Dante Robino and Loose Tea - It`s Friday Night

In the glass tonight is a double feature;a nice 2006 Argentinean Merlot and a Chinese whole leaf green tea.

Another wine from the famous Mendoza region of Argentina this Merlot features..."An intense deep red with a complex flavour of mingled fruit and spice with a harmonous palate and pleasant finish."

Very nice.

The argument between loose tea and teabags are as devisive as the arguments between Shimano and Campy but all evidence seems to indicate that loose tea imparts more beneficial health benefits to the user. It seems the tailings usually found within teabags lose their essential oils faster and,hence,their antioxidant qualities become deminished over time quicker than the whole leaf loose tea varieties.

That is not saying that bagged tea is not good but using loose tea lets the tea leaves open unconstricted and impart their benefits.The result,so says the experts, is a better, healthier and more flavorful tea.

Loose tea is also a wiser choice for both green and white teas that are far less processed than black teas and possess far more antioxidants. It all is fairly simple. All living things produce free radicals from the very act of living, including exposure to sunlight. Plants,because they require sunlight and are unable to move to shade when required,produce large amounts of antioxidants as a result to combat the destructive free radical influences.Fortunately we can also benefit from those protections by harvesting and consuming tea.

Tonight I picked up a neat little teapot with an integrated basket infuser to make teas from loose full leaf varieties. I have discovered that finding good quality loose teas hereabouts is not easy. A million options for coffees but precious few for loose teas. There are several great tea sellers on the internet,including some Nova Scotian sellers on Ebay. I intend to purchase some good quality white teas but in the meantime I found a loose green tea to begin experimenting with creating a worthy brew.

Cheers!