How to Use a Blooming Tea Pot
Whether it is black, green, or white tea, most tea when brewed looks dull and soggy. Blooming tea, or flowering tea, turns the finished tea into an art as sublime as the taste of the tea itself. The time spent brewing tea turns into entertainment rather than a time to just wait. Blooming tea is made by sewing tea leaves into bundles while they are still damp. Jasmine and other flowers are often added to create a colorful surprise as the bundles unwind. You will want to use a glass teapot so that you can enjoy the show, but the tea will taste wonderful regardless. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tea kettle or electric kettle
- Blooming (glass) tea pot
- Blooming or flowering tea
Instructions
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1
Start water boiling in a tea kettle or electric kettle. This is also a good time to lay out any tea cookies or biscuits that you would like to have with your tea.
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2
Pour a small amount of warm water into the blooming teapot, swirl it around, and pour it out in order to warm up the tea pot itself.
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3
Place the warm--but empty--blooming teapot on a trivet or hot pad in the middle of the table so that you will be able to watch the tea bloom.
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4
Arrange the dry flowering tea in the teapot with the sewn side down. Do not worry if it is uneven, as the tea bundle will generally right itself as it expands.
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5
Pour the water into the teapot slowly when it is at a rapid boil (212 degrees F). Allow the tea to steep for two to three minutes.
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6
Pour tea into teacups. You can use a strainer to remove any stray tea leaves, but these are quite rare with blooming tea.
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Tips & Warnings
Blooming tea can be re-steeped two to three times.
