It’s best to use spring, filtered or distilled water for making tea, as tap water contains minerals and chemicals that alter the taste of the tea. Bring the water to a boil in a pot, then let it cool down for a few minutes before pouring it over the tea leaves. Water that is too hot fails to bring out the best flavor in green and black teas. For herbal teas, using the boiling-hot water is fine.

Before preparing the tea and pouring the hot water into your teapot or cup, it is recommended to rinse it with hot water. This practice, known as tempering, does subtly enhance the taste of the tea.

Green and black teas may need only 1-3 minutes of steep-time. Take a sip and check the flavor at this point. You may want to steep it longer, or it may taste just right. Some teas taste best after 5 minutes of steeping.

Typically, a pot of tea is good for multiple infusions, meaning that you can refill your pot with hot water 2-3 times at the same sitting. However, some tea connoisseurs would strongly disagree, sighting how over-steeped tea releases more of the bitter flavors and tannins from the leaves. See what feels best to you.

As you can see, tea-drinking is a ritualistic experience that has many subtleties. Take pleasure in this process and in the awareness that millions of other people around the world are also enjoying the flavors and health benefits of this sacred plant.

What’s the difference between green, black and white teas?
All green, black and white teas come from the same marvelous plant, Camilla sinensis. The way in which the tea leaves are processed, as well as the special variety and region where it is grown, is what ultimately distinguishes white from green from black tea.

White tea traditionally comes from Fujian Province in Southeastern China. Many white tea varieties have silver downy hairs on them, which are what earned them their name. They are the least processed of all the teas, simply withered and dried. This means they are low in caffeine, and it may also be why they have the highest amounts of anti-oxidants and other health-preserving nutrients when compared with other types of tea.