Perfection in a teacup

THE brewing and drinking of tea is a delicate art that involves many
variables. Certain rules must be followed if you want a perfectly
brewed cup.

According to Stephen Twining, director of corporate relations for
Twinings of London — one of the oldest English tea companies in the
world — cleanliness, water temperature, ratio of tea leaves to water
and brewing time, are all essential factors.

He dispensed his advice during a workshop on ‘How to Make the Perfect
Cuppa’ for members of the media and other guests at the E&O Hotel in
Penang.

First, start with the teapot itself.

According to Twining, it is important to keep it clean, as tea has a
tendency to soak up flavours from the residue inside the pot,
resulting in a stale and bitter taste.

One should also boil with fresh cold water, as it contains lots of
dissolved oxygen particles that help carry the flavour molecules.

A teapot that has been pre-warmed also helps release the flavours.

“You should also select the proper ration of tea to water, depending
on how intense you would like the flavour to be,” Twining said at the
workshop on Wednesday.

The water should be added just as it comes to a boil, or slightly
before, depending on the type of tea used.

The tea should then be left to brew undisturbed, for around three
minutes, and then stirred to distribute flavours evenly within the
pot.

Pointing out a cardinal sin that many people commit when making tea,
he said, “Whatever you do, don’t jiggle the teabag in and out of the
water!”

As tea also absorbs moisture from the air and flavours from its
surroundings, it is also important to store the leaves in an airtight
environment, especially when in a tropical environment.

“If you leave it beside flowers, in a week it will have hints of
floral aroma. But you definitely wouldn’t want to put it next to
vinegar or detergent!” he quipped.

After taking in Twining’s demonstration of his company’s time-honoured
technique of brewing tea, the workshop’s 30 participants then sampled
three blends, paired with English afternoon tea tidbits.

The first was Earl Grey, a blend which the company originally
concocted for Charles Grey, the second prime minister of England, in
the 1830s.

Also served were Jasmine Green Tea and an Iced Strawberry and Mango
Tea Infusion.

The company, established in 1706, now offers around 250 different
blends in 115 countries.

It boasts of a ‘tea library’ with over 30,000 tea leaf varieties at
its premises in The Strand, London.

From that collection, Twining explains, master tea blenders mix and
match batches of leaves to ensure the taste and quality of a
particular blend remains constant.

“This is because the flavour of the tea leaves changes according to
the weather,” he said, adding that one blend may consist anywhere from
several to a hundred different components.

The company has been the official tea supplier to the households of
every British monarch since being first appointed to that role by
Queen Victoria in 1837.

A 10th generation descendant of the famous tea family, Twining, who
hails from Chorleywood in Herfordshire, is deeply passionate about tea
and drinks at least 15 cups of varying brews each day.

“Tea is a wonderful gift from nature. When you’re hot, it cools you
down. When you’re cold, it warms you up.

“If you’re over excited it calms you down, and when you’re down, it
lifts you up!” he enthused.