LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2019

KITCHEN ESSENTIALS In honour of Victoria Day, a primer on brewing the perfect cup of tea. All you need is a kettle, a teapot, a teacup and boiling water. BY LUCY WAVERMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB FIOCCA

TEA KETTLE

The best kind of tea kettle is one that has temperature control such as the Breville IQ ($199.99, thebay.com). This is because dif- ferent types of teas are best brewed at different temperatures. Black tea needs a full boil at 212°F (100°C), otherwise the flavour of the tea is not released and you get a layer of scum floating on top. Green tea needs a lower temperature to release its taste— about 160°F (71°C)—and white tea needs 175°F (80°C).

PERFECT PAIRINGS

You can eat anything with tea, but ginger cookies have a natural affinity, as do lemon and fruit tarts. Green teas are perfect with Asian food as they have a slight botanical flavour, and white tea is mild and best drunk on its own as a restorative.

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TEAPOT

The three best materials for teapots are ceramic, porce- lain and glass. They hold the heat and do not impart any taste to the tea. Look for a spout with a curve so that the tea does not drip. If you are a loose-leaf-tea person buy a teapot with an infuser insert.

TEACUPS OR MUGS? TEA TASTES BEST OUT OF CHINA CUPS OR CHINA MUGS. PAPER IS ITS ENEMY, AND THICK POTTERY MUGS DON’T ALLOW THE TASTE TO BLOSSOM.

REGULAR TEA VERSUS

FLAVOURED TEAS Tea has many hundreds of flavours. Earl Grey for example is bergamot-flavoured black tea. Flavours range from fruity to smoky and everything in between. Purists prefer black tea such as Dar- jeeling or Assam or the mixture called English Breakfast, but many enjoy flavoured teas in much the same way as we enjoy flavoured coffees.

HOW TO BREW THE PERFECT CUPPA First heat the teapot with hot water. Bring the kettle to a rolling boil for black tea. Drain water from the teapot and add the tea bag, 1 per two people. Fill the pot with water, 2 cups (500 mL) water per bag, then let stand, preferably over the lowest heat or with a tea cozy. After 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like it, pour the tea. If you use loose tea, the method is the same but seal the leaves in a metal tea ball.

136  FOOD & DRI NK EARLY SUMMER 2019