Tea Time

I've been thinking about adding a recipe for something I drink every single day - tea, but that doesn't really seem like a recipe, at least to me. So, instead I'm going to talk a bit about tea.

 I've always enjoyed drinking tea. Over the years, my taste in tea has changed. I prefer loose leaf tea now over bagged tea. I prefer green and white teas over black teas. I often prefer tea that has some other additions, like fruit or vanilla or spices. I occasionally drink matcha tea as well though I usually put matcha in my smoothies or baked goods rather than drinking it as a tea. I shared my recipe for a Ginger Hazelnut Matcha Latte a while back.

 But, let's talk about tea.

 Tea has many health benefits. Tea is filled with anti-oxidants.  Green and white teas have more anti-oxidants than black. They also have other nutritional benefits. They have zero calories when no sweetener is added. Some studies have even shown drinking green tea can help control weight.

 There are guidelines for heating the water to the appropriate temperature for different types of tea and for brewing times including amounts of tea leaves. But... I'm going to say something that is probably going to anger any tea snobs out there. Tea intensity is a personal taste.

 Yes, by all means, start with the guidelines. Then tweak them to find the perfect tea intensity for you. Oregon Coffee & Tea offers a good chart on their FAQ page to use as a starting point.  I know I like mine slightly weaker since I stopped using sweetener. I can't stand, and have never liked, sweetener in green or white tea. I used to love my black tea heavily sweetened until I discovered I could brew it less time than the recommended time making it much tastier to me without sweetener. It does take some adjustment if you're used to using sweetener.

 I've been asked a few times why I drink white or green tea every single day. The answer is not only the taste but the health benefits. The answer is not only the health benefits but I really, really like hot beverages.

 I drink tea all day. I re-use my tea leaves to make at least two cups and often three. 

 I probably break about a million of the "rules" for making/drinking tea, but I do what works for me. What works for me might not work for you.

 I encourage everyone I know to drink tea every day because of its slew of health benefits. Something that tastes good and is good for you! What's the downside? Maybe give drinking tea a chance.

 But, again, I don't feel quite right about sharing a recipe for tea.

 The closest I will come is the following.

 Ingredients

 loose leaf tea of your choosing in the amount that works for you (for me that's approximately 1-1 1/4  teaspoon depending on type of tea per 12-ounces but for you it could be more or less)
hot water

 Add hot water over the tea using either an individual cup with a tea infuser or a teapot. Steep until desired intensity - refer to the tea chart I linked to above if you're unsure where to start. 

 Remove tea leaves (this is where that tea infuser comes in handy). 

 Drink.

 So that is sort of a recipe, but not really.

 Still, I felt it was important to talk about tea here because tea is such an important and consistent part of my daily eating habits.

Let's grab a cup of tea...
Note: I choose organic ingredients whenever possible.

I'm going to do something a little different today because writing this post reminded me of a poem I wrote several years ago, so I'm going to share it for those who are interested...



Come for Tea, My Friend

 Come for tea, my friend
I’ll get out the best china
The delicate cups and saucers
The ones with the lovely roses
The ones I never use
Come for tea, my friend
I’ll serve only the best
I’ll go to my local tea shop
Buy the most delicious tea
I won’t even look at the price
Because you’re worth whatever the cost
Will you enjoy my favorites?
Or do you have your own?
No matter
Tell me what you like
I’ll buy it for you
I’ll make it in a lovely pot
Serve it hot
Prepare lovely scones and a bowl of fresh berries
Just for you
Because you’re worth the time and effort
Come for tea, my friend
I’ll give you the best I can offer
Sit with me and talk
As we sip from fine china cups
We’ll linger as the tea grows cold
Wishing we were still at the beginning
Perhaps we’ll make another pot
Share a laugh, a smile, a tear, a memory, a secret
We’ll end with a hug and expressions of love
We’ll walk away feeling the world is ours
We’ll know we can do anything
Simply because friendship like ours uplifts
As you leave, I’ll whisper

Come for tea, any time, my friend

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