TEA: I just learned something useful. After my kidneys failed in 2016 (they’re doing much better now, thank you!), I switched from coffee to tea. Lately, I’ve been trying to cut down on the caffeine by alternating my favorite black tea with a variety of herbals. I’ve discovered I ❤ rooibos (aka, red bush) tea, which is the preferred beverage of Precious Ramotswe, one of my favorite female detectives.
Recently, I purchased some jasmine tea, which I thought would be a gourmet treat, but the first time I made it, it tasted unpleasantly bitter. But then I was reading a new series of murder mysteries that are set in a tea shop. The master brewer was giving a lesson and mentioned that delicate teas like jasmine should not be brewed for more than 2 minutes tops. He also explained that the right time to pour the boiling water is when the tiny bubbles are starting to give way to big bubbles. Continue reading