Preparing a delicious, wholesome tea infusion could hardly be simpler.
First, forget the tea bags. Do not let convenience, speed or a low price be the only deciding factors. In less than five minutes, you can make a wonderful loose-leaf infusion costing less than 50
agorot per cup. Many tea bags contain small particles, or tea dust, left over from processing rather than whole leaves. The bag’s paper and adhesive may also affect the flavour in hot water.
You do not need complicated accessories, either. Your kettle at home and clean water are all you need.
But what about the scorching Mediterranean summer?
For thousands of years, people in China, Japan and Central Asia have enjoyed tea during hot summer months. White tea, for example, has a traditional reputation as a refreshing drink, even when served warm rather than boiling hot.
If you prefer something cold, selected Chinese loose-leaf teas from iTea make a natural drink with a delicate flavour and the qualities of the tea leaf.
How do you make it? Here are the steps.
1. Bring the water to a boil, switch off the heat and wait 3–5 minutes for it to cool slightly.
2. Pour the water into a brewing vessel containing 2–3 teaspoons of tea leaves per 200 ml cup, and steep for 3–4 minutes.
3. As soon as brewing is complete, strain out the leaves, cover the infusion and cool it at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
4. Serve and enjoy natural, delicious iced tea!
For iced tea or a crushed-ice drink, use about 50% more leaves than usual. The stronger infusion will be balanced by the ice as it melts in the glass.
We recommend making the ice cubes in advance with mineral water.
For the best delicate flavour and aroma, enjoy your iced tea within four hours of brewing.
