How to Make the Perfect Cup of Tea
Learn the proper Procedure for Creating a Pot
Did you know there is a procedure for making tea? There is and it has been practiced for centuries. Tea enthusiasts swear the tea tastes better when made properly. Here are the steps.
Procedure for making tea
You can use leaf tea in a tea ball or tea bags. Either one will do.
You will need to boil water in a metal teapot on the stove but you need to make your tea in a ceramic teapot. Metal can affect the taste of the tea. Bring a kettle of COLD water to almost boiling. The whistle on the kettle should not be going off all the way but steam should be escaping from the spout. Remove from heat and pour about a half a cup into the ceramic tea pot. Swish the water around and empty the pot (you are only warming the pot). The amount of tea you add to the pot depends on the size of the pot. You can figure 1 cup of tea per bag so if you want 4 cups of tea you need 4 teabags, then you want to add one more just for sure to equal 5 tea bags. If you are using loose tea you need 1 teaspoon per cup + 1 for the pot. For 4 cups you use 5 teaspoons. Put loose tea in a tea ball because no one wants to ingest the tea leaves. Pour the hot water over the tea bags or tea ball and place the lid on the teapot. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes. Pour into cups and serve with lemon, milk and sugar cubes.
Here are a few flavored teas for you to try. Two are made with tea bags and one with leaves.
Honey Apple Tea
This tea has a delightful fruity and a sweet flavor
Ingredients:
- 5 cups water
- 6 tea bags
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 cups apple juice
- Lemon Slices
Directions:
- Use only a stainless steel sauce pan as other metals will combine with the tea and make the flavor taste like metal.
- In a large saucepan bring cold water almost to a boil.
- Remove from heat and place teabags in and cover with lid.
- Let steep 5 to 8 minutes. Remove tea bags.
- Add honey and juice. Return to heat and simmer until hot.
- Place in a warmed ceramic tea pot and serve with lemon slices. Makes 5 cups.
Almond Tea
This tea is sweet and delicious with the flavor of almonds
Ingredients:
- 6 cups water
- 7 tea bags
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- Juice of 2 lemons
Directions:
- In a stainless steel saucepan bring 6 cups of water almost to a boil.
- Remove from heat and add tea bags.
- Cover with lid and let steep 5 to 8 minutes.
- Remove tea bags.
- Add sugar, extracts, and lemon juice and bring back to a simmer until hot.
- Place in a warmed ceramic tea pot and serve. Makes 6 cups.
Chai Tea
This tea is popular these days. It is very spicy and sweet. You make this per cup instead of placing in a tea pot although you could make several batches and put it in a teapot. This is a mug sized cup not a delicate tea cup and is made with tea leaves.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 1 inch stick of cinnamon
- 8 cardamom pods
- 8 whole cloves
- ¼ inc fresh ginger root, sliced thin (do not use dry ginger – cut from a finger of ginger found in produce dept of grocery store – peel it first before slicing)
- 2/3 cup milk
- 5 teaspoons sugar
- 3 teaspoons of Darjeeling Tea leaves in a tea ball.
Directions:
- In a stainless steel saucepan combine water, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, and ginger.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add milk and sugar and bring up to a simmer again.
- Add tea leaves in a tea ball. Remove from heat and cover.
- Let steep for 3 to 5 minutes and serve.
Serve these teas in a pretty teapot along with scones, or finger sandwiches and even a sweet treat made for an English tea.
tea pot
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