice results.

Like oolong, white and green teas are made with cooler water, about 180 degrees. A simple to determine the right temperature is when your tea kettle begins to make a rumbling noise then it is about right to pour. White tea should be steeped about seven minutes and light oolongs and greens teas for only about three minutes to avoid bitterness.

Remember, regardless of the type of tea, remove the leaves from the teapot when the tea is done steeping…this is a most important step.

Tea with Friends

Sitting down at a properly dressed table with your favorite friends and enjoying a delicious cup of tea out of a beautifully flowered tea cup makes the experience of a tea party all the more special.
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Submitted by a satisfied customer of The Tea Corner,

Now and then I come across some helpful tips for tea drinkers and I would like to share these tips.

       Removing Tea Stains:  Leaving a tea bag in cups and on saucers may cause stains.  To get them sparkling again:

• Rinse the cup, saucer or mug with lots of hot water to flush away residue
• Squirt liquid soap or a bit of vinegar onto a damp sponge
• Sprinkle on a hefty dose of table salt (this acts as a mild abrasive) and gently scrub clean
• For fine china, mix a teaspoon of baking soda with a few drops of lemon juice, and rub this paste onto the stain
• Let it sit for an hour or so, then wash the cup, saucer or mug

You may want to consider using a Tea Bag Caddy  to rest your tea bag.  Mix and match your tea bag caddies for an interesting table setting.

       The Best Brew.    Who better to ask how to make the perfect cup of tea than the United Kingdom Tea Council?  Here’s the answer:

1. Buy good quality tea and store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
2. Measure your tea carefully; use either 1 tea bag or 1 rounded tsp of loose tea for each cup.
3. Pour boiling water over tea (For the best flavor, always brew tea with freshly boiled water.)
4. Steep most black tea for 3 to 4 minutes and green tea for 2 to 4 minutes.

Check back next month for some additional Tea Tips!