Krups International Standards
As expected, when one hears about Krups, they usually think of a Germany-based appliance company with a lot of rich history down its path. And nothing has ever been truer than this. Through the years, Krups has made it their priority to maintain a standard of excellence in the world market. With its new and latest approaches to designing the styles and function of household utensils and appliances, they made it impossible for consumers to ignore their edge in providing quality items.
Now what about their latest coffee makers? That is a topic that deserves to be presented and discussed. The growing number of coffee drinkers and enthusiasts made it possible for this company to answer this call. With numerous varieties of coffee beans cultivated and perfected, the global need for the perfect coffee makers is increasing as well. Who else is best suited to take heed than Krups?
They were one of the world's pioneers in coffee maker production. Now learn about their latest updates in terms of design, function and features.
Drip Machines on the Go
There are as many types of coffee drinkers as there are coffee bean blends, and understandably so. Each individual consumer has his own preferences when it comes to brewing a perfect coffee concoction. For those who prefer the automatic drip coffee machine, the differences in features may vary and may not be that different but these slight variations could mean something to them
The 10-cup capacity stainless steel thermal carafe is programmable with an electronic descaling regulator perfect for those wanting a smooth exterior finish to their coffee makers. The 10-cup capacity with aroma selector features a pause-to-serve button just right for those with highly discriminating taste for coffee blends. The 12-cup capacity with pause-to-serve feature is also programmable and serves well for those who want to brew coffee in large quantities in one time.
These latest features are indeed much invaluable on a day-to-day basis. One can only imagine the satisfaction of brewing coffee in a short span of time and with great results as well. It is no wonder these Krups coffee makers are the best in their category. Style and function is a great combination that enhances the enjoyment of coffee-drinking.
For those living alone in their houses or apartments, coffee makers with lesser capacity would not be an issue. What matters is that they get the right results in the brewing process. However, for those who have other companions or family members at home who are much into coffee as they do, coffee makers with a higher capacity are recommended so as to accommodate more quantities in one brewing. Better look for the right one that suits your lifestyle and coffee-drinking pattern.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Do Aphrodisiac Foods Exist
Many of us have heard that sea-food excite the human senses or that walnuts and honey are the best aphrodisiac. But do certain types of food affect the human erotic impulse? Can specific food categories be the cause of the increase or decrease of male or female libido? Is there any scientific evidence that suggests some types of foods can help the sex life of today's individuals, or all these are just a legend that goes back to the ancient times? Although a balanced diet is considered today to be the best aphrodisiac, this article can help you spice up your life and answer some of your questions on the subject of aphrodisiac food materials.
- What is the role our brain plays?
The sexual disposition and activity of a person are directly related with the brain's activity. Crucial for the transferring of sexual stimulus are considered the neurotransmitters, the chemical substances that transfer messages to and out a person's brain. These neurotransmitters contribute to one's good memory and ability to focus, increase the good mood one carries and improve the levels of euphoria, while at the same time they are responsible to release sexual temper.
- The secrets of ancient Greeks:
Ancient Greeks are legendary for the particular focus they portrayed in the dinner preparation, making it resemble to a ritual as they devoted long periods of time to eat. The information we have available show that they used all of the five senses in an effort to create a sensual environment. Moreover, the food served was carefully selected and prepared and they used to grab food with their hands, as they supported that this practice creates a very interesting sensation stimulating also the brain. Additionally, ancient Greeks were firm believers that the food on the table had to be served with the right order and paid special attention to its appearance on the plate. The food smells and appearances were considered important stimulators for the functions of a healthy brain.
- Vitamin E, the "love" vitamin:
As scientists and ancient civilizations have found, vitamin E is one of the most important vitamins one should consume daily. Since vitamin E protects the blood cells and directly affects the sexual activity and the fecundity of a person, it is also known as the "fertility vitamin" and is recommended by physicians to treat the reproductive organs' malfunctions of males worldwide. Nuts, olive oil and avocado are great resources of vitamin E, and one should consume approximately 15 mg a day of these types of food.
Indeed, as contemporary researchers indicate, the consumption of certain food categories is related to the activities of the human organism. Dieticians specifically state that people wanting to have a balanced sex life have to include these special types of foods in their diet. As experts agree, exercising often and maintaining a balanced diet are the secrets to reduce stress and enjoy a better and healthier sex life.
- What is the role our brain plays?
The sexual disposition and activity of a person are directly related with the brain's activity. Crucial for the transferring of sexual stimulus are considered the neurotransmitters, the chemical substances that transfer messages to and out a person's brain. These neurotransmitters contribute to one's good memory and ability to focus, increase the good mood one carries and improve the levels of euphoria, while at the same time they are responsible to release sexual temper.
- The secrets of ancient Greeks:
Ancient Greeks are legendary for the particular focus they portrayed in the dinner preparation, making it resemble to a ritual as they devoted long periods of time to eat. The information we have available show that they used all of the five senses in an effort to create a sensual environment. Moreover, the food served was carefully selected and prepared and they used to grab food with their hands, as they supported that this practice creates a very interesting sensation stimulating also the brain. Additionally, ancient Greeks were firm believers that the food on the table had to be served with the right order and paid special attention to its appearance on the plate. The food smells and appearances were considered important stimulators for the functions of a healthy brain.
- Vitamin E, the "love" vitamin:
As scientists and ancient civilizations have found, vitamin E is one of the most important vitamins one should consume daily. Since vitamin E protects the blood cells and directly affects the sexual activity and the fecundity of a person, it is also known as the "fertility vitamin" and is recommended by physicians to treat the reproductive organs' malfunctions of males worldwide. Nuts, olive oil and avocado are great resources of vitamin E, and one should consume approximately 15 mg a day of these types of food.
Indeed, as contemporary researchers indicate, the consumption of certain food categories is related to the activities of the human organism. Dieticians specifically state that people wanting to have a balanced sex life have to include these special types of foods in their diet. As experts agree, exercising often and maintaining a balanced diet are the secrets to reduce stress and enjoy a better and healthier sex life.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Finding The Perfect Juicer
The main reason why there is not a "perfect" juicer is because different fruits and vegetables have vastly different properties. This ultimately means that a juicing method which is effective for a particular type of fruit may not be the best choice for another. Staying healthy has recently been associated with consuming more fresh juices. But improving the juicing experience is a matter of knowing what works best for a particular produce and how a juicer can maintain its highly presumed qualities.
In particular, fruits have softer cell walls and therefore require a more gentle extraction method. Juicing apples, pears, watermelons, cantaloupes and pineapples can be an easy process if the peel is off and they are chopped into smaller more easily handled pieces. On the other hand, citrus fruits, like oranges, lemons, grapefruits, or tangerines, should be juiced along with their bitter outer surface -after grating away their outer rind. But keeping the white skin area is extremely important, according to nutritionists, since it is in there where the most valuable nutrients are contained. For that reason, most people use the common method of slicing the fruit in half and then pressing it against a reamer style juicer or a citrus press in order to extract the healthiest parts of a citrus juice.
Vegetables, on the other hand, are tougher to handle. Sine they have fibrous, more rigid cell walls, these types of produce require more aggressive mechanical juicers that can extract their fluids. Scientists recommend that due to their lower acid content, vegetables have to be consumed immediately after their preparation. This is mainly supported because their enzyme activity lowers progressively with time -a 30 minute old juice has half of the enzyme activity found in a freshly made one.
If you think that a bottled or canned juice is healthier because of lack of discoloration -when an apple or a carrot becomes brown is a sign that the fruit or vegetable has been oxidized and can happed when one prepares a juice-you better think again. The difference is found in the juice's preparation and has to do with the fact that juice producers heat the juice in order to kill all the enzymes and thus, extending their color and lifetime. But, the one thing they cannot extend is their nutritional effect which is forever destroyed due to this heating process. The fresh, alive enzymes are one of the key reasons why making a fresh juice at home with a juicer can be so beneficial for one's health.
Easy to operate juicers can help those interested to reach and maintain a better state of health a quick and simple way of ensuring that their bodies receive enough nutrients daily. Juicers are useful tools when wanting to lose weight as various recipes can help people trick their stomachs into thinking they are full. But apart from them being an excellent way for people to maintain their desired weight, juicers have come to be considered a lifestyle choice, not just a particular appliance, due to their extremely desirable nutritional benefits.
In particular, fruits have softer cell walls and therefore require a more gentle extraction method. Juicing apples, pears, watermelons, cantaloupes and pineapples can be an easy process if the peel is off and they are chopped into smaller more easily handled pieces. On the other hand, citrus fruits, like oranges, lemons, grapefruits, or tangerines, should be juiced along with their bitter outer surface -after grating away their outer rind. But keeping the white skin area is extremely important, according to nutritionists, since it is in there where the most valuable nutrients are contained. For that reason, most people use the common method of slicing the fruit in half and then pressing it against a reamer style juicer or a citrus press in order to extract the healthiest parts of a citrus juice.
Vegetables, on the other hand, are tougher to handle. Sine they have fibrous, more rigid cell walls, these types of produce require more aggressive mechanical juicers that can extract their fluids. Scientists recommend that due to their lower acid content, vegetables have to be consumed immediately after their preparation. This is mainly supported because their enzyme activity lowers progressively with time -a 30 minute old juice has half of the enzyme activity found in a freshly made one.
If you think that a bottled or canned juice is healthier because of lack of discoloration -when an apple or a carrot becomes brown is a sign that the fruit or vegetable has been oxidized and can happed when one prepares a juice-you better think again. The difference is found in the juice's preparation and has to do with the fact that juice producers heat the juice in order to kill all the enzymes and thus, extending their color and lifetime. But, the one thing they cannot extend is their nutritional effect which is forever destroyed due to this heating process. The fresh, alive enzymes are one of the key reasons why making a fresh juice at home with a juicer can be so beneficial for one's health.
Easy to operate juicers can help those interested to reach and maintain a better state of health a quick and simple way of ensuring that their bodies receive enough nutrients daily. Juicers are useful tools when wanting to lose weight as various recipes can help people trick their stomachs into thinking they are full. But apart from them being an excellent way for people to maintain their desired weight, juicers have come to be considered a lifestyle choice, not just a particular appliance, due to their extremely desirable nutritional benefits.
Friday, August 7, 2009
The 1773 Boston Tea Party
In history class, we learned a great deal about the history of America. The Boston Tea Party was one major turning point that defined America as we know it today. We are strong, defiant, capable, and know what is fair and just. The British were looking for some way to recover some of the money they had lost during the war between the French and Indians some ten years earlier. In the years just prior to the Boston Tea Party, the crown had created numerous attempts to gain back control of the governments.
It started with the 1765 Stamp Act, the 1767 Townsend Acts, the 1770 Boston Massacre, and culminated with the 1773 Tea Tax. Because colonists took a stand and refused to pay any taxes, the Parliament was forced to retract all taxes and so they did, except one. You guessed it they left the Tea Tax. This was nothing more than a mere demonstration of the rights and ability Parliament felt they had to impose taxes.
It was in May of the year 1773, Parliament decided to implement a tricky little plan. An Indian Company that was struggling was given the full task of American tea importation. They then placed a reduction on the tea tax. This mean that all Americans, who absolutely loved their tea, would pay a much cheaper price for the tea. The problem for colonists; however, was the fact that while it may be cheaper, they would still be giving into Parliament and recognizing their taxes.
Parliament, who had assumed that the Americans would pay the taxes instead of giving up their tea, was in for a big surprise. A Boston Tea Party surprise. The Colonists were ready to fight, or more appropriately boycott the tea. In both New York and Philadelphia, the ships carrying the tea were not allowed to dock. However, in Charleston, they allowed the ships to dock and remove the tea; however, the tea was placed in storage for three years. The patriots sold this tea, three years later, in efforts of financing the American Revolution.
On a winter day in December of 1773, three ships arrived in Bostons ports. They attempted peaceful denial of the cargo on the dock ships, simply refusing to pay the taxes. However, when a refusal to leave met their refusal to pay, anger flared. Later in that same evening, two hundred Indian disguised men, marched to the ships. The Boston Tea Party ensued and subsequently dumped three hundred and forty two tea crates into the Boston Harbor.
The Boston Tea Party and subsequent events were ultimately responsible for the eventual American Revolution.
It started with the 1765 Stamp Act, the 1767 Townsend Acts, the 1770 Boston Massacre, and culminated with the 1773 Tea Tax. Because colonists took a stand and refused to pay any taxes, the Parliament was forced to retract all taxes and so they did, except one. You guessed it they left the Tea Tax. This was nothing more than a mere demonstration of the rights and ability Parliament felt they had to impose taxes.
It was in May of the year 1773, Parliament decided to implement a tricky little plan. An Indian Company that was struggling was given the full task of American tea importation. They then placed a reduction on the tea tax. This mean that all Americans, who absolutely loved their tea, would pay a much cheaper price for the tea. The problem for colonists; however, was the fact that while it may be cheaper, they would still be giving into Parliament and recognizing their taxes.
Parliament, who had assumed that the Americans would pay the taxes instead of giving up their tea, was in for a big surprise. A Boston Tea Party surprise. The Colonists were ready to fight, or more appropriately boycott the tea. In both New York and Philadelphia, the ships carrying the tea were not allowed to dock. However, in Charleston, they allowed the ships to dock and remove the tea; however, the tea was placed in storage for three years. The patriots sold this tea, three years later, in efforts of financing the American Revolution.
On a winter day in December of 1773, three ships arrived in Bostons ports. They attempted peaceful denial of the cargo on the dock ships, simply refusing to pay the taxes. However, when a refusal to leave met their refusal to pay, anger flared. Later in that same evening, two hundred Indian disguised men, marched to the ships. The Boston Tea Party ensued and subsequently dumped three hundred and forty two tea crates into the Boston Harbor.
The Boston Tea Party and subsequent events were ultimately responsible for the eventual American Revolution.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Discover All The Health Benefits of Juicing
The health benefits of juicing have just recently started become mainstream knowledge. Lots of us have at one time or another drank freshly squeezed orange juice (and loved it!), but if you haven't tried a papaya-mango-carrot blend, you don't know what you're missing.
Aside from the delicious and unique tastes that can be accomplished through juicing, the ease with which you can get the proper amount of fruits and veggies into your system makes a using a juicer a healthy lifestyle option.
The invention of the home juicer made it possible for everyone and of every budget range enjoy the benefits of juicing in the comfort of their own home. With juicers starting in price at around $200.00, they're a feasible gift to give and certainly a justifiable purchase. Diet is so vastly important in the prevention of disease. There are diseases that are prevalent in modernized areas, like America and Europe, which have never shown up in a single native resident of places where the diet consists of mostly fruit and vegetables - like Africa.
British researchers stationed in Africa have, for a period of 30 years, not seen a single case of prostate cancer, colon cancer, hernia or diverticulitis. The only explanation researchers have for this lack of disease is the fact that their diet is mostly composed of fruits and vegetables and ours is not.
How Juicing Diet Helps Our Digestion
Often, by cooking and processing foods, the sensitive micro-nutrients found in fresh foods are destroyed. By eating a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables and getting the essential micro-nutrients needed in your diet, you can live a healthier, happier, more productive life and reduce the chances of getting many diseases.
Ideally, the body requires one pound of vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight. The problem is that eating raw fruit and vegetables in such large doses can be very difficult. By eating a lot of the same fruits or vegetables, you are not getting enough of a mixture of the fruits and vegetables needed. Having too much of the same food too often can also increase the chance of becoming allergic to it.
Another benefit of juicing is that it makes foods easier for us to digest, so nutrients can be used by the body quicker than if they were just eaten. The best way to begin is to purchase a cheaper brand juicer. That way you won't lose a lot of money if you decide that this is not for you. Remember; a cheap model will produce low quality juice and tend to be louder.
The health benefits of juicing are far too numerous to list because of all the nutrients you're liable to ingest that you never would have before. By getting and staying healthy now through juicing, your potential for developing serious ailments is monumentally decreased. If you invest in a juicer and use it daily, you'll start feeling healthier and more energized that you thought was possible.
Additional Benefits of Juicing Info
Juicing is a great way to give your body the essential micro-nutrients and minerals needed to keep healthy.
The best way to begin a regular juicing routine is to do it the same time each day and only begin with the vegetables and fruits that you enjoy eating whole.
Fresh fruit and vegetable juices should be consumed right away. When they are stored, they can lose their nutritional value very quickly. However, if you really want to store them, do it properly.
Juice is sensitive to air, so it should be kept in an airtight glass container and filled right up to the top to make sure that there is the least amount of air inside the container as possible. Keep the container away from light by wrapping it in aluminum foil and storing it in the refrigerator.
Fruit and vegetable juices should be consumed at room temperature. If they have been stored in the refrigerator, remove them at least half an hour before consuming. Never drink juice that is over 24 hours old, as all of the nutritional value and main benefits of juicing will have been lost.
Aside from the delicious and unique tastes that can be accomplished through juicing, the ease with which you can get the proper amount of fruits and veggies into your system makes a using a juicer a healthy lifestyle option.
The invention of the home juicer made it possible for everyone and of every budget range enjoy the benefits of juicing in the comfort of their own home. With juicers starting in price at around $200.00, they're a feasible gift to give and certainly a justifiable purchase. Diet is so vastly important in the prevention of disease. There are diseases that are prevalent in modernized areas, like America and Europe, which have never shown up in a single native resident of places where the diet consists of mostly fruit and vegetables - like Africa.
British researchers stationed in Africa have, for a period of 30 years, not seen a single case of prostate cancer, colon cancer, hernia or diverticulitis. The only explanation researchers have for this lack of disease is the fact that their diet is mostly composed of fruits and vegetables and ours is not.
How Juicing Diet Helps Our Digestion
Often, by cooking and processing foods, the sensitive micro-nutrients found in fresh foods are destroyed. By eating a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables and getting the essential micro-nutrients needed in your diet, you can live a healthier, happier, more productive life and reduce the chances of getting many diseases.
Ideally, the body requires one pound of vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight. The problem is that eating raw fruit and vegetables in such large doses can be very difficult. By eating a lot of the same fruits or vegetables, you are not getting enough of a mixture of the fruits and vegetables needed. Having too much of the same food too often can also increase the chance of becoming allergic to it.
Another benefit of juicing is that it makes foods easier for us to digest, so nutrients can be used by the body quicker than if they were just eaten. The best way to begin is to purchase a cheaper brand juicer. That way you won't lose a lot of money if you decide that this is not for you. Remember; a cheap model will produce low quality juice and tend to be louder.
The health benefits of juicing are far too numerous to list because of all the nutrients you're liable to ingest that you never would have before. By getting and staying healthy now through juicing, your potential for developing serious ailments is monumentally decreased. If you invest in a juicer and use it daily, you'll start feeling healthier and more energized that you thought was possible.
Additional Benefits of Juicing Info
Juicing is a great way to give your body the essential micro-nutrients and minerals needed to keep healthy.
The best way to begin a regular juicing routine is to do it the same time each day and only begin with the vegetables and fruits that you enjoy eating whole.
Fresh fruit and vegetable juices should be consumed right away. When they are stored, they can lose their nutritional value very quickly. However, if you really want to store them, do it properly.
Juice is sensitive to air, so it should be kept in an airtight glass container and filled right up to the top to make sure that there is the least amount of air inside the container as possible. Keep the container away from light by wrapping it in aluminum foil and storing it in the refrigerator.
Fruit and vegetable juices should be consumed at room temperature. If they have been stored in the refrigerator, remove them at least half an hour before consuming. Never drink juice that is over 24 hours old, as all of the nutritional value and main benefits of juicing will have been lost.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Fascinating Facts About Tea For Restaurants
I still remember the best cup of tea I ever had. It was at a Mediterranean restaurant on the Las Vegas strip. After an excellent meal of falafel, hummus, baba ganouch, pita bread, and lamb, I ordered the tea and was presented with a pot of steaming water and a container of fresh, wet whole tea leaves. You let the tea leaves sit in a basket strainer in the cup to steep until the desired strength. It was delicious, but very strong, because I wasn't used to brewing it like this. Tea has caffeine just like coffee does, but at a slightly lower concentration. I was wired for the rest of the day. But it was delicious, completely unlike making your tea with a little bag of dried particles.
Lots of restaurants think that tea is the simplest thing to prepare: just heat water, throw in a tea bag, and Bob's your uncle. But some helpful tips will turn the least-considered beverage in your restaurant into an experience that will deeply impress the customer, since most restaurants don't bother to make their tea better at all.
First, start with cold water, which you don't let boil for too long. The reason why we start with cold water is that it has more oxygen in it, and as you boil the water, the oxygen is slowly driven out. The more oxygen the water has, the better the tea will taste. Have you ever drank a glass of water that has been sitting out for a day or so, and noticed that it tasted kind of flat? That's because all of the oxygen that is naturally dissolved in the water has leached out into the open air. Seriously, try two cups prepared side by side and you will taste the difference.
Use a tea cozy, and if you are serving tea for just one guest, just fill the water pot up only part way. Making single-cup tea tends to make the tea bitter - and will cost the same as a whole pot. The tea cozy is to keep the tea hot for a longer time. This is helpful if your guest will like their tea strong or will be enjoying it over a leisurely period of time. If you are steeping the tea, make sure to remove the tea bag when the tea is at your desired strength or it will end up getting bitter and nasty.
Next, while your are boiling with the kettle, pre-heat the tea pot. Simply get a shot of the hot water when it starts to boil from the kettle and swish it around in the pot, but be careful not to give yourself a scald! If your tap is hot enough, you can also fill the pot and let it sit while you are boiling the kettle. Now, why do we do this? Because of physics. A cold pot will absorb more heat from the boiling water poured into it than a warm pot, and we want our water to be hot and good to steep all of the essence of the tea. Remember your thermodynamics!
A bit of tea trivia: In England, they steep the tea in the pot itself instead of the individual cup. And then they don't wash the pot from one use to another! Rather like a tobacco smoker's pipe, they consider the buildup of residue inside the pot to impart a flavor to each successive cup. An anecdote floating around out there has it that the maid washing the family tea pot is considered a firing offense! Don't know how this applies to your set-up, but you'll probably be washing the tea pot anyway.
Not many people know that tea has grades. The terms used in the grading and classification of tea, while less obtuse than those used for wine, are still intricate and detailed. The most basic division is by the color of the tea leaf, which depends on the level of fermentation.
Green tea is not fermented at all, and has a very fresh, almost grassy aroma. Oolong tea is only partially fermented and has a light brown color. Black tea is of the type most commonly served in the West, and is fully fermented. The leaves are completely black, and the flavor is robust and almost like coffee.
Further classification of black tea goes by the shape and size of the tea leaf. This is mostly based on which parts of the leaf are included and the methods of processing the leaves. There are four basic classifications of leaf size, which are then subdivided in more specific categories according to, at last, what kind of tea bush the leaf came from.
Whew! And all this time, you thought it was so simple! Just a bag and water. Well, that bag which comes in a box of fifty that you buy a brick at a time contains what is called "dust": the lowest possible grade. Dust is ranked below "fannings" (little pieces of broken leaves), which is below "broken leaf", and that of course below "whole leaf". Of course, Oolong and black teas will have to be dried out, but with green tea you can have the fresh leaves straight off the bush, if that's how you insist.
Lots of restaurants think that tea is the simplest thing to prepare: just heat water, throw in a tea bag, and Bob's your uncle. But some helpful tips will turn the least-considered beverage in your restaurant into an experience that will deeply impress the customer, since most restaurants don't bother to make their tea better at all.
First, start with cold water, which you don't let boil for too long. The reason why we start with cold water is that it has more oxygen in it, and as you boil the water, the oxygen is slowly driven out. The more oxygen the water has, the better the tea will taste. Have you ever drank a glass of water that has been sitting out for a day or so, and noticed that it tasted kind of flat? That's because all of the oxygen that is naturally dissolved in the water has leached out into the open air. Seriously, try two cups prepared side by side and you will taste the difference.
Use a tea cozy, and if you are serving tea for just one guest, just fill the water pot up only part way. Making single-cup tea tends to make the tea bitter - and will cost the same as a whole pot. The tea cozy is to keep the tea hot for a longer time. This is helpful if your guest will like their tea strong or will be enjoying it over a leisurely period of time. If you are steeping the tea, make sure to remove the tea bag when the tea is at your desired strength or it will end up getting bitter and nasty.
Next, while your are boiling with the kettle, pre-heat the tea pot. Simply get a shot of the hot water when it starts to boil from the kettle and swish it around in the pot, but be careful not to give yourself a scald! If your tap is hot enough, you can also fill the pot and let it sit while you are boiling the kettle. Now, why do we do this? Because of physics. A cold pot will absorb more heat from the boiling water poured into it than a warm pot, and we want our water to be hot and good to steep all of the essence of the tea. Remember your thermodynamics!
A bit of tea trivia: In England, they steep the tea in the pot itself instead of the individual cup. And then they don't wash the pot from one use to another! Rather like a tobacco smoker's pipe, they consider the buildup of residue inside the pot to impart a flavor to each successive cup. An anecdote floating around out there has it that the maid washing the family tea pot is considered a firing offense! Don't know how this applies to your set-up, but you'll probably be washing the tea pot anyway.
Not many people know that tea has grades. The terms used in the grading and classification of tea, while less obtuse than those used for wine, are still intricate and detailed. The most basic division is by the color of the tea leaf, which depends on the level of fermentation.
Green tea is not fermented at all, and has a very fresh, almost grassy aroma. Oolong tea is only partially fermented and has a light brown color. Black tea is of the type most commonly served in the West, and is fully fermented. The leaves are completely black, and the flavor is robust and almost like coffee.
Further classification of black tea goes by the shape and size of the tea leaf. This is mostly based on which parts of the leaf are included and the methods of processing the leaves. There are four basic classifications of leaf size, which are then subdivided in more specific categories according to, at last, what kind of tea bush the leaf came from.
Whew! And all this time, you thought it was so simple! Just a bag and water. Well, that bag which comes in a box of fifty that you buy a brick at a time contains what is called "dust": the lowest possible grade. Dust is ranked below "fannings" (little pieces of broken leaves), which is below "broken leaf", and that of course below "whole leaf". Of course, Oolong and black teas will have to be dried out, but with green tea you can have the fresh leaves straight off the bush, if that's how you insist.
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