Changes

The amount of time necessary to prepare tea varies greatly depending upon the variety of tea and the desired flavor.  Sweet China black teas can be brewed for six or seven minutes before straining the leaves from the water.  Extremely bitter teas, including some Darjeelings, should be steeped for under two minutes.  The quality of the leaves also matters here, and broken leaves or leaf dust only need to be steeped for about a minute to release their flavor.  Good, whole-leaf tea can be brewed more than once and tightly rolled oolongs can be steeped several times.

The amount of time necessary to prepare tea varies greatly depending upon the variety of tea and the desired flavor.  Sweet China black teas can be brewed for six or seven minutes before straining the leaves from the water.  Extremely bitter teas, including some Darjeelings, should be steeped for under two minutes.  The quality of the leaves also matters here, and broken leaves or leaf dust only need to be steeped for about a minute to release their flavor.  Good, whole-leaf tea can be brewed more than once and tightly rolled oolongs can be steeped several times.

Black tea is made with boiling water, but with other teas, cooler water is often necessary.  The more delicate green and white teas can require water no warmer than 165 degrees.  The usual temperature for green, white and the lighter oolong teas is 180 degrees.  It is important, in serving tea, to warm the pot in which the tea is prepared and warm the cups in which it is served. Oolong teas can be infused multiple times. The first infusion is sometimes discarded as it is used moisten the leaves.

Black tea is made with boiling water, but with other teas, cooler water is often necessary.  The more delicate green and white teas can require water no warmer than 165 degrees [[Fahrenheit]].  The usual temperature for green, white and the lighter oolong teas is 180 degrees [[Fahrenheit]].  It is important, in serving tea, to warm the pot in which the tea is prepared and warm the cups in which it is served. Oolong teas can be infused multiple times. The first infusion is sometimes discarded as it is used moisten the leaves.

In [[Britain]], people take great pride in preparing tea correctly, and various steps in the process are not without controversy. No less a name than [[George Orwell]] wrote an essay on the subject<ref>[http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/a-nice-cup-of-tea.htm George Orwell on tea making]</ref>.  

In [[Britain]], people take great pride in preparing tea correctly, and various steps in the process are not without controversy. No less a name than [[George Orwell]] wrote an essay on the subject<ref>[http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/a-nice-cup-of-tea.htm George Orwell on tea making]</ref>.