7 Tips to a Perfect Cup of Tea

What better way to find out the 7 tips to a perfect cup of tea than a tea house?

We belong to an Oregon Bloggers Group, and recently Salvagesista had the opportunity to visit a local Tea House, The Tea Pot on Wheels.  They invited several Southern Oregon Blogger to experience their High Tea.

Garnished Home, Lynnae McCoy, Debi Stangeland, and Salvagesista

The Tea Pot on Wheels is a Tea House, Restaurant, Party and Special Event Venue located in Gold Hill, OR.  Denny and Jan Martinez are the owners.  She has a lifelong passion for tea and he, Mr. Tea Pot,  has been a cook most of his life.

 

When Jan talks, you can see the passion in her eyes.  But don’t think Mr. and Mrs. Tea Pot are the ones passionate about this business.  Customers love this place!  So much so, they bring in their families tea set and linens so they will get used.  This is not just good food and tea, it’s an experience!

With her tea passion and professional experience, Jan has these 7 tips for a perfect cup of tea:

1) Filtered Cold Water

 “We recommend using filtered water because the quality of your water will directly affect the taste of your tea. Many towns have water that has too much chlorine and other minerals.”

2) Measure

“One rounded teaspoon or one tea bag for each cup (8 fluid ounces) required”  A tea ball, like this, can work well to contain the leaves. (Amazon affiliate)

 

 

3) Temperature

Temperature is crucial for different teas.  Check out their temperature chart for your perfect cup of tea, HERE.

“Bring the water to a rolling boil. Do not allow it to boil too long, as it will boil away some of the flavor-releasing oxygen and result in a flat cup”

4) Pour

“Pour the water onto the leaves or tea bags. This saturates the tea allowing the flavor to  release naturally. Do not pour the water and then add the tea, this will only result in a poor cup of tea.”

5) Cover

“Always cover your tea when steeping. The tea leaves will unfurl properly when covered”

6) Time

Each tea not only has it’s own temperature but also time to steep.  Refer to the chart link in #3.  Mrs. Tea Pot says to never vary the steep time only the amount of tea for a stronger or weaker flavor.

7) Rebrew??

You know we never want to waste anything right?  “Some green, oolong and white teas are good for multiple infusions – just add new hot water to the pot and increase the steeping time a bit. Repeat until the flavor fades.”  Waste not, want not.

Now brew yourself a cup of tea, and read our top recipe for 2015, HERE.

When you get to the Southern Oregon area, please go and visit…..

THE TEAPOT ON WHEELS

1754 Rogue River Hwy.

Gold Hill, OR. Exit 45 A

(541) 855-4343

Resturant Open Mon-Sat 9am-3pm

Tea House Open Mon-Sat 10am-3pm

and you HAVE TO HAVE THE STICKY PUDDING!!!!……