"Tea is hot and getting hotter. From iced to spiced, from austere black tea to sweetened and milky chai, from a flowery pick-me-up to a healing herbal, no other beverage has such a place in the heart of every civilization. No wonder it is the most popular beverage in the world, next to water."
- Sara Perry, The New Tea Book

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Happy Tea Drinking!

"When the world is all at odds
and the mind is lost at sea,
then cease the useless tedium
and brew a cup of tea.
There is magic in its fragrance,
There is solace in its taste;
And the laden moments vanish
somehow into space.
And the world becomes a lovely thing!
There's beauty as you'll see;
All because you briefly stopped
to brew a cup of tea."

Tips for Preparing Loose Leaf Tea:

To begin, allow yourself the time to enjoy tea. Engage the ceremony of brewing loose tea. Brew with good clean water, recognize what’s happening as the herbs release their unique essence into the water. Taste the bold and subtle flavors that Nature has imbued into a myriad of health-promoting herbs. Sit back and indulge in each warming sip letting it heal you from the inside out!

The art of using loose tea is nice because you are more involved with the preparation and brew. As you scoop out the herbs get to know them by taking a moment to look at them — each one has it’s own character and health promoting properties. You can tailor the strength and taste by varying the amount of tea you scoop into the tea ball and how long you let it steep.

When filling your tea ball, leave enough room in the tea ball to allow the herbs to ‘swell’ as they steep. This will allow for a better release of herbal properties.

To make iced tea, just brew as you would when making hot tea, let it steep at least 15 minutes, longer if you prefer it stronger, then chill and enjoy.

Add natural sweeteners like organic Agave Nectar, Honey, even Maple Syrup if you like!

Keep tea fresher longer by storing in airtight containers, keep free of moisture and out of sunlight.

Water quality affects how tea will taste. We recommend pure spring water. The mineral content and lack of pollutants like chlorine and fluoride, simply tastes better with quality organic herbs.

Herbal Infusions:

Infusions are the most medicinally potent water based herbal preparations. Infusions are steeped for a longer period of time then a cup of tea. Resulting in a much darker, richer and thicker beverage.

To prepare an infusion, start with a pint or quart canning jar or a French press.

An infusion is a larger amount of herbs brewed for a longer time. Typically, one ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar, which is then filled to the top with hot water, tightly lidded and allowed to steep for 4-10 hours. After straining, a cup or more is consumed, and the remainder chilled to slow spoilage. Drinking 2-4 cups a day is usual. Since the minerals and other phytochemicals in nourishing herbs are made more accessible by drying, dried herbs are considered best for infusions.

Making your Infusion:

Brew it with good clean water, and recognize what’s happening as the herbs release their special properties into the water. Taste the subtle flavors that Nature has imbued these health-promoting herbs with – sit back and sip – recognize the life in love!

It’s essential to start by using pure water; water quality will affect the flavor and quality of your infusion. We recommend pure spring water. The mineral content and lack of pollutants like chlorine and fluoride, simply tastes better with natural organic herbs.
It may be helpful to make infusions at night before going to bed that way they are ready in the morning.

Place a large handful of herbs into a jar, at least enough to cover the bottom of the jar. Turn your teapot on until it just about boils, pour the hot water up to the rim of the jar, cover with a lid, in the morning strain the herbs out. Drink your Infusion throughout the day! You can add a touch of fresh lemon or a dab of honey to enhance the herbal properties in your infusion.

Make sure to store any left over infusion in the refrigerator or you could use even use it as a face rinse or to water your houseplants!

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