Blind Assassin thread 4: Part XI - End & Large SPOILERS

[Yolande]

I don't go to so much trouble with brewing tea. I take about three tea bags, put it in a little teapot (ceramic, I think), pour in water I boiled in the electric kettle, let it soak for about 10 minutes and then pour out the first cup. The rest I leave in the teapot and pour out as needed. That's about three cups before I fill it with fresh tea bags. I haven't been drinking tea very long so I'm still experimenting with different kinds to find what I like. So far I like rooibos mixed with other teas, but not purely rooibos. For instance, I've had chai tea with rooibos, ginger tea and rooibos, chamomile tea and rooibos. Then I liked getting honeybush tea that I manually mix with pure ginger tea because the ginger is too strong for me to drink on its own and I don't like the taste of honeybush on its own but honeybush with a few dips of the ginger tea bag is really nice.

I don't think I'll ever be able to drink green tea because everyone says it's disgusting, so I'm scared to even try it.
I have a box of fruity tea leaves that I want to use to make ice tea. Usually I would take rooibos tea and mix it with a packet of something like drink'o pop or other cooldrink, for flavour, for ice tea.

[Cecily]

Ten minutes?! Sheesh that must be strong!

As for green tea, clearly not everyone says it's disgusting, as it's widely sold and drunk around the world. Next time you're in a Chinese restaurant, order a small pot of Jasmine tea as a safe and easy into.

That said, I don't think there's really any right or wrong way; ultimately, it's about how you like your own tea. That's why I never let anyone else make tea for me (except my son).

[Yolande]

Cecily wrote: "Ten minutes?! Sheesh that must be strong!

As for green tea, clearly not everyone says it's disgusting, as it's widely sold and drunk around the world. Next time you're in a Chinese restaurant, ord..."

Rooibos tea is very mild so it takes a while for any flavour to come through, otherwise it just tastes like hot water. I don't brew other teas that long. Everyone I know drinks green tea for medicinal purposes but still says it tastes bad so that's why I said that :p

I'll try Jasmine tea, thanks.

[Cecily]

Ah well, if it's medicinal, it's bound to taste nasty. It wouldn't work otherwise. ;)

Rose Puchong is another fragrant green tea that might be worth trying.

[Yolande]

Cecily wrote: "Ah well, if it's medicinal, it's bound to taste nasty. It wouldn't work otherwise. ;)

Rose Puchong is another fragrant green tea that might be worth trying."

Thanks, I'll look out for that too.

[Traveller]

Three bags sounds strong, but then maybe you're using a big pot. I love green tea, (you're supposed to have it weak-ish as far as I know) but then I add a bit of milk - I know Cecily will gasp "sacrilege" at that... You could try the one flavored with mint which is lovely and refreshing - and no, I don't have that with milk. :P

I personally enjoy the tastes of both honeybush (is this the same as "cancer bush"?) and rooibos - they both taste sweeter to me than my usual Ceylon tea - I use the Twinings English breakfast one - I find the latter has the least soapy taste for me.

Agreed with Cecily that Jasmine is divine. :)

[Yolande]

Well basically it is one bag per cup which I just throw together in the teapot to make three cups at once. But maybe then I like strong tea, don't know :p

[Derek]

Traveller wrote: "Also, perhaps even tho the same brand, it tastes slightly different bought from different locations?"

I've been buying it in bulk from the same place, and this is all one batch, though the storage could be an issue. Stirring may well do the job.

I can see the convection, because the lid's off :-) The leaves just sit at the bottom if there's no convection. I don't have a particular preference for steel teapots, I just like this particular Paderno insulated stainless pot; so I have two of them.

[Saski]

Traveller wrote: "Three bags sounds strong, but then maybe you're using a big pot. I love green tea, (you're supposed to have it weak-ish as far as I know) but then I add a bit of milk - I know Cecily will gasp "sac..."

I love green tea too, drink it all day long, with lemon and ginger :)

[Derek]

Traveller wrote: "Three bags sounds strong, but then maybe you're using a big pot."

Or small bags! My wife routinely throws three bags in a travel mug (so, big for a mug), because even two is two weak.

[Traveller]

Derek (Guilty of thoughtcrime) wrote: "Traveller wrote: "Three bags sounds strong, but then maybe you're using a big pot."

Or small bags! My wife routinely throws three bags in a travel mug (so, big for a mug), because even two is two ..."

Ah, I remember now, that you get a kind of little round bag meant for a single cup, yes. So, now that you're back in the UK, do you find the tea in public places much different to the counterparts in Canada?

(view spoiler)[ Boy, talk about Freudian slips! Before I re-read my post, I had that as: Ah, I remember now, that you get a kind of little round bag meant for a single cup, yes. So, now that you're back in the UK, do you find the tea in pubic places much different to the counterparts in Canada? (hide spoiler)]

[Derek]

But of course! Most places you can get a decent cuppa. In Canada, the Tim Hortons' (donut) shops on the East coast make decent tea, otherwise you pretty much need to find a specialty tea shop.

And I'm not touching that spoiler.

[Magdelanye]

busy here!
so much shocking information!
I always thought that the whole point of pouring boiling water over the tea leaves is to release the volatile essences of the leaves. never imagined they'd be burned-- it seems preposterous.
After drinking herb teas for a while, I found I never desired my old faces, earl grey and constant comment, and even jasmine was too flowery. now I make my own blends tailored to the occasion. I have a few commercial blends in teabag form and many different blends of the green tea. Heads up Trav! the rumour is that green tea needs a bit of milk to neutralize high tannin. I love vanilla soy and I have a cup beside me now

[Cecily]

Green tea contains fewer/different tannins. As for neutraizing them or not, I guess that's just a matter of personal taste.

However, if you Google green tea, you'll find a consensus for making it with water around 80 degrees, rather than 100. It's more about avoiding bitterness than burning.

This seems a particularly good article, especially the section towards the end, Extraction of Tannins from Green Teas:
http://bostonteawrights.com/tea-tanni...
Their intro to tannins:
http://bostonteawrights.com/tea-tanni...
And the black tea page:
http://bostonteawrights.com/tea-tanni...
And the burning green tea page:
http://bostonteawrights.com/burning-g...

And if you want to be really fussy, consider a whole range of different temperature for each type of tea!
"Gyokuro, one of the highest grades, is best brewed at 122°F - 140°F (50°C - 60°C). Spring-picked Sencha tastes best at 160°F - 170°F (70°C - 80°C). Summer-harvested Bancha and Genmaicha will exhibit their best flavor with a short infusion at higher temperatures of 170°F - 185°F (80°C - 90°C)."
From: http://www.thefragrantleaf.com/green-...


Of course, you can and should have your tea however you like it. I'm just giving some of the background as to why those in parts of the world with a long history of drinking green tea tend to prefer it this way.

[Magdelanye]

Cecily, thanks for the references. I am not fussy about too much fussing so can't see myself worrying too much about the degree of boil. the key for me is warm pot, quality tea and covered. its sad to see a careless bag uncovered in a cup
as for bitter, vanilla soy( organic) deals with that.
of course tastes vary and no one should feel ashamed of theirs. after all, the main thing about a culpa is its warming and relaxing quality, its rejuvininating power.
The perfect accompaniment to a good book. Enjoy!

[Traveller]

Wow, I'm learning a lot about tisanes and tea here! B-) ;) An unexpected boon to reading The Blind Assassin. :D

[Yolande]

Traveller wrote: "Wow, I'm learning a lot about tisanes and tea here! B-) ;) An unexpected boon to reading The Blind Assassin. :D"

Me too! :D

[Magdelanye]

this isn't exactly a spoiler,nor a brag, but O I have just finished MAs latest ( I think) the Heart Goes Last and whoa, I wasn't expecting such intense pleasure.
it is wickedly funny and a delicious suspenseful read, you owe it to yourself, after the agony of blind assassin, to read it right away

[Traveller]

Magdelanye wrote: "this isn't exactly a spoiler,nor a brag, but O I have just finished MAs latest ( I think) the Heart Goes Last and whoa, I wasn't expecting such intense pleasure.
it is wickedly funny and a deliciou..."

Oh cool! Thanks for that feedback, Magdelanye!

[Derek]

Magdelanye wrote: "you owe it to yourself, after the agony of blind assassin, to read it right away"

I didn't find BA to be agony at all, but 'wickedly funny' isn't something I've come to expect from Atwood, and it will be a pleasure to try it.

[Cecily]

Magdelanye wrote: "this isn't exactly a spoiler,nor a brag, but O I have just finished MAs latest ( I think) the Heart Goes Last and whoa, I wasn't expecting such intense pleasure.
it is wickedly funny..."

I finished it a couple of days ago and plan to write my review over the weekend. Unfortunately my experience wasn't as positive - except for the last half dozen pages! I count myself an Atwood fan, but this is my least favourite by a long way.

[Magdelanye]

O Cecily....too bad.
For me, its the opposite. I loved her short story collections but although I appreciated her cleverness, her novels didnt totally click with me. I was usually disturbed by the characters and what I perceived as writing that is too tidy and pristine,plus a meanspiritedness and a notable lack of warmth. I just adored this book (have I already said that?} and chortled all the way through.

Derek. dont expect bellylaughs but yes, I will be interested in your take.

so what was not to like?