The gourmet tea information will point you in the right direction to find specialty loose leaf tea. We will also help you find 3 good ways to properly store your tea leaf. Like all things that matter to us, choosing the correct way to store our loose leaf tea is important. Let’s consider some of the ways that people store their tea leaves and see if we want to follow suit.
We know that we can buy excellent specialty loose leaf tea from various suppliers. Supermarkets would not fall into that category. Specialty teahouses can fall into this category. Why, most are into using loose leaf tea and want to educate their visitors on its quality. When you go to a tea shop, ask questions. Where do you get your tea? How do you keep it here in your tea house? Can you give me suggestions on the best place to store it at home? Can I put it in a zip lock bag? Why is it okay or why not? The people who work in tea houses should be able to give you information about gourmet tea. If you ask a question they are unsure about, they should offer to find out for you.
Today’s consumers are quite smart, we can feel if we are talking to someone who knows what they are talking about.
Look around the teahouse, order a cup of tea, and watch it brew. Did they open a well-sealed container to scoop out the loose tea? Did they have water from a special unit that was properly heated to the proper temperature? Here’s a really great one, did you have tea time?
Each type of tea requires different water temperatures and different times. Brewing longer than the correct time does not result in a stronger cup of tea. Results in a cup of bitter tea. Adding sugar does not mask the bitter taste. How do we achieve a stronger infusion? Ask your server to use more than the usual amount of loose tea leaves. When asked about using a zip-lock plastic bag to store tea; the answer should have been “no”. If it was not “no”, go to other tea houses in search of the right tea leaf dealer.
Loose tea should be kept in tightly closed opaque dry containers to keep it fresh. A tea shop should be able to give you this gourmet tea information. They should be able to say why this is important. They should give you suggestions on how to find the right container for your leaves.
Now why:
Tea absorbs the odors around it, changing its original flavor
Tea loses flavor if left in bright areas
Tea exposed to the air loses flavor and freshness.
Tea exposed to moisture can become moldy
What advice should tea houses offer? How should they display and store their own tea?
A good tea shop will have your loose leaf tea in airtight containers. A glass jar can be airtight if it has a gasket seal. That would be fine if the jars weren’t exposed to light. Many good tea shops display tea in small containers, but keep the leaves protected for sale. This means that you can see and smell to get an idea of the taste.
Stainless steel containers that have a double seal are a good option. Ceramic will work too, again if it has a tight seal. (Gasket seal) I personally feel better if the store I am shopping from uses one of these methods.
This is what you should not use at home. I would not use plastic containers as these can absorb odors and transfer to the tea leaf. Container sets are often ceramic with a lid that you simply put on top. These would allow the air to destroy the flavor.
Remember to find good quality tea leaves by looking at the tea houses and asking questions. When you bring home what you have bought, store it properly to preserve its freshness. Hermetically sealed glass jars in a dark place, double-sealed stainless steel containers, and securely sealed ceramic containers are three good storage options.
Now you are ready to enjoy your cup of tea.