To steep loose leaf tea, you can follow these basic steps:
- Heat Water: Heat water to the appropriate temperature for the tea you are steeping. As a general rule, green and white teas should be steeped at lower temperatures, while black and herbal teas can be steeped in boiling water.
- Measure Tea Leaves: Measure out the desired amount of loose leaf tea. A good starting point is to use one teaspoon of tea per eight ounces of water.
- Place Tea in Infuser or Strainer: Place the measured tea leaves into a tea infuser or strainer. This will keep the leaves from floating freely in your cup.
- Steep the Tea: Pour the hot water over the tea leaves and let the tea steep for the recommended amount of time. Generally, green teas steep for 1-3 minutes, black teas for 3-5 minutes, and herbal teas for 5-7 minutes. However, these times can vary based on personal preference and the type of tea being used.
- Remove the Infuser or Strainer: Once the tea has finished steeping, remove the infuser or strainer from the cup or pot.
6: Enjoy your tea: You can enjoy your tea as is or add sweeteners, milk or lemon according to your taste preference.
By following these steps, you will be able to steep loose leaf tea to obtain the best possible taste and aroma.