Tea: The New Coffee

It


seems that tea is quickly replacing coffee as the nation’s number one


refreshing drink . Just a quick look at


the growing number ofstylish "tea


bars" (that's teashops to the uninitiated) to appreciate that caffè lattes and quadruple espressos are becoming a thing of the past , and oolong and green tea mint chai are what is trendy now . But to


enjoy your daily cup of tea at its best, you will need the correct equipment. Different types of tea react differently to the temperature of the water used. What this means is that boiling water should be used for black


tea or breakfast tea, 60-80ºC is best for


green teas, 75-85ºC for white teas and 90ºC for herbal teas or infusions.


Fortunately, variable-temperature kettles permit you heat the


water to your desired temperature. If you are watching your funds and/or you only drink black teas, you can still get a better cuppa by purchasing a kettle that


filters out limescale, chlorine, lead, copper and other impurities. An alternative piece of


equipment is a tea press which essentially


is a teapot with an infuser in it, which separates the tea leaves


from the water thereby avoiding the dreaded stewed tea flavour. This is essential if you


like loose-leaf teas - and you should, because the oils that give teas their flavour are prone to evaporation when the leaves are processed to be made into tea bags. And after you


have decided on the best equipment for brewing your tea, you need to decide on


the best type of cup or mug to drink it from.


There are people who insist that the flavour of tea is best


drunk from a large mug, while many more prefer to drink their daily


cup from a bone china cup in the the style of the traditional afternoon tea favoured by


country style hotels over Britain and now very much in demand. And once that is


decided, there is still more to consider, not least whether you should take


your tea with milk, with lemon or even just on its own as nature intended. If you like tea with milk do you add the milk


before or after you pour your tea ? Whatever


your individual preferences – and there are many – we all seem to agree that tea is refreshing and


delicious. So the next time you are stressed and in need of a pick me up, light


some scented candles– maybe


some by market leaders Yankee candles,


brew up your favourite tea and relax.










The author is owner of the Scented Candle Store which supplies a range of luxury scented candles including brands like Yankee candles