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| mqjeff |
 Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:57 pm Post subject: Best practices? |
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Grand Master
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 17447
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| I'm curious if everyone agrees with the set of best practices laid out here, or if there are differing opinions or techniques that could be followed... |
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| Vitor |
| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 1:03 pm Post subject: Re: Best practices? |
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Grand High Poobah
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 26093
Location: Texas, USA
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| mqjeff wrote: |
| I'm curious if everyone agrees with the set of best practices laid out here, or if there are differing opinions or techniques that could be followed... |
FWIW my dear old mother was firmly in the "tea first, then water" camp.
But as a non-tea drinker I was always a disapointment to her, hence I was finally forced to flee my shame & move to the USA.
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| fjb_saper |
| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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Grand High Poobah
Joined: 18 Nov 2003
Posts: 20756
Location: LI,NY
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I remember my days as an exchange student in Lancashire... and here are the rules that were observed in the Henry household as I remember them... (James forgive me any mistakes it's been 30 + odd years and going slowly on 40 now)...
- Heat the water until it boils
- Don't keep the heat on for more than one minute after it boils
- Have ready a little metallic container (sieved) with the tea and drop into still boiling water
- Let the tea infuse for at least 5 minutes while the pot stays on the stove
- Pour into an earthenware pot (consistent strength as no longer infusing) and cover with a knitted cloth (keeps warm longer)
- Pour from the earthenware pot into mug
- Add cloud or drop of milk ( I, the Frenchman used a cloud... they used a wee drop or two...)
- Sweeten to your liking
- Remember Darjeeling is the best, but if in a pinch Earl Grey will do
Note: I have since tasted other teas like Gun Powder and herbal ones, whether lemon flavored, or honey / sugar sweetened, but my first experience with the Ritual of Tea was in north western England....
Happy tea time everybody... 
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| HubertKleinmanns |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:39 am Post subject: |
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Shaman
Joined: 24 Feb 2004
Posts: 732
Location: Germany
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I prefer coffee 
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Hubert |
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| Mehrdad |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:29 am Post subject: |
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Master
Joined: 27 Feb 2004
Posts: 219
Location: Europe
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my few cents worth of tea related opinion are:
- tea must be steamed in a tea pot either sitting on top of a boiling kettle or on a Samavar (look this one up on your own  )
- tea used must be of loose variety. tea bags are for those who used to colonize tea producing countries and do not really know tea 
- adding milk is a catastrophe well deserving of a couple of these  !! but perhaps needed for those who use tea bags
- tea must be served in a clear glass so the color can be seen and appreciated, kind of like good wine
live demonstrations will be conducted throughout the year at the Cressida UK offices. come see us in action  |
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| Vitor |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:16 am Post subject: |
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Grand High Poobah
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 26093
Location: Texas, USA
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| Mehrdad wrote: |
| live demonstrations will be conducted throughout the year at the Cressida UK offices. come see us in action |
That will be worth seeing. Various vendors have been telling me for years:
| Quote: |
| Our product can do everything you need except make the tea! |
I'm excited that Cressida have finally closed that functionality gap. 
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| shashivarungupta |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:36 am Post subject: Re: Best practices? |
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Grand Master
Joined: 24 Feb 2009
Posts: 1343
Location: Floating in space on a round rock.
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| mqjeff wrote: |
| I'm curious if everyone agrees with the set of best practices laid out here, or if there are differing opinions or techniques that could be followed... |
'Tea' you can find in India ..everywhere.. One Cup of Tea is required when someone is tired, someone wants to share something among friends over a cup of tea, someone is sad and whats to move on but after a cup of tea, someone is angry but wanted him/herself cool down with a strong cup of tea, someone wants to share happiness with a sweet cup of tea, when someone wants to get up early in the morning, when someone wants to start the work at office...what not...'Tea' has lots of variety in India and which is world famous.
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| Vitor |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:42 am Post subject: Re: Best practices? |
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Grand High Poobah
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 26093
Location: Texas, USA
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| shashivarungupta wrote: |
| mqjeff wrote: |
| I'm curious if everyone agrees with the set of best practices laid out here, or if there are differing opinions or techniques that could be followed... |
'Tea' you can find in India ..everywhere.. One Cup of Tea is required when someone is tired, someone wants to share something among friends over a cup of tea, someone is sad and whats to move on but after a cup of tea, someone is angry but wanted him/herself cool down with a strong cup of tea, someone wants to share happiness with a sweet cup of tea, when someone wants to get up early in the morning, when someone wants to start the work at office...what not...'Tea' has lots of variety in India and which is world famous.
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All true, but what has this to do with the posted question, i.e. best practices to make tea??  
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| exerk |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:47 am Post subject: |
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Jedi Council
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Posts: 6339
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| fjb_saper wrote: |
[3]Have ready a little metallic container (sieved) with the tea and drop into still boiling water
...but my first experience with the Ritual of Tea was in north western England... |
These two statements together do not compute! They must have been very upper-class Northerners as most in that area just spoon the tea leaves into the mug and pour in the boiling water - hence the question "fancy a mash?"
Otherwise fjb_saper's list is perfection personified in regard to a good cup of cha, and I also agree with Mehrdad - but only on the proviso that the tea is highly sweetened and contains mint leaves...please book me in for a demo.
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| shashivarungupta |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:52 am Post subject: Re: Best practices? |
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Grand Master
Joined: 24 Feb 2009
Posts: 1343
Location: Floating in space on a round rock.
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| Vitor wrote: |
| shashivarungupta wrote: |
| mqjeff wrote: |
| I'm curious if everyone agrees with the set of best practices laid out here, or if there are differing opinions or techniques that could be followed... |
'Tea' you can find in India ..everywhere.. One Cup of Tea is required when someone is tired, someone wants to share something among friends over a cup of tea, someone is sad and whats to move on but after a cup of tea, someone is angry but wanted him/herself cool down with a strong cup of tea, someone wants to share happiness with a sweet cup of tea, when someone wants to get up early in the morning, when someone wants to start the work at office...what not...'Tea' has lots of variety in India and which is world famous.
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All true, but what has this to do with the posted question, i.e. best practices to make tea?? |
It means...tea making is a skill in India that we do without reading a manual book. 
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| fjb_saper |
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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Grand High Poobah
Joined: 18 Nov 2003
Posts: 20756
Location: LI,NY
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| exerk wrote: |
| Otherwise fjb_saper's list is perfection personified in regard to a good cup of cha |
Ah... the powers of observation of an adolescent (teenage for non sequipedalians) mind !!!
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| Mehrdad |
| Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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Master
Joined: 27 Feb 2004
Posts: 219
Location: Europe
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I would like the original posting culprit to summarize the winning best practices for the worldwide MQer tea drinking community  |
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| mqjeff |
| Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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Grand Master
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 17447
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Well, I still don't think we've heard from a full range of posters, honestly.
From what I know, there are probably a lot of regional variants of tea practices in India, and we've only heard one perspective...
Also, of course, as an American, I have to say I really do tend to use a tea bag, and it's about 50/50 that I put the water in first...
But that's just because I usually only make tea when I've run out of coffee... 
When I'm serious about it, I use loose leaf in a ceramic pot - that I've warmed up before hand with hot water - with water from an electric kettle.
And I don't put milk in either my coffee or my tea. |
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| fatherjack |
| Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:58 am Post subject: |
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Knight
Joined: 14 Apr 2010
Posts: 522
Location: Craggy Island
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One thing is missing from all these methods of making tea. At what point to you add the large scotch?
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| mqjeff |
| Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:01 am Post subject: |
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Grand Master
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 17447
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| fatherjack wrote: |
| One thing is missing from all these methods of making tea. At what point to you add the large scotch? |
no, no.
You soften Scotch with Water.
One puts whisky in one's tea, not Scotch. |
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