The flat white may be one of Australia’s best-loved exports of culture, but it is not with the cost of tea.
In the public realm, Australians sip espresso-based coffees, but tea is considered a private thing. Tea is the more quiet, achieving beverage designed for home and contemplative consumption. (That is until it is the subject of the subject of a transatlantic Brew-ha-ha.)
In our homes, many of us turn the kettle on instead of simply making a microwave or two of tea. But from the temperature of the water to the pot, what else can you do to ensure that your tea is the most potent it can be?
The following three Australian specialists provide their advice on the perfect cup of English Breakfast tea.
The tea: always select loose-leaf tea
“If people want to drink tea they should drink the good stuff,” says Cara Chen, a Sydney-based tea ceremonyist and the owner of Altitude Tea. Teabags, according to her, were designed to turn “the bottom of the barrel” leftover tea leaves into a marketable product. That’s not even beginning to consider what happens to the microplastic particles that certain teabags have been proven to be shedding by the billions.
In the case of loose leaf, the scent is the first indication of its quality. It should be the “roasted sweet-potato smell,” Chen claims. Chen. Then, take a look at the form of leaves. Arthur Tong, co-founder of Sydney tea retailer Tea Craft The Arthur Tong, states that English Breakfast blends typically feature “broken” Assam and Ceylon tea leaves. But a one-origin English Breakfast tea (that is, tea that comes from an estate or farm that is a single source) should be of a consistent color and size.
The water is fresh and 90C.
Suppose you’re tempted by the thought of reboiling the kettle’s water don, ‘t. “The oxygen has all boiled out of the water and will affect the flavour of the tea,” says Lesley Pine, co-founder of Sydney wholesaler Pine Tea and Coffee.
Chen states that the ideal drinking temperature of water for English Breakfast is 90C. If the water is at the boiling point (100C), the water “cooks” the leaves, which brings out bitter and tannin characteristics.
The tea enthusiasts might possess a temperature-variable kettle. For those who don’t, just shut off the kettle before it starts to boil. If you’re not sure how to do this, you could add an ounce of cold water to reduce the temperature or wait a couple of minutes.
Although Tong claims he’ll probably make use of the water that’s 100C in any case. “It’s not the end of the world.”
Teapot leaves must have enough space to move.
Tong states that there are a lot of teapots available with narrow baskets that don’t allow tea leaves to completely and evenly into the water. “Get rid of those baskets – they’re no good,” Tong says.
However, you don’t need to empty the teapot along with your basket. Add the leaves into the pot without the basket, and then use an additional filter to separate when you pour.
There’s no teapot? Tong states that any container with a spout can work, like a Pyrex measuring glass.
To keep your tea warm, Pine regrets that crocheted crockery sweaters are no longer fashionable (“do you realize how difficult it is to find cozy tea set these days? ?”). She suggests placing an old tea towel over the pot.
The time to brew
To allow one person to savor two cups of medium-strength English Breakfast, Tong recommends 300ml of water and a teaspoon of leaf. “A teaspoon will not be enough bring you satisfaction. A teaspoon isn’t worth it. It’s a bit of an over-the-top,” he says. Therefore, taking measurements “should always be done by the tablespoon.”
If you’re drinking English Breakfast black, brew it for a minute. However, if you are drinking it along with milk, “you don’t want the tea to look translucent like dirty dishwater,” Tong says. Tong. “To avoid this putrid translucency in your milk-tea-making, you want to brew it on the stronger side.” He suggests adding another 15 or 20 seconds to brew and then give the tea leaves a stir. Pour the tea into the cup, and then add the milk at the end.
“You know you’ve got it right … if you see a solid caramel colour after you’ve poured the milk.”
Have fun, won’t you?
Chen is a strong advocate of tea-making as a way to practice mindfulness. He suggests a daily variation of the Chinese gongfu tea ceremony, which has 21 steps: “When the kettle boils it is best to try to keep yourself from focusing on other things. Make an effort to remain present in the moment, breathe deeply … slowly pour boiling water into the cup, then be attentive to the steam rising out of the cup. Then, take a few sip.”
A properly brewed English Breakfast will taste naturally sweet and will have a warm, malty aroma, flavor, and aroma. If the blend of tea contains Assam leaf, it will have chocolate-like flavors on the palate, too. Its mouthfeel needs to be soft and smooth. With milk, it will be slightly creamy and dense. Sugar? “If the stuff is good, you shouldn’t need it, but each to their tea,” Tong says. Tong.
As Chen Tong says, tea drinking is a time to reflect and self-reflection. “You should feel this sense of peace,” Tong declares. “After the first sip, if you feel smarter than the guy next to you, you’ve done a good job.”