Brewing Tea

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world. Only water is rated higher in world consumption than tea. It is estimated that somewhere between 18 and 20 billion 6 oz. cups of tea are drunk daily on our planet. An extension of numbers shows that the United States only imports enough tea annually to keep world usage rates going for 2 days. We have a lot to learn!

Tea has lots of things going for it; it is healthy, tasty, can be drunk hot or cold and has no calories. The only drawback for some is that it contains a stimulant called caffeine. Personally, I like caffeine, but a growing contingent of folks do not. My goal is to fill the casual tea drinker in on the types of teas and at what temperatures these teas brew the best. This entry is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully you can take a way a kernel of knowledge from it. I almost always brew my tea in a teapot, or when I am lazy, in a cup. There are all kinds of contraptions for brewing tea from tea infuser balls to tea infuser sticks. I heat the water in a tea kettle. I like the nostaligia of hearing the whistle. I use loose tea most of the time because it is much better than bags in terms of flavor.

Basic Types of Tea- Black, White and Green teas all come from the Camellia sinensis bush. What makes them different is in where the leaves come from on the bush and how the leaves are processed.

Black Tea- Fully fermented during processing. Leaves are picked from the mid section of the tea bush branch toward the trunk. Many times black teas are heat dried in big rolling bins similar to a clothes dryer. Black tea is the most common variety we drink around here. (36mg caffeine per 6 oz. cup) water temperature: 200 - 212 degrees; steeping time: 4 - 5 minutes

Green- Not fermented at all, unprocessed grassy taste (20mg caffeine per cup) Picked from the ends of the tea bush while leaves are opening. Water temperature: 170 - 190 degrees; steeping time: 1 - 3 minutes

White- Sometimes called Silver Needle (15mg caffeine per cup). The leaves are picked and harvested from the tips of the tea bush before the leaves open fully, when the buds are still covered by fine white hair. Hence the name. White tea is scarcer than the other traditional teas, and can be quite a bit more expensive. Charcterized by a light and sweet flavor. Water temperature: 170 - 190 degrees; steeping time: 1 - 3 minutes

Red Tea- Not really a tea (technically a Tisane, or herbal tea, because it is not made from the Camellia sinensis plant)-- instead it is made from the dried and oxidized leaves of the South African Aspalathis linearis plant. Often, Red tea is called Rooibos (from the Dutch South African language meaning red bush). Little to no caffeine.

Herbal Tea- Also called Tisanes are not teas at all. They are a grouping of herbs, zest, flowers and more that are a substitute for tea. Some are quite good! Water temperature: 212 degrees; steeping time: 5 - 7 minutes

Cool Trick! Decaffeinate your tea at home. (only for loose teas, sorry) You may decaffeinate your own tea by pouring hot water over the tea leaves, waiting 30 seconds, then pouring off that first infusion. This removes roughly 2/3 of the caffeine per 6 oz. Don't exceed that 30-second time frame, however, or you will lose much of the vitamins and antioxidant effects, as well as flavor. Depending on the kind of black tea you are drinking, this method will lose some of the flavor, which I think will be acceptable to most who want to reduce caffeine. This only works for loose tea, however, not for tea bags. Tea bags are designed to brew very quickly -- the leaves are in very small pieces, called "dust", which enables the tea to brew more quickly. You would lose much too much flavor with a tea bag.

Making Homemade Chicken Stock

When I was a young boy we raised a few chickens on our property. I can remember gathering the eggs before school each morning. I will never forget the summer day when granddad and grandmother came over with an axe and large stock pot in their hands and said we were going to slaughter some young chickens. I had never realized before that time how chickens made it to my dinner plate. We killed, boiled and plucked the chickens in my back yard. I have never tasted better chicken in my life. I think I was 10 years old at the time and I can still remember the flavor and the tenderness of that chicken and how good the chicken stock tasted.

Sorry for reminiscing. There are very few things that taste better than homemade chicken stock. Sure, it takes a little time, but the effort is worth the flavor. When I'm in a pinch or a rush, I generally reach for chicken base or a store-purchased chicken broth, but I stay away from chicken bullion cubes. They are too salty--as a matter of fact, all of them are too salty, but when you are in a rush you just have to make do. Making homemade chicken stock does take a little time, so when you're ready to make it make a bunch of it. It freezes for a long time. I use chicken stock as a base for soups and sauces or whenever a recipe calls for it.

Homemade Chicken Stock
3-4 lbs. assorted chicken necks, backs & wings (I save them up in the freezer as I get them)
6 garlic cloves
1 large onion, quartered
5 carrots, rough chopped
5 celery stocks
Enough water to cover everything
2 bay leaves
5 T. kosher salt
1T. white pepper
olive oil
fresh parsley

To make the stock, first heat a large stock pot or pasta pot to medium-high heat. Add the oil and the chicken parts and brown them (browning will add depth of color and flavor to the stock) until they are lightly browned. Once browned, add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Add enough cold water to cover everything--about 3/4 full.

Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the pot has achieved a boil turn down the heat to simmer. When the boiling ceases skim off any fat that has risen. Cover tightly and simmer for another hour and a half. Turn off the heat and allow the broth to cool for about 35 minutes. If you are using a pasta pot with an insert simply raise the insert and discard the bones and skin and other solids. If you are using a regular stockpot you'll want to use a colander or strainer and pour everything through it.

To make the broth clearer you may filter it through a coffee filter or paper towel. Once filtered, place the stock in the refrigerator overnight. The fat will rise to the surface and harden. At this point, you can simply scoop it out. There will be some gelatin there, too. Keep it if you can; it's good for you. Freeze what you do not plan on using straight away.

Happy cooking,
Marcus