Step 3:

Place a large cotton tea infusion sock into your warmed teapot. You can purchase tea socks from the Vintage Tea Leaf; they are $5.00 for a large tea sock, or $4.00 for a small tea sock, suitable for a small teapot or a single cup.

The Tea Mistress never uses metal teaspoons, or metal tea balls, for making tea, because they give tea a metallic taste. Quality tea expands from two to five times during steeping. The use of metal implements inhibits the tea leaves from breathing and expanding to reach their full taste and aroma.

Step 4:

Place tea leaves into the tea sock, and pour hot water over the leaves. Carefully place the lid of the teapot on top of the tea sock. Set your timer for the proper infusion time.

The amount of tea leaves to use is different for each tea, and depends on the size of your teapot and your personal taste. As a starting measure, the Tea Mistress suggests one teaspoon of loose tea per cup, or three tablespoons of loose tea per pot. If your tea is too strong, decrease the amount of tea that you use; if it is too weak, increase the amount of tea. Do not change the infusion time to change the strength of the tea.

Different teas, herbal infusions, and fruit tisanes require different steeping or infusion times:

Black teas: 3 to 4 minutes
Chai: 5 minutes
Green teas: 1 to 2 minutes
Oolongs: 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes
Herbals: 5 to 7 minutes
Tisanes: 7 to 9 minutes

The above times are not an exact science, but serve as a reference guide. Your personal taste can affect your choice of infusion times. As an example, one of the customers at the Vintage Tea Leaf likes green tea with water to a full boil and an infusion time of 4 minutes.



	How to Brew Tea the Vintage Tea Leaf Way Making tea is an enjoyable art. When you take a little more time, and use the right materials, you can make a perfect pot of tea, rather than a mediocre pot of tea. The quality of the water is a key factor that directly affects the taste of the tea. In many places, tap water is known to have too much chlorine, sulphur, or minerals. The Tea Mistress recommends using highquality bottled water, or at least home-filtered water. *Step 1:* Heat quality water as quickly as possible, bringing it to a rolling boil. Remove the water from the heat as soon as it is ready. When water is heated too slowly, or overboiled, it loses oxygen, which can cause the tea to taste bitter or flat. The Tea Mistress suggests using an electric tea kettle with an automatic shut-off. Different teas, herbal infusions, and fruit tisanes require different water temperatures. Black teas: Full rolling boil Green teas: Just before a full boil; about 180 degrees Oolongs: A little less than boiling; about 195 degrees Herbals & tisanes: Just at boiling; about 210 degrees If you wish, you can use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature of the water. *Step 2:* While the tea water is heating, place hot tap water into a bone china, porcelain, stoneware, or glass teapot to warm the pot. Drain the water from the pot when you are ready to start steeping the tea. Never use a silver or metal teapot, because it can cause the tea to have a metallic taste. If you wish to use your beautiful silver tea service, simply heat the silver teapot with hot water, then drain it just before pouring in fresh-made tea from a bone china teapot.				*Step 3:* Place a large cotton tea infusion sock into your warmed teapot. You can purchase tea socks from the Vintage Tea Leaf; they are $5.00 for a large tea sock, or $4.00 for a small tea sock, suitable for a small teapot or a single cup. The Tea Mistress never uses metal teaspoons, or metal tea balls, for making tea, because they give tea a metallic taste. Quality tea expands from two to five times during steeping. The use of metal implements inhibits the tea leaves from breathing and expanding to reach their full taste and aroma. *Step 4:* Place tea leaves into the tea sock, and pour hot water over the leaves. Carefully place the lid of the teapot on top of the tea sock. Set your timer for the proper infusion time. The amount of tea leaves to use is different for each tea, and depends on the size of your teapot and your personal taste. As a starting measure, the Tea Mistress suggests one teaspoon of loose tea per cup, or three tablespoons of loose tea per pot. If your tea is too strong, decrease the amount of tea that you use; if it is too weak, increase the amount of tea. Do not change the infusion time to change the strength of the tea. Different teas, herbal infusions, and fruit tisanes require different steeping or infusion times: Black teas: 3 to 4 minutes Chai: 5 minutes Green teas: 1 to 2 minutes Oolongs: 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes Herbals: 5 to 7 minutes Tisanes: 7 to 9 minutes The above times are not an exact science, but serve as a reference guide. Your personal taste can affect your choice of infusion times. As an example, one of the customers at the Vintage Tea Leaf likes green tea with water to a full boil and an infusion time of 4 minutes.

How to Brew Tea the Vintage Tea Leaf Way