Tea

Legend of the Discovery of Tea

A Buddhist priest, Bodhidharma, deservedly drowsy one day toward the end of a seven-year sleepless contemplation, plucked some leaves from the tree under which he sat. On chewing them, his fatigue left him, and thus tea was discovered in India.

A Japanese version of the story is less believable, though perhaps more romantic. In frustration, the priest removed his drooping eyelids and threw them to the ground. Where they fell, tea bushes sprang up, producing leaves which proved to chase off sleep.

For the most popular legend of tea's discovery, however, we travel to China.

The Emperor Shen Nung was a wise ruler, a clever scholar and a gifted herbalist. A fastidious man, he insisted that all drinking water be boiled for the sake of hygiene.

One day, in the year 2737 BC, the Emperor and his court rested beneath a solitary tree. When its leaves blew into the boiling water which his servants were preparing, the emperor drank the resultant brew. He found it delicious and pleasantly revitalising.

 
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The pot that hits the spot!

In many parts of the world, tea is an inextricable part of history and culture. But in other places, serious tea drinking is just taking hold. Some merely seek an alternative to coffee and soft drinks; some seek the potentially restorative virtues of tea, especially green and herbal varieties. And while the methods and serving of certain varieties differ, consider this 2torial your basic primer.

Remember the details:

• If you must use tap water, run the faucet to clear the water sitting in the pipes. Colder and fresher makes a tastier, livelier infusion.
  
• Warm the steeping pot. Let it sit, filled with very hot water, for a few minutes, then drain it. Place it in the oven at the lowest setting until it's warm inside and out.

Choose your pot carefully. "Reactive" saucepans include most metals (stainless steel is acceptable), and can impart flavor to the water; aluminum and unlined copper are the worst offenders. Glass and enamel are preferred.

Pour the measured, fresh water into the saucepan and place over high heat. Heat the water until it just comes to a rolling boil: over-boiling removes too much oxygen, imparting a flat taste to the tea.

To be true to the brew, steep Western teas in glass or ceramic, Asian teas in ceramic or enamel.

Add the tea leaves (one teaspoon per cup, plus one "for the pot") to the warmed steeping pot. Immediately pour the just boiled water over the loose leaves; cover the pot.

If available, place the tea cozy over the pot. This will keep the pot warm during the steeping, which helps extract as much flavor as possible. A thick towel, while not as traditional, will do as well.

Steep three to five minutes for most teas; longer, to taste, for the more delicate green and herbal infusions.

When ready to serve, pour the tea through the strainer into individual cups.

Specific teas traditionally use specific accompaniments:

• Serve black tea with milk, lemon and sugar, if desired. Never serve black tea with cream: it's too rich, and overwhelms the flavors. Half and half is better. Also never put lemon and milk together, as the milk will curdle.
• Green tea is served without anything at all.
  
• Herb teas are usually served as is, with honey, and/or with lemon.
• Now that you're a tea perfectionist, keep these principles in mind:
• While using loose leaves in a pot is greatly encouraged, using a tea ball is acceptable. Be sure it's large enough to hold the amount of tea needed for the pot.
  
• Try to draw the line at pre-packaged tea bags. The problem is not so much concept as execution: some large companies hide inferior ingredients in those opaque little bags; some retailers don't discard old boxes that have been sitting around for way too long.

So, if you must use tea bags, try to buy them from a retailer known for his/her appreciation of tea - or at least a high turnover of product. Take as much care in preparation as you would if using loose leaves; you'll notice the difference for sure.

Favorite Teas

China Oolong

Darjeeling

English Breakfast

Earl Grey

Irish Breakfast

Orange Pekoe

Prince of Wales