Loose Leaf Specialty Teas

Tea is the most widely consumed beverage next to water around the world.  While many simply enjoy the taste of a hot cup of tea, scientists have discovered many medicinal properties to the popular beverage.

Tea is healthier than water.

"Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water.  Water is essentially replacing fluid.  Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants, so it's got two things going for it," said Dr. Carrie Ruxton, nutrition team leader.

Bella Coola Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00	Cinnamon Sibu Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00	Lady London Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00
Enchanted Green Apple Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00	Ooh-La-La French Blend Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00	Georgia Peach Rooibos Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00
Mercedes Apple Spice Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00	Bourbon St Vanilla Rooibos Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00	Casablanca Herbal Tea Sizes 1 ounce $2.00 2 ounces $4.00

How to make tea......

The best way to make tea is to use a teakettle to boil the water.  The advantage is the water is actually boiling when you pour it over the tea, either in a cup or in a teapot.  This helps to extract the most flavour from the tea, and it reduces the length of time you need to brew the tea.  The longer you brew, the more bitter tannin will be dissolved.

You will also get better results using loose tea in a teapot, rather than teabags.  Loose tea is not ground as fine as the tea in tea bags, as it has more room to circulate in the pot.  The finer tea is ground, the more bitter tannin is released.  Use a tea strainer to avoid getting tea leaves in your cup.

Of course, you also need to use good quality tea.  Loose leaf tea brewed in a teapot makes the best tasting tea.

We recommend one teaspoon of loose tea per person, plus one for the pot.

Use freshly drawn water.  When water is re-boiled, or stands for a while, it loses oxygen which prevents the full flavour of the tea being released.

Warming the pot first helps the brewing process by maintaining the brewing temperature for longer, to extract more flavour from the tea.

Be sure to use boiling water to make the tea.  Water which is off the boil does not allow the tea to brew properly.

Brew for 3-5 minutes, shorter times will not reveal the full flavour and the quality of the tea.  Longer brewing will result in a bitter tasting tea as tannin will start to be extracted from the tea leaves.

Stir the tea in the pot once or twice while it is brewing.

Tea bags – the same directions apply as for loose tea.  You will get best results brewing in a pot.  If you brew in a cup brew for a much shorter time, 1 - 2 minutes.