In an age of supercharged lattes to go and Red Bull by the case, it’s hard to imagine lingering so leisurely and philosophically over tea. But perhaps now, more than ever, we should slow the rush and learn to enjoy the world in a cup of tea.

Mention Asian tea these days, and many think of their favorite boba flavor or the generic pot that arrives free with the dinner special. Tea plants were first grown in Asia, where drinking tea was refined to an art centuries before Europeans even discovered the fork, yet many of us know little about the tiny leaves that changed history and defined entire cultures.

Like salt, sugar, pepper, coffee and many other common foods we keep in our kitchens, tea was once reserved only for the wealthy and powerful. Over 2,000 years ago, Chinese kings first drank an intensely bitter brew as medicine. By the end of the 3rd century, the nobility was requesting milder infusions of tea at banquets, much preferring its refreshing properties to wine’s dulling effects.

Monks, who depended on it for their long days of meditation, carried tea leaves with them as they traveled throughout Asia. Tea was adopted as quickly and readily as Buddhism, and to this day, it remains an integral part of life--from the weak infusion served as daily drinking water to the strong brew that cures ailments, from a pot that starts business negotiations to the cup that marks a marriage.

Cultivating Tea

There are hundreds of different types of teas, yet virtually all come from Camellia sinensis, a small evergreen tree closely related to the delicate camellia flower. The differences that we see, smell and taste from tea to tea derive solely from where the plant grows and how the leaves are harvested and processed. (The exception, assam tea, comes from Camellia assamica, a variety native to northwestern India.)

The best quality teas are still picked only by hand, as machines won’t distinguish between leaves ready for harvesting and those that are not. Hand-picking is a tedious job, but the finest green teas are obtained by gently plucking only the tender bud and two youngest leaves at the tip of the branches. The plant will offer its best flavor in the cool hours of twilight and dusk, and the first growth of spring is the year’s prime harvest. Tea connoisseurs seek the “first flush” for its finer flavor and will pay premium prices for this early harvest.

Once the tea leaves are picked, they must be immediately processed to prevent any loss in flavor.

Fermenting and Drying the Leaves

An important step called fermentation, in which oxidation alters the chemistry of the leaves, helps distinguish the major types of teas. Unfermented teas retain their bright green color and tannic brightness, while fermented teas darken and develop more complex flavors. Green teas are left unfermented, oolong teas are semi-fermented and black teas undergo full fermentation.

(Photo: Fairtrade Labeling International)

Other steps in processing tea include steaming, drying, withering, pounding, rolling, twisting or firing the leaves. Each action creates a specific flavor in teas by affecting the complex balance of enzymes, oxygen, moisture and heat in the leaves. Stir-frying, one of the most important steps, involves skillfully heating and stirring the leaves by hand in large woks. To make richly flavored Pu’er-type teas, workers heap tea leaves in damp mounds and allow them to undergo a special fermentation. Naturally occurring bacteria acts on the leaves, developing the earthy flavor of this famous tea.

Shaping the leaves is another crucial step. By carefully manipulating the leaves, experienced workers can create an endless variety of size and shape, including tight curls, loose twists, thin needles, or perfect pearls.

Brewing Tea

Emperors, poets and tea masters were quick to codify tea rituals. They extolled the virtues of clear spring water, handcrafted Yixing pottery and tender leaves picked by virgins before the light of sunrise. Fortunately, you can enjoy fine teas with little effort. Although you may not live near the mouth of a slow-moving mountain spring, following just a few basic guidelines will help bring out the best flavor in every pot of tea.

First and most important, practicing the art of tea means moving beyond tea bags. While tea bags may be fine for the morning commute, sharing a pot with family and friends calls for the fuller flavor and special ritual of loose leaf tea.  Manufacturers fill tea bags with small pieces, called fannings and dust, from lesser quality leaves. Certain companies have begun marketing whole leaf tea bags, but loose leaf tea will still offer you the best flavor.

Buy the highest-quality teas you can afford. Although the rarest teas can command hundreds of dollars per pound, most good quality teas are available for much less. It helps to remember that one pound of quality tea leaves will steep from 200 to 400 cups of tea, compared to 50 cups from a pound of coffee beans.

Water

Water is so vital to the quality of an infusion that the Chinese call it the “Mother of Tea.” Emperors once required their servants to travel thousands of miles to carry back the purest mountain snow. While you won’t need to go to such lengths, the fact still remains that your tea will only be as good as the water you pour on the leaves.

Tap water, chlorine, old pipes, and aluminum teapots will all contribute off-flavors to an infusion. For the finest leaves, use bottled water or invest in a charcoal water filter. Roy Fong, tea master and owner of The Imperial Tea Court in San Francisco, prefers the Calistoga brand for its neutral flavor. Avoid bottled waters that are too heavy with minerals, such as Evian, and never use distilled water, as it will flatten out nearly all the aroma and flavor of tea.

Temperature

Heating water to the right temperature is essential in making good tea. Because of the variations in their processing, the leaves of different types of tea contain chemical components that will react differently to heat.

Never allow water to boil, as it will become too flat. Teas with delicate flavors, such as light green teas and flower teas, should be steeped at a lower temperature range of 175-185ºF (80-85ºC) to preserve their aromatic components. Let boiled water cool a few minutes, or add 1 part cold water to 4 parts boiled water. Oolong teas are best steeped in water just under 205ºF (95ºC), while robust black teas generally require water hotter water (212ºF or 100ºC) to release their complex flavors. Try to catch the water just before it comes to a full boil, as boiled water is actually too hot for the leaves,

The size of the bubbles rising in heated water is the traditional indicator of temperature. The ideal is “fish-eye water,” with steadily rising bubbles the size of a small fish’s eyeballs. The smaller bubbles of  “crab-eye water” mean the water is not yet ready, while vigorously rolling “old man water” has lost its valuable oxygen.

Time

Generally, darker fermented teas should be steeped longer than lighter, more delicate teas. Regardless of the type of tea, though, good-quality leaves can be infused 5 to 7 times. Each successive infusion requires slightly more steeping time. The first infusion of a light green tea may need only 15 to 30 seconds, while the fifth infusion may take 3 minutes or more. An English tea sipped with milk, on the other hand, could steep for 5 minutes. In the end, of course, you should use your own palate as the ultimate guide. Just remember that leaving tea leaves too long in hot water will create a unpleasantly bitter, overly tannic infusion.

The first hot water you pour on the leaves should be poured out immediately. This washes the leaves of loose dust and allows the leaves to bloom.

Equipment

For delicate or scented teas, choose a pot or cup with a smooth inner surface of china, porcelain, glass, or enamel-coated cast iron. These nonporous surfaces can be washed completely, so that no flavors remain to blur the taste of different teas.

Thin, lidded gaiwan cups flare elegantly from a small saucer that protects your hands from the tea’s heat. The domed lid helps retain heat and, when set it slightly ajar, filter out the unfurled tea leaves while you sip. Gaiwan cups are ideal for delicate teas, such as white needle, because their smooth porcelain surface does not retain tea residues and their thin walls give up just enough heat to prevent overbrewing. They’re more informal than brewing in pots, and yet convey an elegance of form worthy of the finest teas.

Richer teas that steep for longer amounts of time benefit from heavy pottery that retains heat well. They should be well-balanced, and pour smoothly and cleanly. Beautiful, handcrafted Yixing pots, named for a region of China famous for its clay, are ideal for making and serving Asian teas. Through the centuries, Yixing potters have created unique, whimsical designs using only the natural colors of the clay. The special Yixing clay, famous for its ability to cure over time as it slowly absorbs minute amounts of tea, develops a thin layer inside the teapot that contributes even more flavor to the infusion.

After investing in quality teas, be sure to store your teas in airtight containers. Buy tea only in small amounts that you will use within 3 months, and keep them away from light, heat and moisture--all elements that will ruin the leaves. Although attractive, avoid chinaware jars, as they are not airtight, and plastic, which will lend its own off-fumes to the flavor and aroma of the leaves. Use a scoop or spoon to transfer tea, as the oils from your fingers will affect the flavor of the teas.

Serving Tea

Once the tea has steeped, you’ll want to fill the cups with the teapot’s spout as close to the cups’ rims as possible to avoid dissipating the delicate aromas and flavors of the infusion. Since even a few seconds of infusing can make a difference in the flavor of the tea, fill the cups a little at a time in succession, so that the flavor is even and identical in all the cups. Some prefer to simply decant the tea into a second teapot, but this can lead to loss of heat. As a guest, you should take the cup closest to you, leaving the last cup at the center for the last guest.

Making and drinking tea is the perfect way to create a meaningful space in the grind of everyday life. A relaxing break in the afternoon with your favorite cup will become a treat, a gift to yourself, rather than just another harried caffeine jolt.