Friday, January 28, 2011

National Hot Tea Month is almost at an end, but that doesn't mean you should stop learning, and trying out new teas!  I decided to try a new Oolong tea this morning, and fell smack into a very important lesson that everyone should know. It may seem obvious, but water temperature is key!!  If you are steeping your tea with water that is not at the proper temperature, you are disrespecting your leaves.  Each type of tea likes a certain temperature, and will not produce good results without it.

Here is a general idea of what temperature you need, depending on the type of tea (this information is taken from http://worldoftea.org/easy-steeping-for-busy-folks/:

White Tea:  165F
Green Tea: 170-185F
Oolong Tea: 180-190F
Black Tea: Rolling Boil
Pu-erh Tea: Rolling Boil

If you don't have time to use a thermometer (I sure don't), then you can just let the water sit for a few seconds before steeping for Oolong, Green, and White teas. Or if you are able to watch your water boil, you can use this Chinese method, (taken from www.cantonteaco.com):

The Chinese use the following ranking for water temperatures based on the size and appearance of the bubbles in the water (it works pretty well too):

Shrimp eyes 158°F - 176°F
Crab eyes 176°F - 185°F
Fish eyes 185°F - 194°F
Rope of Pearls 194°F - 203°F
Raging torrent 203°F - 212°F
Old man water 212°F (over-boiled, ‘flat’ water)

As I discovered today, the wrong temperature can change the taste of your tea.  I was steeping a lovely Formosa Oolong from Joy's Teaspoon that tasted nice, but many nuances of the tea were missing.  I realized  it was because I used water from our office water cooler, and it was just not hot enough.  I'm going to try this tea again when I get home, and see if the results are different.  Stay tuned for a review!

The brewing length is essential as well.  The exact brewing time depends on the variety of tea you are using.  But this is a general guide:

White Tea:  4-8 Minutes
Green Tea: 2-3 Minutes
Oolong Tea: 1-8 Minutes
Black Tea: 3-5 Minutes
Pu-erh Tea: start off around
1-30  seconds, then work up to
3-5 minutes for repeat steeps

Of course, please pay attention to your own personal preferences.  For example, if you like a super strong tea, you could try a longer steep, and see how it tastes.  Experiment, and see what works best for you!


Wednesday, January 19, 2011

TeaGschwendner Margaret's Hope Autumnal Darjeeling


This is the first tea I've tried from my trip to TeaGschwendner in Rockefeller Center. I love Darjeeling teas, but have only had one other Autumnal version. The Autumnal flush is harvested in October and November, which yielding large leaves. These leaves produce a full bodied cup, but with less of the delicate flavors that are found in first and second flushes.

According to Darjeeling Tea Xpress, The Margaret's Hope tea estate was established in 1830. The estate did not get its current name until 1927. According to the site, the plantation owner's daughter fell in love with the garden, and vowed to return and visit. But she tragically died from a tropical disease on her travels back to England, never to return to the garden. Her father changed the name to Margaret's Hope in her memory. Such a touching story!
The leaves are long and wiry, and have a lovely sweet grape-like muscatel aroma. After steeping the liquor has that darjeeling scent of sweet muscatel, reminding me a fragrant apple blossom. There is also a faint woodsy smell, as if I was walking through damp leaves and twigs. The taste is subtle, very different from the scent. Autumal Darjeelings are known to be lighter in taste, so this does make sense. The muscatel and woodsy notes are there, but in the background. A faint astringency lingers. The tea becomes more full bodied farther down in the cup.

I have one more Darjeeling to try that I picked up from the store, but this one is a second flush. I look forward to tasting the differences!

TeaGschwendner Margaret's Hope Autumnal Darjeeling ~***1/2 ~ three and a half out of five stars

Monday, January 17, 2011

Instant Milk Tea

It's a rare occasion when I feel like adding milk, sugar, or other flavors to my tea, but the only exception is bubble tea. I love the sweet milky tea taste,  with a dash of tea thrown in.  It's also fun to have the chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom (boba). A few weeks ago we were shopping in a Korean grocery store in Queens, and I came across a strange box in the tea aisle. It was '3 in 1 Milk Tea'. I have to say I was intrigued, and had to try it. I pretended not to notice the artificial flavors that were added, just as I overlook it when I order bubble tea in a shop. I'm assuming the '3 in 1' means milk, tea, and sugar? The tea is made in Singapore.  I don't think I've ever had a tea product from Singapore before!

The ingredients are sugar, creamer (aka lots of stuff that is bad for you), a milk derivative, some preservatives and artificial color, and then finally instant tea. Not really something  I'd drink all the time, but it's handy to have around when I'm craving a sweet, milky tea taste similar to bubble tea. It is easily prepared by just pouring the mixture into a cup, then adding boiling water.

The 'tea' has the comforting flavor of sweet cream, but there is also a strange bitter flavor that feels dry on the tongue. Similar to burnt toast. A sweet and oily feeling lingers on the tongue for quite a long time after the tea is gone. I don't really get any strong tea flavor, it's really more of a hint of tea. The slight tea flavor reminds me of thai iced tea. It definitely reminds me of the milk teas I've had at bubble tea shops, but less flavorful.  Still, it is a fun and quick way to have a tea that reminds me of an occasional indulgence. While it's not a pure tea flavor, it is a fun diversion.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

TeaGschwendner in Rock Center- CLOSED

**note, this store is now closed :(**
TeaGschwender is a German tea chain that has stores all over the world.  According to their web site "Today TeaGschwendner has more than 130 shops in seven countries on four continents. We’re sharing the world’s finest teas with customers in locations such as Frankfurt, Germany; Vienna, Austria; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Chicago Illinois."

This tea chain has recently popped up in New York.  There is one on the Upper West Side, and a newer store in Rockefeller Center.  I took a quick chilly walk over from my office to the rock center store.  It is a retail store, without tables inside to sit and drink tea.  It is in a prime tourist and office location, so I imagine (and hope) they are doing well.

The store is small but they have a huge wall of teas to choose from, as well as an area for teaware.  On my visit there were two women behind the counter, both very friendly and helpful. This morning I was thinking about an autumnal Darjeeling that I had tried from SerendipiTea, and how I wanted to try a few more autumnal flushes, to see how they compare.  When I told the woman that I was interested in a Darjeeling, she immediately pulled out an autumnal one!  What a fun coincidence. She said it was a little different from the other Darjeelings, and an interesting one to try. It smelled lovely, so I definitely asked to take some.  After smelling a few others, I also went with a second flush Darjeeling. I don't really know much about this tea chain, so I asked the saleswoman what type of teas the chain was known for. She said the blacks such as Darjeeling and Assams, and Japanese green teas.  She also pointed out that they have a large selection of flavored rooibos.  After chatting a little bit about black teas, she gave me a small sample of her favorite Assam to take home. I love Assam, so I am excited to try it. She also included a tea scoop to easily measure out the tea.  A nice thing to keep in the office.

A review of the three teas will be coming very soon.  It is great to have a place with such a large selection of teas close to my office!  I'm glad I finally stopped in.
**note, this store is now closed :(**

Friday, January 7, 2011

an unexpected tea gift

The last tea I wrote about was Spring in Paris, and this next cup feels like Spring in Japan! I recently had lunch with a childhood friend that was in town, who moved back to Japan when we were 13.  She knew I was a tea lover, and gave me a gift of Sweet Sakura Tea.  Such a thoughtful gift! Sakura are beautiful Japanese cherry blossoms. I had never seen this tea before, and research didn't uncover much. I did learn that the blossoms are often blended with green or black tea.  But my tea is just the Sakura, and nothing else. Extra special! There is a website for the tea, where I was able to find brewing instructions.

leaves before steeping


Upon opening the foil bag that contain the 'tea', I was immediately hit with a strong, tart scent, very similar to umeboshi plum. I was very curious, so I tasted one of the petals. Exactly like a pickled ume!  Extremely salty, sour, and a little bit sweet.  I brewed the leaves according to the website using very hot, but not boiling water. After steeping the tea for a few minutes, the aroma was exactly the same as the scent of the blossoms. The taste is a different story.  It is very weak. Slightly floral and salty, with a subtle flavor of a pickled fruit, possibly apricot, or raisin, in the background.  I left it to steep for another 10 minutes or so, and it tastes slightly stronger, with the same pickled fruit flavor, and floral notes towards the back.

after adding hot water!
Watching the blossoms expand in the water is a beautiful experience.  The sight of dainty pale pink flowers brought springtime to this cold, snowy day. I enjoyed spending a few minutes watching  the blossoms as they opened in the water.  A peaceful, restorative activity.

Not sure that this is something I'd want to drink all the time, but it is an unexpected treat.  I am so grateful for this special gift!

This tea has inspired today's new National Hot Tea Month suggestion- give someone you know an unexpected tea gift!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

An herbal tea experience


My next suggestion on how to enjoy National Hot Tea Month, is to try a tea you wouldn't normally choose. Step outside of your tea comfort zone! In order to practice what I preach, I decided to do something I never, ever do... drink an herbal tea!  I usually shy away from herbals, because I love the flavor of actual tea leaves and don't have much time for purely herbal infusions.  I don't really care for floral infusions such as chamomile or lavender, and I cannot stand peppermint. But, I was meeting an old friend at Radiance tea house in the evening, and I didn't want the slightest bit of caffeine at that hour.  Besides, I need to keep more of an open mind for herbal teas.
So, I looked over their herbal and wellness tea menu and selected Spring in Paris.

I don't think I've ever had juniper berries before, so I had no idea what to expect. A few minutes later I was brought a dainty glass teapot with berries and petals floating inside, producing a gorgeous bright, reddish pink brew.  The aroma was sweet and tart at the same time.  It made my mouth water! The flavor had a strong tart taste (I'm assuming it was the juniper berries), but I didn't really taste the flowers.  This is not a bad thing for me.  The tea was juicy and bright.  A perfect taste of spring on a dreary January night. It would probably taste great iced as well.  This tea usually comes sweetened, but I asked for the sugar on the side, which came as a small pitcher of 'rock sugar' which looked like simple syrup.  I added a tiny drop to the cup, and it cut the tang and made the tea even more palatable. When I finished the pot, I was offered water for a second infusion.  I was surprised that the second steep was just as flavorful as the first. 
the second steep

I'm happy to have experienced a tisane that I truly like! The lesson I learned is to keep an open mind to non-traditional teas, because you never know what you will discover! 

Radiance Tea House Spring In Paris- **** 4 out of 5 stars

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Harney & Sons SoHo

If you live in the NYC area, a great way to kick off National Hot Tea Month is to check out the enormous selection of teas from the Harney & Sons SoHo location. I once visited their beautifully rustic shop in upstate NY, and have been eager to visit the new store ever since it opened. The SoHo store is quite large and airy, with a floor to ceiling shelving unit for their loose teas, very different from the cozy upstate shop.  This is not a bad thing, they fit in well with the other stores in the area.

There are two parts to the store. The first is the large retail space, that has the huge tea selection, and a 'tasting bar' where you can sample the tea of the week, as well as any other tea you would like to try.  They also have tasting flights, which is a fun way to try new teas. There are also shelves and tables holding teaware and bagged teas.  After taking in the scene, I headed straight to the back of the store to the small cafe area, which is separated from the main space with a couple of bookcases. 

view of the store from the tea lounge

The cafe has 5 tables, and a nice little bar area for a quick cup, or to order a cup to go. Cups are $3, a small pot is $6, and large $8.  If you prefer to drink one of their specialty teas, you can add $1 to your order.  I thought the prices were reasonable given the quality of their tea.  If you are looking for a bite to eat, there are also sweet and savory food options. I took the last available seat and had a look at the menu. 

After sitting and studying the large menu, I decided on a white tea.  It was late in the day, so I wanted something light and refreshing. I had a few questions, so one of the experts was called over to explain the differences in the white teas they had available.  I chose one that sounded light but still flavorful, the Mutan white.  After a few minutes I heard a timer go off, and my pot was brought over.  The liquid was bright yellow, similar to other white teas that I've tried. The aroma was faintly floral and nutty. The taste had the same nuttiness, and was also a bit buttery.  It had a nice smoothness, with a soft texture on the tongue. Suitable for my late afternoon tea break, but not something I'd want to drink earlier in the day. The nutty flavor lingered for awhile, which made me smile as I relaxed and read my book. The noise from the retail area drifts into the cafe, but it was pleasant to sit there on a cold day, reading a book and sipping tea.  I will definitely be back to try more. They even had a small section of 'Yellow' tea, which I know nothing about. I am looking forward to trying them!

Mutan White tea from the cafe
After my tea break, I browsed around the shop a bit.  I noticed they were selling thick and thin matcha, and realized I needed to have some matcha to try at home.  So I picked up a small canister of thick matcha.  As I was standing by the tasting bar, one of the employees asked if I wanted to try the matcha.  She brought out a chawan, whisk, and scoop, and prepared the tea for me.  She even showed me the proper way to whisk it.  Realizing that I didn't have a proper chawan, or the accouterments to prepare matcha correctly, I ended up purchasing the things I needed to make matcha at home. I have been drooling over handmade chawans on etsy.com, but realized that for my fledgling efforts I just needed a basic one.  My new tea bowl is quite lovely to look at! But that is for a future matcha post...

I was very impressed with the staff throughout the store.  They were all extremely friendly, helpful, and very knowledgeable.  I wish I lived or worked close by! But it's just a short train ride away, so I will definitely be back at Harney & Sons soon to try something new.