Tea baskets, gourmet teas, and premium tea kettles like Oxo Tea Kettles, and other tea related items are emerging as one of the most popular gift items and for an ardent tea drinker. What else could be the better gift item then something related to tea it could be loose tea tin, tea party supplies, tea sets or tea filters.
Loose tea tins are ideal gift for tea drinkers, the taste, and aroma and health benefits of loose tea is far better than tea bags. Choose from wide variety of tea, you can pick white tea, black tea, green tea or rooibos tea or herbal tea. You can easily find loose tea tins in market stores as well as at online stores.
Electric kettle is another very useful item for tea lovers, to enjoy better taste and aroma of tea right temperature of water is very important and with this electric kettle one can regulate the water temperature, all you have to do is to plug it follow the instruction, it will heat water very fast and you will get a perfect temperature water for the different tea leaves. The design and look of the electric kettle is very chic you can easily set it at the corner of counter top.
Items like personal cups, pots and stove top kettles are also very popular, though quite common but such items have its charm.
Electric tea maker is an ideal gift idea for tea lover, though bit expensive but you can easily make multiple cup of loose tea at once. Literature on tea or a pass to tea room is also a good gift option.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
How to Make Tea
Exhilarate your weary brain and body with hot sip of tea, the refreshing power of tea is well known if you don’t trust it just give it a try and you will get to know the revitalizing power of tea, either you drink green tea, black tea or milk tea each cup of tea will offer you a different taste. Tea has become one of the most popular drinks all around the world.
Tea is not only good in taste but it is good for health also. Latest studies have revealed many medicinal benefits of the tea. Green tea can help in preventing Alzheimer, cancer and it improves cardiovascular health. A person who takes 5 cup of green tea regularly are less receptive to psychological disorders and stress in comparison to people who drink less than one cup of tea.
Making a cup of tea is not any difficult task, but making a perfect cup of tea with right blend of sugar and tea leaf might be tricky for few people. For a perfect cup of tea one needs pure water, water with the taste of chemicals or hard water is not suitable for green tea, for green tea use soft water or water with ph balance 7 is most suitable for tea. You should also start with a good tea kettle, like an Oxo Tea Kettle.
Temperature is another very important factor that one should keep in mind while making tea, to get a full flavor of tea rolling boil is advised. If you are making green tea use lower temperature boiled water for better taste allow boiling water to sit for a minute.
Enjoy the hot sip of the tea and keep your body and mind fresh.
Tea is not only good in taste but it is good for health also. Latest studies have revealed many medicinal benefits of the tea. Green tea can help in preventing Alzheimer, cancer and it improves cardiovascular health. A person who takes 5 cup of green tea regularly are less receptive to psychological disorders and stress in comparison to people who drink less than one cup of tea.
Making a cup of tea is not any difficult task, but making a perfect cup of tea with right blend of sugar and tea leaf might be tricky for few people. For a perfect cup of tea one needs pure water, water with the taste of chemicals or hard water is not suitable for green tea, for green tea use soft water or water with ph balance 7 is most suitable for tea. You should also start with a good tea kettle, like an Oxo Tea Kettle.
Temperature is another very important factor that one should keep in mind while making tea, to get a full flavor of tea rolling boil is advised. If you are making green tea use lower temperature boiled water for better taste allow boiling water to sit for a minute.
Enjoy the hot sip of the tea and keep your body and mind fresh.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Climate and Conditions for Tea
Tea leaves are sensitive and their cost invariably depends on the fact that climate changes have drastic effect on their cultivation. Teas usually grow on the mountain slopes of eastern India and in China. They are usually picked in spring and this could extend up to early summer and some time the fall too.
Tea leaves grow better when the day is of longer duration. This explains why they are grown more in summer. Dry spells of summer could harm the tea leaves. The right temperature could be around 30 degrees, with 200-300 cm of rainfall during a season. Slight organic matter and slightly acidic well drained soils in hilly areas and humid atmosphere are best for growing tea.
Altitudes between 1000 and 2000 meters above sea level are optimum and prolonged dryness of the wind or increasing temperatures harm the growth of tea leaves. Higher wind speeds are harmful for tea leaves. So is strong bright sunshine. High altitudes which have cloud cover and fog hence suit the tea leaves better. Less sunshine and more rainfall too provide the right environment for tea. Clay soils are really not good for teas.
Red soils with high oxidation content, which is well permeated allowing the roots to penetrate and hence well drained, are the ideal soils for tea. The aeration in the soil, and the drainage are optimum conditions. It is common to see steps made on the slopes where tea is cultivated. Compact soils make it hard for the roots to penetrate.
A great tea kettle for heating the water to make your tea is the Oxo Tea Kettle. You can find Oxo tea kettles at any home store on online at Amazon.com
Tea leaves grow better when the day is of longer duration. This explains why they are grown more in summer. Dry spells of summer could harm the tea leaves. The right temperature could be around 30 degrees, with 200-300 cm of rainfall during a season. Slight organic matter and slightly acidic well drained soils in hilly areas and humid atmosphere are best for growing tea.
Altitudes between 1000 and 2000 meters above sea level are optimum and prolonged dryness of the wind or increasing temperatures harm the growth of tea leaves. Higher wind speeds are harmful for tea leaves. So is strong bright sunshine. High altitudes which have cloud cover and fog hence suit the tea leaves better. Less sunshine and more rainfall too provide the right environment for tea. Clay soils are really not good for teas.
Red soils with high oxidation content, which is well permeated allowing the roots to penetrate and hence well drained, are the ideal soils for tea. The aeration in the soil, and the drainage are optimum conditions. It is common to see steps made on the slopes where tea is cultivated. Compact soils make it hard for the roots to penetrate.
A great tea kettle for heating the water to make your tea is the Oxo Tea Kettle. You can find Oxo tea kettles at any home store on online at Amazon.com
How Tea is Processed
Tea leaves and the buds are usually picked in early or late spring which is the ideal season. Picking of tea leaves comes with practice and involves pulling out the flush as twisting could negatively affect the quality. Machines are seldom used for the picking to avoid extra damage to the leaves or flushes.
Once picked, a cool breezy room that carries vapor out, or drying in the sun cause the leaves to lose most of the water content and wilt, thus partially oxidizing them. By rolling the leaves over and bruising them some of the juices are brought out that aid in oxidation and all the moisture is lost.
The tea then gains its category. Climate controlled rooms ensure gradual oxidation of the leaves which turn darker, depending upon the percentage of oxidation that sets in from 100 percent for black tea for up to 5 percent for light oolong teas.
The tea leaves are then fired to stop the oxidation at a certain level. Tea leaves which are damp are now rolled over, to bring out the juices further. They are rolled into spirals, pellets or balls. After this the leaves undergo drying which must be done with care to avoid over drying. This could be through air or by sun.
Once dried, some tea leaves are cured for additional fermentation to lend a different flavor. Although the processes are more or less fixed, the degree to which they are done at various levels determines the taste of tea.
If you're looking for a good tea kettle, try an Oxo Tea Kettle. They are sold at fine home stores and at Amazon.com.
Once picked, a cool breezy room that carries vapor out, or drying in the sun cause the leaves to lose most of the water content and wilt, thus partially oxidizing them. By rolling the leaves over and bruising them some of the juices are brought out that aid in oxidation and all the moisture is lost.
The tea then gains its category. Climate controlled rooms ensure gradual oxidation of the leaves which turn darker, depending upon the percentage of oxidation that sets in from 100 percent for black tea for up to 5 percent for light oolong teas.
The tea leaves are then fired to stop the oxidation at a certain level. Tea leaves which are damp are now rolled over, to bring out the juices further. They are rolled into spirals, pellets or balls. After this the leaves undergo drying which must be done with care to avoid over drying. This could be through air or by sun.
Once dried, some tea leaves are cured for additional fermentation to lend a different flavor. Although the processes are more or less fixed, the degree to which they are done at various levels determines the taste of tea.
If you're looking for a good tea kettle, try an Oxo Tea Kettle. They are sold at fine home stores and at Amazon.com.
Types of Tea
There are various types of tea based on the procedure in which the leaves are processed. The most popular ones are the green tea, black tea, oolong tea and white tea. Green tea is considered to be a very healthy beverage.
Most people prepare tea using a tea kettle to heat the water to boiling. A good tea kettle, like an Oxo Tea Kettle, can last for years and make tea preparation easier.
When tea leaves are dried or allowed to wither oxidation sets in. However, green tea is prepared by preventing the leaves from oxidizing, but drying quickly, over firing or pan frying. This helps retain flavanoids, catechins, poly-phenols etc. giving green tea the edge.
Black tea is more of a result of oxidation where the leaves are allowed to ripen giving them the strong, rich flavor that varies from grower to grower.
Oolong tea are traditional teas that are a balance between green and black tea. The green styles is oxidized less whereas the amber style is oxidizes slightly more, lending the oolong tea a fine taste and balance between the flavor of green and the deep taste of the black tea.
White tea is the most expensive of the lot, made by drying the buds even before they open up and which are covered by delicate hairs, whose poly-phenols are very effective against wrinkles, aging etc.
Besides these there are flavored teas made by combining various flavors or oils with the tea leaves. The compressed tea bricks are nothing but leaves compressed to retain them for longer time during voyages. Thus tea or camellia sinensis leaves could be processes in many ways depending on the flavor and taste desired.
If you're looking for a good tea kettles, check out Oxo Tea Kettles at Amazon.com. They make many different styles and colors. You're sure to find one to fit your particular taste.
Most people prepare tea using a tea kettle to heat the water to boiling. A good tea kettle, like an Oxo Tea Kettle, can last for years and make tea preparation easier.
When tea leaves are dried or allowed to wither oxidation sets in. However, green tea is prepared by preventing the leaves from oxidizing, but drying quickly, over firing or pan frying. This helps retain flavanoids, catechins, poly-phenols etc. giving green tea the edge.
Black tea is more of a result of oxidation where the leaves are allowed to ripen giving them the strong, rich flavor that varies from grower to grower.
Oolong tea are traditional teas that are a balance between green and black tea. The green styles is oxidized less whereas the amber style is oxidizes slightly more, lending the oolong tea a fine taste and balance between the flavor of green and the deep taste of the black tea.
White tea is the most expensive of the lot, made by drying the buds even before they open up and which are covered by delicate hairs, whose poly-phenols are very effective against wrinkles, aging etc.
Besides these there are flavored teas made by combining various flavors or oils with the tea leaves. The compressed tea bricks are nothing but leaves compressed to retain them for longer time during voyages. Thus tea or camellia sinensis leaves could be processes in many ways depending on the flavor and taste desired.
If you're looking for a good tea kettles, check out Oxo Tea Kettles at Amazon.com. They make many different styles and colors. You're sure to find one to fit your particular taste.
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