TAZO TEA

WHAT IS TAZO?
No one is really certain where the first Tazo actually came form. Though details about its creation are sketchy, there are a few legends that have been universally accepted by tea scholars in the know:

Signs of Tazo have been found in various parts of the planet dating back as far as 5,600 BC. The Tazo Stone, ancient repository of many of the Tazo formulas, was uncovered in 1987 from a cave on the shores of the Red Sea during an abnormally low tide caused by a lunar eclipse.

The Tazo that is enjoyed today is the result of years of painstaking work deciphering the writings on this and other primitive Tazo artifacts and efforts to find the best ingredients on earth to blend and create Tazo in its many forms for consumption today.

The word TAZO means many different things in many different languages. In some Hindi dialects, Tazo means “fresh” and in the gypsy language “the river of life.” Other findings reference Tazo in various languages as “a whirling dance” to a “state of uncanny alertness.”

TASTING TAZO
The way Tazo tea tasters conduct a tea tasting involves a simple ritual.

First, tea samples from the same region and harvest period are placed side by side in special tasting pots.

A predetermined amount of tea is placed in each pot. The pots are filled with boiling water, and allowed to brew for five minutes.

The brewed tea (or liquor) is drained into a porcelain bowl, leaving the leaves in the pot.

The tea is then evaluated for aroma, strength, top note (or dominant flavor) and aftertaste.

Tea Drinking History in UK

A potted history

The British have a great heritage in tea, and we love to think we know all about it, but today our knowledge of it is very limited. Ninety per cent of what we drink is now sold in teabags, and its average infusion time is estimated to be less than 50 seconds - a very different situation to 50 years ago, when it was sold in packets and required a five-minute infusion.

Visitors from abroad have always associated Britons with tea. But they are often disappointed to find bags, plastic tubs of milk, sugar in sachets, plastic stirrers and a hot-water urn. If they are in a hotel, their tea may come in a teapot, but what's all that string hanging down the side? And there, floating on the water that passes for tea, are three or four bags. Sometimes its red colour suggests a strong brew, but frequently its taste is harsh, with an almost metallic taste - no suggestion of real flavour. Or it comes out so weak that one is obliged to lift the bag out of the pot and press it with a spoon to extract a drink that resembles tea.

For 200 years all our tea came from China and was of the rolled-leaf variety, which required a five-minute infusion. It was left in the pot for the addition of more water for a second cup. In the 1850s, tea planting began in north-east India, followed by Ceylon, and the tea was so good that it virtually built all the British companies, such as Liptons, Mazawattee, Brooke Bond and Lions. However, while the British provided the investment and the planters, the tea was still rolled on the estates, and we stuck with the five-minute infusion time - it was the heart and soul of English afternoon tea.

During the second world war, the tea auctions were suspended and tea was rationed until 1952. In that year, however, the first English coffee bar with a horizontal espresso machine was opened and helped start the revival in coffee consumption.

At the time, most European countries drank coffee, and the proportion of coffee sales to tea in the UK was only 1%. The coffee producers decided that the best way to present coffee to the British was as a soluble powder, described as instant.

The tea trade responded by putting the leaf through a CTC machine (crush, tear and curl) as opposed to the traditional revolving rollers. The effect was to produce a tea the shape and size of granulated sugar, described as a quick-infusion tea, or fast-brew.

As the size of the leaf was smaller than the traditional leaf, 4oz seemed only to half-fill the 125g packets; it followed that the leaf was so small it might as well be packed in paper bags. So today, 90% of the UK is using teabags. That's not my cup of tea - any more than instant coffee is coffee to a German or Scandinavian.

The guide to the right presumes you use orthodox leaf tea, which you should keep in a caddy. You should use a teapot with a grate at the bottom of the spout and whole milk. This way of making a pot of tea reminds us of time itself. Who wants a quick brew? Not me. There are no better things in life than tea and time.

Source: The Guardian

LOOSE LEAF OVER TEA BAG

BENEFITS OF LOOSE LEAF

LEAF SIZE

Loose tea will always contain bigger leaves than tea bag tea.

COST

Loose leaf tea can be re-steeped more times than a single tea bag, and can hold flavor longer.

FLAVOR

Loose leaf tea has better flavor because it maintains more of its natural essential oils, which are released into the cup when steeped.

Fannings which are tiny pieces of tea dust lose most of these oils through the processing stage.

FRESHNESS

The age of these bags can sometimes be over 18 months, and are well past the expiration date.

Loose leaf is best enjoyed within six months of the flush. This goes for white and green types. Oolong and black teas can stay fresh a couple of months longer...up to one year.

ECO-FRIENDLY

For the environmentally conscious, it should be noted that loose leaf tea is more sustainable than bagged tea; there are essentially no paper products or other materials wasted in preparing a loose leaf tea.

So, Why Do some Customers Buy Tea Bags Over Loose Leaf?

Consistency and Convenience

The main advantage of tea bags is convenience. They are easy to store, quick to brew and ideal when in the office or "on the move". Tea bags create no mess or soggy, left over loose tea leaves, so it's quick and easy to prepare.

5 REASONS WHY LOOSE LEAF IS BETTER
According to Amazing Green Tea

#1: More Flavors and Health Benefits

Loose green tea leaves are unoxidised. It contains life-giving nutrients such as catechins, theanine, chlorophyll and Vitamin C, as well as a small amount of essential oils.

When making tea bags, whole leaves are chopped, sliced and diced into small particles ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 millimeters called Fanning and Dusts.

With much higher surface to volume ratio, these particles lose freshness quickly. Tea compounds interact with moisture and oxygen, leading to rapid quality loss.

Also, these tea particles are bagged into papers, which can be tasted. They are also more likely to suffer from long shelf life.

#2: Less Caffeine

According to a 1996 American study conducted by Hicks, "extraction of caffeine was higher from the tea bags than the loose leaves". This is because tea bags contain green tea that has been broken into pieces. The greater surface to volume ratio causes caffeine to diffuse out quickly.

This higher caffeine extraction, together with nutrients loss, causes tea bags to taste bitter.

#3: Meticulous Making Process

Most tea bags are made from CTC leaves. CTC stands for "crush, tear and curl". It is used primarily to process low quality leaves.

Its name is fairly descriptive. The machines compress withered tea leaves, forcing out most of their sap. They then tear the leaves and curl them tightly into balls. The leaves are then fired, or dehydrated.

A highly mechanized process, it makes possible the rapid processing of large amount of leaves which would otherwise go to waste. In addition, a chemical known as bleach residue remains in tea bags.

Contrast this with gourmet loose tea, which is picked and made by hands with extreme care by tea artists with many years of experience. No wonder tea connoisseurs are only interested in loose-leaf. They have greater aroma, body and aftertaste.

They offer stunning varieties as gourmet teas can be processed many different ways to optimize its flavors and aesthetic qualities.

#4: Higher Leaf Grade

Many factors influence the quality of green tea. One of the most important is leaf age. The highest grade green tea is tippy, as they grow at the top of the tea bushes.

These are young tea shoots harvested early in the season and consist of just one bud with up to 2 slightly unfurled leaves. They are bud tea, not the leaf tea you normally see.

Another important determinant of quality? Harvesting season. Spring grows the best green tea. Summer the worst.

Scientific studies have shown that young tea shoots contains the highest level of theanine and EGCG. Theanine promotes calmness and aid concentration. EGCG is the most powerful and abundant antioxidant present in green tea.

Needless to say, such high grade is only available in loose-leaf and not tea bags.

#5: Better Value for Money

A quality tea can be infused 3 times, making it very economical to drink. Surprisingly, tea bags can sometimes be expensive due to the bagging and packaging processes.

Benefits of Loos Leaf Over Tea Bag According to EHow:

Because you're getting the full leaf along with the essential oils when you purchase loose leaf tea, in most cases you're going to have superior flavor compared to tea bags.

Loose leaf teas tend to be of higher quality. When you buy loose leaf tea, you're getting whole, loose leaves with all of their essential oils intact. In contrast, the leaves that go into tea bags are leaf fragments and tea dust left over during the processing and picking of the tea leaves.

Loose leaf teas can offer a significant cost savings. Lower quality tea bags usually cost in the ten to twenty five cent range. Higher end, better quality tea bags will generally cost from twenty cents per cup up to seventy cents per more for super premium tea bags.

TEA BAGS AND TEA BAG FOLDING

HOW TO MAKE TEA BAGS
This eHow article describes how to make tea bags from cheese cloth. The resulting artisan tea bags are attractive and work properly for infusing tea.

Step1 Cut one 8-inch square of cheese cloth for each tea bag you plan to make.
Step 2 Lay the cheese cloth square out flat.
Step 3 Measure about 2 tablespoons of dried tea or herb blend and place it near the top edge, centered between each side edge.
Step 4 Roll the cheese cloth with the herbs inside almost like someone might roll their own cigarette, keeping the herbs in the center.
Step 5 Gather the two ends together and tie them with 12 inches of the cotton string, making a square knot.
Step 6 Store in labeled air-tight container.

Read about Tea Bag History and Tea Bag Shapes from Wikipedia

TEA BAG FOLDING

What is Tea Bag Folding?
Tea bag folding is a paper folding technique, with Dutch origins, using tea bags or small printed pieces of paper to form a geometric design. It is also known as kaleidoscope folding or miniature kaleidoscope origami.

The Origin:
Tea bag folding originated in Holland. Credit for its origin is given to a woman named Tiny van der Plaas. Sitting at her table, worrying about a birthday card for her sister that she had forgotten to pick up, Tiny van der Plaas began folding her fruit tea bag envelope. This gave her an idea and, also, gave birth to tea bag folding.

Follow folding techniques in Tea Bag Folding Craft

Watch this video / demonstration on Tea Bag Folding from Circle of Crafters

Lessons from Circle of Crafters:

Tea Bag Folding Lesson 1: Making Kites
To proceed to the next lessons, you will first need to know how to make the basic kites.

Lesson 2: Making 8 Piece Kite Medallions
For this project you will need 8 kites.

Tea Bag Folding Lesson 3, Part 1: Making 16 Piece Kite Medallions
For this project you will need 16 kites. You can use 16 identical kites, or use alternating kites(as shown), 8 of each.

Tea Bag Folding Lesson 4: Making 16 Piece Half-Kite Medallions
For this project you will need 16 kites. You can use 16 identical kites(as shown), or use alternating kites, 8 of each.

HIGH TEA OR LOW TEA

In the past, whether you took "afternoon tea" or "high tea" was a peek into your social standing. In England, where the terms were developed, the historic distinction is clear.

Afternoon Tea was a light elegant meal served in the afternoon, between a light lunch and late dinner (usually between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock). Afternoon Tea would consist of a variety of sandwiches and little cakes. Afternoon Tea was normally eaten at smaller tables away from the dining room. It was mainly confined to the aristocracy with their leisurely lifestyle.




High Tea was an early evening meal or dinner typically eaten between 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening. It would be eaten as a substitute for both Afternoon Tea and the evening meal. It is a more substantial meal, including meat and/or fish, hence its other name of Meat Tea. This well suited the middle and lower classes after a long day at work. High Tea was served at the main (or high) dining table.

Read how this practice is observed among the Commonwealth of Nations.

TEA STRAINERS

Tea strainers are used to catch the loose leaves when you pour out the tea.

According to Wikipedia:

When tea is brewed in the traditional manner in a teapot, the tea leaves are not contained in teabags, but rather are freely suspended in the water. As the leaves themselves may be distasteful, it is usual to filter them out with a tea strainer. Strainers usually fit into the top of the cup to catch the leaves as the tea is poured.Tea strainer use declined in the 20th century with mass production of the tea bag, but is still preferred among connoisseurs who prefer loose leaf.

Tea strainers are usually either sterling silver, stainless steel, or china. Strainers often come in a set, with the strainer part and a small saucer for it to sit in between cups.

TEA KETTLES AND TEA POT

TEA KETTLES
A kettle, sometimes called tea kettle or the pot, is a small kitchen appliance used for boiling water in preparation for making tea or other beverages requiring hot water. Kettles may be electric or for stovetop use.

TIPS IN BUYING ELECTRIC TEA KETTLE from Learn About Tea

An electric tea kettle can be a time and energy saver for the avid tea drinker. Kettles generally hold anywhere from 1.5 quarts to 3 quarts of water. They are especially useful in offices and dorms.

Some electric tea kettles are designed so that the heating element is not exposed to water. This could be important if you live in an area prone to mineral deposits.


Here are some available features to consider as you select your tea kettle:

Automatic shut off. The kettle will turn itself off when the water has reached boiling.

Boil dry safety protection. This keeps the kettle from continuing to heat even after it is empty.

Water level gauge. This ensures that you are filling the kettle to its full level.

Power levels. Many kettles note the watts of power. The larger the wattage, the more quickly the device will heat.

Alert when boiling. Some appliances have whistles or make other noises when the water is boiling.

Cord wrap. Some kettles offer a way to wrap the cord around the kettle base.

Lid. Some kettles feature a lid lock that ensures that the lid stays locked when the water is hot.

Spout. Some kettles feature a no-drip spout for easy pouring.

Warranty. Warranties can range from 90 days to a year, depending on the price of the product.

TIPS:
Many kettles grow very warm during the heating process, so be sure to keep the teapot where children or animals will not come into contact with the exterior of the appliance.

In addition to brewing tea, you can use a tea kettle to heat water for oatmeal, powdered mashed potatoes, instant soup, hot chocolate and anything else that requires boiled water.

Be sure the read all instructions and check the manufacturer’s warnings prior to use.

TEAPOT

A teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves. Tea may be either in a tea bag or loose, in which case a tea strainer will be needed, either to hold the leaves as they steep or to catch the leaves inside the teapot when the tea is poured.


Cleaning china and fine glassware
To clean china and fine glassware, add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry. The vinegar will remove all the grease and leave the items sparkling clean.

TIPS ON CLEANING TEA POT

If you have purchased one of the models that have only a small hole where you can pour the water, use either lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix either of the two with water to create a cleaning solution that will ensure that your tea kettle is lime-scale free.

Simply pour the mixture into the kettle and bring to a boil. Once it whistles, remove the kettle from the heat and set it aside for two hours. Then, pour out the solution and refill it with clean water. Bring the pot to a boil again. This should remove any lingering smell of either vinegar or lemon.

Remove Stains From Teapot
Fill your teapot with water just off the boil and then add one denture cleaning tablet. Leave for 1hr then rinse thoroughly. Result -a sparkling teapot.

To care for your electric tea kettle, swish white vinegar around its interior to remove mineral deposits or follow the instructions that came with the appliance. For exterior spots caused by mineral depositions, wipe gently with a soft rag doused in white vinegar; rinse and then dry immediately with a soft cloth.