Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Cooking Homework: Loose Tea

Had this in my purse, couldn't understand why clerk at Apple store looking at me funny
We’re a few month’s into cooking homework.  We’ve tackled orphaned appliances and dusty cookbooks. Last month, I encouraged bean soaking (sounds so sexy I know). As with most things food-related, I am taste motivated and I can say with certainty , in that department, soaked beats canned hands down. I cooked dried chickpeas and black beans shortly after the assignment in March. One little package yields a LOT of beans and though I had hopes of experimenting with other beans, there’s only so much hummus and huevos rancheros one family can eat. I pictured my kids in their future therapist’s office recounting their month of legumes. So it’s time to switch gears.

I like cooking tasks that are easy but often avoided. I also love tea. I have a tea kettle at work and one at home, tea is stashed in all my purses (see above) and  I travel with it. I’ve written about some of my favorite teas. More often than not these teas are in bags. I buy from good companies and seek out mesh teabags but always feel I’m drinking the tea-equivalent of boxed wine. Those who know tea, the tea connoisseurs or teas snobs drink loose tea.

I didn’t want to make a switch because it was “cool” or seemed more serious, I wanted to know why loose tea has a superior reputation. Sure enough, tea bags contain broken up pieces of tea leaves called fannings. Loose tea tends to be whole or larges pieces. The natural oils in tea leaves decrease when tea is in smaller pieces; this impacts the taste of your cup of tea. Fannings oxidize more which in green and white tea affects the catechin content. Assuming it’s fresh, lose tea generally has more taste and is better for you. If you’re ready let the tea out of the bag you’ll need:

1. Tea- find a shop or purveyor you like. I recently tried the teas from Bellocq in Brooklyn. I haven’t been to the tea atelier but love the teas I ordered.  You’ll need 1 to 1.5 tsp of tea per cup or 8 ounces of water.

2. Tea infuser or bags


Your tea will go in your tea infuser. Tea leaves, like people, need breathing room so if you’re purchasing one for the first time choose a larger size.

3. A small teapot ot or iced tea pitcher are optional but a lot of fun. I love this from Takeya.

I’ll check back with you after Memorial Day, steep well.
Did you do any soaking, how did it go? Are you a fellow tea freak? Bags or loose? Will you do your homework?







27 comments:

  1. I am also a tea lover but I don't discriminate - loose or bagged, I drink it all! I like the disposable tea filters for loose tea, I find that when I use an infuser some of the tea particles slip through and no one wants that. It's easier cleanup too. If you're in the city, try David's Tea on 66th and 3rd (I think there's another location somewhere in the village maybe?). I also like Teavana, there's one in the mall near my house. And the Fairway near me has a good selection of loose teas but I've never tried those. The only problem I have with places like that is paradox of choice, they always have so many teas that look and smell so good!

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    1. I've heard good things about David's and also want to try the Harney tea room. Ha so many teas so little time.

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  2. I love your posts Lauren, because I always learn something new, and it can be anything from the latest celebrity gossip, to the definition of fannings-most definitely a new word for me! As far as last months homework, since you read my last post and know how busy I've been, including 2 weeks travel in New Zealand, you won't be surprised to hear that I totally failed on my homework. I really want to do a bean and tea comparison though, so count me in for this months assignment!

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    1. Bad girl, I am so upset you didn't soak in NZ. No worries, soak and steep and check back with me. And it's mutual your photos and menus always inspire me.

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  3. And once you've acquired the tools and the practice, try steeping herbs and spices other than tea. I love putting using fresh verbena, ginger, mint, chamomile flowers, orange and lemon peels and cinnamon sticks with or instead of my tea.

    Love your posts, Lauren

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    1. Extra credit- steep herbs. Thanks Ayala, I just read about adding grated ginger to iced tea and then straining, where does one get chamomile flowers? I am so excited to try this. Endless possibilities.

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    2. Oh, I grow some chamomile -- grows like a weed, but it's an annual in our weather. It can grow in a pot, too.

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  4. I have never tried using loose tea before. This assignment is great for me because I really don't know all that much about teas to begin with. I need to branch out a bit more!

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    1. so tea a little bit Kristen and circle back, can't wait to hear more.

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  5. I am a coffee lover - strong coffee, always black, no sugar - but I also drink green tea, loose leaves, mostly because of its health properties. I usually make a 4 cups batch that lasts a couple of days. I fill up my cup, a thermos bottle and put the rest in the fridge. I find it more convenient that way. I sometimes flavor it with citrus peels. Homework: try other flavorings. Would orange flower taste nice? My orange tree is in full bloom.

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    1. Love me coffee too Natalie, having with this brooklyn almond milk (small batch delicious). I do my ice tea pitcher in similar way but I love that you do tea purely for health purposes. Orange trees b**T@H so jealous. You and EA.

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  6. I am a coffee lover too. I love it strong and with no sugar like Natalie. ....but I will try :)

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    1. in that case try any tea Ayala maybe coffee for morning and an herbaly tea in afternoon?

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  7. I like this assignment! When I first started drinking tea a few years ago, I thought it ONLY came in bags. Who actually uses loose leaves? But then a friend got me a box of assorted loose leaf teas, so I picked up an infuser and gave em a try. The taste is definitely notable, and the scent of the leaves alone is impressive. I still don't do this often enough (teabags are just quicker/easier), but I accept your homework assignment and I will pull out that gift box once again :)

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    1. the scent is from those oils often lost in little teabag pieces. Take out the gift box (or buy new), "dare you".

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  8. love good tea found a fab loose tea shop in Omaha a couple of weeks back and on the zatar its pretty good I like sumac better though

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    1. I will look into Sumac, love the spice suggestions. Tea in Omaha why do I find that unexpected?

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  9. I have been teaching a tea class with our "tea man" at work lately. He talks about Green Tea and Black and Oolong. It's so fun! We use loose tea, obviously, and it's delicious. I also make bubble tea with chia seeds!

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  10. Des Moines has a wonderful tea shop called Gong Fu tea in the East Village. I've always wondered about lapsang souchong, so I asked if I could smell it before I ordered a cup. Holy cats! It smelled like smoked meat to me. I didn't order a cup. :)

    I like my tea really strong. I've used loose tea in the past, but I don't brew it properly anyway (because I even drink it with the tea bag in the cup) so I just buy English Breakfast and order Punjana from Ireland and double down, so to speak.

    Also, I meant to soak the beans and forgot. Oops. Also P.S. When I get tea from Gong Fu, they make it properly, so I do know how to enjoy a cuppa that hasn't been abused by me.

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    1. maybe they need to give you tea-making tips. It's probably based on amount of tea, temperature of water (different teas diff temp) and steeping time.

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  11. Stopped the coffee addiction back in November 2011! And when I say addiction I mean I was having at least 6 coffees per day!
    Best Tea - Mint! Refreshing and tasty. This was a life saver for me.
    I like your 3rd recommend. I'll try one. I am thinking to use self made ice teas this summer :)

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    1. I love mint tea too, you can add fresh mint leaves and strain them.

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  12. I'm not a fellow tea freak but have you tried Kusmi Tea? Verdict? I like their teas quite a bit.

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    1. adore kusmi teas, we have them in office. I like their detox which is a green/mint.

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  13. Right now I'm totally loving a Japanese brown rice tea called Genmaicha. It's so flavorful naturally...no sweetener needed. Its loose so I bought some bags and I make my own.  I like your ginger tea recommendation. Will have to try that. 

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