About Green Tea
Green tea is picked, withered and then steamed and/or fired to prevent any oxygen getting into the leaf. Shaping also takes place during firing to maintain or alter the appearance of the leaf. The finest green and white teas are often those made from the first plucking when the rains first begin to fall in April. The spring rain makes the fresh tea buds swell and reach their greatest concentration of flavor.
Making Tea
Even the best tea can be ruined by using incorrect water temperature. Green and white teas are the most delicate, being made (at best) from the youngest, unrolled and unoxidized leaf. Water above 185˚ 'overcooks' the leaf destroying the complex favors of the tea and in many cases making the infusion bitter, unpleasant and unrefined.
For a 12oz pot of green tea, use one teaspoons of tea in 167˚-185˚ water for 30 seconds to 2 minutes
The above recommendations are a rough guide depending on density and shape of leaves as well as personal preference so please refer to any specific instructions given for each tea, and by all means feel free to experiment.
