How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea
A Step by Step Guide to make the perfect cup – In a Cup or in a Single Serve Teapot
EQUIPMENT:
· Kettle
· mug or single serve teapot
· infuser – basket with lid or ball
· timer
INGREDIENTS
· 1-2 teaspoons of loose leaf tea or 1 tea bag (a good rule of thumb is 1 tsp per 8oz water. However, some tea leaves are fuller and fluffier if you will, so you may need more than a teaspoon. Refer to the tea instructions on the package).
· 8 ounces of water plus more for warming up steeping vessels
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Fill kettle with fresh, cold filtered water. Cold water at the start produces the best taste. Don’t re-boil or use stale water. This is very important because using water that has been sitting all night in a teapot can result in a stale taste to your tea.
2. Heat the water to the temperature needed for the tea you are using. Refer to the tea steeping guide for temperature and steep times for different teas. Tip: Do not boil water for too long because over boiled water can result in a stale taste.
3. Pour a little of the boiling water into the cup or teapot to warm it; then empty the water out. Bring the water in the kettle back to a boil while you measure out the tea. Pre-heating the cup or teapot will maintain the temperature much longer and make the brewing process better.
4. Time to add the loose tea (or tea bags)! Place tea infuser inside the cup or teapot. Add 1 teaspoon of tea leaves and then 8 ounces of hot water, making sure the tea is completely covered with water. Since most tea bags contain about 1 teaspoon of tea, you can use the same measurements if using tea bags rather than loose tea.
5. Cover the mug or teapot and let the steep process begin. Covering helps maintain the water temperature and attaining the most flavor, especially when it comes to herbal teas.
6. Set a timer. Again, refer to the tea steeping guide. Be aware, brewing tea for too long can extract bitterness from the leaves.
7. Remove the tea leaves and enjoy it however you wish – plain or with milk or sweetener.
Tip: Many types of teas can be steeped again. So, when you take the tea infuser out of your cup, don’t toss the tea leaves out right away. Instead, set it to the side to use later and enjoy your cup of tea. If you would like a second cup, put the tea infuser back in your cup. Using the same tea leaves add hot water and steep again. Essentially, repeat the steps above. For additional steeps, you should increase the steep time by 1-2 minutes.
What Should I Do If I Over-Steep My Tea?
Distractions happen. If you accidentally over-steep your tea and it’s “not your cup of tea” (sorry, had to), you can try adding a bit of hot water to water it down. If it’s still too strong, you can change direction by adding cool water and ice cubes to make a pitcher of iced tea.
If none of that fixes it, then please don’t drink it. Wish it well down the drain and start fresh. Life is too short to drink bad tea.
How To Brew Loose Leaf Tea In A Pot?
Follow all steps as above for the single serve, but make the following changes…
1. Teapots usually hold about 4 cups of water (be sure to find out exactly how much your teapot holds and measure accordingly). With a 4-cup teapot, that means you’ll need to measure about 4 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea and use a larger infuser. There’s an old rule of thumb to add an extra teaspoon “for the pot.” It’s not necessary, but give it a try. Again, since most tea bags contain about 1 teaspoon of tea, you can use the same measurements if using tea bags rather than loose tea.
2. Tea cozies are cute if you have one!
3. A second steep is okay here too. Just add more boiling water over the damp tea leaves and steep an extra 1-2 minutes than the first steep. But only one extra steep is allowed. After that, if you’re your guests want more tea, rinse out the pot, discard the old leaves, and start over again with fresh tea leaves.
Let’s Talk Temperature And Steep Time
You’ve probably heard that there are optimum and “correct” water temperatures and steep times for brewing different kinds of teas. This is true due to the different properties of each tea. Green and white teas, for example, have more delicate leaves and you’ll get more flavor if you brew in slightly cooler water for less time. If these delicate leaves are steeped at too high of a temperature, they will burn and leave a bitter flavor in the cup. Not the result we want.
But these rules really apply to loose leaf tea, not the bagged tea. If you’re drinking bagged tea, then it doesn’t really matter what temperature of water you’re using. Bagged tea is very resilient and forgiving.
These tea steeping times are only approximate, and you should adjust them depending on your own personal tea taste.
General Notes on How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea
First, try following the instructions your supplier gave you. If you’re not fully satisfied, try using a lower temperature, brewing for more/less time, or using more tea leaves.
When in doubt, use cooler water. Whereas teas can be ruined by water that’s too hot, they are rarely hurt much by water a few degrees too cold.
Boiling water and then letting it cool removes oxygen from the water and decreases the flavor of the tea. It’s better to bring water up to (rather than down to) the appropriate temperature.
In general, green tea is the most delicate, while black and herbal teas are more forgiving when it comes to adding the hot boiling water, temperature and steeping time.
With black tea, you can and should pour the boiling water directly over the tea in order to steep tea the right way. For white or green, however, it’s best to take the kettle off the heat and wait about 30 seconds for the boil to stop. Then you may pour it directly over the tea leaves to steep. This will prevent those delicate loose tea leaves from being overcooked which results in a bitter taste of tea.
How To Set The Table
1. Start with a pretty tablecloth or table topper (it’s basically a tablecloth too).
2. Place the plates you will be eating off of in the center of the place setting. If multiple plates, stack them largest on the bottom to smallest on top for effect.
3. Place the fork(s) to the left of the plate(s). Smallest to the left, largest closest to the plate.
4. Place a small luncheon knife or butter knife to the right of the plate. No steak knives here. Afternoon tea foods do not require cutting. This knife is used to cut pastry, spread jam and Devon or clotted cream.
5. If serving soup, soup bowl goes on top of plates. Soup spoon goes to the right of the knife.
6. Teacup on saucer is placed to the right of the plate(s) on the other side of the knife (and spoon if you’re serving soup). The handle of the teacup should be facing to the right at three to four o’clock position.
7. Place the tea strainer just above the teacup and saucer.
8. Beverages are served from the right, so naturally all other beverageware should be to the upper right of the plate(s), above the teacup and saucer area. Water goblet to the right above the plate. Champagne glass to the lower right of the water goblet.
9. Two options for the teaspoon: 1.) Place a teaspoon on the rim of the tea saucer, with the bowl (parts of a spoon consist of a bowl and a handle or stem, always learning!) facing upwards at 10 or 11 o’clock while the handle faces upwards at the two to four o’clock position. 2.) Place the teaspoon to the right of the knife or to the right of the soup spoon if using.
10. Napkins are placed to the left of the fork(s). The closed edge to the left with the open edge facing the right. You may also place the napkins in a ring in the middle of the place setting or even to the upper right by the glasses in a cute rose shaped fold. The point is you don’t want to place your silverware on the napkins or even fold the silverware into the napkins. The less your guests have to fuss with, the better.
Speaking of napkins, traditional afternoon tea uses 12-inch napkins. If you are using 12-inch tea napkins, unfold your napkin entirely and place it on your lap. Larger dinner napkins should be folded in half and placed on the lap.
11. If using place cards, set to the center at the top of the plate.
12. Pastry forks are placed to the top center above the plate, behind the place card, with the handle on the left and the prongs facing towards the right. Or place the pastry fork to the inside left of the luncheon plate. Remember, the rule is that silverware is used outside in. Pastry is the last course so it should be closest to the plate(s).
13. Teapots and salt & pepper shakers and cellars can be placed in-between place settings to share. Teapots to the top right of a setting while salt & pepper to the left of a setting. Salt & pepper should be placed above the bread-and-butter plate if using. Pepper on the left and salt on the right.
14. Jam and cream should be placed on the left in proximity to the plate(s). The spoon or serving knife should be placed with the handle to the right.
15. Sugar, milk and sugar tongs are placed on a tray either at the center, above the plate, or to the left side above the plate, in close proximity to the host or hostesses place setting. The sugar bowl is placed on the left side of the tray and the milk is placed on the right side of the tray with the handle to the right.
Afternoon Tea Food Placement for a 3-Tier Stand:
Traditional Afternoon Tea is served in three courses and usually on a three-tiered stand alongside a pot of tea. These courses include scones, tea sandwiches and savories, and sweets. In the early days, the scones were on the top tier as they were covered with a food warmer. Keeping them on top also prevented their heat from affecting the other tiers which held the sweets on the bottom tier and the sandwiches on the middle tier. Makes sense.
But times change. Oh and then there’s the order in which these delectables should be eaten. Really? Yes. Bottom tier to top tier…and with your fingers. Tea sandwiches and savories are eaten first. Then the scones served with jam and clotted cream (this is when you’ll need your silverware). The sweets are the third and final course. This order of eating is displayed in most salons that serve afternoon tea. See the example…
Top Tier = Sweets & Pastries
Middle Tier = Scones – perhaps with jam and cream on the display too
Bottom Tier = Savories and Tea Sandwiches
And then some invert the middle and bottom tiers. Oh dear, brain exploding.
It’s okay! There really are no steadfast rules to the display. It’s all a matter of preference and what’s on the menu. So feel free to put your own creative touches. Fancy a scone to start the party, go for it! I assure you, no one will think you uncivilized. Just be sure to eat with your hands!
How Much Food Do I Need?
The quantity depends on the number of guests, but there should be about 3 tea sandwiches, 1 average or 2 small scones and 2-3 sweets per guest, minimum. There can be less tea sandwiches if there are additional savory bites being served. Fresh fruit can be added as well. So adorable when displayed in the little fruit bowls.