Terroir, the sense of place, is the single most important reason why tea is a herb that should be savoured rather than simply drunk. Science has given us a thousand reasons to drink tea every day. Tea was first celebrated as a medicine and that is more relevant today than it was when tea was first discovered 5,000 years ago. Yet the true appreciation of tea lies beyond its natural healing ability. It is in savouring in fine tea the profound influence of Nature which crafts every aspect of tea, its purity and the diversity of tea grown in different valleys, on hills and mountains, each defined with wonderful complexity by the fingerprint of Nature.
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“For centuries, problems of mankind have been solved over a cup of tea. Whether they were problems between nations, amongst businesses, even in families, between husbands and wives, tea has been the soothing balm that helped their solution. The simple act of pouring a cup of tea is, in itself, an ice-breaker, providing pleasurable anticipation of the goodness that is to follow. I have dedicated my life towards providing that cup: not only to solve problems but to add sunshine to our day, with every sip of Dilmah.”
Merrill J. Fernando Founder of Dilmah Tea
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Rule
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“choosing good tea needs care”
Good Tea Good tea is inexpensive but not cheap. For what it offers, tea is an affordable luxury but choosing good tea needs care. Tea made in the traditional, artisanal way – called the orthodox method – retains the sophistication that natural soil, and climatic factors induce. Tea packed at source, retaining its freshness and in particular tea that maintains the purity of its origin – single origin, single region or single estate tea – is best.
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Rule
“protect your tea”
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Store Tea Right Connoisseurs store their wines in climate controlled cellars and cigars in humidors. Tea is no different in requiring care in its storage. Tea is hygroscopic, absorbing moisture and similarly odours or fragrance. Protect your tea in an airtight container, and keep it away from moisture, heat, light and odours. Ideally tea should be stored in a cool and dry place never warmer than 30 degrees centigrade. For medium term storage, keep your stocks of tea in an airtight foil pouch or ceramic container in the refrigerator, avoiding moisture, light and odours. These are the main causes of deterioration of good tea. Fresh Tea is best, for richness of flavour and natural antioxidants. 5
Rule
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“poor preparation fails to please”
respect The most important attitude for the enjoyment of all that tea has to offer. The herb contains complex sensory and functional goodness; the variety in tea is unmatched, with the micro terroir of different estates influencing the flavour, texture and aroma of tea through the beautiful expression of nature that each tea that is made in the traditional manner possesses. The goodness that tea offers for human health is similarly unique. However that comes with respect, for as tea is demanding of craftsmanship in its manufacture, so is it of care in its preparation. Good water, care in brewing, elegance in presentation are important elements of respect for tea, that then assures the pleasure and natural goodness in every cup.
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water A cup of tea is 99% water and good water is as important for a good brew as the tea itself. Water that contains high levels of minerals, especially calcium or magnesium (hard water), water that is chlorinated, briny or desalinated sea water or has been boiled several times is not good enough for brewing tea in. Tea is delicate and the pleasure in fine tea comes from the combination of fragrance, brightness, strength, flavour, body and texture. A contaminant like chlorine or a poorly washed teapot can affect your enjoyment of good tea as much as using bad water can. Ideally good water means bottled spring water like Aqua Panna but not if you live in Stockholm where the tap water is perfect, from glacier fed reservoirs. Water in London on the other hand is OK for drinking but not so for brewing tea. If the water in your area is ‘hard’ or mineral rich, contains chlorine, fluoride or other chemicals, in particular calcium, you need a good activated carbon filter. These are commonly available for domestic or professional use, and can dramatically improve extraction of brightness and quality in your brew.
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BOILING WATER Reboiling water is not good at any time as it can deplete dissolved gases and concentrate nitrates, fluoride and other undesirable elements, and for tea that is especially bad. In a professional environment use a samovar with a good thermostat to minimize reboiling. Whilst at home, use a kettle and fresh water every time. Make sure your kettle or samovar is clean and dry before use, especially that it is free of limescale or other contaminants on the heating element. Residues from hard water will affect even the finest spring water.
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brewing Brewing is the extraction of the natural goodness - antioxidants, flavour, fragrance, texture - in the tea leaves. Using the right amount of tea for the volume you wish to brew is critical, as is the method of brewing. There are several ways of brewing tea with varying sizes of teapot, ratios of tea to water and traditions although the most convenient and efficient is this. Use 2.5g of tea per 220ml water. Using a clean and dry teaspoon, place the 2.5g tea in a clean, odour free and pre-heated teapot. Pre heat the teapot and cups by swirling around some hot water in them and pouring it out before brewing. Pour freshly, once boiled water onto the tea leaves 220ml per 2.5g of tea.
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Water Temperature Green tea has a softer, generally more gentle personality than black tea and should be brewed in water that is cooled to around 75 degrees, whilst Oolong in water that is around 85 degrees and black tea in water with temperature of 90-95 degrees. Light and floral high grown black teas also benefit from lower temperature brewing and could be brewed at 85 degrees. To brew black tea, use water that has just boiled, for Oolong, either leave the water to cool in the kettle for 5 minutes or decant the water into a clean, heat resistant container before pouring onto the tea.
stir Once the tea and freshly boiled water are combined, the leaves tend to settle at the bottom of the teapot, reducing the contact between tea leaves and water. Stir to agitate the tea and allow proper extraction. Black tea should be brewed for 3 minutes, stirring on adding water, again a minute later and finally before serving. Oolong and Green Tea could be brewed for 2 minutes. Herb and fruit infusions vary in the ideal brewing time - brew for for 4 minutes or as suggested on the pack. 10
serve Once brewing is complete, the tea should be poured into warm teacups and any tea remaining in the teapot decanted to avoid overbrewing. Tea that is over brewed can develop bitterness. The best temperature at which hot tea should be drunk is around 65 degrees centigrade. The tea should not be consumed when too hot and the best temperature is determined by what is most comfortable for you. • Use spring water, boiled once. • 2.5g leaf tea or 1 teabag per 200-220ml. • Brew 3 min for black tea, 5 minutes if you prefer your black tea strong, or with milk. • Brew 2 min. for green or oolong tea. • Don’t forget to stir to start brewing, and every minute afterwards. • Keep the brewing tea covered. • Serve with style, using heat resistant glass or china but not metal cups, mugs or teapots.
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MILK Tea is natural, and fine tea is sophisticated in its character. It is therefore best enjoyed pure, with nothing added. However many tea drinkers enjoy their tea with milk. The tea that you enjoy most is the tea that is best for you. The task of the Real Tea Revolutionary is to share advice on how to enjoy tea and find the tea that best suits your guests’ preferences. Balance is essential. Tea served with milk should therefore be brewed strong, adding a minute or 2 extra (black tea is normally brewed for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, but for strength, brew for 5 minutes). In this way the tea and the milk are both evident in the final outcome which is more pleasurable than having either tea or milk dominating. Adding milk does not affect the antioxidants that have been extracted in the brewing process, into the tea. However fat and other elements in the milk will have an influence on the healthfulness of the combination.
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Spices, herbs & other additions The luxury in tea is derived from the complex influence of Nature upon tea grown in different regions. As in the case of milk, any other addition to tea should be evaluated in terms of how it will alter that natural influence on tea. Keep your tea natural, and ensure that every addition offers harmony of flavour. There are many herbs and spices that balance well with the taste and texture of tea, with some consideration. Here are some rules for the aspiring tea mixologist:
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Use fresh ingredients. Spices, Herbs, Fruits used with tea in the form of juices, ingredients or garnishes should be fresh.
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Carbonation works well in tea inspired beverages. The light acidity and sensation that carbonated tea creates is perceived as refreshing and pleasant. Tea can be brewed into an extra strong essence and once cooled, can be made into a sparkling Iced Tea using sparkling water. Use a soda siphon preferably for the carbonation.
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From wasabi to beetroot, ginger to cinnamon, most ingredients work well with tea although many do not. Fishy or pungent spices like Sichuan pepper have a tendency to overpower the tea and are not recommended.
offering a tea inspired drink, make D. Ifsureyouthearetaste or texture of tea is evident. The presence of the tea needs to be discernible, although not necessarily always in its flavour. The texture of tea can suffice in some instances. The convention is for a strong ingredient to be matched with a strong tea. For example, chili with a strong Earl Grey Tea, but there are as many exceptions to the rule as there are examples of it. Sencha, a light, grassy tea with real wasabi, sees the flavour and fragrance of Sencha peering out from behind the intensity of wasabi.
E.
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Ginger, Mint, Lemon are typical additions to tea although the Asian tradition of chai includes additionally lemongrass, pepper, clove, cinnamon and other spices. You can be as creative as you wish with your ingredients bearing in mind the importance of balance. Different teas can balance different ingredients and tasting your brew will reveal how your compositions works. Keep it natural, respect the tea, keep them all in balance.
Rule
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“you can brew your own iced tea fresh”
ice it right A cup of hot tea is a lot better to cool you down in summer than chilled drinks, and given the common options of sweetened juices and teas, unsweetened hot tea would also be a lot better for your health. Yet we all love chilled beverages and you can brew your own iced tea fresh to make it the best it can be.
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Follow the guidelines for brewing the perfect cuppa but use half the recommended amount of water or double the tea, to make a really strong brew. If desired only, sweeten with honey. Then pour the double strength brewed tea into a heat resistant glass jug, with large ice cubes or ice balls. As the hot tea is poured over the ice (don’t add ice to the hot tea) it will cool. The larger ice cubes will reduce the surface area of ice and minimize melting and dilution. Top up the cooled tea with chilled water, add fresh, cut fruit into pieces – mango, strawberry, mandarin, apple – and spices – real cinnamon, ginger, clove – and serve. There are many cold brew teas available but all come with a compromise. Freshly brewed real iced tea is the best way to enjoy the goodness in tea in a natural iced tea.
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Rule Rule
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tea rew the “over b sence” s e into an
Know when to break the Rules When mixing tea cocktails or cooking with tea, over brew the tea into an essence. Some bartenders make tea based bitters which can elegantly and conveniently add tea inspiration to most drinks from a simple soda sparkler to complex tea cocktails. Tea bitters can be as diverse as the terroirs in tea; astringent, citrus flavours from the elegant high elevation teas like our Nuwara Eliya Pekoe, or the very special Uva Seasonal Flush limited edition teas to the more malt notes in our Dombagastalawa Estate or Galle District Tea, strong yet slightly sweet with our Earl Grey and a host of other options.
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The same principle applies when using tea in food. The aim is to respect the tea and once the mixologist or chef has determined – and importantly, also tested the ingredient combinations for compatability – the tea can be brewed into an essence that forms the tea marinade, jus or whatever form the tea should take to perform its role in the tea inspired dish. There are two simple but important guidelines which sound obvious but are more often than not, overlooked even by great Chefs and Mixologists. Tea taste, texture or fragrance of the tea must be evident in the food or drink. Secondly but just as importantly – respect the tea – each tea has flavour, strength, texture, fragrance linked to its terroir and the tea that you select should form a part of a harmonious composition of ingredients which, when subjected to cooking or mixing should maintain its identity and be pleasing. Tea can be the basis for the foam in a cocktail, it can add texture when sprinkled over a salad and its uses are limited only by the imagination of the Real Tea Revolutionary.
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The appreciation of tea begins in its preparation. It continues on the eye, evolves on the nose and only finally manifests on the tongue. In presenting an engaging tea experience, involving the guest in the preparation of tea is an important aspect of the eventual enjoyment of the taste of tea. Each tea has a story linked to its terroir and that story, explanation of the leaf, infused leaf and method of brewing are important elements of an inspired tea appreciation. The knowledge of tea from different regions, the variation, experience of appearance, fragrance and taste produce heightened sensory appreciation and that knowledge is likely to lead to a more adventurous approach to tea. The physical presentation of tea is equally important as in the case of food and wine. The delicacy and quality of drinking vessels impacts significantly on the level of enjoyment with more crude, thick ceramic as an example functionally and perceptually producing a very different outcome in comparison with the same tea served in fine porcelain, bone China or glass. Presentation of tea should ideally build on the three sensors – visual, fragrance and taste – by engaging the guest through knowledge and a presentation of other elements including condiments, pairing etc., in a visually and functionally pleasing style.
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From traditional afternoon tea to Real High Tea, afternoon tea for the 21st Century. Dilmah Real High Tea In a Century that has seen Chefs become superstars, gastronomy elevated into an art and a science, afternoon tea simply cannot remain an 18th Century Tradition. We began a journey of 8 years in 2007, and travelled the world with the objective of defining a truly 21st Century Afternoon Tea. We call it Real High Tea, because it centres on respect for tea, the influence of nature on tea with different terroirs, and tests the culinary and mixology skills of the finest in the world, in defining a gastronomic, cultural, indulgent, social and sustainable experience. 20
1. A minimum of one pairing on your Real High Tea menu. Tea can be served as a palate cleanser between dishes or between mouthfuls of a dish; it can be a flavor bridge from one course to the next. It refreshes and readies the palate for the next course or bite. The simple rules that you can use to achieve pairing: Components: You might pair a sweet dish with a sweetened tea or seek to contrast the sweetness with a tea that has bitter elements. Flavour: Imagine a fruity tea that works to contrast and highlight the herbal flavours in a dish. Textures: What would you pair with a creamy cheese? A tea that has some astringency that will ‘cut through’ and reduce the richness of the cheese, so that you want to take another morsel of the cheese – somewhat like how wine interacts with cheese. Sensations: If your dish features chili, perhaps you might opt for a tea that is rich because the tea can handle the piquant sensation and will not be overcome.
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Temperature: You can get playful with temperature contrasts – for example, serve a hot tea with a cold dessert; serve an ice cold tea, with a warm salad and so on. Body: Increase or add body to your tea with milk or honey and perhaps it might just stand up to heavy, foods such as stews. Some of the best pairings occur when you have a complement or contrast of 2-3 constituents. Pairing (complement or contrast) for 1 constituent = acceptable match Pairing (complement or contrast) for 2 constituents = good match Pairing (complement or contrast) for 3 constituents = excellent match
2. Serve an Ice tea Fresh brewed Real Iced Tea can be served as a reshreshing and natural welcome drink.
3. Tea inspired dish For years chefs have infused teas aromatic flavours into food. Tea can be used as a marinade, rub, dip, dressing, or as a smoking ingredient.
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Cooking with Tea Tips & Tricks While there is spice present, it is difficult to bring out the flavour or texture of tea. Remember to brew the tea longer and stronger when cooking with it. Tea in cooking works well if the tea is brewed and then chilled. Refrain from using too many ingredients ; the taste of tea will never be noticed. Find flavors that are sympathetic to tea, not in competition with it.
4. Serve a perfect cup of hot tea (black/green) Brewing A Perfect Cup Of Tea Some guest like their tea strong, while others prefer it weak. Some guests like tea with milk, others prefer it with sugar and others with milk and sugar. Some –they like their tea perfectly plain. Whatever the preferences maybe –The finer points in brewing a perfect cup – will help to brew a tastier tea. Menus/Recipes/Pairings ~ Please visit realhightea.dilmahtea.com for tea inspiration from our Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge.
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OUR GREATEST TEAINSPIRED RECIPES The Perfect Cup
The perfect cup of tea is a celebration of tea in every sense and a tribute to the artisans who crafted it with passion and precision.
The Most Innovative use of Tea
The infinite variety in tea is displayed as 30 different teas are incorporated into the high presentation from start to finish.
The Best Tea Mocktail
A sip of this Lucuma Orange Iced Tea Affogato with Dilmah Yata Watte Tea will revolutionise the way you look at tea.
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The Best Tea-Inspired Food
Garden pea dumpling in carrot bouillon served with a splash of Dilmah Springtime Oolong with Ginger tea oil. A perfect balance of flavours, textures in harmony with tea.
The Best Tea Cocktail
Dilmah Apple Pie and Vanilla Tea simmered with Mao Shan Wang durian, mascarpone and Asian spices, served warm with Dilmah Jasmine Tea infused dry ice makes the award winning ‘Comfort in a Motley Crowd’.
Please visit
teagastronomy.com for tea inspired recipes & a whole lot more. 25
“We come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing. The wealth some of us acquire is owed to the efforts and cooperation of many others around us. Let us therefore share that wealth, while we are still around, so that the goodwill and contentment created thereby, may make our world a happier place for others too.”
Merrill J. Fernando Founder of Dilmah Tea
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“The philosophy of tea is not a simple aesthetic in the ordinary meaning of the term, for it allows us to express, together with ethics and religion, our entire concept of man and nature. It is a form of hygiene because it requires us to be clean; it is an economy, for it shows that wellbeing lies in simplicity rather than in complexity and expenditure; it is a moral geometry, for it defines our size in relation to the universe. Finally, it represents the true democratic spirit of the Far East in that it transforms all its enthusiasts into aristocrats of taste”. Kakuzo Okakura, The Book of Tea.
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