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.

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.

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.