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Connoisseur Tea Guide: Upgrade Your Skills What conditions are ideal for maintaining the freshness of the leaves? The Japanese have perfected the art of tea storage with beautifully crafted tea tins. These tins prevent the leaves from being exposed to light and oxygen. Although you may be tempted to display your beautiful teas in a glass container, the light will strip the leaves of their flavor! In order to maintain the integrity of the leaf, an opaque container is necessary.
Another culprit that will damage your tea leaf is oxygen! Exposure to air will dry out the tea and rob it of its flavor. Odors in the air may even impart a flavor of their own. By storing your tea in a container that seals out air, you protect the fragile chemistry of the tea leaf and maintain its unique composition.
Temperatures of extreme heat or extreme cold are to be avoided as well. A pantry is the best spot to store your tea tins. The refrigerator may seem like a good idea since it keeps other food items fresh, but moisture will quickly damage the leaf! Finally, don’t leave your tea in the car. The wild variations in temperature inside of a car will kill the quality of the leaves.
How much do you really need? It can be tempting to add more tea to the strainer in order to make it stronger. However, the proper amount of tea is generally accepted as 1 Tsp per every 6-8 oz of water. If you want a stronger brew, don’t go overboard adding extra tea! You may just be wasting precious leaves. Use a maximum of 1.5 Tsp of tea for every 8 oz for the proper ratio and flavor. Similarly, avoid steeping for longer periods of time to extract more flavor. Oversteeping the leaves releases bitterness and may burn the tea.
Resteeping the Leaves.
Some tasty blends?
If you keep a diversified stash on hand, the options are endless!
Some purists may turn their nose up at the idea of adding sugar or honey into tea. However, a little sweetness can brighten up the flavor and satisfy your sweet tooth without going overboard! Chocolate teas and chais take to sweetness quite well and make a light alternative to an all-out dessert. A little indulgence doesn’t have to be a bad thing. :)
It seems like adding lemon to tea has gone out of fashion. Research has shown that citric acid actually increases the absorption of EGCG and antioxidants from the tea. Adding freshly squeezed lemon into hot or iced green tea can be healthy and satisfying. Citrus blends nicely with mint, such as our Organic Moroccan Mint. Just be careful not to mix milk or dairy alternatives with citrus, as it will result in curdling and separation of the proteins.