Tea and Totally Gifts Inc

Selecting the Right Brewing Vessel: Tea Cup- You can easily steep your favorite tea bag or loose leaf tea in a teacup. For loose leaf tea, you just need a leaf-containing device, like a stainless steel basket or a paper or cloth tea filter. (insert link to above devices here) Simply pour the heated water over the contained tea leaves and then remove the device once the proper steeping time is up. It’s that simple! Tea Pot- Teapots come in almost as many varieties as tea. We even have teapots that come with a built-in, removable tea strainer or brewing basket to hold loose leaf tea leaves. That way you can remove the tea leaves from the pot of water after the appropriate steeping time so the tea doesn’t over steep. Adjust the amount of tea you brew to the size teapot you’re using. No built-in brew basket? No Problem! You can simply throw several tea bags into a teapot to achieve a multi-cup brew with easy clean up.

We carry such a large assortment of teas from around the world that you are sure to find one that is perfect! We even carry the official tea served at Buckingham Palace! Start by asking yourself..."to caffeinate or not to caffeinate? THAT is the question!". If the answer is "caffeinate" then you'll want to start by looking at the Black, Oolong, and Green Tea options. If you don't want caffeine in your cup then Herbal Teas are for you. To unwind anytime of day a nice herbal tea will be your ticket! For those with a sweet tooth we carry 'Pinky Up'. This line of tea is meant to be served as an after meal treat, with dessert, or just to satisfy your sweet tooth without all of those pesky calories. Ask an associate and we will be happy to help guide you down the right path!

Not sure if Tea is for you? Chances are you just haven’t had the right tea for your palette brewed the proper way. Let’s go over the basics! Since Tea is 99% water the water quality is important and has a lot to do with the final taste of the tea. If your water tastes “off” due to impurities so will your tea no matter how strong you make your brew. We recommend using filtered water or bottled spring water; avoid using unfiltered tap, distilled, or mineral water. Always consider the 3 Ts: Type of Tea, Temperature, and Time. Here’s a general guide line 3Ts cheat sheet: White Tea brew between 160-190 degrees F for 2 to 5 minutes. Green Tea brew between 160-180 degrees F for 1 to 3 minutes. Oolong Tea brew between 185- 205 degrees F for 2 to 6 minutes. Black Tea brew between 200-212 degrees F for 3 to 5 minutes. Herbal Tea brew between 200- 212 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes. *These are general guidelines. We are always happy to answer type and brand specific recommendation questions since different tea, even if they come from the same category (black, green etc), can have different ideal brewing times and temperatures. Remember to always keep your vessel covered while the tea steeps to mantain a constant temperature. One the recommended time has past remove the tea to prevent over-steepage which can make the tea taste bitter or too strong