I've got an interest in the 30-second blanch issue, which has been
questioned here as an old conundrum recently. But now, as I read more
about water quality, customs, and practices, I'm picking up additional
info that seem to support 30-seconding.

1. Tea leaves do have some taste resulting from organic defense
against aphids, etc.. It's a jungle out there and the species has its
survival mechanisms, evidently including exuding it's own repellant.

2. Farmers do spray their crops with chems, and even "organic" tea
leaves might get dosed a bit. And does the irrigation system, if any,
use chlorine, fluoride, etc.?

3. During processing, who knows what chems are used to ferment,
decaffe, add taste, etc.?

4. In various stages of collecting, processing, and storing tea
leaves, it's likely that insect and animal droppings are deposited.

5. Personally, the green teas I savor do have a somewhat dank and
weedy taste on first infusion.

So, adding it up, it looks like a 30-second blanch of leaves is the
right thing for me to do. So far, I haven't any preference about
temps, except that less than 140 F. seems desirable. Don't know what
higher temps at sea level do for blanches and steeps, generally or on
individual teas. bookburn

So, you're interested in washing the leaves as opposed to leaching out
certain compounds. This is often done when preparing pu-er and other
teas which have traveled a long road to get to your cup. It is a very
quick rinse, though, not exactly an infusion. Pour-swirl-drain, then
add water and infuse.

I'm sure those with more knowledge and experience than I can enlighten
us further.

Alan

wrote:
> I've got an interest in the 30-second blanch issue, which has been
> questioned here as an old conundrum recently. But now, as I read more
> about water quality, customs, and practices, I'm picking up additional
> info that seem to support 30-seconding.
>
> 1. Tea leaves do have some taste resulting from organic defense
> against aphids, etc.. It's a jungle out there and the species has its
> survival mechanisms, evidently including exuding it's own repellant.
>
> 2. Farmers do spray their crops with chems, and even "organic" tea
> leaves might get dosed a bit. And does the irrigation system, if any,
> use chlorine, fluoride, etc.?
>
> 3. During processing, who knows what chems are used to ferment,
> decaffe, add taste, etc.?
>
> 4. In various stages of collecting, processing, and storing tea
> leaves, it's likely that insect and animal droppings are deposited.
>
> 5. Personally, the green teas I savor do have a somewhat dank and
> weedy taste on first infusion.
>
> So, adding it up, it looks like a 30-second blanch of leaves is the
> right thing for me to do. So far, I haven't any preference about
> temps, except that less than 140 F. seems desirable. Don't know what
> higher temps at sea level do for blanches and steeps, generally or on
> individual teas. bookburn