New Year, New Tea Habits

KANSAS CITY, MO, January 13, 2011 (Press-News.org) January is Hot Tea Month, and one Kansas City couple has suggestions for how to celebrate the world¡¦s second most-consumed beverage. Alan and Marlys Arnold believe tea doesn¡¦t have to be boring and are the authors of a tea-based recipe collection called "Cooking with Tea: Basics," featuring their own brand of Adventures with Tea flavors. So in the spirit of adventure, they offer these tips:

1. Try a new type of tea. There are many variations beyond traditional black or green tea, including caffeine-free herbal blends (tisanes) or rooibos from South Africa.

2. Buy loose tea instead of bags. Loose tea creates a bolder, fuller flavor because it doesn't constrict the leaves like bags do.

3. Learn how to brew the best tea. It's not hard, but there are variations in time, temperature, and brewing equipment that can make a big difference in the quality of tea.

4. Understand how to store tea. Use opaque food-safe containers with a sealed lid to avoid exposure to light, heat, moisture, and air. (No glass containers!)

5. Experiment with tea in other drinks, such as lattes, cider, or cocoa. Tea can also be used as an ingredient in recipes from desserts to main dishes.

6. Host a tea tasting with friends. Try several different flavors and compare notes.

7. Put brewed tea leaves to good use. Sprinkle them on plants or add to a compost pile.

"Most people have heard that drinking tea (particularly green tea) is good for you," Alan Arnold said. "But they don¡¦t do it because they have memories of less-than-pleasant tea experiences. Once they begin to explore all of the options out there, they can find what works for them," he said.

About Adventures with Tea:
Alan and Marlys Arnold teach about the history, health benefits, and culinary possibilities of tea at in-home and other private events, with flavors sampled from the Adventures with Tea line. They are the authors of the ¡§Cooking with Tea: Basics¡¨ recipe collection and also have recipes and cooking videos on their website at http://www.AdventureswithTea.com.