A better cup awaits those who embrace the kettle over the microwave (the laws of physics agree).
Victoria Jempty
A not-earth-shattering fact:Tea is mostly water.
But humor me for a moment, because the implications of this statement are heavy.
Photo:Victoria Jempty
Why look past the microwave?
There are so many reasons.
Because different teas require different water temperatures.
Green tea (including matcha) and white tea should be steeped between 170 and 180 degrees.
Black, oolong, rooibos, and herbal teas should be hotter-200 degrees or hotter.
Shooting for the right temperature with a microwave is like reaching around in the dark.
You have no way of knowing.
If you want to measure the water’s temperature, you’re able to use a kitchen thermometer.
Doing so a few times might help you know when, as you listen, water reaches target temperatures.
The precise temperature might not matter to you.
Loose-leaf tea won’t be worth the investment if you’re microwaving water.
The flavor benefits of loose-leaf and better-quality bagged teas are more fully extracted by steeping at the right temperature.
And a good cup of tea is about achieving a uniform temperature throughout your mug.
This is when a process called convection occurs, which results in a perfectly uniform temperature throughout the kettle.
A crummy cup of tea.
Just like with theSwedish coffee break tradition known as Fika, drinking tea gives pause.
It is a break in the relentless momentum of the day.
It’s a time to immerse yourself in a calm moment; the chance to slow down.
Drinking tea might come with your own personal traditions-perhaps a certain cup or a certain pot.
Many tea traditions are deeply rooted in time.
Microwaving tea water feels out of step with these traditions and the relaxed, old-school nature of tea.
Tea is best when it’s slow and deliberate.
Instead, microwaving speeds up tea, cheats the system, and removes it from its origins.
Across the world, there are various teas steeped in a variety of ways.
Some, likepu-erh, even have a rinsing ceremony when enjoyed formally.
Matcha requires careful whisking to properly prepare.
Tea traditions vary, and it’s important not to ignore them.
Yet, one thing remains universal: For maximum enjoyment of tea, skip the microwave.
