Boiling on the stove vs. the microwave

[Holdfast]

What I've always wondered is why reheated tea isn't as good as fresh tea...

This is easy - you've already lost the interesting volatile aromatics, and are now just concentrating the bitter tannins. You're effectively cooking the tea, chemically altering it.

Also, on the original topic, I should add that tea likes being poured over with the hot water. When you add water from a kettle/pan, you generally have the teabag or leaves already in the cup, so that natually happens. When you heat the water in the microwave, you then dunk the bag in afterwards, which unless particularly vigorously done, is not as effective in releasing the best flavour from the tea.

why it tastes better if you put the milk in before microwaving it rather than after.

If you're putting the bag in cold water, and then heating them all up together, you really DO need to add milk first. Effectively you're making masala chai without the spices. Without the milk (and preferably whole fat milk at that), you're just cooking the tea, and have the same tannin problem. Milk binds to tannins, soaking them up, preventing bitterness. Also, the milk will sweeten as it heats, again compensating for any bitterness.

(The spices added to masala chai also mask any residual effect of cooking tea.)

 

[SiorX]

Electric Kettles seem to be a fairly uncommon thing in the USA. I don't think you'd find a house without one in the UK.

I can't even fathom not having an electrical kettle on hand. I mean, if you're working on an assignment or whatever, what excuse do you use to procrastinate every fifteen to twenty minutes?

 

[Jadzia]

Some people will only settle for Brooke Bond PG Tips. It's the tea you can really taste.

 

[Amaris]

[Looks at his Bigelow Constant Comment Tea]
[Feels Inadequate]

 

[Trekker4747]

I use an electric kettle. And if I recall correctly from Mythbusters, microwaved tap water can't explode. Only superheated distilled water can.

It happens quite often with people and tap water, distilled water pretty much contains nothing else in it for bubbles to form, but not all tap waters are alike. It's possible the tap water in San Francisco (where MB is filmed) has so much bullshit in it that, yeah, it might take "purer" water like distilled water for the exploding to happen. But exploding tap water is entirely possible.

EDIT: Infact, I just did it. Perfectly clean measuring-cup, filled with water in the microwave for five minutes, opened the door the water wasn't boiling, toss a spoon in it and then BOOM! Water explosion!

 

[Lindley]

What I've always wondered is why reheated tea isn't as good as fresh tea...

This is easy - you've already lost the interesting volatile aromatics, and are now just concentrating the bitter tannins. You're effectively cooking the tea, chemically altering it.

Interesting, that makes sense.

Also, on the original topic, I should add that tea likes being poured over with the hot water. When you add water from a kettle/pan, you generally have the teabag or leaves already in the cup, so that natually happens. When you heat the water in the microwave, you then dunk the bag in afterwards, which unless particularly vigorously done, is not as effective in releasing the best flavour from the tea.

Yeah, that much I already knew. Some things you just pick up after a while.

why it tastes better if you put the milk in before microwaving it rather than after.

If you're putting the bag in cold water, and then heating them all up together, you really DO need to add milk first. Effectively you're making masala chai without the spices.

No, here we're talking about the tea coming from the pot already brewed, but just a few hours old. If you heat it and then add the milk, you usually get some kind of milk-foam on the top which I don't like. But if you put the milk in and then heat it, that doesn't happen. (The milk-foam effect doesn't happen if the tea is freshly hot when you put the milk in rather than microwave-reheated hot.)

Also, the milk will sweeten as it heats, again compensating for any bitterness.

That actually does make a lot of sense. When I was little my mother used to make me hot milk with sugar; everyone I knew thought that was strange, but I later learned that it's actually a French drink. Le shode or something, I don't know how it's spelled.

(and preferably whole fat milk at that)

Eh....I can tolerate 2% or even whole milk in tea; it does have a fairly unique flavor. But I prefer skim.

 

[RobertVA]

Electric Kettles seem to be a fairly uncommon thing in the USA. I don't think you'd find a house without one in the UK.

I don't think I've even seen one in a store.

However, you must remember that a different hot beverage gained a lot of popularity here in response to some political upheaval about 236 years ago.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I use an electric kettle. And if I recall correctly from Mythbusters, microwaved tap water can't explode. Only superheated distilled water can.

It happens quite often with people and tap water, distilled water pretty much contains nothing else in it for bubbles to form, but not all tap waters are alike. It's possible the tap water in San Francisco (where MB is filmed) has so much bullshit in it that, yeah, it might take "purer" water like distilled water for the exploding to happen. But exploding tap water is entirely possible.

EDIT: Infact, I just did it. Perfectly clean measuring-cup, filled with water in the microwave for five minutes, opened the door the water wasn't boiling, toss a spoon in it and then BOOM! Water explosion!

On the next episode of TrekkerBusters: third degree burns.

 

[Trekker4747]

I was very careful.

 

[Holdfast]

No, here we're talking about the tea coming from the pot already brewed, but just a few hours old. If you heat it and then add the milk, you usually get some kind of milk-foam on the top which I don't like. But if you put the milk in and then heat it, that doesn't happen. (The milk-foam effect doesn't happen if the tea is freshly hot when you put the milk in rather than microwave-reheated hot.)

Huh. No idea on this one. If forced to guess, I'd suppose some weird emulsion is created from by-products created in the "cooking" of the tea caused by reheating, but really, I haven't a clue!

Also, the milk will sweeten as it heats, again compensating for any bitterness.

That actually does make a lot of sense. When I was little my mother used to make me hot milk with sugar; everyone I knew thought that was strange, but I later learned that it's actually a French drink. Le shode or something, I don't know how it's spelled.

Un Lait Chaud? Someone French will be along shortly to correct me I'm sure, but usually that's just a glass of warm milk, not necessarily with sugar (though it can be added, of course). Coincidentally enough, my mum also used to make the same drink for me too, sweetened with sugar, and yes, my friends also thought it a bit odd! Philistines...

Un Lait parfum (or should that be parfume with an acute on the terminal e? My French is very rusty..) is the same, but with some sort of flavoured essence added, like vanilla or hazelnut or whatever.

By the way, talking of warm milk gives me the opportunity to correct Dr Crusher, who in an episode of TNG, gives Picard her aunt's recipe for a warm milk toddy, and claims the heat releases sedative amino acids (presumably she's referring to tryptophan). In fact, there's no real evidence to suggest the amount of tryptophan released has any significant central effect on the brain to encourage sleep. However, the warmth of the milk will be soothing enough, and the placebo effect of suggesting it would be sedative might have been enough to help Jean-Luc have a nap...

(and preferably whole fat milk at that)

Eh....I can tolerate 2% or even whole milk in tea; it does have a fairly unique flavor. But I prefer skim.

I only use semi-skim myself, normally, but if you ever plan on making masala chai, the extra fat from full fat milk is a real asset.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Some people will only settle for Brooke Bond PG Tips. It's the tea you can really taste.

On the other hand, my anarchist tendencies have steered me towards the fancier sorts of tea as opposed to tea from teabags, as [all together now] all proper tea is theft.

 

[SiorX]

By the way, talking of warm milk gives me the opportunity to correct Dr Crusher, who in an episode of TNG, gives Picard her aunt's recipe for a warm milk toddy, and claims the heat releases sedative amino acids (presumably she's referring to tryptophan). In fact, there's no real evidence to suggest the amount of tryptophan released has any significant central effect on the brain to encourage sleep. However, the warmth of the milk will be soothing enough, and the placebo effect of suggesting it would be sedative might have been enough to help Jean-Luc have a nap...

Tch. Call yourself a Trekkie?

The aunt was Picard's.

It's his aunt Adele's recipe, which he shares with Beverly when she can't sleep during Cause and Effect. Her amino acid explanation is from when she prescribes it to Riker in Schisms.

I might not understand a word of the milk chemistry, but I know my Picard/Crusher trivia. ...Beyotch.

 

[Kitty Worrier]

[Looks at his Bigelow Constant Comment Tea]
[Feels Inadequate]

One of my favorites!

 

[Holdfast]

By the way, talking of warm milk gives me the opportunity to correct Dr Crusher, who in an episode of TNG, gives Picard her aunt's recipe for a warm milk toddy, and claims the heat releases sedative amino acids (presumably she's referring to tryptophan). In fact, there's no real evidence to suggest the amount of tryptophan released has any significant central effect on the brain to encourage sleep. However, the warmth of the milk will be soothing enough, and the placebo effect of suggesting it would be sedative might have been enough to help Jean-Luc have a nap...

Tch. Call yourself a Trekkie?

The aunt was Picard's.

It's his aunt Adele's recipe, which he shares with Beverly when she can't sleep during Cause and Effect. Her amino acid explanation is from when she prescribes it to Riker in Schisms.

I might not understand a word of the milk chemistry, but I know my Picard/Crusher trivia. ...Beyotch.

And who says TNG has no continuity between episodes! Thanks for the correction.

I really should get round to rewatching TNG again soon. I might start with those two episodes, just for the milk toddy thing.

 

[Saturn0660]

[highlight]WARNING[/highlight] If you boil water in a microwave, wait a minute or so to let the liquid cool before taking it out. It can explode in your face. It happened to a friend of a friend. She had to have skin grafts on her face. Microwave Danger.
It is rare but it does happen, often with serious injury. Just a public service announcement.

Put a wooden spoon in the cup and you will be fine.. It gives somewhere for the bubbles to start...