Wow, this is a great thread!
Good guide RoboBlaster, its always pleasing to see the proper method for the preparation of tea spread far and wide
. I also think you agree with the saying "Not my cup of tea"
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I would add something if I may - the cup shaped infusers are a fantastic and quick way of making a nice cup of tea but make sure you have a *metal* one. They are much easier to clean! (Can use bicarbonate of soda or a scourer) The plastic ones eventually seal up with all the tea remains....
Is the gungfu method of tea preparation the same as a tea ceremony? Where you use chopsticks and pour three times, etc? Fascinating bit of culture there.
The Tea Companion (Connoisseur's Guides)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...823994-0493228
is a good book and it has more information on different temperatures for different teas.
My personal fav is Rawanda tea (splashy of milk) and chen mee (green tea) or gunpowder (mum and dad brought me some back from Morrocco). In Afganistan they drink gunpowder with a few cardamon pods - very nice indeed (beware, gunpowder is especially horrid if stewed).
David