Are You Ready for the Tea Boom?

This article provides tips on how restaurants can cater to tea-consuming customers. Black tea is the most popular type of tea in the U.S. Several varieties of black teas are used to create now famous combinations of various Indian teas. Earl Grey is a popular blend comprised of three varieties of black tea flavored with oil of bergamot. Green tea, also known as China tea, is not allowed to ferment before drying, which permits it to retain much of its natural taste, color and aroma. Green tea is often served as a single variety and not blended with other teas. Oolong tea, which is also referred to as red tea, is allowed to partially ferment prior to drying. Most oolong teas have delicate, fruity flavors and floral bouquets. Jasmine tea is made from a blend of green and oolong with fresh jasmine blossoms. Herbal tea consists of the dried flowers and leaves of plants other than camellia sinensis. A cup of tea can only be as good as the water used to make it. Therefore, spring water or bottled drinking water will yield the best results. Start with cold water and bring to a rolling boil. When making green tea, the water should be just off the boil. Typically one teaspoon of loose tea, or one teabag, is used per 6 ounces of water. Always pre-heat the teapot with hot water and let stand for a minute before use. Since tea bags contain finely chopped tea, it requires a short brewing time to attain the proper degree of extraction. To prevent tea from becoming bitter, always remove the tea bags or loose tea immediately after brewing. Never allow prepared tea to boil. Always serve tea immediately after preparation. This will ensure that it will be sufficiently hot and at its freshest. When pouring steaming hot tea into a delicate china or porcelain teacup, place a spoon in the cup to prevent cracking.