Floating Infusers

If you love a cup of tea and you want to have fun making it we have the perfect infuser for you!
The Tea Centre has a growing range of floating infusers in all sorts of novelty designs that are both practical and pretty.



Whale     $11.99
Novelty floating whale tea strainer. Very cute and comes with a little cup to place your strainer in so there's no mess! BPA FREE PLASTIC.

Boat     $11.99

For all those boaties out there! A cute floating boat infuser. Also comes with a little cup to place your infuser into so there's no mess. BPA FREE PLASTIC.

Fish    $4.99

When brewed, rescue t-fish by pulling in the life.

Lilly     $11.99

This stylish floating tea infuser is designed to give you a real cup of tea and looks good at the same time. When you've finished brewing, place your t-lily into the no-mess 'pond' base.

Rose and Leaf     $15.99

Enjoy your favourite loose leaf tea in this funky and colourful tea infuser. Place your infuser in the pot stant provided after use so there's no mess! Made from food grade silicone, is stain resistant and can be cleaned with soap and water.

Enjoy your Tea!

Join us on Facebook!

White Tea

White tea is commonly thought to mean black tea with milk, however when referring to quality loose leaf tea white tea has a whole different meaning.
White tea is a very light and delicate variety of tea, this is because the leaves are picked while very young producing a mild soft flavour. The white tea differs from 0% fermented green tea as white tea is slightly fermented (10-20%) which adds to it's unique flavour.

The dry leaves of white tea have a silky texture from the fine white hairs that cover each shoot. The appearance of the different varieties of leaves are part of the experience of learning about and enjoying white tea.

White tea contains more anti-oxidants than green tea, making it one of the healthiest teas available.
Drinking white tea is a delicious way to benefit from the micronutrients that enhance immune system functions, and improve skin condition. White tea is significantly lower in caffeine and recent research has indicated that white tea retains the highest level of disease preventative antioxidants known as polyphenols. Further studies have indicated that white tea contains more active cancer fighting antioxidants than green tea.

At the tea centre we have a selection of both flavoured and plain white teas for you to enjoy...

Pai Mu Tan
White tea, brownish-green leaf with a few white tips, very mild flavour.

Pai Mu Tan (Organic)
Pristine leaves exhibit a very mild fresh infusion.

Pekoe Flowers
Handmade white tea buds from the province Hunan. Very mild flavour with a soft sweet character.

Snow Dragon
Spiral white tips dance around the pot for a beautiful mild tea experience.

Silver Needles Yin Zhen
Only the white bud is used for this very light delicate tea, making it a must for connoisseurs.

Pai Mu Tan Orange Blossom
White tea, orange blossoms, flavour.

Pai Mu Tan Stockholm Blend
White tea, orange blossoms, rose petals, safflowers, calendula blossoms, vanilla & apricot.

Brewing
White teas are best prepared like green tea. Their delicate nature will be destroyed by water that is too hot and cause an astringent bitter taste. Filtered water is preferred but not essential and water used should be below boiling point. White tea can be brewed up to 10 minutes depending on individual tastes.

More information and prices are available at www.theteacentre.com

Join us on Facebook!

Japanese Lime and Lychee Iced Tea

Lime and lychee are flavours that are perfect when creating a refreshing beverage. At The Tea Centre we have these two flavours in our flavoured tea selection so it is nice and easy to get creative and whip up some refreshing Japanese Lime or Lychee iced tea.

Ingredients

• 2 tblsp of "Lychee Black Tea" or  "Japanese Lime Green Tea"
• 1Lt cold water
• 3 tblsp sugar
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• Lychee's and lime slices to garnish

Step 1 - Put your tea leaves into an infuser and place into the cold water, using cold water will stop the tea from becoming bitter. This will need to infuse for at least 4 hours however for the fullest flavour we recommend leaving it overnight.

Step 2 - Add the sugar to the boiling water and mix till dissolved. Put aside and let cool until the tea is ready.

Step 3 - Combine the sugar syrup and the tea into a jug and serve in glasses with ice and garnish, adding extra fruit adds a little extra kick of flavour if you would like it.

If you enjoy making ice tea regularly check out our bodum ice tea jug.


Join us on Facebook!

Decaffeinated Tea

Decaffeinated tea is a subject of much debate. Many people are worried about the processes that the tea undertakes to achieve the final product and how that effects flavour and their health.

At The Tea Centre we only sell decaffeinated tea which has been treated using the European process.This is a method developed in Europe and is a 100% natural decaffeination process that uses harmless carbon dioxide (CO2) as the solvent. The CO2 gently removes caffeine without any need for dangerous chemicals, high temperatures, or high pressures, which can deform the delicate chemistry of the tea.

 The traditional tea decaffeination processes is not sustainable unlike the European method. The tea is soaked in a solvent that displaces the caffeine. The problem is that the solvent used is often a chemical, such as, Methylene chloride, and that many of these chemicals are known carcinogens.

If you are looking for many different varieties of tea which are caffeine free it is also a good idea to check out our range of herbal teas, rooibos varieties and fruit infusions. These blends do not contain tea leaves so are perfect if you are trying to cut down your caffeine intake.

For more information visit www.theteacentre.com

Join us on Facebook!

Rosehip

Rosehip is a red/orange berry like fruit produced by some varieties of roses, it is full of flavour and has an array of added health benefits.

Rosehip is known for being a rich source of vitamin C, containing around 8 times as much vitamin C as oranges. This quantity of vitamin C makes rosehip perfect for preventing coughs and colds and strengthening immune systems before the cooler months. Rosehip is also rich in flavournoids and antioxidents so it is perfect for a healthy boost for your day.

Many people drink rosehip by itself however it can be a little sour and tart so it is best to drink it within a blend. The Tea Centre has a variety of fruit infusions which contain rosehip including...


Blue lagoon            Pina colada             Redfruits                Hawaii cocktail      Strawberry & cream



Having a variety of flavours to choose from will make boosting your vitamin C just that little bit more exciting!

A full list of ingredients in each blend is available on The Tea Centre website.

http://www.theteacentre.com.au

Join us on facebook http://www.facebook.com

Japanese Maccha

Maccha tea is a fine powder tea made from very high grade green tea. Maccha is most commonly associated with traditional Japanese tea ceremonies which have become very popular with tourist wanting to experience a piece of traditional Japanese culture. During tea ceremonies the maccha is whisked into a thick green brew with an unusual whisk carved from a single piece of bamboo.

Over the years with the fusion of Japanese and western culture the maccha powder has become a fantastic ingredient for creating exotic dishes and beverages.

Some popular dishes that incorporate maccha include...

• Green tea ice cream
• Green tea cake
• Maccha frappes
• Green tea soba noodles

The fine powdered texture of maccha lends itself well to cooking and many chefs are experimenting to incorporate it into more creative dishes.

A great recipe to start with if you would like to experiment with using maccha is green tea ice cream.

All you need is... 

• 1/2 litre of vanilla ice cream
• 1 heaped tsp of maccha powder

1. All you need to do to flavour your ice cream is soften your ice cream till you can fold through it.
2. Add your maccha powder and fold through until it is incorporated and put back in the freezer until it is firm again.

Japanese maccha is available online or instore for more information visit www.theteacentre.com.

Cast Iron Teapots

The popularity of cast iron pots has been increasing over the past few years, their traditional oriental style and beautiful cast iron finish is sure to look fantastic in any home. Although many people love the look of cast iron pots they are unsure why and what they are used for.

Cast iron teapots originally came from ancient China however they eventually made their way to Japan and where used as decorative pieces for the home and a sign of status. Originally cast iron pots were designed to go over a coal fire as a type of kettle. Modern cast iron pots are glazed with a black enamel to prevent rusting, this enamel prevents you from being able to put modern cast iron teapots on the stove but will ensure your pot will not rust.

Cast iron pots are renowned for keeping tea warm for long periods of time. The cast iron provides very even heat distribution which is ideal for brewing tea and holding heat.
To get the best out of your cast iron pot there is a few rules to follow...

• Cool your teapot slowly after use.
• Do not put through the dishwasher or microwave.
• Use a soft cloth to wipe inside rather than harsh scourers or detergents.
• Clean after each use.

If you look after your cast iron pot you will get many years of enjoyment from your pot.

Our stores stock a variety of cast iron teapots in different sizes, shapes and colours. 

To find your closest store visit http://www.theteacentre.com.au.

Tea Parfait

One of our most popular treats at our Albert Lane store is our very decadent tea parfait.
We want everybody to be able to enjoy it anytime, so we are giving you our secret recipe!
The recipe can be made with any tea so experiment and let us know which is your favourite.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of Gelatine or a box of unflavoured jelly crystals (Aeroplane Jelly makes a great one).
• 3 cups of the tea - your choice (teas without to much citrus work the best)
• ½ cup cold water
• Plain Sponge
• 1 small tub of Double Cream
• ½ cup of chopped fruit (fresh or tinned, it’s your choice but strawberries and peach work really well)
• 2 + 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 4 glasses for serving in.

Making the tea jelly

• In a container, pour 2 ½ cups of tea over 4 tablespoons of gelatine. Reserving the last ½ cup of tea for later.
• Mix the tea and gelatine until combined add 3 tablespoons of sugar and stir well.
• Add ½ cup cold water and refrigerate until set.
• If you are using a box of unflavoured jelly crystals prepare as per the instructions on the box, replacing the water element with tea.

Making the Parfait

• Take the reserved ½ cup of tea and add 2 tablespoons of sugar, stir well until sugar is dissolved, this is easier to do when the tea is hot.
• Cut up your sponge into pieces that will fit into your glasses, we use two different sized cookie cutters at Albert Lane, a small one for the bottom of the glass and a large one for the second layer, but cutting it into cubes would work well too.
• Dunk the sponge pieces in the tea and sugar mixture, don’t let them soak as they will go soggy and fall apart.
• Take your set jelly and smash it up with a fork, we have found that doing this helps when trying to get a nice even layer in the glass plus it looks like little crystals.
• Now start layering! One layer of tea soaked sponge one good sized layer of smashed Tea Jelly a small layer of cream, a little bit of double cream goes a long way! A layer of fruit.
• Repeat the layers and finish with a nice layer of fruit on top

The top 3 flavours we suggest are...

   Red Fruits Fruit infusion                     Peach Black               Strawberry Cream Infusion