A Perfect Cup of Tea

by Donna MacMeans

The high today is to reach all the way up to 18 degrees farenheit. Brrrrrr..... That high is lower than our average low for this time of year.

So I'm sitting here sipping a nice, hot cup of tea.

Now those that know me know my preferred beverage comes in a chilled aluminum can with a pull tab. I love the pop and sizzle when the can is opened, then the bubbling effervence as the carbonation fizzles on the back of the tongue before slipping down the throat in a smooth sweet surge. About the only way I drink tea is in a tall glass with

ice, a sugar substitute and a thick slice of lemon.

So why tea now? My daughter purchased a class for the both of us last Sunday at the Blue Turtle Tea & Spice Co. on how to make a perfect

cup of tea. I'd taken a similar class at a

culinary store a year or two ago. That class covered the proper preparation of tea (i.e. one should heat the tea kettle before adding hot water - never from the tap). This class concentrated on the different varieties and quality of the tea itself.

I found the class particularly informative. For example, did you know that all teas - black, green and white - all

come from the same bush, even the same

leaves? I had assumed

they came from different strains of

tea plants. Wrong. The difference lies in the amount of oxidation the tea leaves receive after picking. If the leaves are bruised and allowed to fully darken with oxidation before being

heated and dried, they produce black tea. This is also the tea with the most caffeine which is a result of the oxidation. Even with the higher caffeine content, a cup of tea made with black tea contains only 20-30 percent of the caffeine in coffee.

We brewed some Ceylon tea which is a popular type of black tea. I instantly recognized that familiar flavor from countless glasses of iced tea. At this point I'm still preferring

my can of Diet Dr. Pepper.

Next we brewed some green tea. I'm sure you've heard of all the health benefits of green tea. Green tea is made from the same leaves as black, but it's given a shorter oxidation time. It's more delicate so it takes a shorter brewing time.

We tried a green tea called Gunpowder (the name comes

from its shape - not its taste). This tea I liked. Perhaps it reminded me of the traditional Asian wedding cake made with green tea that I had several years ago. Hey - anything that reminds one of cake can't be a bad thing!

Oolong tea, a variation of green tea, is a hybrid between black and white. We brewed Pu-ergh tea that comes in little pressed conical bundles (see the picture to the right). I wasn't fond of the musty flavored tea, but to each their own.

We brewed a white tea which is the least processed of all the teas. We tried White Peony which is very light and velvety, I prefer the Gunpowder.

Amanda, the instuctor and owner of the shop, brewed a popular herbal tea, Berry-berry. Tasted like cough syrup to me, but the rest of the class seemed to enjoy it.

Finally, we made Provence, a rooibos tea(also known as red tea) that is made from the dried leaves of trees grown only in the Cedarburg district in South Africa. Finally, I found the tea I loved. Who knew? I have a number of pretty tea cups...now I might get to use them.

According to Amanda, tea has medicinal abilities that can prevent or decrease a number of ailments. Everything from a tea to help fight belly fat (bikini blend) and assist weight loss

to a tea to help cure insomnia (sandman). We even tried a flowering tea, tea that is hand-tied to flower blossoms. Very pretty.

I bought Pure Energy, a green tea to help with a needed mid-afternoon boost. We also bought a chocolate chai, a vanilla chai, and a Georgia Peach (roobios). We passed on a smoky tea called Lapsang Souchong which seriously smells like pine smoke. Immediately it had me thinking of a campfire and s'mores. My daughter picked up Cloud Forest

Rainbow (because it looked so pretty) and Blueberry Superfruit Green.

So how about you? Are you a tea or coffee drinker - and what does that say about you (grin)? Or are you, like me, partial to carbonated drinks? (I'm trying to cut back - I really am). Are you partial to pretty tea cups even if you don't care for a hot beverage? Pour yourself a cup of your favorite brew and settle in for a chat.

If you'd like to try any of the mentioned teas, or consult Amanda's expertise, the website for the Blue Turtle is www.BlueTurtleTeaAndSpice.com. Gotta love the internet!