Preparing a cup of tea or an infusion is very simple, it’s about showing love to the plants.
Plants that have been cultivated and harvested with care and delicacy, processed artisanally and sent from territories deserve the same care when preparing and serving. You don’t need to have expensive kitchenware, nor follow complicated rituals, just respect these 5 tips.
When we prepare an infusion in its original form we can taste its real flavor and aroma.
A cup of tea is 99% water, so the water is KEY! The water shouldn’t ruin the tea’s flavor; the best approach is to use filtered water (ideally a Nikken or Agualogic filter) or mineral water (if you live in Colombia, we recommend Agua del Nacimiento).
Boiling water tends to burn and destroy green teas and ruins the floral flavor and aroma of white teas. The ideal temperature for tea is before it boils. Also, each type of tea has its ideal temperature. It’s key to always ask at what temperature to prepare the tea when you’re going to buy it.
Tea becomes bitter or extremely astringent when left to infuse for too long. Pouring the water slowly will make the infusion smooth and round in the mouth. Each tea has its infusion time.
Giving space to the tea leaves at the moment of infusion will allow them to open and release all their aroma and flavor. It is ideal to let them expand.
There is a sixth very important tip and it is to observe the state of your mind throughout the preparation. Plants are subtle beings and both our thoughts and our emotions also influence the cup we prepare.
| Types of Tea | ||
| White 70 – 75º | 2 – 3 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Green 65 – 75º | 2 – 3 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Black 85 – 90º | 3 – 5 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Oolong 85 – 90º | 4 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Dark 90º | 3 – 4 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Herbal Infusions | ||
| Flowers 75 – 80º | 3 – 5 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Soft leaves 70 – 80º | 3 – 5 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Rigid leaves 80 – 90º | 5 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Barks, fruits, stems, seeds, roots, rhizomes 85-90º or decoction | 5 – 10 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
| Botanical blends 80º | 5 min | 1 teaspoon per cup |
