<BR>If I may have different opinion about Ooloon tea. The tea leaf shall fill at leat 1/4 of teapot,3 minutes for the first brew,5 minutes for the second brew-it is considered the best part.<BR><BR>No more than two minutes for Japanes green tea.<BR><BR>Preferable spring water(not too much mineral),but if use tape water,make sure the beak in uncovered when broiling for chlorine to escape.<BR><BR>Never wash teapot with dishwashing liquid,it will leave odd taste.

For Kate. You do not want to ask questions like that, as I shall bore you into the ground. On this Fodors page, if you use Text Search for Ben Haines you will find me rambling on about the first week of a highly pleasant (and unlike England sunny) trip to Tallinn and back.<BR><BR>For Simone. Indeed, the loose tea stews in the pot, so each cup changes character, and strengthens taste a little.<BR><BR><BR>Ben Haines

Many,many people here in US make tea with water that is merely very hot, not boiling; it's my pet peeve in restaurants. You know when they bring you a cup or little pot of hot water and then have you choose your tea bag that the tea is not going to be good. I find it happens in all restaurants, from the top of the line to the neighborhood mom and pop places. The water needs to hit the tea when just "off the boil". It makes all the difference in the world.