Gourmet Tea: The New Coffee

$300-a-pot brews not uncommon as Americans get back to their roots
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 8, 2008 4:32 PM CDT
Gourmet Tea: The New Coffee
Wholesale tea sales in America more than tripled between 1990 and 2006, reports Portfolio. Tea cups here are shown in Trafalgar Square.   (Getty Images)

Cappuccinos are commonplace, but new gourmands get their caffeine fix from tea. After falling out of favor during the Revolutionary War, tea is experiencing a comeback in the US; sales have tripled since 1990 and gourmet tea can cost thousands per pound. Portfolio pours a cupful of tips for would-be drinkers:

  1. Beware the bag: Bagged teas are usually considered lower-quality.

  1. White never goes out of style: The inside of your cup should be white so you can assess the tea's color, an indicator it's been properly steeped.
  2. Drink it straight: Adding milk and sugar to specialty teas is a no-no. You want to taste the tea itself.
  3. Brew it right: Start by heating the water, hardly the no-brainer it sounds; use boiling for black tea, but not for green or white.
For the full list, click the link below. (More tea stories.)

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