Let's drink tea … but not express. Its very name contradicts the idea of ​​giving a tea infusion, which is to inspire us with good thoughts and help us break away from everyday life. And this does not happen very quickly. The art of brewing and drinking tea has a centuries-old tradition. So how should you brew your tea?

In Western civilization everything is fast, lightning fast. We see the world a bit blurry, like from the windows of a speeding train. We do not see the details that make up the joy of life. So let's slow down for a while and… let's invite friends over for a real cup oftea . Let's focus on the details. First, let's listen to the sound of boiling water, a delicate clink of porcelain, a rustle of poured leaves. And then let's enjoy the smell, color and taste of the drink. Let bad thoughts and worries fly away for just this moment.

Tea known from China to Ireland

Actually, there is only one rulebrewing tea- pour hot water over the leaves and wait for a while. But there are many important details of this seemingly simple activity. Hundreds of books have been written on this subject. The oldest one was built in the 8th century in China. The three scrolls of this book that have survived to this day contain a detailed description of how to prepare and serve tea infusion. Other nations that took over the tea cult from the Chinese created their own cooking rules. Tibetans and Mongols cook tea with s alt and lamb's tallow or butter. This nutritious drink is served as the first meal of the day. In Morocco, the drink is very sweet and poured from a teapot with a long spout. As a result, a foam layer is formed on the surface of the tea. The Irish and English, who drink the most tea in the Western world, like a very strong brew with the addition of milk or cream. But there are rules that apply regardless of the national variant of the recipe. They determine not only the taste of tea and its aroma, but also the content of compounds beneficial to human he alth. The following rules will allow you to get an excellent infusion that is a rich source of catechins, which are the most valuable antioxidants for our body. It will have a relatively low content of caffeine and tannins - their concentration increases with the brewing time.

Important

Japanese women who regularly celebrate the ritual of drinking green tea live longer than those who do not. Prof. Akira Fukao zTohuku University. He compared the number of deaths in 1980-88 in two groups of women. Out of 3,380 Japanese women who brewed tea in a traditional way, 280 died during this time. In the control group with the same number - 494. There are two hypotheses that may explain the phenomenon. First of all, green tea contains substances that protect against many diseases. Secondly, the brewing ceremony itself has a therapeutic effect - incl. relieves voltage and lowers pressure.

Boil water for tea

Must be fresh, no chemicals, and of medium hardness. Our taps rarely meet such conditions. So it is better to use bottled still mineral water, necessarily with a low content of mineral compounds (eg Żywiec Zdrój, Kinga, Evian). The time it takes to boil the water is important. We only heat it up to the so-called white boiling, i.e. until it becomes cloudy and begins to evaporate. Then the air bubbles will become large and burst - the water will lose the oxygen it needs to extract all the flavor and aroma from the tea leaves. Also, do not use boiled water - each time you heat it, the amount of oxygen decreases.

Pouring tea leaves

If we brew tea in a teapot, first warm it (e.g. pouring hot water for a while). For one cup of infusion, take a flat teaspoon of dried fruit. Then pour boiling water over it and cover. In the case of green teas, the water must be cooled down. The jug can be additionally covered with a napkin to prevent the smell from escaping. After a few minutes, pour the infusion into cups. A well-brewed tea should have foam on top - this is where the whole aroma is hidden. Drink the drink immediately after making it. You must not postpone it, and most of all leave the leaves in the infusion, because it will become bitter and too much tannin will penetrate into it. Do not throw away green tea leaves, as they can be brewed several times. Experts say that the second and third brews taste best.

Accessories useful for making tea

Tea tastes best when drunk from porcelain cups - quite large, widening towards the top. Green and red can also be served in clay cups. If you are preparing an infusion for one person, instead of preparing it in a teapot, it is worth using a mug with a lid and a sieve insert, which you take out after brewing. Bamboo or metal baskets are also comfortable. They should be quite large - the leaves must float freely in the water to get all the flavor out of them.

How to make tea

  • Black and red teas pour boiling water over them and brew for 4-5 minutes. Flavored teas should last a little longer.For granulated, 3 minutes are enough. The shortest steaming is Indian from Derjeeling (2-3 minutes) and Chinese Oolong (1-2 minutes).
  • Chinese green and white teas pour water at approx. 80 degrees Celsius (leave the boiling water for 3-5 minutes). The infusion is ready after 2-3 minutes. Japanese teas require a higher temperature of water (about 90 degrees C), but a shorter brewing time (1-1.5 minutes).

Japanese way of tea

The real virtuosos in the field of serving tea are the Japanese. Their chado (literally "the way of tea") is a ritual lasting 3-4 hours, which aims to cleanse the soul of anger, envy, jealousy and achieve full harmony with the world and nature. Chado is a meeting of a group of friends who want to spend some time together, want to get away from the hustle and bustle, rush and everyday problems. They gather in a pavilion intended only for this purpose. The windows are covered with bamboo screens. In the twilight, unhurried conversations are conducted while the hostess serves simple dishes and sweets. The next step is a walk in the garden. After the stroll, the guests return home for the last and most important act of chado. It takes place in complete silence. Tea accessories are brought in as a sign of the owner of the house. The windows are opened and the host begins the ceremony. He puts a teaspoon of powdered green tea into the porcelain cup, pours hot water, whisks it with a whisk and serves it to the most important of the guests. Then he prepares a ritual snack for the other participants. Each of them bows in thanks and in concentration, sips the drink with three gulps. According to Tantasai, the Japanese tea master, by sharing a cup of this golden liquid, one can give peace to the whole world.

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