JOURNAL

Discover the Crucial Role of Water in Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea

At The Organic Tea Project, we know that the secret to a great cup of tea lies not just in high-quality leaves, but also in the water used to brew them. In this post, we explore why choosing the right water is essential for unlocking the full potential of tea flavours and how simple changes in water quality can transform your tea experience from ordinary to extraordinary. Learn about the impact of water freshness, hardness, and temperature on your brew, and get tips on achieving the perfect cup every time.

Easter isn't just about chocolate eggs and bunnies; it's also a time for baking and sharing delicious treats with loved ones. This year, why not add a spicy twist to your Easter celebrations with our Masala Chai Spiced Hot Cross Buns? Infusing the aromatic warmth of Masala Chai into this classic recipe will make these buns a new family favourite.

Ingredients:

• 200ml milk, plus extra for glazing
• 4 bags of The Organic Tea Project Masala Chai
• 10g quick yeast
• 50g raw cane sugar, plus extra for dusting
• Zest and juice of 2 oranges
• 120g sultanas or raisins
• 450g strong white flour, plus extra for crosses
• 100g cold butter
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 eggs + 1 for glaze

Preparation Time: 25 minutes (plus infusing and rising) Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Method:

1. Warm 200ml milk without boiling and steep the Masala Chai bags for an hour. Reheat to skin temperature, remove tea bags, then mix milk with yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Set aside.
2. Soak sultanas or raisins in orange zest and juice.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour and grated butter. Mix in sugar, spices, and a pinch of salt. Beat two eggs and add them to the flour with the yeast mixture, creating a soft dough.
4. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.
5. Knead the dough briefly, incorporate the drained sultanas or raisins, then form into 16 buns. Place on lined baking trays, cover, and let rise again.
   NOTE: Squeeze out the juice of the sultanas or your mix will get too sticky to handle. 
6. Preheat your oven. Brush buns with remaining egg-milk mixture, pipe or draw crosses with a flour paste, and bake until golden.
7. Glaze with a mix of sugar and boiling water straight out of the oven.

We hope you enjoy making and savouring these Masala Chai Spiced Hot Cross Buns as much as we do. Easter is a time for coming together, creating memories, and sharing joy, and what better way to do so than with a batch of freshly baked, spice-infused buns? Dive into this recipe and let the enchanting flavours of Masala Chai add a novel twist to your Easter celebrations.

Happy baking and Happy Easter from all of us at The Organic Tea Project. Here's to a festive season filled with warmth, love, and delicious treats.

best,

Jonas

Ever brewed tea, full of anticipation for that first delightful sip, only to be met with disappointment? Tea-making is a delicate balance between the choice of tea—be it robust Assam, delicate Darjeeling, or a hearty Breakfast blend—and the brewing method. Whether you add milk and sugar, or prefer your tea straight, mastering the basics can elevate your tea experience.

1. Water Temperature Is Crucial

The perfect tea begins with the right water temperature. Boiling water can destroy the nuanced flavours of delicate teas, resulting in a bitter taste. Black teas excel with nearly boiling water, while green and white teas best unveil their sweetest, fullest flavours at 80°C.

2. Don't Reboil Water

Oxygen-rich, freshly drawn water is essential for a lively cup of tea. Reboiled water loses oxygen, making your tea taste flat. Always use fresh water for each pot.

3. Preheat Your Teapot

A pre-heated teapot can make all the difference, especially for a robust breakfast tea. Classic Chinese iron teapots, which retain heat well, are perfect for achieving a strong brew at the ideal serving temperature.

4. Filtered Water Makes a Difference

The taste of chlorine in tap water can overshadow the subtle flavours of tea, especially in cafes where the focus is on coffee. Filtered water can significantly enhance your tea's taste.

5. Brewing Time Is Key

Brewing time significantly affects the tea's flavour. Over-brewing releases too many tannins, leading to bitterness, while under-brewing results in a weak tea. For a strong breakfast tea, five minutes of brewing is optimal.

6. Proper Storage

The way you store tea is crucial for maintaining its freshness and complexity. Store your tea in a cool, dry, dark place. Our black glass tea caddies not only block out light but also seal out moisture, preserving your tea's quality.

7. Choose Quality Tea

The difference between high-quality, whole leaf teas and lower-grade "dust" teas is stark. The depth of flavour and aroma in whole leaf teas that come in pyramid tea bags or loose provides a superior and more complex experience.

By honing these seven steps, you'll elevate your tea-making from ordinary to extraordinary. Making tea is not just about the preparation; it's about pouring love and care into each pot. Enhance your next tea break with the perfect brew.

Triphala Powder, a treasured Ayurvedic formulation, has been used for centuries to promote well-being and balance. Made from the potent trio of Amalaki, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki, this natural remedy is the perfect blend of taste, nutritional benefits, and holistic healing.

As part of our ongoing efforts to minimize waste and promote sustainability, we have chosen to use 100% recycled cardboard for our outer packaging. The cardboard recycling process in India begins with the collection of discarded paper and card, which is transformed into paper sludge. Rolled out into flat sheets and sun-dried, these sheets are then pressed, flattened, and cut into packaging-ready cardboard.

By using recycled cardboard, we not only conserve natural resources and reduce energy consumption but also decrease landfill waste and our carbon footprint. The natural scent of our packaging serves as a gentle reminder that our choices contribute to a more sustainable future. Together, let's continue to strive for a cleaner and healthier environment for generations to come.

As an avid tea drinker from India, I was always on the lookout for a tea that matched the strong and fresh taste that I grew up with. However, when I moved back to Australia, I found that most teas available in the market were not up to my standards. That's when I started to research and discovered the disturbing reality of pesticides on tea leaves.

Due to the minimal processing that tea leaves undergo before consumption, any pesticides sprayed on the tea plants can easily make their way into your cup. This realisation led me on a mission to find and locate the highest-grade teas that are certified organic and trusted.

I spent months in Darjeeling learning about the process and cultivation of organic tea, and it was eye-opening to see how much effort goes into transitioning a tea plantation to organic practices. The farmers had to make sacrifices in output to farm in a sustainable and organic way.

While some tea companies may claim that their teas are pesticide-free, the reality is that it can be difficult to fully eliminate pesticides from tea leaves. This is why it's crucial to choose certified organic teas that are grown and processed without the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.

Pesticides have been linked to various health issues, including cancer, neurological disorders, and hormonal imbalances. By choosing organic teas, you can reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals and support sustainable and ethical farming practices.

The next time you brew a cup of tea, remember that the choice of tea leaves can have a significant impact on your health. Choose certified organic teas to enjoy the full health benefits of tea while minimising your exposure to harmful chemicals.

Every morning, my partner Jo and I get up at 6:30 and brew a pot of tea in one of our small iron pots. We bring it back to bed to brew and then drink. It's a comforting routine that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Over the years, I've learned that the key to brewing a great cup of tea is in the details.

First and foremost, heating the pot before brewing is crucial. This helps to keep the water at a consistent temperature throughout the steeping process, ensuring that the tea is brewed evenly. I usually fill the pot with boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes before pouring out the water and adding the tea leaves.

Next, I make sure to wait at least five minutes for the tea to steep. This allows the tea leaves to fully infuse the water and release their flavour and aroma. Patience is key when brewing tea, and rushing the steeping process can result in a weaker, less flavourful cup.

For our breakfast tea, we love a strong brew with milk. I've even found a mini 100ml bottle that used to have peach nectar in it, which I use to add milk to our tea. It reminds me of the classic milk bottles that used to be delivered to houses every morning, something that I've never experienced but have seen in movies.

Brewing tea has become a ritual for us, one that we look forward to each morning. It's not just about the taste, but the experience of brewing and enjoying the tea together. Whether it's a quick cup in the morning or a leisurely pot on the weekend, taking the time to brew tea mindfully can make all the difference.

At The Organic Tea Project, we often receive feedback that our green tea is stronger than others on the market. This is due to a couple of factors. First, our green tea is the whole leaf, which offers a more nuanced and complex flavour profile compared to dust tea. Second, our tea is sourced directly from the tea garden and is much fresher than tea that has sat in auction houses for months.

But did you know that you can brew it twice? Green tea is a versatile and delicious tea that can be enjoyed in multiple cups, and re-brewing your tea leaves can save you money and reduce waste.

Here's how to do it:

1. Brew Your Tea at 80 Degrees: One thing to keep in mind when brewing green tea is to always use water that is around 80 degrees Celsius. Boiling water can scorch the tea leaves and result in a bitter taste. To achieve the ideal temperature, boil your water and then add a dash of cold water to the pot before adding the tea leaves.

2. Steep for the Right Amount of Time: When brewing green tea for the first time, steep the tea leaves for around two minutes. For the second brew, you can extend the steeping time to three or four minutes. This will allow you to extract the remaining flavor and nutrients from the tea leaves.

3. Enjoy Your Second Cup of Tea: While the second brew of green tea may have less caffeine than the first, it retains the same great taste and aroma. Plus, by reusing your tea leaves, you're reducing waste and getting more value for your money.

Overall, brewing green tea twice is a great way to get more out of your tea leaves and enjoy a delicious cup of tea. By following these simple steps, you can make the most out of your green tea and enjoy a sustainable and cost-effective tea drinking experience. So why not give it a try today and enjoy a second cup of tea?

As someone who has been drinking tea my whole life, I've always been amazed at the lack of awareness about the difference in quality between leaf tea bags and dust tea bags. While we go on and on about the special beans in coffee, we often default to a cheap dust teabag for a cup of tea. It wasn't until I discovered the benefits of using leaf tea bags that I truly began to appreciate the full flavor and health benefits of tea.

Using whole tea leaves in your tea bags can provide a host of health benefits, including higher levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals compared to dust tea bags. But the benefits of using leaf tea bags don't stop there. Leaf tea bags offer a more nuanced, complex flavor profile that is simply not possible with dust tea bags. In addition, using leaf tea bags can be a more sustainable and ethical choice. So why not join me on this journey and make the switch to leaf tea bags today?