Tea & Design

The golden Rule is a widely known method for serving black tea . The golden rule was first introduced in the book "All about Tea" by an American William H. Ukers in 1935. Let me introduce the golden rule:

1. Use good quality tea leaves. 2. Warm the tea pot before hand. 3. Measure the tea leaves. 4. Use fresh boiled hot water for brewing tea.
2. Steep the tea leaves and wait the prefered brewing time. I wonder if the golden rule is still be suitable for the present-day; especially after the drastic change of World warII. I think this rule may not have enough information for serving a good tea. Because: 1. Nowadays we normally get good quality tea in Japan, and it is hard to get a bad quality tea. 2. Warming the pot is not always necessary. It changes depending on the kind of tea leaves and/or what pot is used.
3. Many people today have the common sense to how much tea should be used. Moreover, the amount of tea also varies depending on what type of black tea is used. 4. The condition and appropriate temperature of the water varies depending on where you are. 5. Brewing time also varies depending on what kind of tea leaves or tea pot is to be used. For some tea leaves, as long as we follow this golden rule, we may able to serve good tea. But I guess the people's preference is now so diverse, that it is difficult to say if you following one rule is the best way to serve tea. It is probably more important to make your own rule using your own sense, and that will be a modern version of the golden rule.