How long does it take you to make a cup of tea? Forty seconds, if you squish the teabag against the side of the mug? I’m not judging – that was me until recently, and we are not alone: that’s the average, according to Dr Tim Bond of the Tea Advisory Panel. Only 4% of people in the UK make their tea from leaves, and it seems the rest of us are missing out.
I’ve dipped in and out of tea over the years, and have never taken it quite as seriously as coffee, but Lockdown 3 seemed as good a time as any to up my game. Previously, I’d been put off by the complexity of the process – I’ve always found the paraphernalia of pots and cups and bowls a little daunting – but it turns out that a proper cuppa doesn’t have to require a whole lot of kit. The game-changer for me was Jing Tea’s simple tea-ière, which is a bit like a cafetiere without the plunger, and with a mark at the level to which you need to pour.
So, where to start, tea-wise? The obvious answer, particularly this New Year weekend, is China, which is to tea what France is to wine. The country produces every conceivable style, from delicate green teas to headily floral jasmine and Laphroaig-like lapsang souchong. If you’re used to black tea, it’s probably best to start off with the beguilingly nutty oolong(but try to take it without milk) or jasmine made with real flowers. And if you’re already into tea, brace yourself for the mindblowing puerh, which, according to my notes on the 2006 Nannuo Shan (£12.95 for 30g, Postcard Teas), tastes of forest floor with a whiff of shoe repair shop, and which, you’ll be relieved to hear, is a lot nicer than it sounds.
It’s worth taking the trouble to get the basics right: the amount of tea (it’s easier to measure in grams than in teaspoons), the quantity and temperature of the water, the optimum infusion time (it’s usually written on the packet) and, above all, pouring every last drop of tea from the pot. Leaving tea in contact with water, let alone with a cosy on, results in a bitter, over-extracted brew, so always drain fully and reinfuse the leaves at least once.
Not all tea should be made with boiling water, green tea especially. If you don’t have a temperature-controlled kettle, wait a couple of minutes before you pour, or add cold water to the kettle first, because the tea’s flavour comes out more at cooler temperatures. That said, adapt whatever method you choose to your own tastes. “As with steak, you know how you like it done,” says Jing Tea’s Edward Eisler.
And if none of this will drag you away from teabags, try them at least once infused for two to three minutes and see if you notice a difference. I confess I still resort to bags for that first bleary-eyed cup of the day, but later on I now pause and brew my tea slowly. Watching those leaves magically unfurl and thinking about what I’m drinking is strangely soothing in these troubled times.
Five Chinese teas to convert you to loose-leaf
Jade Tips green tea From £6 for 50g Good & Proper Tea. If you’ve never “got” green tea, you’re probably brewing it at too high a temperature or have never tasted one as good as this gorgeously fresh, spring-like example made from tender new buds.
Jasmine silver tip £8.25 for 25g Rare Tea Company, £8.75 Ocado, £9 Waitrose. This really does smell and taste of fresh jasmine, with a natural sweetness that would go perfectly with a crunchy biscuit. Can be reinfused several times without any loss of flavour.
Wuyi oolong £16 for 50g Jing Tea Fabulously fragrant, almost sweetly nutty oolong from one of the “‘grand crus’” of the Chinese tea world. Knockout.
Keemun tea £6.95 for 250g Farrer’s. If you need persuading away from teabags, taste the difference with this rich, strong, malty brew with an appealing touch of fruitiness. Can take a dash of milk. Solidly good value.
Jasmine tea pearls From £7 for a 12g taster Choi Time Teas, £24.95 for 90g Harvey Nichols. Delicate and refreshing, these unfold in a wonderfully dramatic way.
• For more by Fiona Beckett, go to matchingfoodandwine.com
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