Tea brewing

**RICHARD** · 06-01-2007, 08:51 PM

In America we brew it in seawater!

_____________________

On Thursday, December 16, 1773, the evening before the tea was due to be landed, on a signal given by Samuel Adams, the Sons of Liberty thinly disguised as Mohawk Indians, left the massive protest meeting and headed toward Griffin's Wharf, where lay HMS Dartmouth and her newly arrived, tea bearing, sister ships HMS Beaver and HMS Eleanour. Swiftly and efficiently, casks of tea were brought up from the hold to the deck, reasonable proof that some of the "Indians" were, in fact, longshoremen. The casks were opened and the tea dumped overboard; the work, lasting well into the night, was quick, thorough, and efficient. By dawn, 90,000 lbs (45 tons) of tea worth an estimated £10,000 had been consigned to waters of Boston harbor.[1] Nothing else had been damaged or stolen, except a single padlock accidentally broken and anonymously replaced not long thereafter. Tea washed up on the shores around Boston for weeks.

**Giselle** · 06-01-2007, 10:55 PM

I'm all about real brewed tea. None of that fruity flavored/sugary artificial stuff for me. When I need a little pick-me-up, I brew Tieh Kuan Yin (I think it translates to "Iron Goddess"). Occasionally, I'll mix some milk into the TKY and add in some freshly boiled tapioca pearls (aka pearl milk tea). Sometimes I'll brew some Oolong or nice, imported Jasmine.

However, our traveling friends sometimes get us this amaaazing, high-quality tea that I think is pronounced something like "pou ni". It is AMAZING. Silky smooth, bitter yet sweet, with no aftertaste. I'm craving it now

We brew our teas in porcelain teapots when guests are over and we use a plain ceramic pot for everyday brews.

**joycenalex** · 06-02-2007, 03:10 PM

if i'm having hot tea, it can only be tetley british brisk, twinnings english or irish breakfast in bags, but i have used loose tea in the past, and i would again. at home a glass teapot that whistles lets me know when the water is boiling. i dump the warming water from the special tea mug, it has a lid to keep the tea hotter, then steep for 6 minutes, toss the bag in the compost pot, without squeezing it, add one half teaspoon sugar. at work, the bottled water dispenser has a hot tap and i have the twinnings individual packets for an occasional afternoon pick me up, but no cream cakes or jelly breads to go with that-darn!. at home, now that it is warmer i've been making iced teas, luzanne brand , half decaf and half regular, i use a mr coffee tea maker for those pots of tea. today at goodwill i got a brand new suntea bottle (for 25 cents!) to make suntea with, so i'll give that a try tomorrow. i'll try the first bottle with applecinnamon tea. i don't sweeten iced teas at home.
there is a regional difference that i've noticed in my travels, US southern tea is often sweetened with sugar (never found anyone south of cincinnatti that uses fake sweetners, publically at least, in their tea. my current favorite south carolina style bar-be-que place serves me half-half tea, half unsweetened "yankee" tea, half"the right way", as the smiling dixie voiced waitress with a serious beehive hairdo says.

**Randi** · 06-02-2007, 03:47 PM

LOL! Interesting how many different ways you guys brew tea. However, in my opinion boiling water HAS to be poured over it!

There are SO many kinds of tea, but at the moment, I like an English Breakfast tea - PG tips, Yorkshire etc. (black and strong) in the morning with a little milk in, but normally, I drink a weaker Earl Grey - one that is not perfumed! I hate all these artificial fruit teas as well!

**krazyaboutkatz** · 06-03-2007, 12:41 AM

For hot tea I like the caffeine free herbal teas and I heat up a cup of water in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds and then I put a tea bag in the hot water with a spoon to weigh it down and I let it steep for a few minutes. If I want another cup then I do the same thing and I reuse the same tea bag. I don't add anything to it.

For cold tea I like Lipton with lemon but no sugar. I've also been buying some premade tea from Trader Joes. It's green tea made with white tea leaves and it has mint added to it too. It comes in a jug and I just put it in the refrigerator. It sure tastes good.

When I lived in S.C. I always thought that the tea was too sweet. People in the south love very sweet tea but I've always preferred it just plain with lemon.

**ChrisH** · 06-03-2007, 01:10 PM

Talking of black tea. We didn't have tea bags when I was younger (remember I'm an old person

) so always used loose tea in a teapot. Our method was as follows.
Warm the pot - by rinsing with hot water. To the warmed pot add one teaspoon per person plus one for the pot. Pour on freshly drawn boiling water. How long it was steeped for depended both on the tea quality and how strong the tea was preferred. Some teapots didn't have very good strainers so we always poured the tea into the cup - cup not mug - through a small metal strainer. Milk and sugar as required added last.

Nowadays, as a lot of people do, I make my tea with a tea bag in a mug, milk still always added last though.

Originally Posted by ramanth

I also picked out some of their flavor, roobios, and herbal teas. It'll all arrive tomorrow.

Kimmy, I love roobios (Redbush) tea http://www.redbushtea.com/home.asp let me know what you think of it.

**sirrahbed** · 06-03-2007, 01:52 PM

by the pot:
boil the water
add 3 teabags or loose catnip tea in a teaball
steep for about 3-5 minutes
remove bags and drink with a spoonful of sugar or honey

same method by the mug - only one teabag

I like constant comment (orange spice) chamomile, peppermint or catnip