While this blog is dedicated to tea and tea service, there is that brother from another mother out there infiltrating our cups: coffee! While tea is generally considered the healthier alternative, is this necessarily true? Tea is almost 3000 years older than coffee; does age trump youthfulness here? Let's find out!
There are two major 'ingredients' usually associated with tea and coffee: caffeine, and antioxidants. While many people automatically assume caffeine to be a bad thing, this is not the case! If you need a pick me up for alertness, caffeine is your drug of choice. Caffeine also used to be a go-to relief for sufferers of asthma. So long as these beverages are reasonably consumed (a max of four 8 oz. cups a day, and that's being generous) then one has nothing to worry about. And antioxidants have been shown to reduce inflammation of blood vessels, and to reduce the likelihood of cancer.
Now, which beverage has more or less of these things! In order of most to least amount of caffeine, it goes: coffee (~150mg/cup), black tea, green tea (~55mg/cup), and white tea. In order of most to least amount of antioxidants, it goes: white tea, green tea, black tea, and coffee (fancy that!)
Because there is such a thing as too much caffeine, because coffee has little support to its health benefits, and because there really isn't such a thing as too much antioxidant, I would say that tea is the healthier choice. But again - so long as it is consumed within reason - I would really recommend you just drink whatever you prefer!
Thank you ABC News and and Diffen for some of the above info!
05 February 2011
03 February 2011
Tea Rap
Cup of Brown Joy
Love a cup…. I would… ah, God yes!
Ooh that is gorgeous. Yeah!
I need a cup of the brown stuff, the shade of an acorn.
Made warm by the same source that I take my cakes from.
Using a tea pot, a mug, or fine china…
Being hooked up to IVs, and constant supplies.
…and the ___ of my urges might verge on the verge of an earthy brown tea.
I’m certain it’s worth it.
We ___ to workers and use a fresh fountain,
I deserve brews from Peruvian mountains.
I’ve slurped up a cup from an elephant’s trunk
with a couple of monks who utterly stunk.
I’ve had bourbons with sultans and creams with queens,
and I’ve bathed in Earl Grey. I’m really that keen!
And missionaries dismiss me for my singular epiphany.
The difference between him and me is a simple sip of British tea!
So when times are hard and life is rough,
You can stick the kettle on and find me a cup!
Now when I say Earl Grey, you say yes please!
Earl Grey — yes please!
Earl Grey — yes please!
When I say Assam, you say lovely!
Assam — lovely!
Assam — lovely!
When I say ooh, you say ahh!
Ooh — ahh!
Ooh — ahh!
Ooh — ahhhhhh!
(muttering?)
I’ve been around the world in 80 brews
to see the place you take me to
to make the brew that tastes like the cream cakes made by angels do.
I’m not the same as you; get shaky with ___.
To swig amazing fluids, but don’t make it the same.
Now, using fine leaves, picked by pretty maidens,
in a bag knitted by a seamstress who lives in Copenhagen.
Brewed up in a pot made of semi-precious metal
And then let the bless-ed contents settle in my very special kettle.
Now, when I say Oo, you say long.
Oo–long!
Oo–long!
When I say herbal, you say no thanks.
Herbal — no thanks!
Herbal — no thanks!
Mmm….no! No, I want.. I want milk in it.
Strong though! I want to see that spoon stand up!
If you’re tired of tea, then you’re tired of life!
Ah-ha! I’m madder than a hatter. It defies my might!
Liken me to Earl Grey, Assam, or Ginger
Lapsang Soushong raise my pinky finger.
Keep your sodding coffee in a proper copper coffee pot.
…. and spot me loving teapot
coffee clocks, nodding off
lost a plot, sodding off
Need some caffeine added and a Batternburg to top it off.
Cut them off a different block. A different lot can take their pay on
80 cups a day, I haven’t slept for 80 years!
You can say I’m mad with tea, or, or just say I’m mad.
Oh, you can’t stay any longer? Oh..
Actually, I’m I’m quite glad.
All the more Battenburg for me!
I can barely pour, my hands have got a bit shaky from caffeine.
Oh, I love it though.
I’d sell my own grandma for a cup.
Well, I’d sell your grandma for a cup…
Love a cup…. I would… ah, God yes!
Ooh that is gorgeous. Yeah!
I need a cup of the brown stuff, the shade of an acorn.
Made warm by the same source that I take my cakes from.
Using a tea pot, a mug, or fine china…
Being hooked up to IVs, and constant supplies.
…and the ___ of my urges might verge on the verge of an earthy brown tea.
I’m certain it’s worth it.
We ___ to workers and use a fresh fountain,
I deserve brews from Peruvian mountains.
I’ve slurped up a cup from an elephant’s trunk
with a couple of monks who utterly stunk.
I’ve had bourbons with sultans and creams with queens,
and I’ve bathed in Earl Grey. I’m really that keen!
And missionaries dismiss me for my singular epiphany.
The difference between him and me is a simple sip of British tea!
So when times are hard and life is rough,
You can stick the kettle on and find me a cup!
Now when I say Earl Grey, you say yes please!
Earl Grey — yes please!
Earl Grey — yes please!
When I say Assam, you say lovely!
Assam — lovely!
Assam — lovely!
When I say ooh, you say ahh!
Ooh — ahh!
Ooh — ahh!
Ooh — ahhhhhh!
(muttering?)
I’ve been around the world in 80 brews
to see the place you take me to
to make the brew that tastes like the cream cakes made by angels do.
I’m not the same as you; get shaky with ___.
To swig amazing fluids, but don’t make it the same.
Now, using fine leaves, picked by pretty maidens,
in a bag knitted by a seamstress who lives in Copenhagen.
Brewed up in a pot made of semi-precious metal
And then let the bless-ed contents settle in my very special kettle.
Now, when I say Oo, you say long.
Oo–long!
Oo–long!
When I say herbal, you say no thanks.
Herbal — no thanks!
Herbal — no thanks!
Mmm….no! No, I want.. I want milk in it.
Strong though! I want to see that spoon stand up!
If you’re tired of tea, then you’re tired of life!
Ah-ha! I’m madder than a hatter. It defies my might!
Liken me to Earl Grey, Assam, or Ginger
Lapsang Soushong raise my pinky finger.
Keep your sodding coffee in a proper copper coffee pot.
…. and spot me loving teapot
coffee clocks, nodding off
lost a plot, sodding off
Need some caffeine added and a Batternburg to top it off.
Cut them off a different block. A different lot can take their pay on
80 cups a day, I haven’t slept for 80 years!
You can say I’m mad with tea, or, or just say I’m mad.
Oh, you can’t stay any longer? Oh..
Actually, I’m I’m quite glad.
All the more Battenburg for me!
I can barely pour, my hands have got a bit shaky from caffeine.
Oh, I love it though.
I’d sell my own grandma for a cup.
Well, I’d sell your grandma for a cup…
02 February 2011
Teafusion
After my bout with the Vintage Castleton having a very short peak of deliciousness, I have realized I need to take the time to invest in a tea infuser.
While tea originated in China, the infuser wasn't introduced until tea became popular in England. The first infusers were silver and became popular in the late 19th, early 20th centuries, but have unfortunately since lost a lot of their popularity with the onset of teabags. However, I would argue that tea infusers are picking up momentum with the rediscovery of good tea in America. Most tea bags are made with lower quality leaf remnants (called fannings) that do not compete with the taste of proper loose leaf teas. For a more detailed and eloquent history on tea infusers, go here!
A tea infuser essentially acts as a holder for tea leaves as they steep. Instead of simply dumping the leaves into a pot or cup of tea, the infuser makes clean-up quick and easy. In the case of finicky teas such as the Vintage Castleton, infusers also make it so you can remove the leaves before the tea gets too bitter.
My experience with tea infusers has been limited. I received a one-mug infuser as a gift a long time ago (it has since been retired). It hung on the side of the mug. Now, I need to investigate either basket-type infusers that rest inside the top of the pot, or little bobble infusers (called tea balls) that have a keychain to fish the bobble out of the water once steeped. There are many many other types as well, with funny shapes, designs, etc, but they all have the same central purpose: to help make effortlessly awesome tea!
Here is one of my favorites that I've found in my searches - a shark tea infuser!
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/design-shark-tea-infuser/
While tea originated in China, the infuser wasn't introduced until tea became popular in England. The first infusers were silver and became popular in the late 19th, early 20th centuries, but have unfortunately since lost a lot of their popularity with the onset of teabags. However, I would argue that tea infusers are picking up momentum with the rediscovery of good tea in America. Most tea bags are made with lower quality leaf remnants (called fannings) that do not compete with the taste of proper loose leaf teas. For a more detailed and eloquent history on tea infusers, go here!
A tea infuser essentially acts as a holder for tea leaves as they steep. Instead of simply dumping the leaves into a pot or cup of tea, the infuser makes clean-up quick and easy. In the case of finicky teas such as the Vintage Castleton, infusers also make it so you can remove the leaves before the tea gets too bitter.
My experience with tea infusers has been limited. I received a one-mug infuser as a gift a long time ago (it has since been retired). It hung on the side of the mug. Now, I need to investigate either basket-type infusers that rest inside the top of the pot, or little bobble infusers (called tea balls) that have a keychain to fish the bobble out of the water once steeped. There are many many other types as well, with funny shapes, designs, etc, but they all have the same central purpose: to help make effortlessly awesome tea!
Here is one of my favorites that I've found in my searches - a shark tea infuser!
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/design-shark-tea-infuser/
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