Breville Tea Maker BTM800XL $249.00

TFal Vitesse Cordless Water Kettle 1.7L (7 cup) $31.99

Progressive Coffee and Tea Press 8 Cups $18.99

Bonjour Zen 42oz Glass Teapot 53408 $39.95

Bonjour Zen 34oz Round Teapot Model 53840 $39.95

Cooks Corner 2.5 Qt Stainless Steel Whistling Tea Kettle $19.99

Cooks Corner 3 Qt Whistling Tea Kettle $19.99

Yogourmet Thermometer $8.50

VeggieSensations.com

Tea Tea has almost no carbohydrates, fat, or protein. It has a refreshing, slightly bitter and astringent taste. There are four basic types of true tea: black, oolong, green, and white teas which are made from the same tea leaf which comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant. These four basic types of tea are created by the process the leaf under goes. Once the leaves of Camellia Sinensis are picked they soon begin to wilt and oxidize if not dried quickly. The leaves turn progressively darker because chlorophyll breaks down and tannins are released. This process, enzymatic oxidation, is called fermentation although no true fermentation takes place. They want to stop the oxidation process at a specific point to create each individual type of tea by heating the leaves. Heat deactivates the enzymes responsible for bitter taste. As far as herbal teas go, the term "herbal tea" usually refers to a collection of flowers, roots, seeds and leaves from other plants other than the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis).

Black and Red Teas
Black tea is the most common form of tea in Africa. In China it is called red tea because the actual tea liquid is red. Americans call it black tea because the tea leaves used to brew it are usually black. However, red tea may also refer to Rooibos. Rooibos is increasing in popularity in South Africa and the United States. Black tea leaves are allowed to completely oxidize. In black tea this is done simultaneously with drying. The water for black teas should be added at the boiling point (212 degrees or F 100 degrees C). The most common fault when making black tea is to use water at too low a temperature. Since the boiling point drops with increasing altitude, it difficult to brew black tea properly at high altitudes. Black tea should be brewed for 2 minutes. After 5 minutes of brewing tannin is released which counteracts the stimulating effect of the theophylline and caffeine.

Green Tea
With green tea, the oxidation process is stopped after a minimal amount of oxidation by the application of heat, either with steam which is a traditional Japanese method, or by dry cooking in hot pans which is the Chinese traditional method. Tea leaves may be left to dry as separate leaves or they may be rolled into small pellets. The tea is processed within one to two days of harvesting. Water for green tea should be 175 degrees F (85 degrees C). Hotter water will burn green tea leaves, producing a bitter taste.

White, Premium or Delicate Tea
With green tea, the oxidation process is stopped after a minimal amount of oxidation by the application of heat, either with steam which is a traditional Japanese method, or by dry cooking in hot pans which is the Chinese traditional method. Tea leaves may be left to dry as separate leaves or they may be rolled into small pellets. The tea is processed within one to two days of harvesting. Water for green tea should be 175 degrees F (85 degrees C). Hotter water will burn green tea leaves, producing a bitter taste.

Oolong Tea
The oxidation process of Oolong Tea is stopped somewhere between the standards for green tea and black tea. The oxidation process takes two to three days. The term "oolong" is used for certain semi-oxidized teas and will have a slightly bitter taste compared to Green Tea. The temperature for brewing a perfect cup of Oolong teas should be at 195 degrees F (90 C). This temperature is between that of Black tea and Green tea.

Herbal
Although herbal teas are not a true tea, many of them have health benefits. Some herbal teas can include tea leaves in the mix, but tea is not their primary ingredient and in many herbal teas there is not tea leaves at all. Herbal teas that do not have tea leaves in them are generally not bitter and should be steeped in 212 degrease F (100 C).

Brewing
Black teas should be brewed for the least amount of time, 2 minutes. Herbal Tea takes the longest to get the most flavorful cup of tea at 4 minutes. All other teas need 3 minutes of optimum extraction and flavor.

Quick Reference Guide

For that perfect cup of tea with no risk of failure, the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker is the tool you need.

VeggieSensations.com offers excellent electric and stove top Tea Pots and Kettles as well as Electric Hot Water Pots for heating the water for a perfect cup of tea. Larger teapots are a post-19th-century invention, as tea before this time was very rare and very expensive. Experienced tea-drinkers often insist that the tea should not be stirred around while it is steeping (sometimes called winding in the UK). This, they say, will do little to strengthen the tea, but is likely to bring the tannins out in the same way that brewing too long will do. For the same reason one should not squeeze the last drops out of a teabag. If stronger tea is desired, more tea leaves or tea bags should be used.

Refrence: Wikipedia

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