Tea-time

Happy new year to everyone reading this! Its 11:30 am on New year morning, I've just had my cuppa tea and  slice of toast with honey. I was trying to think of something to write here today, and then I thought why not start from my cup of tea. Well, you might be thinking, "tea!!?" Hm,yes.. I love my tea and I can have it anytime. Tea is more than just a beverage, it is a comfort.Besides which, being from Kerala which is famous for it's tea stalls, I consider myself equipped to ramble about it.

I know it will be presumptive of me to try to explain how to make tea. But there are so many nuances in it,that as a tea lover, I feel I should elaborate on.
First of all, the basic starting point is whether you make tea from loose (grinded) tea leaves or from tea bag. Both bring their own taste, and if you have the choice of both, loose tea leaves do give the more authentic taste I believe.

The process can be simply put as this: Take as much water as you want your tea and boil. When the water is really boiling well,add a tsp of tea leaves (or pour the water on to the tea bag, if you're using that). Let it stand for a minute or two, then add as much milk as you need the colour to be, take it off the stove and strain (or take off the tea bag once you get your consistency).Now your tea is ready minus the sugar.For the final touch, pour it from cup to kettle and back until a nice frothy layer forms.



Now comes the part that made me want to write of tea here: Tea is really 90% water brewed with tea leaves and 10% milk or cream. If you want to further increase the water percentage from 90 upto 100(black tea), that's just fine.But any change in proportions below 90% water is really not fine. To put it simply, tea should be brewed in water and not milk. Milk is an additive that can be added for those who desire the color and taste, but a tea brewed in milk is just not tea. It is a most undesirable form of milk. I'll say it again because it is one mistaken assumption that most people who are not used to drinking/making tea have about it. You are hearing the voice of experience from the many trying times when milky forms of tea have been gulped down, not wishing to offend those who offer with affection.

Among tea drinkers, there are those(like me and my dad) who like their tea piping hot and no less, and also those(like my mom) who make their tea wait around till it's about as cool as the paper they're reading before drinking it.Then there are those(like my brother) who swear by black tea and insist that,"milk spoils the flavor of tea".

I wouldn't be being sincere in my story if I don't mention the various spices and herbs you can add to tea that brings out new sensory levels to it.The one I most love is ginger tea. Just a few slices of ginger crushed and put into the water as you boil it is all the effort you need to take, and the spicy aromatic flavor of ginger is a treat to senses and body(given the medicinal properties of ginger).Other flavors that I like are lemon,cardamom(lightly spiced) and Indian masala made especially for tea which I think is more popular in North India.

Many friendships have been forged over tea; moments of togetherness with friends and impromptu family evenings while gathered over tea. It has been a constant companion through all happy, sad and tough moments. A cup of tea really means more than the cup or the tea,it is for me a harbinger of comfort and happiness.There's no worry a good cup of hot brewed tea can't pacify.

I could go on and on about tea,but I'll probably do no more than bore you all to death. So,I recommend everyone who is feeling drowsy after reading through this piece to have a strong,hot flavored cup of tea and be energized. Cheers to happy tea times!