Reading the Leaves

There are five main types of tea: black, green, white, oolong, and Pu-erh. The difference lies in how the leaves are treated after being picked. White and green teas are handled very lightly to avoid bruising and oxidizing, which changes the taste of the tea. The darker varieties, black and oolong, are intentionally bruised or cut to encourage oxidation, which changes the leaf’s color and produces fuller-­bodied flavors. Pu-erh can be aged for many years. There are also ­numerous variations—jasmine tea, for example, is usually green tea that has been scented with jasmine.

White Out

Grandma might pour it into bone china, but it doesn’t really matter what kind of cup you drink from. The only rule, according to Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Association, is that the inside should be white so that you can discern from the color of the tea that it has been properly steeped.

Hold the Milk and Sugar

For connoisseurs it’s not even a question. Add whatever you like to cheaper varieties, but when you drink better specialty teas, avoid adding anything but water. “You want to taste the tea,” Simrany says.

Brewing It Right

Just as with espresso, there are rules for making a “proper” cup of tea. First, heat the water—which isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. Experts say that you should use boiling water for black tea. For more delicate green or white tea, Sebastian Beckwith, co-founder of the Connecticut-based specialty-tea seller In Pursuit of Tea, suggests letting the water cool for a few minutes. “You lose a lot of flavor if you put boiling water on white or green tea,” he says.

Always add the water to the leaves instead of the reverse. How long you let the tea steep depends upon the variety and how much you’re making. Beckwith suggests using four grams of tea—about a heaping ­teaspoon—for an eight-ounce serving and letting it sit for two minutes. If it’s too weak for you, let it go for a few more. And though it may seem parsimonious to use tea leaves more than once, high-grade tea can be brewed multiple times—the flavor evolves with each pass.

Leaf It Alone

When stored in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight, tea can last for quite a while. White and green teas can be stored up to a year but are best drunk relatively quickly. Darker teas tend to hold up better, Simrany says. Limit the amount of air in the container; a rolled-up Ziploc bag works well. Don’t bother with the refrigerator, since the leaves can pick up odors and flavors from other foods.