When I was on my trip up the Pacific Coast a year and a half ago, I stopped at a dear friend’s house. We’d never actually met until that time, but we’d been online friends for so long that there wasn’t even a moment of awkwardness. We seamlessly moved from online conversations to offline conversations.
There was much about that visit to savor: her wonderful library that included my books, a trip to the nearby rhododendron garden, learning to do cryptic crosswords . . . and tea. Although she herself isn’t a tea drinker, she had a lovely box filled with a variety of teas.
Ah! Tea envy!
I’ve never been a big tea drinker, but lately I’ve become something of a teaphile. (There is no such word, but the suffix “phile” means lover of, as in the case of bibliophile, a lover of books, so teaphile should be a word.)
Ever sinc
e I got my own kitchen, I’ve been collecting teas, but so often, a box of one kind is too much, so I finally ordered assortments of teas that come individually packaged. Now this teaphile (me) has a tea file!
I’ve been making tea in the microwave, but to my surprise, the Twinning packets says “Do not microwave.” So naturally, I had to research this. Apparently, microwaved water is not heated through and through but contains pockets of colder water, and the unreliable temperature makes for a bitter tea. Because green tea steeps at a lower temperature, it could be okay to microwave green teas. (Water for black tea needs to be heated to 212˚, but green tea does fine at 176˚.)
I imagine it would also be okay to microwave herbal teas since herbal teas aren’t really teas. They are tisanes. Real tea, such as green tea, black tea and oolong tea, come from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas are made from herbs, of course, as well as spices, dried fruits, and flowers.
But, being a teaphile comes with some responsibility, such as making tea correctly. So I’ve been boiling water in my borosilicate glass teapot, which supposedly does not transfer any contaminants to the water as some tea kettles do. (The original Pyrex was made with borosilicate glass, but ever since 1998 has been made with the inferior lime glass which does not handle heat nearly as well.)
I have two different borosilicate glass teapots, one says not to microwave, one says not for stovetop use, which doesn’t make any sense, so I wrote to the manufacturer. Haven’t heard from them.
But only one teapot is necessary, so I’ve been using the one for the stove top, and it’s working fine.
All this writing and research is making me thirsty. I think I’ll go make myself a cup of tea.
Will you join me?
***
Pat Bertram is the author of Grief: The Inside Story – A Guide to Surviving the Loss of a Loved One. “Grief: The Inside Story is perfect and that is not hyperbole! It is exactly what folk who are grieving need to read.” –Leesa Healy, RN, GDAS GDAT, Emotional/Mental Health Therapist & Educator.
Bertram's Blog 
November 3, 2019 at 10:07 am
That sounds most delightful.. You and my older sister should get together. She lives around Castle Rock. She likes different teas. Tea is a soothing drink in the cold months.
November 3, 2019 at 1:55 pm
If you ever come to visit her, we will all have a tea party!
November 3, 2019 at 10:30 am
I used to drink a lot of Earl Grey tea until all teas got together, had a meeting, and decided to mess up my stomach. This includes herbal teas. So, I’ll stick to coffee, wine, and Scotch.
November 3, 2019 at 1:55 pm
For me it’s the opposite — coffee, wine and Scotch all mess up my stomach.
November 13, 2019 at 8:47 am
Oooh, now I want to visit and have that cup of tea with you! Now my husband is home most of the time, we’re drinking way more tea, and my “tea file” keeps needing to be refilled. But it’s really time I started using real teapots again, as my heritage demands.
I have an English friend who always warms her pot, tests the tea several time to ensure the correct brewing level, and “mixes” her tea bags to ensure the best flavor. Her tea, shared while watching opera on DVD after walking a dog in Forest Park, is truly delightful!
November 13, 2019 at 9:06 am
Come by any time! I am certain I will have at least one tea that will please! I’ve turned into something of a teabag collector. At the moment, I am drinking Minty Licorice. My favorite of the new teas is Chocolate Hazelnut.
November 13, 2019 at 5:18 pm
Mmm, I remember we had a really nice chocolate one. But minty licorice has my taste-buds taking notice–sounds delicious.
November 15, 2019 at 3:55 pm
[…] a previous post, “Tea Time,” I mentioned a couple of different borosilicate teapots I’d ordered. The directions on one […]
March 28, 2020 at 1:36 am
I can’t tell you how happy I was to read, at the end, that you found your way to a proper teapot! I had no idea some people make their tea in a microwave! How fascinating! Happy tea times! 😊☕️