Chapter 2: The Art of Steeping
You will extract the most pleasure from premium tea, steeped with care. The Minister of Fire & Water suggests the following step-by-step ritual for steeping premium tea and herbs. Start With Good Ingredients Tea begins with the water — the element that brings tea to its full potential. Fresh water provides a blank canvas for tea, and yields a better cup. We recommend using filtered or spring water and replacing any water that has been sitting for too long; water is a sponge that absorbs flavors, even from the air around it. Heat The Water Fill your kettle with fresh, cold water and heat to a rolling boil — unless you’re making green or white tea. In that case, stop just short of boiling to avoid “cooking” the delicate tea leaves. Explore Tea Kettles Measure The Tea This may seem obvious, but use premium tea. Use one teaspoon of full-leaf loose tea or herbs, or one tea bag per six-ounce cup of water. One six-ounce cup is the size of a traditional tea cup, or about half the size of most mugs. If using full-leaf loose tea or herbs, place tea in an infuser or a teapot. Time The Steeping Different teas call for different infusing times. Experiment to find your ideal time, but take care — don’t steep for too long or you’ll find your tea has gone bitter. If you are after a stronger cup, the trick is more tea, not more steeping.
| Tea | Water | Tea Bag | Full-Leaf |
| Black | boiling | 3 — 5 min | 3 — 5 min |
| Green | short of boiling | 1 — 3 min | 2 — 4 min |
| Oolong | boiling | 3 — 5 min | 5 — 7 min |
| White | short of boiling | 30 — 60 sec | 2 — 3 min |
| Red/Herb | boiling | 5 — 7 min | 5 — 7 min |
