Gourmet teas are a treat any time of the day. As any tea drinker knows, although there are several factors to consider in brewing tea, timing is important in order to optimize the flavor. Most gourmet teas will come with suggested steeping times, use these as a guide. After your first cup, to adjust strength you can adjust the time up or down.

Yesterday, I found the perfect timer I can use for brewing tea. Appropriately named Perfect Tea Timer, this timer is actually 3 timers in one. Three sand dials measure 3, 4 and 5 minutes allowing you to steep your tea perfectly every time.

Perfect Tea Timer

The color of the sand is also a general guide for steeping time for teas should you lose the directions that came with your teas. A general rule is 3 minutes for green tea (green sand), 5 minutes for white tea (white sand) and 4 minutes for black teas (reddish sand).

This timer for tea makes a great gift for any tea drinker or yourself.  A simple yet practical gift for tea drinkers, it is also a perfect gift for Mother’s Day.

Matcha tea is a premium green tea. There are a couple of major differences between matcha tea and other green teas. First the tea leaves used in making matcha are grown in the shade by blocking the bushes from sunlight. Then, instead of whole or broken tea leaves, the tea leaf is dried and then ground into a very fine powder. The color is a much brighter green than typical green teas.

Preparing or brewing matcha tea is very different from other green teas and requires a whisk and shallow bowl. Visit Matcha or watch this short video to learn more about Matcha Tea.

All teas – 10% off 2 of the same item or 20% off 4 of the same item at American Tea

Matcha tea is not only a treat, it has many health benefits. Like most green teas, it is filled with antioxidants making it a better choice than coffee or other beverages.
When serving matcha you do not need to add sugar as it is naturally sweet. Matcha can also be used in cold drinks including smoothies and iced drinks.

Match tea makes a great gift for any tea lover.

Chilly fall days are perfect for sampling new teas. Today I brewed a pot of Kabuki Green Tea from Japan which is a green tea with cherry blossoms. I brewed this green tea using a glass teapot and an infuser. The water was just under boiling (175 degrees F) and I allowed the first pot of tea to steep for two minutes.  The brewed tea was pale green almost yellow in color and the aroma of the tea was wonderful; it had a light cherry scent. 

Green teas often have a vegetable or grassy taste and I prepared my palate for a typical green. I was very much surprised by the sweet flavor of the cherry blossoms. The grassy flavor that is typical of many green teas was extremely subtle.  Since I more often drink black tea that has a stronger flavor I decided to brew a second pot and let it steep longer.

Kabuki Green Tea

I let the second pot of tea steep for about three and a half minutes. The color this time was a bit darker and the scent was a little stronger. I much preferred the second brew as it had a a stronger tea flavor. My daughter who also sampled both pots of tea, preferred the first batch.  She was struck by the sweetness of the tea and suggested we make some iced tea.

We took the leftover tea and allowed it to cool completely. We then poured in a tall glass of ice. The iced tea we made was amazing. It needed no sweetener, it was perfect. My daughter and I have decided that Kabuki green tea will definitely be made next summer.

My suggestion is that when you brew this tea for the first time you follow the instructions. If you’re like me, then the second time you can experiment with a longer seeping time.  If you have any brew left over try pouring the cooled tea over ice.

With summer fast approaching it’s time to start thinking about iced tea. Iced tea is no longer only tea with lemon flavoring. Many variations are possible. As we mentioned in How to Make Iced Tea freshly brewed iced tea is better than store bought. Iced tea with sparkling water is easy to make at home or in the office.

This sparkling raspberry iced tea recipe is a refreshing change of pace on a hot summer day. Use freshly brewed tea which has cooled to room temp or is chilled. As with most iced teas, it is best to use only chilled ingredients to prevent excessive dilution when pouring over ice. This raspberry tea recipe uses sparkling water. Since the ingredients are in proportion, our sparkling raspberry iced tea recipe can easily be doubled or halved.

Ingredients for Sparkling Raspberry Ice Tea

• 2 cups chilled sparkling water
• 2 cups chilled raspberry juice
• 2 cups of freshly brewed tea (room temp or chilled)

In large pitcher mix all ingredients. Pour into glasses filled with ice. If desired you can garnish with slice of lime or lemon, a raspberry or sprig of fresh mint.

Iced tea is a refreshing drink any time of the year. With our basic iced tea recipe it is easy to brew quality iced tea. Iced tea brewed fresh at home has a far superior taste to bottled iced tea. We did a little research to find the origins and history of iced tea and were surprised to find that it most likely began right here in the United States. According to the Joy of Cooking by Rombauer & Becker, iced tea was first served during the Saint Louis World’s Fair in 1904. Due to sweltering temperatures, hot beverage sales were very bad. A gentleman by the name of Richard Blechynden had a tea concession in which he had invested a lot of time and money. Desperate for sales he began to offer iced tea to the public. It quickly caught on and sales were brisk. Iced tea has since become the beverage of choice during hot summer months as well as year round.

Iced tea is simple and fast to make at home. As with all tea it is best when brewed fresh at home. For variety add a strawberry, lemon or orange slice or sprig of mint. Follow the same general brewing guidelines as for brewing hot tea. In general the only difference will be in the strength of tea brewed. When brewing tea for use as iced tea you will generally want to make it double the strength of hot tea to allow for dilution when served over ice cubes. Remember use clean equipment and start with fresh good tasting water. Review additional brewing tips at How to Brew Tea. Below is our simple recipe which can easily be adjusted to make more.

Basic Iced Tea Recipe

• 2 teaspoons loose tea or 2 teabags per cup of boiling water
• boiling water
• Optional – one of the following – sprigs of fresh mint; lemon slice; orange slice or strawberry
• Optional – sugar to taste

Boil desired amount of water. Add boiling water to your tea and let steep (about 5 minutes for black teas or 3 minutes for green teas). Strain and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour into glass filled with ice. Add sprig of mint, a strawberry or slice of lemon or orange. Sweeten with sugar to taste.

As a general guideline for one quart of boiling water you will need 6-8 teaspoons of tea or 6-8 teabags. We suggest starting with 7 and if desired, increase or decrease amount of tea in the next brew. If the resulting brew is too strong, simply dilute with a little fresh water. We prefer using loose tea but quality tea bags will also yield a quality iced tea. Some tea companies will have tea blends specifically created for iced tea.

Spice up your tea with a hint of anise. Once you know how to make anise tea, you’ll find it a nice way to add variety to your tea break. This is a quick and easy recipe to add a little extra to your regular or decaffeinated tea. The anise seed gives even the most ordinary tea an extra bit of flavor. I find this recipe a good way to make use of some tea that is not as fresh or flavorful as I would like. Anise adds a licorice flavor. Anise tea is actually a mix of equal amounts of tea and anise flavored water. You can use any type of tea, black tea is traditional but both black tea and green tea are good.

Ingredients for Anise Tea

• 2 teaspoons whole anise seed
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2-3 cups of tea, average strength

Boil two cups of freshly drawn water. Add 2 teaspoons of whole anise seed and boil 10 minutes. While anise seeds are boiling prepare 2-3 cups of average strength black tea steeping 5-7 minutes. Remember if using green tea steeping time is 3- 4 minutes. Time this so that as anise brew is finishing your tea is ready. Strain anise seeds out of the anise brew pouring the anise brew into tea. Discard the anise seeds. Mix your brewed tea and anise brew and serve. Makes about 4 servings.

Chai tea is rapidly gaining in popularity in America. Chai tea is a spiced black tea with milk. It is very easy to make at home and when you make it at home you can adjust the spices to suit your taste. Chai tea is usually made with black tea, milk, spices and honey or sugar. Typical spices are ginger, nutmeg, cloves, peppercorn and cinnamon.

This is an easy to make recipe for Chai Tea. Unlike most directions for tea, this recipe calls for bring brewed tea back to a boil once the milk and other ingredients are added.

Ingredients for Chai Tea

• 2 cups water
• 4 black tea bags
• 2-3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups milk

Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Add tea bags and reduce heat to a simmer. Do not cover but let simmer 2 minutes. Remove the teabags. Add the remaining ingredients – honey, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and milk and stir. Heat to a boil at low heat- that should take about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir rapidly with a whisk. Pour into 2 large warmed mugs and serve.

Experiment a little and try adding 2-3 pieces whole cloves, 2-3 whole peppercorn or cardamom. Filter them out before serving. This is a refreshing beverage on a cold afternoon.

Every cup of coffee or tea starts with water. To brew the best coffee or tea you need to start with fresh water. For optimum flavor you need fresh water. The water should be clear, and free of odor and flavor.

Whether or not you need to filter water depends on where you live and the quality of the water. The easiest way to test is to taste a glass of freshly drawn water. If the water has a bitter taste or has an aftertaste you should filter your water. Either install a filter on your tap or use water from a water dispenser – either a free standing version or one installed on refrigerator.

Do not use distilled water or water that has been sitting out, freshly drawn cold water is best. Distilled water will lack some minerals that are necessary to properly brew tea and coffee. If you’d like to read more about brewing tea and coffee the main website has more information. Please see How to Brew Tea and How to Brew Coffee

Starting with good fresh water is a key to brewing good coffee and tea. Good water will mean maximum pure flavor no matter what tea or coffee you use.

Check back for more tips on brewing great coffee and tea.

As the thermometer outside is struggling to hit 30 degrees I am sitting here enjoying a cup of black tea. My choices today were a robust breakfast tea, an Earl Grey tea or a classic afternoon tea. Today I chose Ashbys Darjeeling Tea Bag. I am very happy with my selection. The flavor is superb, enhanced by a delicate aroma and it has just the right amount of delicate aftertaste.

Darjeeling tea is a popular tea choice. To properly brew Darjeeling tea you need to bring fresh water to a boil. Today since I was really in the mood for a large cup of tea, I opted for a double. I placed two teabags into a large warmed glass mug. I warmed the mug by rinsing it with some hot water.  This vital step is often skipped but it is essential for optimal flavor. I poured 2 cups of boiling water over the teabag, placed a saucer over the mug and let it steep for 6 minutes. My choice of a glass mug allowed me to watch the water change color. As the tea steeps the water slowly changes color and the colors seems to dance as the darker liquid swirls around. It is very relaxing.

Darjeeling tea is from tea grown in the Darjeeling region of India and is a great choice for any time of day. It is a little light in color but has a strong flavor, pleasant aroma and a slight aftertaste. It may be drunk black or with a little milk or cream added. If desired a drop of honey or sugar will enhance the flavor.

Ashby’s teas are from the company Ashby’s of London. These fine teas, which are available at Ashby’s Teas and other fine teas
are wonderful teas. I am always pleased with them. They are an affordable quality tea and available in loose leaf or teabags. The tea bags are foiled wrapped to preserve freshness. The wrapper not only keeps the flavor locked in protecting it from air, the foil wrapper keeps light out another essential part of tea storage.

I am now just about finished with my cup of Darjeeling tea. Glad I made it a double and trying to resist another cup.