Kitchen Rescue
How to enjoy your tea
By Reggie Aspiras
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:40:00 04/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Is tea-drinking really the new craze? Well, it’s been so in many countries, but the fever seems to be catching on in Manila.
Where once tea was more a tonic to either alleviate us of a tummy pain, aid us in weight loss, or at best paired with our favorite Chinese dishes, tea is now a much-preferred drink by many.
Last week, I was fortunate to have spent the afternoon with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf master tea blender and tea buyer David DeCandia, who was in town to conduct tea-appreciation seminars.
DeCandia oozes with passion. The man can talk tea from sunset to the break of dawn!
According to him: “Tea may be the only beverage that uses all of the senses: sight of the leaf, taste of the liquor, touch of the dry leaf, aroma of the infused liquor, sound of the tea kettle whistle.”
The future of tea lies in whole leaves. We are going back to basics. We yearn for the art of tea that was lost to convenience. But it’s an art form that’s slowly being revived because the market is ready.
Today, there seems to be more interest and appreciation of the finer things, and pretty much like the evolution of coffee, tea is on its way to becoming a staple here. In many countries, it is!
The master shares the basic rules of making that perfect cup of tea.
Tips
Bring a fresh cup of water to just a boil. Never use distilled water. Mineral water is best, since the minerals enhance the taste of tea. Evian makes a good cup. Never underestimate the importance of water in making tea.”
For every 8 oz of water, put 1 tsp of tea leaves or 1 tea bag.
To make a perfect cup, remember the 3-5-7 rule: 3 minutes for green tea, 5 minutes for black tea, 7 minutes for oolong teas, 7-10 minutes for herbal or fruit infusions (infusions are blends that contain no tea leaves at all).
Oversteeping will make tea very bitter. If you wish for stronger tea, add more tea rather than steeping for longer periods.
The best vessel for tea is bone china. The vessel makes a great difference in taste!
Pour tea on a warm cup.
Iced tea should be 4 tbsp of tea or 6 tbsp of infusion to 32 oz of hot water. Steep tea for 10-15 minutes. Remove tea after steeping. Add 16 oz more of water. Refrigerate until cold.
Tea must be stored in an airtight container and kept in a cool dry place, away from heat or sunlight.
Whenever possible, go for whole leaves, as they give out the best flavor!
Do not use teaspoon infusers for whole leaves, since the leaves will not spread open hence the significance of the pyramid-shaped fine mesh tea bags that Coffee Bean uses.
When tea leaves are not allowed to bloom, their leaves are not allowed to fully open up, and maximum flavor is not achieved. You lose out on the flavor. Teaspoon infusers work only for tea dust (pulverized).
Take note that all teas come from just one plant, the camellia sinensis. Their classification is determined by the oxidation process that the leaves undergo. The popular kinds are black, green and oolong.
Cupping is the term used for what a tea taster does as he evaluates the tea.
Tea recipes
The summer heat is on. Please share an iced-tea recipe, the kind that is not too sweet and where you could taste the tea. I need to know the proper proportions.
INA
Sorry, Ina. I should have replied to your request sooner. But, lucky you, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is sharing not just its iced tea recipe, but those for tea lattes as well.
Iced Tea:
Their best sellers are Swedish Berries and Southern Blend. For 2 liters: steep 25 g tea of choice. Add sugar syrup to sweeten.
Chai Tea Latte:
1 oz nonfat milk, 45 ml level scoop French Deluxe Vanilla Powder, 6 oz brewed Chai Tea, dollop of foam.
Double Vanilla Tea Latte:
1 oz nonfat milk, 45 ml level scoop French Deluxe Vanilla Powder, 6 oz brewed Vanilla Ceylon Tea, dollop of foam.
English Breakfast Tea Latte:
1 oz nonfat milk, 45 ml level scoop French Deluxe Vanilla Powder, 6 oz brewed English Breakfast Tea, dollop of foam.
Tropical Passion Tea Latte:
1 oz nonfat milk, 45 ml level scoop French Deluxe Vanilla Powder, 6 oz brewed Tropical Passion Tea, dollop of foam
Moroccan Mint Tea Latte:
1 oz nonfat milk, 45 ml level scoop Special Dutch Chocolate Powder, 6 oz brewed Moroccan Mint Tea, dollop of foam.
All ingredients are available at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Call 7271808.
E-mail the author at raspiras@inquirer.com.ph
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