Joanna James
More than just the required ingredients, what makes the perfect cup of tea taste that much better boils down to the passion and love that you have for creating a memory that will last a lifetime.
Stitching together tiny cloth bags with the capacity to hold loose tea leaves shouldn't be too difficult. Once this has been taken care of, begin by placing the tea inside each bag. Also, the golden rule that one must adhere to is the fact if you are making a cup of tea for yourself, then do so by including one teaspoon for the pot and one for yourself. Further, in the event you opt for a tea bag, cleaning up becomes a thing of the past as it is only a matter of removing the tea bag from the cup once the flavours and textures begin to work its magic.
Considered an essential pre-requisite for tea lovers the world over, getting the water temperature to the required mark will go a long way towards ensuring that what you sip on will be nothing short of the very best indeed. Various tea varieties such as green tea and black tea need 70C and 96C temperatures and a good way to address this need are to obtain a kettle which allows you to set the desired temperature. If the above cannot be achieved, then be sure to use a thermometer to measure the heat. Moreover, be mindful that you do not over boil the water as you do not want your tea tasting metallic as opposed to what it ought to be.
It is mandatory that you keep a close eye out for steeping instructions as the variety of tea will depend on how long you will need to keep the tea inside the pot. This is why it is important to check the instructions on the tea packets as most high-quality teas will arrive with such directions. The next step is placing the tea bag inside the pot and covering it so that the boiled water reaches the optimum temperature. Thereafter, it is essential that you remove the tea bag before serving. Leaving the bag for too long will result in your tea tasting somewhat bitter owing to over-steeping.
Look beyond anything which is plastic, ceramic or even metal for that matter as your tea will end up tasting exactly like the make-up of the cup and this should be avoided at all costs. Porcelain cups are the most ideal forms of serving tea as these cups will help retain the flavours and aromas of your cuppa. Also, porcelain cups are not too pricey and arrive with varying design elements that will surely add to the experience of discovering the minute details of one of the world's most cherished beverages.
For some, too creamy texture will be a major turn off but to others, a cup of tea will need an adequate amount of milk to balance out the taste. However, milk is mostly used when one prepares black tea and even in this case, one must pay close attention to the water that is used. If living in areas that are abundant in hard water, then it is wise to boil mineral water and not tap water. The usage of milk is mostly personal preference and it is no rule that one's tea has to contain it in order for the tea to taste good.
Enjoying tea surrounded by your closest friends or family will surely be the perfect prelude to a wonderful experience. Thus, be sure to always be in a relaxed environment and frame of mind whenever consuming some tea. For example, even if on holiday in parts of Sri Lanka, take time to discover some of the tea factories in Sri Lanka which will take you on a tour of the manufacturing processes. Halpe Tea is one such provider of some of the finest of teas on the island.
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