Even in the mountains of Colorado, we are starting to feel the heat of the spring and thinking of iced tea. Alright it is still snowing every other day, but there are daffodils starting to bloom- that counts right? We have been experimenting with icing our teas in sachets.†Some of our favorites are the super fruit teas; Organic Tropical Goji Green, Organic Pomi~berry Herbal and Alpine Berry Herbal. Check out our favorite way to brew at this link!
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A case for the Tea sachet
By tealover / in Uncategorized / October 29, 2008
The perfect tea sachet
Tea bags have a bad reputation, but at Two Leaves and a Bud, because our bag is really a sachet, we believe you will taste the difference right away.
We love tea sachets! They make brewing a better cuppa' tea easy! Two Leaves and a Bud tea sachets are filled with super-premium whole leaf tea. Unlike normal tea bags that are filled with dust, whole leaf tea gives you the full flavor of tea.
Our sachets are made of biodegradable cornstarch based nylon, not petroleum based nylon. They are pyramid shaped to allow the whole leaves to circulate and infuse properly, without the mess of brewing loose leaf tea.
Tea sachets also brew up a great glass of iced tea - they don't fall apart in your glass!
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Making the Perfect Iced Tea
By tealover / in Uncategorized / October 4, 2008Two Leaves and a Bud brings you this perfect Iced tea recipe, as reported by NPR in 2002:
A Foolproof Recipe for a Cool Glass of 'Southern House Wine'Iced tea has been called the "house wine of the South." It's a beverage as simple as a black tea bag and water, and as complex and exotic as Thai iced tea with evaporated milk and subtle spices.
Fred Thompson is something of a beverage expert. The author has written two books on our traditional American refreshments, Lemonade and Iced Tea. NPR's Susan Stamberg talked with Thompson at his vacation home in Myrtle Beach, S.C., about what makes the perfect glass of iced tea. His favorite, he tells Stamberg, is the classic Southern-style iced tea.
from Ice Tea:
There are as many ways to brew iced tea as there are Southern grandmothers. I grew up on iced tea made by bringing a small amount of water to a slow boil and then pouring it over the tea bags to form a concentrate. More water was added to finish the process. I guess I'm biased toward this method, but it definitely does make good tea. The baking soda might seem strange, but it softens the natural tannins that cause an acid or bitter taste.
Ingredients
6 regular-size tea bags (You can use Alpine Berry, Oolong, Tropical Goji Green)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda (a good pinch)
2 cups boiling water
6 cups cold water
Granulated sugar or other sweetener to taste (optional)Directions
1. In a glass measuring cup or ceramic teapot large enough to accommodate the boiling water, place the tea bags and baking soda. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes.2. Remove the tea bags, being careful not to squeeze them (squeezing the bags will add bitterness).
3. Pour the concentrate into a two-quart pitcher and add the cold water. Sweeten, if desired. (Some Southerners put in as much as 1 1/2 cups of sugar.)
4. Let cool, then chill and serve over ice.
Makes two quarts.
Hints
Tea will become cloudy if refrigerated while still warm. Add a little boiling water to clear up the cloudiness.The tannins in tea also cause cloudiness when the tea is brewed in hard water. If you know you have minerals in your water, use bottled or filtered water.
