Tea Kettles: What Kind Should I Buy?
December 23, 2009 by ChineseTea
Filed under Tea Making Necessities
Just about everyone has a kitchen in their house because, what has been the best kitchen appliance for brewing the tea that we drink than the kettle. Though the kettle has changed throughout the years, such as the color and shape of the kettle, the thing that it does has always been the same. It was made to brew the drinks that we have wanted.
There are really two main types of kettles, electric and stove top. An electric kettle is great for on kitchen countertops because it is ready and easy for just about anyone. All they have to do is plug it in and then it brews the tea. There is one very large benefit to this kind of kettle and that is that you do not have to stay and watch to make sure it does not boil over. Though this is a great appliance, many frequent tea drinkers may say that it does not perform as well as a stove top kettle.
The stove top kettle has stayed the same for the most part even from when we were little kids. You put water in it, heat it up, and when the tea is done, it has that whistle to let you know that your tea is done.
Nowadays, you can get a very large variation of kettles. They come in different abilities, shapes colors, and size. While some of them heat the water instantly, others make the water the right temperature for you to steep your tea. There are even some kettles now that can hold the tea and boil the water in one container.
Since there really is not a right way to buy a tea kettle, you must make the choice based on personal taste, because tea has always been different to all the different cultures of the world, it will be different for each individual as well.
If you want to base the type of kettle of the type of home you live in then that is great. If you live in an older house that has antiques everywhere, then you could possibly consider a older stove top kettle. If you live in a more modern home, then try looking for the newest and greatest electric kettle.
Just remember, when looking for your new tea kettle, do your research. Try to find review about the kettle that you will be purchasing.
No matter what type of kettle you choose, the tea that it makes will always bring you satisfaction.
The True Cup of Tea with a Tea Infuser
December 15, 2009 by ChineseTea
Filed under Tea Making Necessities
Many tea drinkers have only enjoyed the hot liquid made from teabags, but not had a true cup of tea made with an infuser. The tea infuser is a necessary kitchen tool for the tea connoisseur, for their freshly brewed cup of tea that is made from tea leaves. The way this type of tea is made is easy to use when making tea leaves and an infuser. This is the method of tea making that has been used throughout history. They became extremely popular during the nineteenth century and were not only used for personal use, but also given as gifts for weddings and other events. Today the infuser can be found in specialty stores, department stores and on the Internet.
Tea Infusers:
The tea infuser is found in the shape of a ball, apple or a basket shape, which will have small holes, these can be found in different sizes and made by different manufacturers. The perforations are small enough that the tea leaves will not escape into the cup or pot, and they are located on the top, bottom and sides.
The Types of Tea Infusers:
The infuser can be made from different materials, such as sterling silver, metal or glass and will be found in different size, to make a cup of tea, a personal pot or the large pot of tea. The tea infuser can make a perfect gift for the tea drinker, especially when it is one of the fancier models that might be made of sterling silver or glass and even in the shape of a heart.
Using a Tea Infuser Properly:
Drinking tea made from tea leaves brewed with an infuser is done by placing the proper amount of tea leaves for a cup, or pot in the tea infuser. Then to brew the tea, fresh water should be boiled to a rolling boil and then the infuser is placed in the cup or pot the water has been poured into and left to steep for approximately five minutes.
The water will fill the infuser and will brew the tea to perfection, making a much fresher cup of tea than can be made with a bag. Caution should be used when choosing the type of tea and infuser, small leaf tea and large holes means that some of the leaves might be able to escape the infuser and will need to be skimmed.
The tea infuser can be a real pleasure for the person that not only enjoys a fresh brewed cup of tea, but also for the person that wants to try different blends of teas and herbals. This is a far different cup of tea than the supermarket teabag.
Chinese Tea Sets: An Essential Tea Custom
November 26, 2009 by ChineseTea
Filed under Tea Making Necessities
The Chinese culture considers tea time, an essential part of their day. They have a wide range of knowledge and experience with tea making, especially considering they have been drinking it for as long as their culture has existed.
Tea making has many necessities when it comes to choosing the right Chinese tea set and is said to be very crucial in the tea preparation. In particular, a very vital role is brewing tea. Chinese tea sets include tea pots, tea saucers, tea bowls, and tea trays. Today, there are different forms and types of Chinese tea sets that have certain characteristics and designs. Because of certain traditional practices, tea sets are considered a very indispensable part of their artistry and market.
Chinese tea sets are highly valued and are dedicated to the established tea culture in China that is composed of two groups. The first refers to those that have a high artistic value, while the second refers to those that are used in every day life. Those with high artistic value are commonly used in special tea ceremonies like weddings and other important events. They are usually kept in beautiful cabinets and are proudly presented for everyone to see.
How to select the right tea set associated with their individual uses are not difficult tasks. Selecting Chinese tea sets for every day use largely depends on the types of tea that many people drink and where the individual is located throughout China. In the eastern as well as northern regions of China, natives usually drink floral teas, which are also known as herbal teas. These people commonly employ large tea pots to boil the tea water in which are made of ceramics, and their size depends on the number of people to be served.
In the Kangnam area, green tea is the customary drink and is made with a ceramic kettle–when drinking green tea or any kind that has fine leaves, a Chinese tea set with small cups are used. In areas like Fujian, Taiwan and Guangdong, the people drink usually oolong teas, so they use a regular kettle to brew the tea. When brewing Gongfu tea or Hong tea, the Chinese also use a ceramic pot or a regular kettle. While drinking a high quality tea such as Xihu-long-jing, Jun-shan-yin-zhen, and Ton-ting-bilei-chun, clear glass cups are appropriate to use.
Brewing leaves too fast leaves a negative result. High levels of water brews fine leaves too fast, resulting in discolored tea leaves, and influencing the fragrance as well as taste of the tea. Some people also use a thermos to keep the green tea warm, which also affects the color and flavor. Today, most Chinese sets contain a thermos for this specific reason.
Along with the previously mentioned items included in a Chinese tea set, there are also tea plates, tea set cover cloths, tea spoons, tea trays, and tea brewing containers to complete the set. Tea making has been a part of not only the Chinese culture, but world history for many years. Chinese tea sets have created a valuable market within their culture and an irreplaceable place in history.


