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Melissa Salazar

Certified Tea Master and Blend Specialist

Melissa Salazar is a Certified Tea Master, Blend Specialist, and Tea Educator based in Gilbert, Arizona. With over 12 years of experience, Melissa founded Red Zen Tea, creating artisan tea blends, workshops, and mindful tea tasting experiences to help others discover the amazing benefits of tea. Most recently, she has developed speciality organic desert tea blends and tea rubs for cooking. Through the International Tea Masters Association, she became a certified tea sommelier, tea master, and blend specialist in 2013. She now works as an Assistant Executive ITMA Trainer, facilitating tea certification classes and workshops. Melissa graduated with a BS in Exercise, Nutrition and Wellness from the Cal State East Bay College of Business and Economics and is also a certified meditation practitioner.

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Forum Comments (3)

How long should you steep green tea?
You will often steep green tea for much less time than other categories of tea. It's often between 1-2 minutes depending on the type. The only green tea variation I tend to steep a little bit longer is a jasmine dragon pearl tea, because it takes a little bit more time for that jasmine pearl to fully open. I'll steep that type for 2.5-3 minutes. I also recommend steeping green tea at a lower temperature of hot water, usually between 165-175 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you make loose leaf tea?
To steep loose leaf tea, you'll measure about one teaspoon for every six to eight ounces of water, but if it's a tea with a larger leaf, like a white tea, then you may need around two teaspoons for ever six to eight ounces of water. I recommend using spring water when brewing tea. You will then steep the tea for the allotted amount of time for that particular type of tea. For example if it's a green tea, that may be one to two minutes. These data points can all be found on the International Tea Master Scale.

Another important point is that different tea types steep best at different temperatures. Here's an overview of the ideal temperature for each major tea type:
  • Black tea: 200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Oolong: 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Green tea: 165 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit
  • White tea: 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Matcha: 150 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit
How do you guys make matcha lattes at home?
The first thing you want to do is get your water temperature up to about 160 degree Fahrenheit, 165 max. You definitely don't want the water too hot. It should ideally be spring water for all the elements and the minerals that are in that water–that will give you the best flavor profile.

Froth up the matcha with hot water. For every half teaspoon of matcha, you'll mix 2-3 ounces of water. After you've mixed up the matcha, you'll pour that over the milk, whether it be almond milk, coconut milk, or another type.

I will say, if you make matcha lattes with animal milk, they do inhibit some of the catechins in the tea. I personally steer clear from animal protein when I am making matcha and use almond, coconut, or some type of plant-based milk for that type of latte. If I'm doing a regular tea latte, I may use the milk protein, but not with a matcha latte.

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