chinese tea ping!
Don’t forget the plasticizers and heavy metal contamination.
The South Americans have some good ideas about teas as well. Though coffee is a favorite, ‘yerba mate’ is the big drink, and seen as just as essential as is coffee in North America. It is consumed through a metal straw with a sieve on the end, called a bomba, or bombilla.
One of their ideas that is a good idea for about any tea is that they put the dry tea in the cup first, and mix it with a little water, to moisten it. Then they add the hot water. It tends to bring out the flavor much better than just adding the tea to hot water. If the tea tends to float, a bombilla is just the ticket, except that it conducts heat quite well, and can burn the lips if the water is too hot.
If you want teas for their medicinal value, you shouldn’t add either sugar or milk to them, as it can neutralize many of the benefits.
White tea is amazing.
#1 son got me a glass teapot for Christmas; LOVE it! I bought some “Flowering Teas”, but haven’t yet gotten around to making them. I usually just brew up a pot of Black Chai and enjoy.
Delighted to see this thread!
On my first visit to China, in 1984, I was immersed in the Chinese culture, the food, the language — name it. I was so excited to step on Chinese soil and my first day there I remember alot of ‘firsts’. One being the tea. My first cup of tea in China was ——— from a Lipton tea bag! LOLOL!
I am partial to two teas — the aforementioned Gunpowder, and Tie Guan Yin — Goddess of Mercy. It is an oolong tea and very pleasant.