My parents used to add a pinch of sugar to the pot while steeping black tea, saying that it improved the quality of the brew. I think I agree, but that may be the placebo effect (power of suggestion).
Has anyone else heard of this? or agree with this?
Aloke,
I find that to my taste most teas (other than delicate greens and whites) are improved by a little sugar. The sugar seems to do two things: mask astringency (especially in Darjeeling) and enhance the fruit/floral components. I add it to the cup though, not to the tea whilst brewing. I'll have to try your suggestion - I'm curious now!
Regards, Dean
I would say if it works for you, do it! I rarely drink black teas but when I do, I usually add a bit of sugar in the cup, and it seems to smooth the flavor and enhance the more subtle nuances which I miss when it's unsweetend. Ceylon's my exception - seems better to me with no sugar.
-ben
When we steep things in water we extract. Extraction is dependant on dissociative abilities of water and it improves with the presence of free ions. That is why sometimes a tiny pinch of salt is added to water when making coffee or tea. Sugar, being dissolved, may work in the same way.
Sasha.
The other day I was making tea (of course) and thinking about how people add a pinch of salt to boiling water when they make pasta. My understanding is that they do it to raise the temp of the water beyond 212 deg F ... not that I understand science, mind you. But perhaps adding some sugar does the same thing. There was that paper on tea that someone posted a link to the other day that suggested that black tea should be steeped at as high a temp as possible. I've often wondered why it *has* to be 212 deg F, and perhaps the answer is that 212 is the highest you can get, barring adding some sort of mineral that would allow you to go higher.
Ian
That makes sense, Ian (the other alternative is to move to the Dead Sea - does Alaric or any other likely suspect have the boiling point of water there?). But didn't Aloke say:
"My parents used to add a pinch of sugar to the pot while steeping black tea, saying it would improve the brew."
The pot, not the kettle? Adding a bit of sugar to water which is off the fire should cool it, I think, due to the heat of crystalization, but only trivially I imagine. Anyway, it would need to be in the kettle for it to raise the boiling point.
Best,
Rick.
I read that, then re-read it, then re-read it ... OH! I see. :-) Yes, the pot. That would probably cool it. But, now that I've been struck with the idea, I'll see if adding some sugar to the ... oh, come to think of it, I don't want sugar in my tea kettle. Never mind!
Ian
You have to add a lot of salt to water to significantly change its boiling point. The boiling point is raised by approx 1 degree F (1/2 half a degree Celsius) for water with 29.2 grams of salt dissolved in each kg (liter) of water, i.e about 1/4 of an ounce for each GLASS of water! Try it and I can promise you - unless ocean water (average 40g/liter) is your favorite refreshment drink and you actually wish it was more salty - you are not going to like your tea. And you only elevated you boiling point 1 degree F! A pinch of salt put into a spaghetti bowl (1/4 gram per say 4 liters) will raise the boiling temperature only 1/500 of a degree F, which is about the same difference as between water boiled upstairs an downstairs.
The only way to raise the boiling point in a household conditions is to use pressure cooker which will make your tea very astringent, bitter and smelling like a rotten hay.
Sasha.
Once again, Sasha, you've performed a service to mankind. Now the rest of us don't have to try the pressure cooker maneuver!
/Lew
LOL. Thanks, Sasha. I guess 212 is the magic number, though why I have no idea. Perhaps nature adapts to limits such as that.
Ian
Well, in the interest of public service, I can tell you that tea made with an espresso machine is also bitter and nasty. :-)
Ian
Rick Chappell wrote in news:cngjdt$jn4$1 @news.doit.wisc.edu:
Depending upon one's geolocation, the Great Salt Lake in Utah might do, erm, in a pinch.
I am no water chemist, but I believe that since sugar does not disassociate when dissolved, this is not true. Salt is NaCl, which means that when you put it in water, it becomes Na+ and Cl-, thus increasing the number of ions. Sugar is a covalent compound, which means it remains as-is in dissolution.
That being said, I'm not sure I understand the connection between the solvency of water and the addition of ionic impurities. Maybe I'll look that up in my Chemistry book.
Steve
Alex Chaihorsky wrote:
I like a spoonful of crack cocaine in my tea.
That is why I said "sugar, beinmg dissolved, MAY work the same way". The molecule of sugar MAY have surface polarities that act as weak ions even if it does not disassociate. The second part of you mail - yes, look up your Chemistry book :)
Sasha.
Magical number for extraction is 40% (80 proof) alcohol in water (standard vodka). That is the absolute best proportion for alcohol extraction of organics from herbs, etc.. And I do not think its just a coincidence that it's the same percentage that is traditionally used for hard liquor.
Sasha.
BTW, what is crack cocaine? Is it a synthetic substance or a processed cocaine? I hear this name everywhere but never an intellegent explanation what is it. I am, BTW for complete and total legalisation of all drugs, since I know, being a Russian that government cannot control this anyway. I do not know if this is a common knowledge but until (I think) 1996 the old tea laws in the US that were supposed to protect consumer from rotten tea, would not allow the bulk importation of Puerh, since it smelled "funny". It was repealed during Clinton administration.
Sasha.
I'm sorry, I meant black tea. Goes to show that I rarely drink green!
I was thinking of a post I read earlier in the year when someone was wondering why 212 deg F exactly is good for black tea, as if it were some sort of magic number, whereas it's just the highest temp you can achieve when boiling water. IOW, why not 205 or 200? Why does the perfect steeping temp for water happen to be the upper temperature limit? If you say black tea tastes bad with water at higher temps, than 212 must be some sort of mystical number in re: to black tea.
Sorry, I'm philosophizing over a mug of lapsang. :-)
Ian
But the scientist/engineer in me will wonder whether it's all psychosomatic or if the effect is real. It's too much to set up a blind taste test :-) Thus i was wondering if this belief/effect (of small amount of sugar improving the color of the liquor) was more widespread ...
There wouldn't be much of an effect on taste (sweetening) of 1 tsp of sugar in a pot brewing 3-4 cups of tea. It was (supposedly) to improve the quality of the brew ...
I believe that crack is the form of cocaine that is smoked (not snorted).
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