how to make tea

if we want to make good tea in a practical manner, we have to be able to see the good and bad points — adopt the good and reject the bad. The current habits are actually just a product of the modern era and culture, and historically many other methods were used. So I made up my own method and it is far better than what is common in the mainland. Here is my “porcelain bowl method” in just three steps:

1. To begin with, you need a large kettle or teapot, and a large thermos. This ensures that you can keep drinking tea without being interrupted to prepare the water all the time. You also need a relatively small porcelain bowl, as might be used for eating rice or some small dishes.

2. Boil the water in your kettle / teapot, and then pour the water into your thermos. Now you have hot water for making tea.

3a. If you have a dark tea that should steep closer to boiling point (dark oolong, black tea, pu’er, etc.), then put the tea leaves in your bowl, and then just pour hot water into the bowl until it is full. After 2-3 minutes, your tea is ready.

3b. If you have a tea that should steep at lower temperature (green tea or green oolong), then pour hot water into your bowl until it is 2/3 full. Then wait 2-3 minutes until it has cooled a bit, and add your tea leaves. Then pour hot water until the bowl is full, which submerges and mixes the leaves. After 2-3 minutes, your tea is ready.

If you follow this carefully and adjust according to your experiences, you can make tea in a very simple way that does not require much effort at all, and with good results. Notice that I called for using a porcelain bowl. I haven’t had much success with using tall mugs, glasses, or cups for making tea. A porcelain bowl  is always preferable to me, as the shape has a big impact on how the tea turns out, and the larger opening allows the tea to cool in a regular way that gives a somewhat flatter and more consistent taste profile