My cup of Tea

my cup of tea

Green tea with Basil leaves, Honey and Lemon

By Barnali Dutta Published: 2014-06-04

At the end of my day, I always prefer Green Tea, honey and lemon with homemade snacks. I do not like the taste of the green tea, so I always prefer to take tasty Indian snacks along with it, which can easily balance my taste buds thinking in mind that my tea would balance my bad cholesterol level with the goodness of green tea. The aroma of jasmine garland and burning aromatic sandalwood incense, the soft light of aromatic candle in my room, I am relaxing and meditating as Bengali people do during evening puja, [Shondhhe prodip while the women light the oil lamps under tulsi tree and sound their conchs and take basil leaves along with offering sugar candy 'tulsi-misri'], but in a non-ritualistic way.

Beverages cover a wide range of hot and cold drinks. The nutritive value depends upon the beverage what is added in serving and the ingredients used in the preparation. Hot beverages should be served promptly after preparation; very hot and cold beverages truly icy cold.

Though the beverages 'Tea' or 'Coffee' are easy to prepare, certain approved practices should
be followed without exception to assure consistently excellent taste. The principles in the preparation of tea is the same. to obtain a maximum of flavor, aroma and color and a minimum of astringent ingredient. Perfectly made one cup of standard tea is clear; black tea color will be amber, green tea color will be yellow, no bitterness, flavor distinctive of blend and with delicate aroma.

To make the best flavorful tea follow the basic suggestions.

Use an earthenware or glass pot and use it exclusively for tea making.
Never boil tea.
Use accurate measures of tea and fresh cold water. Average-strength tea is the brew obtained from 1 teaspoon tea or 1 tea bag to 1 cup water.
Weaker tea is best made by diluting regular strength tea with hot water.
For the best flavor, steeping time should not exceed 5 minutes.

Green tea with honey and lemon juice

Ingredients:

Green tea 1 teaspoon or 1 tea bag per cup of water, honey 2 teaspoon, fresh lemon juice half teaspoon, and 4 to 5 fresh sweet basil leaves to chew during sipping tea.

Directions:

Water, freshly boiling.
Place the tea in a freshly scalded pot.
Pour boiling water over tea. Cover.
Steep 3 to 5 minutes.
Pour in the cup through strainer if using leaf tea.
Add honey and lemon.
Serve immediately.
If tea is not served promptly, pour brew into a preheated serving pot.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS

Sugar and milk may be served with the tea if you like Indian dudh chai or milk-based tea.
Add milk, sugar, peppercorn, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick while boiling water if you prefer Nepali Masala Chai.
Butter tea, a traditional Tibetan tea known as Po Cha, black tea with half teaspoon unsalted butter.
Ginger tea especially on rainy day.
Blooming tea, I prefer hibiscus one, my favorite flowering tea.
Regardless, Darjeeling tea, my all time favorite, good quality fannings for regular uses are easily available in Kolkata.

Iced Tea

Prepare tea using 3 tablespoons or 9 tea bags for each 2 cups freshly boiling water. Steep 3 to 5 minutes. Strain into serving pitcher. Add 2 cups cold water. Let stand at room temperature until ready to-serve. Pour into glasses filled with cracked ice.

OR

Double the proportion of tea, adding it to cold water. Let stand about 8 hours in refrigerator. Strain. Pour, over cracked ice in glasses, add 2 tablespoon chilled orange juice and serve.