Food and drink

Drinks, coffee, and tea

Five facts that may just be your cup of tea
Four keys to brewing great coffee at home
Articles on drinks and cocktails

Five facts that may just be your cup of tea

(NC)-How much do you know about tea—the second most consumed beverage worldwide? Taking this quick quiz from Celestial Seasonings, the largest specialty tea manufacturer in North America, may provide you with some refreshing information.

True or False?

1. Black, white and green teas come from the same plant.
2. Two cups of tea equal one serving of fruit or vegetables in terms of antioxidant power
3. Tea is primarily grown in England.
4. The latest tea trend is using tea in other food and beverage recipes.
5. When brewing tea, you should watch the colour.

Answers

1. True
   Tea—black, white and green, comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Black is the fermented type, providing the most full-bodied flavour. White consists of only the first tender buds and top leaves and is harvested exclusively in Springtime. Green is steamed immediately after picking to stop fermentation. Steeped beverages made with anything but Camellia sinensis are technically called tisanes, a combination of herbs, fruits or flowers infused in water to make delicious beverages.
2. True
   Black and green tea contain a powerful class of antioxidants called catechins, which are even more effective than vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene in combating harmful molecules known as free radicals.
3. False
   There are 3,000 varieties of tea, grown primarily in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Africa, Japan, China, New Guinea, Formosa and South America.
4. True
   Every day, more delicious recipes incorporating tea are served at stylish restaurants, tea parties, events and daily meals. You can try tea in a variety of new recipes found at www.celestialseasonings.com, including a Devonshire Fruit Cooler or Green Tea Tropical Smoothie.
5. True or False, depending on personal preference.
   Experts at Celestial Seasonings recommend steeping four to six minutes for green and black teas in order to get more of the antioxidant benefits and three to five minutes for herb teas (the longer, the stronger). After steeping, gently squeeze the tea bag before removing from the cup.

Celestial Seasonings makes drinking teas easy. With more than 50 all-natural unique teas brimming with flavour, Celestial Seasonings creates an experience to enhance every moment of the day. Flavours include:

• black teas: Canadian Vanilla Maple Decaf and Golden Honey Darjeeling;
• green teas: Honey Lemon Ginseng Green and Raspberry Gardens Green; and
• herbal teas: Peach Apricot Honeybush and True Blueberry.

For more information, call 1-800 -351-8175 of visit www.celestial seasonings.com.

Courtesy NewsCanada

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Four keys to brewing great coffee at home

By Simone Abt

(NC)-A great cup of coffee doesn't happen by chance. There are four fundamentals to coffee making that will ensure a great cup of coffee every time.

"I recommend that the best starting point for making great coffee is to consider it a form of cooking with a precise recipe and measurements," says Parise Milligan, coffee master and district manager, Starbucks Coffee Company. "Coffee lovers should always consider proportion, grind, water and freshness when brewing a cup of coffee at home."

Proportion is key. The rule of thumb for coffee making is two tablespoons of ground coffee for each six ounces of water. Too many grounds result in under-extracted coffee that does not achieve the full flavour of the blend.

"Proportion is the most common coffee making mistake" says Milligan, "And the easiest mistake to solve."

Ensuring the correct grind is also very important. Different brewing methods require different grinds. A grind that is too fine will trap water and result in a bitter, unpleasant brew. A grind that is too coarse leaves coffee weak and without distinguishing characteristics or flavours. Over-extracted coffee tastes much worse than under extracted coffee, so when in doubt regarding the brewing method, always err on the coarse side.

"Coffee connoisseurs agree that the best coffee is made in a traditional coffee press. A coffee press always requires a coarse grind," says Milligan. "If you're not sure, come into your local Starbucks and talk to a barista, they'll help you ensure you are getting the correct grind."

While it may not seem like an important ingredient, coffee is 98 percent water. The type of water used when brewing greatly affects the final taste. Always use clean, fresh water that is filtered or free of impurities. Avoid soft water or well water. Water heated to just off the boil does the best job of extracting the coffee's full range of flavours. Water that is too cool will mute the flavour and dull the coffee's aroma.

"Coffee's biggest enemies are oxygen and moisture," says Milligan. "You can't skimp on freshness."

Coffee must be fresh. Always store coffee in an airtight container at room temperature. For daily use, storing coffee in the refrigerator or freezer can result in moisture from condensation, but if coffee needs to be kept for more than two weeks without being used it should be stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Coffee should be ground fresh each time it is made. For more information, visit www.starbucks.com.

Courtesy NewsCanada

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