Refreshing Iced Peppermint Tea

Tea Tips
Other than peppermint powder, you may add diced dried fruits to black tea to make fruit tea.

Brewing 
1. Tea set: Prepare a clean ice cube tray, peppermint powder and brewed black tea.
2. Adding peppermint: Distribute the peppermint powder evenly into the ice cube tray.
3. Adding the tea liquid: Pour the brewed black tea into the ice cube tray, cover it properly and freeze it. When drinking tea, simply add a black tea ice cube into the fresh black tea. It will not dilute the taste of the black tea, instead add a refreshing mint taste.

Tea Tips
Other flavors of iced tea, such as iced Oolong tea or iced green tea can also be brewed in the same method. Instead of peppermint you may use sugar to make a sweeter drink.
Use the same method to make green tea ice cubes, Oolong tea ice cubes, Pu-erh tea ice cubes that can be added into different teas for extra flavor.

Magical "Chilled Cream" Iced Lemon Tea

Pre-brewing Preparation
Prepare the tea set: Kettle, a glass bottle that temperatures, strainer, tea plate, spoon, ice cubes and fruit plate.
Pour suitable amount of water in the kettle and bring to boil.
Slice fresh lemon and place it on the fruit plate, prepare ice cubes and some sugar cubes.
Scoop the broken black tea onto the tea plate.

Brewing
1. Adding ice: Drop the ice cubes in the glass bottle.
2. Adding lemon: Place the lemon slices on top of the ice cubes.
3. Adding tea leaves: Place the strainer on mouth of the bottle, and scoop the broken black tea leaves into the strainer.
4. Adding water: Pour the heated water. The drink will be ready in 3 to 5 minutes.
Add a little sugar. The creamy texture of the drink is the reason it is known as "Chilled Cream Tea."

English High Tea

The early 17th century saw the export of tea from southeast China to Europe via both land and sea. The credit for this belongs to Holland. All European countries, except Russia and Portugal, bought their Chinese tea leaves from Holland. When England first imported tea leaves, it was sold in apothecaries as a form of medicine. In the 1760s, during the time of King Charles II, it slowly became a form of drink. The British queen, Portuguese princess Catherine, brought the Portuguese custom of drinking tea into the British royal family. She held tea parties that became important social functions among the aristocracy. Tea drinking in society first appeared in coffeehouses. These coffeehouses were exclusively for men; single ladies were not allowed access. The first British teahouse opened in the 19th century and became a social ground for single ladies.
Tea drinking slowly spread to all levels of the English society. The choice of tea also slowly changed from green tea to black tea. The reason that the British choose black tea over green tea was not a coincidence. Green tea does not preserve well so was not conducive for long-distance shipping. Black tea however, lasts longer. In addition, England's climate is cold and humid. There is rarely a sunny day and the skies are always gray. Such a climate is suitable for drinking black tea, which is warming. Moreover, Britishers have the habit of adding milk and sugar to tea, adding to the warmth-generating nature of the tea. Therefore, they naturally favor black tea.
The English drink tea at all times. They habitually drink tea before breakfast. During their afternoon break, they enjoy “afternoon tea.” They are known for their high teas. Around 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., no matter how busy, the English drop everything, for high tea. This is a leisurely time with friends. The English prefer to add sugar, milk or lemon juice to their tea. Earl Grey Tea, Rose Tea, Peppermint Tea, Lavender tea are all favorites among the English. Over three hundred years, all the monarchs of England have remained loyal in their love for tea. They are steadfast advocates of tea drinking and believe that drinking tea is a reflection of one's elegance and charisma. England is one of the countries that imports the most tea. Its tea-drinking custom remains popular even after several hundred years.

Flavored Black Tea: Coffee Black Tea

Pre-brewing Preparation
Prepare the tea set: Kellie, tea cup and saucer, tea towel, spoon, milk cup and saucer, strainer and fruit plate. Warm the glass coffee cups and tea cups.

Pour suitable amount of water in the kettle and bring to boil.

Scoop suitable amount of broken black tea into the strainer. Brew the coffee and pour it into the milk cup, ready for use. Place the sugar cubes and non-dairy creamer on the fruit plate.

Add tea leaves only up to half of the depth of the strainer. Tea leaves expand in water and might overflow into the tea cup.

Brewing 
1. Brewing the black tea: Hold the strainer in the teacup and slowly add water.
2. Adding coffee: Add the freshly brewed coffee.
3. Adding the non-dairy creamer: Add 1 to 2 spoons of non-dairy creamer.
Gently stir to blend.

Offering tea: When the Coffee Black Tea is ready, add sugar cubes according to preference.

Flavored Black Tea: Lemon Tea

Pre-brewing Preparation
Prepare the tea set: Kettle, tea cup and saucer sets, spoon, fruit knife, lemon, sugar cubes and fruit plate. Warm the teacup.

Pour suitable amount of water in the kettle and bring to boil. Slice the lemon into the thin rings and place it on the fruit plate.

Prepare one tea bag and a suitable amount of sugar cubes.

Brewing 
1. Tea set: Arrange the tea set for brewing.
2. Adding water: Fill the tea cup with heated water until it is 7/10 full.
3. Adding tea bag: Slowly lower the tea bag into the tea cup, leaving the tag out of the cup.
4. Adding lemon: Add the lemon ring to the tea.
5. Adding sugar: Add 1 to 2 cubes of sugar and gently stir with the spoon.

Tea Tips
Use the tea bag only once Discard after use.
After adding sugar, remember to gently stir the tea until the sugar dissolves.

Offering tea: Place the tea on a tray and offer it to the guests when it is ready.

More Black Tea Information
Add the lemon according lo the size of the cup. Add only a thin slice, or it will increase the bitterness of the tea. Wrap the remaining lemon in cling film and refrigerate.

After adding lemon, the color of the tea will turn lighter and become orangey-red.

You may add other fruits such as orange or pineapples for a variety of flavors.

Flavored Black Tea: Milk Tea

Pre-brewing Preparation
Prepare the tea set: Kettle, tea towel, tea plate, sugar bowl, milk cup and saucer, tea cups and saucers, saucer, teacup and saucer and spoon. Warm both the milk cup and teacup.
Pour suitable amount of water in the kettle and bring to boil. Heat fresh milk and pour it in the milk cup.
Place two tea bags (one per cup) on the tea plate. Place sugar cubes on the sugar plate.

Brewing
1. Tea set: Arrange the tea set for brewing.
2. Adding water: Directly pour the water into the teacup.
3. Put the tea bag in the teacup and steep for 1 or 2 minutes.
Pick up the tea bag by the attached cotton string and swirl lightly to allow the liquid to fully soak up the flavor of the tea.
4. Adding milk: Add heated milk into the cup
5. Adding sugar: Add a single cube of sugar into the cup.
Offering tea: when offering tea to the guests, place the spoon as shown in the picture below. Never place the spoon inside the cup.

More Black Tea Information 
Use fresh milk for best fragrant taste. For best results, heal the milk before using. However, cold milk will also do.
The ratio of milk to tea is usually 1 10 However, this can be adjusted according to preference. Sugar is also optional.
When brewing flavored black tea. it is best to use broken black tea leaves for convenience and speed. The tea leaves in the tea bags are broken black tea leaves. These tea leaves were diced when processed, therefore, the soluble compounds in the tea leaves are released quickly when immersed, and the tea will be ready in a shorter period of time.
The correct brewing method for tea bags is to add the tea bag to the water Leave the attached cotton string out of the cup. If the tea bag is added first before pouring the water, the air in the teabag will cause the teabag to float up and this will affect the fragrance and taste of the tea. Also, the cotton string and label might fall into the cup when pouring the water.
When milk is added to the broken black tea, the liquid turns dark red. This is a sign of good quality. If it turns ginger yellow, then the tea leaves are of substandard quality.

Pure Black Tea: Keemun Gongfu Tea

Pre-brewing Preparation
Prepare the tea set: Kettle, fairness cup, teapot, tea appreciation cup, basin, tea plate, teaspoon, tea towel and tea tongs.
Pour suitable amount of water into the kettle and bring to boil.
Scoop suitable amount of Keemun Gongfu Black Tea leaves onto the tea plate.

Brewing
1. Tea set:  Arrange the tea set for brewing.
2. Warming the cup: Pour the heated water into the teapot.
Pour the water from the teapot into the fairness cup, and then into the tea appreciation cup.
3. Adding tea leaves: Gently scoop the Keemun Gongfu Black tea leaves into the teapot with the teaspoon.
4. Moisturizing tea leaves: Pour a small amount of water into the teapot and quickly drain it in the basin.
Quickly drain it in the basin.
5. Adding water: Directly pour water into the teapot until full. Avoid overflowing. Steep for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Warming the teacup: Pick up the tea appreciation cup with the tea tongs.
Drain the heated water in the teacup into the basin.
Gently wipe the exterior and base of the teacup with the tea towel.
7. Readying the brew: Pour the brewed tea into the fairness cup.
Try your best to empty all the tea in the teapot.
8. Distributing the tea: Distribute the tea in the fairness cup into each individual tea appreciation cup.
Offering tea: Offer the tea to the guests with both hands.

Tea Tips
If there is froth at the opening of the teapot, scrape it off with the teapot lid. The brewing method is similar to that of Oolong tea.

More Black Tea Information
The principle behind drinking pure black tea is to appreciate the fragrance and taste of black tea itself. It is only in drinking pure black tea that one can appreciate its unique flavor and charm of black tea.

The tea leaves of Keemun Gongfu Black Tea are compact and thin with sharp ends. They are black and shiny, like a "jewel gleam." The flavor is rich and strong. The tea liquid is bright red with a honeyed fragrance. Aged Gongfu Black Tea has a good flavor if it is well preserved. Internationally, Keemun Gongfu Tea is ranked among the three top fragrant black teas together with India's Darjeeling Tea and Sri Lanka's Uva Black Tea.

Black Tea Facts

When brewing black tea in a 200-ml teapot, use between 5g and 7g of tea leaves. When brewing broken black tea. increase to 6g to 8g. Black strip tea is suitable for drinking by itself. Broken black tea is suitable for flavored tea.

Black strip tea can be brewed 3 to 5 times. Broken black tea can only be brewed 1 to 2 times, after which the tea leaves should be changed.

Black tea has a rich and sharp flavor. Amateur drinkers may add a little sugar or honey.

It is best to use ceramic teapots or tea cups to emphasize the vibrant color of the tea. Black tea sets can also double up as coffee sets.

Fresh tea leaves are green. Then haw does tea turn block? Black tea is fully fermented tea leaves. Freshly picked tea leaves are put in withering troughs to allow them to wither, and thus lose their moisture. After this, the leaves are rolled and diced or shaped according to need. Next is the key process-fermentation. Finally, the leaves are dried to give black tea leaves. During the process, the chlorophyll in the fresh leaves oxidize and degrade, forming red polyphenols, such as theaflavins and thearubigins. Theaflavins are yellowish-orange in color whereas thearubigins are reddish. Both dissolve in the tea liquid. The other color compounds that do not dissolve in the tea liquid are brownish in color giving the characteristic black tea leaves and tea liquid.

Basic Black Tea Knowledge

Water temperature               Should be above 80°
Amount of tea leaves used       Brewing in a cup: the ratio of leaves to water
                                should be 1:50
Brewing in a teapot             Appropriate tea sets include porcelain teapot
                                (teacup), Zisha teapot (teacup)
Accompanying ingredients        Sugar, milk, honey, fruit juice, fruits such
                                as lemons, coffee, brandy, etc.