03.02.08
Posted in Cooking Articles at 7:32 am by henri
The people of China have been drinking tea for more than 5,000 years and have learned a significant amount about loose leaf tea during that time.
The Chinese perfected processing of the Camellia sinensis plant and the development of different types of tea. The also developed the proper infusion methods that guarantee a perfect cup of tea.
Today, many Chinese and other tea drinkers throughout the tea drinking world, utilize multiple infusion of whole tea leafs as a quality, cost effective way to enjoy tea. The concept of multiple infusions means that high quality whole leaf tea is infused with pure water more than once but the resulting tea drink does not loose any flavor or body.
It is truly an economical way to enjoy a quality tea experience and multiple infusions reduce the cost of high quality loose leaf tea dramatically.
What is Required for Multiple Tea Infusions?
Multiple infusions of any quality require high quality whole leaf tea and pure water.
High Quality Tea:
Whole leaf tea that is raised by a premier tea garden and properly plucked at the most opportune time is a minimum requirement for multiple infusions. After plucking, the tea must be processed by the time honored orthodox method where the integrity of the leaf is maintained.
Teas processed by the mechanized CTC (cut, tear, curl) method used in most tea bags will not support quality multiple infusions. It is impossible to produce multiple infusions from most tea bags or low quality loose leaf tea without suffering significant degrading of taste and body.
Pure Water:
Most tap or well water sources today contain contaminants that not only ruin the taste of quality loose leaf tea but are also harmful to your long term health. Many bottled waters are also unfit to produce a quality cup of tea.
When selecting a water to brew tea, try purified water produced by the distillation/oxygenation method that produces purified water with a light fresh taste.
Conclusion:
If you enjoy a fine cup of tea and want to get the best value when you purchase tea, look for tea made with the highest quality leaves that are plucked and processed in the orthodox way, This will offer you multiple infusions of your favorite tea and significantly reduce the cost.
Add purified water and your tea drinking satisfaction will be guaranteed. After 5,000 years the Chinese tea drinkers cannot be wrong!
Jon Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, white tea and wholesale tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com
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Posted in Cooking Articles at 7:32 am by henri
So you are traveling to Spain and planning to visit Barcelona while you are there, but the thought of staying in a noisy, busy, city centre hotel leaves you cold? Don’t worry, there are other options when it comes to Barcelona hotels, and the following couple of suggestions should make for a mush more relaxed trip.
The first suggestion is to try one of the superb four star hotels at the Port Aventura theme park, only a short distance outside the centre, rather than a hotel in Barcelona city itself. It is possible to get a dedicated transfer from Barcelona’s main airport, directly to the theme park, which will drop you right outside your hotel. Of course, you can always hire a car and drive yourself to the theme park, and if you do, remember that Europcar have special arrangements with the Port Aventura hotels to ensure you get the best deal.
The four hotels available each have their own particular character and are decorated and furnished to a very high level. Whichever you choose you will be guaranteed a luxurious visit. If you are looking for classic Mediterranean style you might try the Portaventura hotel, whilst for something a little different, the El Paso hotel has a Mexican theme. If you are after sheer indulgence and the chance to sunbath by the pool on pure white sand, The Hotel Caribe is for you.
As well as bed and breakfast, the very reasonable prices charged by the Port Aventura hotels also include entrance to the theme park and the Caribe Aquatic Centre. Even during the summer months, an expensive period for all hotels in Spain, a night in the hotel with two days in the theme park is just over two hundred euros for a single, and less than one hundred and fifty per person for a double. To reduce the cost even further, you can have a room for up to four people. Out of season, when it is still possible to enjoy good weather in this region, two people could pay less than one hundred euros.
If you want to be a little closer to Barcelona city centre, but are still looking for a luxurious option, away from the crowds of La Rambla, you should check into the Arts Hotle, which offers an incredible sea front location with views over the whole Marina and port area. This is a place to really be pampered, and any of the spacious rooms, suites or split-level apartments, offer an uneatable standard of accommodation. The real gem in this hotel is the Goyescas restaurant, were the extensive menu includes local specialties as well as international cuisine. If you are having trouble deciding between the mouthwatering dishes, a recommendation from the friendly staff may help you make up you mind. They will even tell you the perfect wine to accompany your meal.
So as you can see, it is perfectly possible to enjoy the cultural and historical sights of Barcelona, without having to stay right in the bustling city centre. After a hard day’s sightseeing you return to a calm relaxing oasis, just a short ride away.
Jack Blacksmith frequently publishes publications on ideas dealing with holiday and travel. You can learn about his writings over at http://www.barcelona-information.com/barcelona-hotels.html and different sources for Barcelona Hotels information.
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