It was a cold morning. The bush and trees on that hill were shrouded in mist. His brother,Robert Bruce, had come across these peculiar bushes a while back but wasn't able to fully investigate its value and utility. However, Charles was happy that day because the report that he received from botanists back home stated that this unique type of tea was safe to drink and would create a revolution among Tea drinkers across the world. He named it 'Assam Tea'.
This tea was different from those that he had come across in the past. Growing at sea level, it had wide green leaves and a distinct glossy texture that added to its uniqueness. Its strong, rich taste combined with pleasant aroma made it the perfect beverage to wake up to. In addition, he noticed that the tea leaves plucked during the second harvest were of the best quality and form.
Although this royal and acclaimed tea was discovered many years back, my foray into tea drinking lifestyle was rather slow. In other words, i didn't just adopt tea the first time i drank it. Rather it was a slow process which has made an impression on me that will last for many years to come.
The devil is in the detail
One reason i love drinking tea so much is that making tea is such an Art form. You don't just boil water, add the tea leaves, add milk, add sugar and drink. Well, that's basically what you do. But like they say, its not only about what you do, but rather how you do it.
To make that nice cup of tea you need to keep certain things in mind:
Don't Steep your Tea in boiling hot water!
This leads to the leaves getting burnt and leaving a bad taste. After boiling, leave the kettle for 5 minutes before steeping;This ensures you reach the perfect temperature.
Don't pour the water first and then add the Tea leaves!
Instead first add the tea leaves and then pour the water. This ensures a better spread of flavor and essence.
The time for steeping depends on the type of Tea you are making:
Black tea 3-5 minutes
Green
tea 2-3 minutes
If you keep these things in mind , your cup of hot tea will be more stimulating and full bodied.
The more i drink my tea, the more delicate details and nuances i get to know about my tea.
I know this might sound a bit crazy, but over the years i have become more particular about my tea.
I know exactly how much sugar, water, tea spoons of tea leaves, milk and the type of tea required for the tea that will stimulate my mind and lead to that perfect day when the clouds part, the sun shines, the angels sing and my productivity is maximized.
What is in a Glass of tea you may ask?
Tea to me represents art. If you have you ever tried steeping a bag of rich tea in a glass tea pot, you will notice how the color gradually defuses throughout the teapot in a meditative beauty.
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| Photo credit: Laurel Fan |
Tea represents a persons journey towards success. Like they say, you can never make a perfect cup of tea. In the same way, In man's journey towards perfection, he is never satisfied with his success and always strives harder to reach new levels of achievement and win new laurels.
Tea represents the variety of life. There is no single type of tea. There are many types such green, black, white and herbal among many others, although all teas have a stimulating and pleasant effect on the drinkers mind and body. Similarly, although every human being strives for fulfillment and success in one field or the other, there are multiple ways by which he can reach his/her destination.
So if you aren't already at your Tea table, brighten up, because there is an amazing journey waiting for you right around the corner..
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