The 10 most common mistakes when preparing a cup of tea – 28/03/2019

Japan popularized around the world the tea ceremony, but the origin of this infusion is found in China, where they learned 2,000 years ago to use heat and pressing to extract the aroma and color of the leaves of the tea tree, Camellia Sinensis. Gradually the technique evolved and a thousand years ago tea was already a staple of the diet the Asian giant, which in the 17th century exported it to Europe and Russia with great success.

Nowadays we have different varieties of tea and specialty stores but, Do we know how to prepare a good cup of tea respecting all the flavors? How long should the water boil? Can we use any teapot? Is it wise to put milk?

Jing Jing Yuan and Ambròs Genís, owners of the Tetere and Tetereria store in Barcelona and experts in the ancient culture of this essential element of Chinese culture, and now universal, discover the 10 mistakes that most people make when preparing their products. One of the most popular infusion cups in the world.

1. Do not try different varieties

Harold McGee's reference book, Cooking and Foods, details the three types of tea which account for most of the tea consumed in the world. The expert says that green tea retains many qualities of fresh leaf. Oolongs, teas with a more orange infusion, appeared around the 17th century "probably after accidental observation that leaves develop a distinctive aroma and color when they are left to wither or be pressed before to be dried ".

The way oolongs and black tea are made tend to have rich and powerful flowers and fruit aromas. With a more moderate consumption, white tea (tea leaf left for a long time with mild and light aromas) and pu-erh ", a tea produced exclusively in the Chinese province of Yunnan with an aromatic range that goes from leather, cereals or straw to wood, earth, undergrowth, moisture, "says Jing Jing Yuan, owner of the Tetere tequila store in Barcelona.

For the experts, we should not be afraid to deal with teas that may seem strong, because the method of preparation (the time, the teapot) is as important as the variety. "I can make you a black tea, so it's very sweet," he says. The important thing "is to be open to try new flavors that can surprise us and know the most appropriate way to prepare it."

2. Do not choose the water well and ignore the temperature that must have

Water is a fundamental element to make a good tea. Since infusions, like coffee, are 95-98% water, it is obvious that their quality will influence the result. It's important that the water is not hard, with a lot of calcium and magnesium carbonates, "because these minerals can change the flavor," says Jing Jing, adding, "If we use the tap, we should also avoid chlorine. "

Another important point is to heat it without boiling ("If that boils, you have to wait a bit to cool down or add fresh water to lower the temperature"), keeping in mind that each variety of tea develops better. at a certain temperature. If it is an oolong, a black or a pu-erh, about 95 ºC, and a green or white tea, less: 60 to 85 ºC because its leaves tend to be softer and with more natural phenols (catechins ).

3. Choose teapots or infusers of inappropriate materials

We can brew tea in a teapot or cup, but in no case should they be made with materials that give off aromas or particles in the tea. Ambròs Genís, co-owner of Tetere and husband of Jing Jing, prefers ceramics to porcelain or glbad ("it is normal to see the intensity of the color and shape of the tea leaf") and warns that there are cups or teapots of clay that can leave some flavor to the earth. "Enamelled teapots are handy because they are not porous and this allows them to not be impregnated with flavors, the non-enamelled ones are better always to use them with teas of similar flavor and aroma".

Iron can be used, but it may not be the best ally, "because it does not maintain temperature as well as ceramics".

And beware also of small infusionsadores of type ball: "We are not partisans because they imprison the tea leaf and prevent it from opening completely, if you want to use, it is better to be brilliant", explain -they.

4. Do not preheat the cup

Before brewing tea, we must prepare the cup where we will take it or the teapot that will serve it. Although it seems a trifle, it is important to preheat it to prevent the water temperature from dropping that we have prepared and that we will add later to make tea and thus obtain a better taste and a better aroma. To preheat, simply heat the water, introduce it, leave it until the container is hot, then empty it.

5. Do not calculate the time that each tea must infuse

Once the cup or kettle is ready, we discard the tea leaves and sprinkle the water that we have warmed. To adapt to our taste will be the key, because we know the character (the behavior of tea infused) tea. Because the calculation of the infusion time of each tea depends on the number of leaves (more leaves, less time), whether they are broken or whole (more time) and the temperature of the water (more temperature, less time).

Also of the variety of tea, the way it has been grown, harvested and processed. In general, teas with a higher level of oxidation (oolong and black) they need longer time than the greens.

Japanese green tea needs less temperature than Chinese tea. For two cups of 2 to 3 minutes. "In China, the collection procedure it's always manual, the card is more complete and takes a little more time, so about 3 minutes, "says Genís.

The oolong resembles black tea or green tea, depending on the percentage of enzymatic oxidation of the leaf at the time of treatment. If the percentage is high, we will treat it more like black tea, 3 to 5 minutes, two cups.

White tea leaf has a drying and drying time longer than green tea; the time can therefore look like black tea, from 3 to 5 minutes.

The pu-ehr can be found fermented or unfermented. The first allows a longer brewing time (4-6 minutes) while the second is similar to a green tea, 2-3 minutes.

6. Do not calculate the amount of tea and water

For the infusion to be perfect, we must take into account the proportions of tea and water with which we work. It is necessary to know the character (temperature and brewing time that allows) of tea for determine quantities and temperatures. Jing Jing Yuan offers an approximate formula for all types of tea: for two cups, heat 300 ml of water and pour 4 or 5 grams of tea. The ideal is to ask our seller, "because in the stores, we can recommend not only how to do it, but also a lot more things about the variety you choose".

If we talk about methods, for example, we find that a person prepares tea using piston coffee machines: "I am not very favorable to this type of accessory, but if you use it, it is best not to press too hard on the tea leaf, the intensity of the infusion and cause a bitter taste, "says the tea lady.

7. Do not look at the appearance of the leaf when you buy tea

It can not be said that it is a mistake to prefer the convenience of buying tea in a bag to buy it naturally. But for our expert, "when we buy bags, we can not appreciate the color, the aroma (loses them over time) and the integrity of the leaf, which are very important for good tea. "

The tea bag was an American invention that in the early 20th century It has become in something fast and practice a tradition badociated with a complete ceremonial served with tranquility and excellence. For the British tea guru William Gorman, this packaging saved the tea industry because it knew how to adapt to our busy day.

Jing Jing also points out that tea is a culture. He does not like having a particular tea because he is fashionable, as is the case with matcha tea: "He has become very popular for his health benefits, but he is not not taken into account that it is part of a ritual culture developed in Japan, and this was already known and developed during the Song Dynasty in China ", explains this expert, who knows well, by his own history, the value of ceremonies and tradition.

By the way, the matcha tea should be prepared with 5 teaspoons of hot water at about 85 ° C in a bowl and beaten with a bamboo brush (chasen) for 20 or 30 seconds to get a good texture and avoid lumps.

8. think that green tea always has less caffeine than black tea

Decades ago, it was suspected that tea could contribute to the development of some serious diseases, but today there are a variety of tests and studies indicating that tea has beneficial effects for health. Contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vasodilator compounds that protect against heart disease. "It also helps digestion, improves concentration and is diuretic," says Jing Jing Yuan.

In addition, tea caffeine (a bitter alkaloid used to defend the plant) has effects on the human body because it stimulates the central nervous system, which can affect us intensively several hours after consumption. the reason we avoid taking this infusion frequently.

It's a Myth green and white teas have less caffeine than black teas, "because it depends as much on the variety as other factors such as the timing of the harvest, the way it was planted, the wilting of the leaf ", says Ambròs Genís. they have more caffeine than greens because they come from fast-growing, asymmetrical varieties. Asensis camellia type has more caffeine than those made from camellia sinensis sinensis.

9. If we want to enjoy tea, do not put milk, sugar or lemon

For Jing Jing, it is a sacrilege to tarnish the taste of a good tea by adding milk, sugar or lemon. "You have to savor all the nuances of tea, and sugar is an additive that masks them, and if the brew is well made, it is not bitter," says the expert.

A study published in the European Heart Journal determined in 2007 that the protective effect of black tea on the cardiovascular system is canceled if milk is added because lactic caseins reduce the concentration of catechins, tea flavonoids that protect against heart disease. Interestingly, it was discovered by observing that this tea advantage was not produced in the UK, where it is usual to drink black tea with milk. "The milk cuts the tea and the fact that you do not digest it well," says endocrinologist Virginia Vicario of Clínicas Vicario.

If you still love milk, know that it is better "to add hot tea to warm milk, not the other way around, so that the milk heats little by little and does not harden", explains Harold McGee.

If they are the ones who put lemon, they will add citrus notes to the flavor, and they will clarify their color, especially if it is black. They will also facilitate the absorption of antioxidants contained in tea (including green tea) by the body.

10. Store the tea in a warm place

It is ideal to have tea once prepared to enjoy all its properties, but if you still need it, it is best not to boil the kettle, as you will make a tasteless drink. Yuan Jing Jing warns of the importance of keeping tea well "in a place away from moisture, sun, heat and other foods that may contaminate its aroma and flavor ".

Over time, the quality deteriorates in most teas. "In some types of tea, depending on its production process, aging is an art, which brings organoleptic complexity over time," says the expert. But if we intend to keep this value at home, we will have to be real experts to do it well.

Source: The Vanguardia

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