Tea .. the proper way to fix it

[Guest guest]

Tea is a natural plant food that comes from the leaves of the plant,

Camellia

sinensis. After the leaves are harvested, different processing methods

turn them into one of the three basic types of tea: black, green, or

oolong.

Black tea is made by exposing tea leaves to air in the drying

process

to promote a natural biochemical process, which produces black tea's

deep

red-brown color and unique rich taste. "Pekoe" and "orange pekoe" refer

to the grade and size of tea leaves, not to flavor characteristics.

Green tea is made by quickly steaming or heating raw tea leaves.

This

prevents the biochemical process from taking place so the tea leaves

retain

their original green color. Oolong tea undergoes a process halfway

between

green and black tea.

Herbal "teas" do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant, and are

not actually a tea, but a drink with blends of plant leaves, flowers,

roots,

spices or fruit flavors.

The Proper Way to Fix Tea:

Bring water to a rolling boil in a tea kettle.

Pour hot water into a porcelain tea pot or mug, then pour it out.

Place tea leaves in bottom of porcelain pot or mug.

Pour boiling water over the raw tea leaves or the tea bags.

Let steep one to two minutes only; any longer and the tea becomes

bitter.

Note: Bitterness in tea is caused by the tannic acids that are

natural

in tea leaves. The longer you steep the tea leaves, the more tannic

acid

is released and the more bitter the tea becomes. This is why you should

pour boiling water over tea bags and not just place your tea bags in

the

cold water to heat up to a boil.

There are "tea balls" available for loose tea. They are small metal

balls, perforated with holes, that screw apart so you can place loose

tea

inside, replace the top, and place the ball in the tea pot or cup. Thus

the loose tea doesn't stay in the pot.