I tried to choose green and black teas that illustrate the wide range of flavors within these categories. The idea is to inspire you to not just drink whats already bagged for you in the store. Tea is not a science like baking, you can add whatever you like to flavor your tea. After sampling a cup of a tea by itself, think of what flavors you might like to add. Green and black teas lend themselves to mixing different flavors. Look in your pantry,if you have dried fruit, cinnamon (bark chips, not powdered), cardamon, etc. Break up an almond or hazelnut, and even whole peppercorns can add flavor to teas. One combination of the teas you could try is Rooibos and Lemon Myrtle, which Ive nicknamed gator-tea because it is thirst quenching and fruity.
Enclosed are 11 different types of teas and herbs. Most of the varieties there is 1oz of tea, which is good for 10-12 cups. Greens and oolongs can be steeped multiple times, by just adding an additional minute. A few tips on brewing loose tea: in general, green teas are brewed a shorter amount of time for 1-3 minutes. Black teas should be brewed 2-5 minutes. If you want a stronger cup you should use more tea, not add time. When you are done brewing you should not squeeze out the tea bag, as this will release tannins from the tea and make it bitter. I like to use a french press for making pots of teas, so keep it in mind not to crush the tea at the bottom. Always use the best quality water around, preferably bottled, especially for the lighter teas with more subtle flavor like Puer Green. If you like milk with your black tea, add it after the brewing process.
Enjoy.