TEA: THE LOST ART

Loose tea is made up of whole leaves that open to their full potential when infused. Taking time from the day to prepare a pot of tea is something to be cherished. It is an opportunity to practice being in the moment.

All tea comes from the perennial Camellia sinensis plant, and the way in which the plant is cultivated, harvested, oxidized and dried is what determines its taste and how it is classified (white, green, oolong, black and puerh).

HONGA’S LOTUS PETAL TEA MENU

HONGA’S LOTUS PETAL LOOSE LEAF TEA TO BUY

HOW TO BREW A POT OF LOOSELEAF TEA
A good teapot has a large removable strainer, or reservoir, in which to infuse (steep) tea leaves.
The reservoir must be large enough for the leaves to double in size. Rinse the teapot with warm water to heat the pot and remove any resin from previous infusions. Place 1 teaspoon of tea into the infuser for every cup of water. Bring filtered water to a boil for 10 seconds. Wait 10 seconds, and then pour just enough hot water over the tea leaves to rinse them, and then quickly dump this water out.This process cleans the tea, removes tannins and initiates the opening of the leaves for brewing. Pour hot water over the leaves and allow the tea to steep. As a general rule, infuse white and green teas for 1 to 2 minutes, and steep oolong, black and pu erh teas for 3 to 5 minutes. After the tea has steeped, set aside the strainer, saving it for future infusions.When infusing the tea leaves again, add 1 minute of steeping time with each infusion. When pouring tea, pour partial amounts into each cup, before filling them both. This will ensure equally brewed experiences for everyone.