I purchased 50 g of a tea labelled "Makaibari Estate FTGFOP1" at a
local tea shop on their recommendation. I have made two 4-cup pots so
far. One seemed weak and the other astringent.

For black teas, my procedure is to pour 3 cups of tap water from the
cold faucet into a 4-cup pyrex and bring that to a brief rolling boil
in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes). While that is heating up, I
measure the tea into the infuser using a tare scale. I then fill the
pot with hot water from the instant hot tap and let it sit whole the
water is coming to a boil. When the water boils, I empty the pot,
insert the infuser with the tea leaves, and pour the hot water into
the pot. I then put the lid on and set the timer.

I then pour most of the tea into a 500 ml thermos and the rest into a
cup. This will last me a couple of hours in the afternoon.

Using this procedure, I made my first pot using 6 g of tea brewed for
3:30. The package recommended 3+ minutes. That pot seemed slightly
weak.

For the second pot, I used 10 g of tea. Everything else was the same
except that I did not use the infuser. I put the leaves directly into
the pot and then strained the tea when I poured it out of the pot into
the cup and thermos. This pot was slightly astringent and unpleasant.
It also seemed to have a bit of a smokey aroma that was also
unpleasant and it had an aftertaste that was mildly bitter.

What causes the astringency? Is it due to the type of tea, the amount
of tea, the brewing method, or all of these?

I am fairly new to tea, so my palate is probably poorly developed. Was
this a poor choice for a newbie and possibly one that I might like
later on?

Can anyone recommend other teas that might be good to help develop my
palate?

I have never smoked and find the smell of smoke unpleasant. I do not
drink coffee. I find the smell wonderful but the taste revolting. I
drink very little alcohol, mostly a glass of chianti with dinner 3-4
times a month. I was raised in a largely Scandanavian area of the
midwest and grew up eating lots of bland foods. I only provide this
info in case it helps suggest teas that might be less of a stretch for
me as I am "growing up".

Thanks


--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

"Top Spin" > wrote in message
...
> I purchased 50 g of a tea labelled "Makaibari Estate FTGFOP1" at a
> local tea shop on their recommendation. I have made two 4-cup pots so
> far. One seemed weak and the other astringent.
>
> For black teas, my procedure is to pour 3 cups of tap water from the
> cold faucet into a 4-cup pyrex and bring that to a brief rolling boil
> in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes).

WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o it
ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are right,
it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.

So, unless your microwave has a temp. probe or control, I strongly urge you
to get a thermometer (Wal-Mart has an instant-read thermometer in the
kitchen gadget section for ~$5.50) and perform a series of tests to
determine how much time it takes to bring the amount of water that you want
to 212F, get an electric kettle, or do it the old-fashioned way on top the
stove.

> Using this procedure, I made my first pot using 6 g of tea brewed for
> 3:30. The package recommended 3+ minutes. That pot seemed slightly
> weak.
>
> For the second pot, I used 10 g of tea. Everything else was the same
> except that I did not use the infuser.

What type of infuser? A tea ball? A brewing basket?

If a tea ball, I'll bet the leaves didn't have enough room to expand and
float around because dry leaf will expand 3x or 4x and need even more room
for the water to circulate freely.

If a brewing basket like a Teeli, you're okay.

> I put the leaves directly into
> the pot and then strained the tea when I poured it out of the pot into
> the cup and thermos. This pot was slightly astringent and unpleasant.
> It also seemed to have a bit of a smokey aroma that was also
> unpleasant and it had an aftertaste that was mildly bitter.
>
> What causes the astringency? Is it due to the type of tea, the amount
> of tea, the brewing method, or all of these?

Usually, the type and amount of tea affects the intensity of flavor (for
example, a Darjeeling is "delicate" and an Assam is "robust") while
oversteeping causes bitterness and too high a temperature for green tea
causes astringency. Since black teas are typically best brewed with boiling
water, but you may have super-heated your water by using your microwave and
used a tea ball, it's hard for me to tell.

> I am fairly new to tea, so my palate is probably poorly developed. Was
> this a poor choice for a newbie and possibly one that I might like
> later on?

It's possible that you'll like it once it's brewed properly. That takes
experimenting with amounts and times - suggest you test 1 cup at a time
until you determine the best combination for your taste. At a certain point,
you'll think, "Aha! This is it!" and while the strength, lack of bitterness,
and everything else may be right, you still might not like the taste of the
tea. In which case, move on to another.

> Can anyone recommend other teas that might be good to help develop my
> palate?

All that you can get your hands on. The basic black teas a Assam, Ceylon,
Darjeeling, Keemun, Kenya, Lapsang Souchong, Nilgiri, Yunnan. There are more
.

> I have never smoked and find the smell of smoke unpleasant. I do not
> drink coffee. I find the smell wonderful but the taste revolting. I
> drink very little alcohol, mostly a glass of chianti with dinner 3-4
> times a month. I was raised in a largely Scandanavian area of the
> midwest and grew up eating lots of bland foods. I only provide this
> info in case it helps suggest teas that might be less of a stretch for
> me as I am "growing up".

Not smoking will help a lot, but you really do need to experience the range
of what's available or you'll be cheating yourself, IMO. You'll develop
favorites as you go along.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

"Bluesea" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Top Spin" > wrote in message
> ...

snip

>> For black teas, my procedure is to pour 3 cups of tap water from the
>> cold faucet into a 4-cup pyrex and bring that to a brief rolling boil
>> in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes).
>
> WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
> microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o it
> ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are right,
> it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.

Wow, thanks for telling us that Bluesea because I didn't know that either
and I've used a pyrex measuring cup on occasion for heating water in the
micro...I'll have to be more careful.

much snippage

>
>> Can anyone recommend other teas that might be good to help develop my
>> palate?
>
> All that you can get your hands on. The basic black teas a Assam,
> Ceylon,
> Darjeeling, Keemun, Kenya, Lapsang Souchong, Nilgiri, Yunnan. There are
> more
> .
>
>> I have never smoked and find the smell of smoke unpleasant. I do not
>> drink coffee. I find the smell wonderful but the taste revolting. I
>> drink very little alcohol, mostly a glass of chianti with dinner 3-4
>> times a month. I was raised in a largely Scandanavian area of the
>> midwest and grew up eating lots of bland foods. I only provide this
>> info in case it helps suggest teas that might be less of a stretch for
>> me as I am "growing up".
>
> Not smoking will help a lot, but you really do need to experience the
> range
> of what's available or you'll be cheating yourself, IMO. You'll develop
> favorites as you go along.


I'd add to that that if you find the smell of smoke unpleasant (and in this
case I mean smoke like when a person smokes a turkey in their smoker...I
have one) then you'll probably not want to start with either Lapsang or
Russian Caravan. If you brew a black tea don't be afraid to use milk and
sugar (if you're that type) because it really makes a good cuppa Assam. I
liked Keemun Mao Feng because it was so different to me as a new
person...some people describe it's taste as smokey but I don't connet it
with that at all, to me it tastes fruity. Yunnan is good, and I am a fan of
assam, as I indicated, with milk and sugar.

I can't think what tea would approximate a chianti...

I don't know how you feel about scented teas, but if you like jasmine scent
you might try a jasmine phoenix pearl.

Melinda

"Melinda" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Bluesea" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Top Spin" > wrote in message
> > ...
>
> >> For black teas, my procedure is to pour 3 cups of tap water from the
> >> cold faucet into a 4-cup pyrex and bring that to a brief rolling boil
> >> in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes).
> >
> > WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
> > microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o it
> > ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are
right,
> > it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.
>
> Wow, thanks for telling us that Bluesea because I didn't know that either
> and I've used a pyrex measuring cup on occasion for heating water in the
> micro...I'll have to be more careful.

I used to heat my water in a Pyrex in the microwave, too, until it exploded.
Thank God it was still in the microwave with the door closed when it
happened, but it surely did stun the heck out of me. I was standing there
watching it for it to boil and it went BLAM! and nearly all the water (24
oz) was blown out of the cup.

Afterwards, I asked some friends and did some research and learned that
water typically explodes *after* being removed from the microwave. People
were scalded w/o anything to warn them:

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/erupted.html.

I use a kettle now, exclusively.


--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:01:15 -0600, "Bluesea" >
wrote:

>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
.. .
>> I purchased 50 g of a tea labelled "Makaibari Estate FTGFOP1" at a
>> local tea shop on their recommendation. I have made two 4-cup pots so
>> far. One seemed weak and the other astringent.
>>
>> For black teas, my procedure is to pour 3 cups of tap water from the
>> cold faucet into a 4-cup pyrex and bring that to a brief rolling boil
>> in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes).
>
>WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
>microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o it
>ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are right,
>it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.

Naw. I've been doing that for 30 years. Never had one explore or even
erupt. My microwave might be too wimpy. It's almost 30 years old as
well. But the concern is touching. ;-)

I did get a potato to explode once and also an egg. Marshmellows are
kinda fun, too.

>So, unless your microwave has a temp. probe or control, I strongly urge you
>to get a thermometer (Wal-Mart has an instant-read thermometer in the
>kitchen gadget section for ~$5.50) and perform a series of tests to
>determine how much time it takes to bring the amount of water that you want
>to 212F, get an electric kettle, or do it the old-fashioned way on top the
>stove.

I have been thinking about an electric kettle for the convenience --
plus it's a gadget!

>> Using this procedure, I made my first pot using 6 g of tea brewed for
>> 3:30. The package recommended 3+ minutes. That pot seemed slightly
>> weak.
>>
>> For the second pot, I used 10 g of tea. Everything else was the same
>> except that I did not use the infuser.
>
>What type of infuser? A tea ball? A brewing basket?
>
>If a tea ball, I'll bet the leaves didn't have enough room to expand and
>float around because dry leaf will expand 3x or 4x and need even more room
>for the water to circulate freely.
>
>If a brewing basket like a Teeli, you're okay.

It's the plastic infuser basket that comes with the Chatsford teapots.

>> I put the leaves directly into
>> the pot and then strained the tea when I poured it out of the pot into
>> the cup and thermos. This pot was slightly astringent and unpleasant.
>> It also seemed to have a bit of a smokey aroma that was also
>> unpleasant and it had an aftertaste that was mildly bitter.
>>
>> What causes the astringency? Is it due to the type of tea, the amount
>> of tea, the brewing method, or all of these?
>
>Usually, the type and amount of tea affects the intensity of flavor (for
>example, a Darjeeling is "delicate" and an Assam is "robust") while
>oversteeping causes bitterness and too high a temperature for green tea
>causes astringency. Since black teas are typically best brewed with boiling
>water, but you may have super-heated your water by using your microwave and
>used a tea ball, it's hard for me to tell.

It's a black tea and it was only in there for 3:30, so that wouldn;t
be oversteeping, would it?

On the other hand, I just tried another pot and this time I stopped at
3:00 and it was less astringent, so m,aybe 3:30 is too long. But I
still don't like it that much.

>> I am fairly new to tea, so my palate is probably poorly developed. Was
>> this a poor choice for a newbie and possibly one that I might like
>> later on?
>
>It's possible that you'll like it once it's brewed properly. That takes
>experimenting with amounts and times - suggest you test 1 cup at a time
>until you determine the best combination for your taste. At a certain point,
>you'll think, "Aha! This is it!" and while the strength, lack of bitterness,
>and everything else may be right, you still might not like the taste of the
>tea. In which case, move on to another.
>
>> Can anyone recommend other teas that might be good to help develop my
>> palate?
>
>All that you can get your hands on. The basic black teas a Assam, Ceylon,
>Darjeeling, Keemun, Kenya, Lapsang Souchong, Nilgiri, Yunnan. There are more
>.
>
>> I have never smoked and find the smell of smoke unpleasant. I do not
>> drink coffee. I find the smell wonderful but the taste revolting. I
>> drink very little alcohol, mostly a glass of chianti with dinner 3-4
>> times a month. I was raised in a largely Scandanavian area of the
>> midwest and grew up eating lots of bland foods. I only provide this
>> info in case it helps suggest teas that might be less of a stretch for
>> me as I am "growing up".
>
>Not smoking will help a lot, but you really do need to experience the range
>of what's available or you'll be cheating yourself, IMO. You'll develop
>favorites as you go along.

I actually meant the not smoking part to suggest that my tastes are
kinda bland and any strong flavors are off-putting to me at first.

Anyway, thanks for the tips.

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 22:22:11 -0800, "Melinda" >
wrote:

>"Bluesea" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> "Top Spin" > wrote in message
>> ...
>
>snip
>
>>> For black teas, my procedure is to pour 3 cups of tap water from the
>>> cold faucet into a 4-cup pyrex and bring that to a brief rolling boil
>>> in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes).
>>
>> WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
>> microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o it
>> ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are right,
>> it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.
>
>Wow, thanks for telling us that Bluesea because I didn't know that either
>and I've used a pyrex measuring cup on occasion for heating water in the
>micro...I'll have to be more careful.
>
>much snippage
>
>>
>>> Can anyone recommend other teas that might be good to help develop my
>>> palate?
>>
>> All that you can get your hands on. The basic black teas a Assam,
>> Ceylon,
>> Darjeeling, Keemun, Kenya, Lapsang Souchong, Nilgiri, Yunnan. There are
>> more
>> .
>>
>>> I have never smoked and find the smell of smoke unpleasant. I do not
>>> drink coffee. I find the smell wonderful but the taste revolting. I
>>> drink very little alcohol, mostly a glass of chianti with dinner 3-4
>>> times a month. I was raised in a largely Scandanavian area of the
>>> midwest and grew up eating lots of bland foods. I only provide this
>>> info in case it helps suggest teas that might be less of a stretch for
>>> me as I am "growing up".
>>
>> Not smoking will help a lot, but you really do need to experience the
>> range
>> of what's available or you'll be cheating yourself, IMO. You'll develop
>> favorites as you go along.
>
>
>I'd add to that that if you find the smell of smoke unpleasant (and in this
>case I mean smoke like when a person smokes a turkey in their smoker...I
>have one) then you'll probably not want to start with either Lapsang or
>Russian Caravan. If you brew a black tea don't be afraid to use milk and
>sugar (if you're that type) because it really makes a good cuppa Assam. I
>liked Keemun Mao Feng because it was so different to me as a new
>person...some people describe it's taste as smokey but I don't connet it
>with that at all, to me it tastes fruity. Yunnan is good, and I am a fan of
>assam, as I indicated, with milk and sugar.

That's about 4-5 times someone has suggested Keemun Mao Feng, so that
will be next on my list as soon as I use up what I have now.

>I can't think what tea would approximate a chianti...
>
>I don't know how you feel about scented teas, but if you like jasmine scent
>you might try a jasmine phoenix pearl.
>
>Melinda
>


--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 01:06:56 -0600, "Bluesea" >
wrote:

>Afterwards, I asked some friends and did some research and learned that
>water typically explodes *after* being removed from the microwave. People
>were scalded w/o anything to warn them:
>
>http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/erupted.html.
>
>I use a kettle now, exclusively.

Hmmm... I've never heard of that before, but maybe I need to be more
careful. But I really have been doing it for 20-30 years. Dumb luck?

Thanks

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

"Top Spin" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:01:15 -0600, "Bluesea" >
> wrote:
>
> >"Top Spin" > wrote in message
> .. .
> >>
> >> For black teas, my procedure is to pour 3 cups of tap water from the
> >> cold faucet into a 4-cup pyrex and bring that to a brief rolling boil
> >> in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes).
> >
> >WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
> >microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o it
> >ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are right,
> >it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.
>
> Naw. I've been doing that for 30 years. Never had one explore or even
> erupt. My microwave might be too wimpy. It's almost 30 years old as
> well. But the concern is touching. ;-)

Please don't be complacent about it. The microwave that exploded my water
was 24 years old and had never done it before.

> >If a brewing basket like a Teeli, you're okay.
>
> It's the plastic infuser basket that comes with the Chatsford teapots.

Okie-doke.

> It's a black tea and it was only in there for 3:30, so that wouldn;t
> be oversteeping, would it?

Maybe. I've got a Darjeeling that I won't brew over 3 min.

> On the other hand, I just tried another pot and this time I stopped at
> 3:00 and it was less astringent, so m,aybe 3:30 is too long. But I
> still don't like it that much.

You might experiment some more, reduce the time by 30 sec. each try, and
give up if you reach 2 min. and still don't like it.

Actually, since you have a brew basket, pull it out at 2 min, taste, put it
back in for 30 sec., taste again, continue until it tastes the best. You
already know what 3 min and over is like, so you don't need to go over 3
min. After that, brew at one stretch for the entire time that you determined
to be the best to make sure.

At the best time, also try differing amounts, a little bit more, a little
bit less and see what happens.

> I actually meant the not smoking part to suggest that my tastes are
> kinda bland and any strong flavors are off-putting to me at first.

Heh. I meant that not smoking will help you distinguish subtle differences
that smokers are likely to miss.

> Anyway, thanks for the tips.

Sure, that's what we do here .

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

"Bluesea" > wrote in message

> > >WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
> > >microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o
it
> > >ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble?

No, it can't. Use your thermometer to check (I did). Microvawe is not magic.
The bubbling occurs at the same temp. whatever you use to heat your water,
the exception is when you do it in a pressure cooker.

>>>And, if conditions are right,
> > >it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.
> >
> > Naw. I've been doing that for 30 years. Never had one explore or even
> > erupt. My microwave might be too wimpy. It's almost 30 years old as
> > well. But the concern is touching. ;-)
>
> Please don't be complacent about it. The microwave that exploded my water
> was 24 years old and had never done it before.

How does water "explose" ? A microwave is basically a water heating device.
If it is not fit to safely heat water in a pyrex glass, you are entitled to
sue the maker and that of the pyrex. Now after 24 yrs, the "explosion" may
have another cause, like the electric circuit being too old and breaking. I
had that in an old non-microwave oven, I heard "bang", saw like a fire-work
and the stuff inside reduced in a sort of paste. That meant it was time to
buy a new oven. And the new one is great as it heats the water at any temp I
select from -5 degree celcius to get ice not too hard, till 100 degree
celsius, which is the maximum as after that the water becomes steam as I'm
at the level of the sea.
Well, I admit I'm not a big micro-wave fan, I didn't want any but I took a
oven/wave combo as no other model of oven had the size required for my
kitchen. As I got it, I tried all the options....and I was wrong, that's
great. No comparison with my Mum's horrible 20 yr old microvawe.

To Top Spin :
About astringency, I avoid it by brewing my black teas with cooler water.
Some will say it's an heresy, but I really like them that way. In this
season, I brew Darjeelings at 70 degree celsius. In Summer, I put them for
at least 20 minutes in cold water. I find that I get more flavor and less of
the bitter/acid taste.
For the smoky taste, some teas have it, it's done "on purpose" as there are
amateurs of such teas. If you don't like that, you should avoid them.

Kuri

"Bluesea" > wrote in message

> I used to heat my water in a Pyrex in the microwave, too, until it
exploded.
> Thank God it was still in the microwave with the door closed when it
> happened, but it surely did stun the heck out of me. I was standing there
> watching it for it to boil and it went BLAM! and nearly all the water (24
> oz) was blown out of the cup.

Your *Pyrex* was not the problem ? That looks like what happened in old
microwaves when the container was metallic or of some non-microwable
material.
Well, I understand why you were shocked.

> Afterwards, I asked some friends and did some research and learned that
> water typically explodes *after* being removed from the microwave. People
> were scalded w/o anything to warn them:
>
> http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/erupted.html.

So your "exploding" is splashing.

> I use a kettle now, exclusively.

You can have the same problem. I have an expensive kettle now, as the one I
had before ended with a hole in the bottom, the one before that ended as a
decorative flower-pot after I painfully discovered it would let water splash
upward when over-heated. Well, the time I got burn, that was my fault
because you should never seize a sauce-pan or anything overheated without
protection gloves and carefullness.

Kuri

"Top Spin" > wrote in message
...
> I purchased 50 g of a tea labelled "Makaibari Estate FTGFOP1" at a
> local tea shop on their recommendation. I have made two 4-cup pots so
> far. One seemed weak and the other astringent.
>
[snip]

Darjeelings are fussy teas - you need to be very careful about brewing time
and temperature. Also, the combination of more tea/less time seems (to me)
to work better than the reverse. When you find the right combination, IMHO
there is no better tea on earth!

Try the Makaibari (a top-flight producer, BTW) with water slightly under
boiling, and try 2, 2.5 and 3 minute steeps. I generally use one rounded
teaspoon of tea per 8oz of water; if the leaves seem large, toss in an extra
half-teaspoon. I'd avoid using a microwave to heat the tea water, although
it's OK for heating the pot. Tea made with microwaved water never tastes
the same (or as good, I think) as with water conventionally heated.

Regards,
Dean

>>> "Bluesea" > wrote in message
>>kuri wrote:
>>>Naw. I've been doing that for 30 years. Never had one explore or even
>>>erupt. My microwave might be too wimpy. It's almost 30 years old as
>>>well. But the concern is touching. ;-)
>>
>>Please don't be complacent about it. The microwave that exploded my water
>>was 24 years old and had never done it before.


I'm not a chemist, but I think this actually is possible. I don't have
any confirmed reports of it happening, but if there is no nucleation
site for the water to begin boiling, it can superheat, and when you
disturb it, it flashes to steam.

Cheers,
Steve

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 20:27:19 +0900 "kuri" > wrote:
>
> How does water "explose" ? A microwave is basically a water heating device.
> If it is not fit to safely heat water in a pyrex glass, you are entitled to
> sue the maker and that of the pyrex.

I agree that one should be careful.

Here's what I (a layman) think about it:

"Boiling" is when the liquid (e.g., water) is heated enough
that parts of it start changing phase from liquid (less
energetic molecularly) to gaseous (more energetic).

In a kettle, heat is applied by LOCAL contact with the liquid.
The heated parts of the liquid rise, creating convection.
Eventually, at local "hot spots", parts of the liquid receive
enough energy to start becoming gaseous (e.g., steam). The
gas bubbles are not "trapped" by the "energy state" of the
remaining liquid -- the bubbles escape to the outside air.

In a microwave, heat is applied THROUGHOUT the mass of the
liquid. "Hot spots" have much less of a chance to develop.


In a microwave, the liquid *might* sit "still" enough that
when parts of it have received enough energy to start
becoming gaseous, all neighboring parts are in the same
energy state. The "vapor pressure" of the gas bubble to be
formed from one (still liquid) part is TRAPPED by an equal
"vapor pressure" existing in the (still liquid) neighboring
parts. In such a state, the liquid is called "superheated"
-- it has received enough energy for parts of it to become
converted to the gaseous phase, but because of the "stillness"
of the liquid, these phase changes have not yet occurred.

Normally there will be enough "stirring" within the liquid
in the microwave for the "superheated" condition not to
develop - gas will start escaping rather than being trapped.
Also, even if the liquid becomes "superheated", further
energy input would usually cause a random part of the liquid
to start "bubbling" (though perhaps if a large amount of gas
is suddenly released it might be called "exploding").

But if the liquid is still "superheated" when taken from the
microwave, that jostling ought to be enough to cause the
phase changes to take place all at once. So much gas might
get formed that the remaining liquid is "exploded" out of
its container.


It is not a question of sueing the maker of the microwave or of
the pyrex. It is the __nature__ of microwave energy to penetrate
water, thereby causing it to be heated THROUGHOUT its mass.


mikus

When you remodel your kitchen you'll have to replace the old vented
range hood with a microwave/vented combination. That's what the modern
housewife wants and a required upgrade by any real estate seller. Mine
comes with a manual but at least the clock doesn't blink 12. Listen
fellas when it comes to a new kitchen just butt out and let the wife
pick the
color,appliances,counters,top,cabinets,floor,sink, disposal,compactor,lighting,backsplash,faucets,win dow,molding,kickplate.
I got to deal with the Mexican and Russian installers on lost in
translation snafus.

Jim

kuri wrote:
> Well, I admit I'm not a big micro-wave fan, I didn't want any but I
took a
> oven/wave combo as no other model of oven had the size required for
my
> kitchen. As I got it, I tried all the options....and I was wrong,
that's
> great. No comparison with my Mum's horrible 20 yr old microvawe.
> Kuri

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 20:27:19 +0900, kuri wrote:

> "Bluesea" > wrote in message
>
>>> >WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
>>> >microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o
>>> >it ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble?
>
> No, it can't. Use your thermometer to check (I did). Microvawe is not magic.
> The bubbling occurs at the same temp. whatever you use to heat your water,
> the exception is when you do it in a pressure cooker.

Yes, it actually can. Yes, it has been documented.

A clean, smooth container in the microwave inhibits nucleation, the
transition from liquid to gas. Temperatures as high as 241 degrees
Fahrenheit have been achieved using a microwave without ever having a
bubble form. The jostling of the water when removing typically prompts
the sudden formation of bubbles, as evidenced in the boil over.

The same effect can actually be accomplished with a kettle. But most
kettles have seams in the metal, or patterns embossed in the bottom.
These are enough to prompt nucleation, so at 212/100 degrees, water
boils at sea level in a kettle.

I have "tested" several different microwaves over the years, and on
several instances, I produced a cup of water that was over 212/100
when measured with a thermometer but never produced a bubble.

However, to accomplish the "boilover" in a microwave typically
requires overcooking the water by a couple of times beyond what was
necessary to achieve a boiling temperature.

--
Derek

Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now.

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 09:08:56 -0600, Derek > wrote:

>On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 20:27:19 +0900, kuri wrote:
>
>> "Bluesea" > wrote in message
>>
>>>> >WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
>>>> >microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o
>>>> >it ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble?
>>
>> No, it can't. Use your thermometer to check (I did). Microvawe is not magic.
>> The bubbling occurs at the same temp. whatever you use to heat your water,
>> the exception is when you do it in a pressure cooker.
>
>Yes, it actually can. Yes, it has been documented.
>
>A clean, smooth container in the microwave inhibits nucleation, the
>transition from liquid to gas. Temperatures as high as 241 degrees
>Fahrenheit have been achieved using a microwave without ever having a
>bubble form. The jostling of the water when removing typically prompts
>the sudden formation of bubbles, as evidenced in the boil over.

OK, I believe that this is "possible". It's just very unlikely -- at
least in my situation for several reasons. I am boiling a lot of water
(3-4 cups). It takes about 7 minutes for my microwave to bring 35
ounces of cold water to a boil. I set the timer for 10 minutes. It
never goes on and on and so is unlikely to get superheated. For some
reason, I have never experienced the lack of bubbles. Always, there
are a few bubbles well before it starts a real boil. I have one of
those turntables so maybe the turning causes a little jiggling which
kicks off the nucleation.

>The same effect can actually be accomplished with a kettle. But most
>kettles have seams in the metal, or patterns embossed in the bottom.
>These are enough to prompt nucleation, so at 212/100 degrees, water
>boils at sea level in a kettle.

Maybe my pyrex is not really clean so there are little particles on
the sides that kick off nucleation.

Remembering way back to high school chemistry, I am guessing that
keeping the container still is more important that keeping the edges
smooth. The chemistry teacher did a little experiment with
supersaturation one day. He took a beaker of water and heated it up to
80C while dissolving sugar in the water. He told us that hot water can
dissolve more suger/gram of water than colder water. When he had
dissolved as much sugar as he could, he put a pencil over the beaker
with a string with a little weight dangling down into the water. He
then turned off the bunson burner and went on with his lecture. He
told us that we had to be careful not to bump the counter where the
beaker was sitting.

After 30 minutes or so, he came back to the beaker which was now much
cooler. He took a knife or something and tapped the side of the beaker
one time. In a flash, the string was covered with sugar crystals --
like the rock candy you sometimes see in novelty stores. He explained
that when the water cooled, it became super saturated. There was more
sugar in the water than the water could handle, but the crystalization
couldn't get started. The tap got it started.

The string was to give it a place with some rough edges to get started
on. Without the string, he said, it mght not form crystals or it wold
form on any little rough spot or impurity on the edges of the beaker.

I don't know if this relevant, but something similar might be
happening with the water and the formation of bubbles.

>I have "tested" several different microwaves over the years, and on
>several instances, I produced a cup of water that was over 212/100
>when measured with a thermometer but never produced a bubble.
>
>However, to accomplish the "boilover" in a microwave typically
>requires overcooking the water by a couple of times beyond what was
>necessary to achieve a boiling temperature.

That makes sense. I never let it go much more than a minute or so past
the boiling point.

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 13:44:12 GMT, "DPM" > wrote:

>
>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
.. .
>> I purchased 50 g of a tea labelled "Makaibari Estate FTGFOP1" at a
>> local tea shop on their recommendation. I have made two 4-cup pots so
>> far. One seemed weak and the other astringent.
>>
>[snip]
>
>Darjeelings are fussy teas - you need to be very careful about brewing time
>and temperature. Also, the combination of more tea/less time seems (to me)
>to work better than the reverse. When you find the right combination, IMHO
>there is no better tea on earth!
>
>Try the Makaibari (a top-flight producer, BTW) with water slightly under
>boiling, and try 2, 2.5 and 3 minute steeps. I generally use one rounded
>teaspoon of tea per 8oz of water; if the leaves seem large, toss in an extra
>half-teaspoon. I'd avoid using a microwave to heat the tea water, although
>it's OK for heating the pot. Tea made with microwaved water never tastes
>the same (or as good, I think) as with water conventionally heated.
>
>Regards,
>Dean

OK, I'll try shorter steep times.

Do you also recommend trying it at lower temperatures?

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 08:49:38 -0800, Top Spin wrote:

> On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 09:08:56 -0600, Derek > wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 20:27:19 +0900, kuri wrote:
>>
>>> "Bluesea" > wrote in message
>>>
>>>>> >WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
>>>>> >microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o
>>>>> >it ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble?
>>>
>>> No, it can't. Use your thermometer to check (I did). Microvawe is not magic.
>>> The bubbling occurs at the same temp. whatever you use to heat your water,
>>> the exception is when you do it in a pressure cooker.
>>
>>Yes, it actually can. Yes, it has been documented.
>>
>>A clean, smooth container in the microwave inhibits nucleation, the
>>transition from liquid to gas. Temperatures as high as 241 degrees
>>Fahrenheit have been achieved using a microwave without ever having a
>>bubble form. The jostling of the water when removing typically prompts
>>the sudden formation of bubbles, as evidenced in the boil over.
>
> OK, I believe that this is "possible". It's just very unlikely -- at
> least in my situation for several reasons. I am boiling a lot of water
> (3-4 cups). It takes about 7 minutes for my microwave to bring 35
> ounces of cold water to a boil. I set the timer for 10 minutes. It
> never goes on and on and so is unlikely to get superheated. For some
> reason, I have never experienced the lack of bubbles. Always, there
> are a few bubbles well before it starts a real boil. I have one of
> those turntables so maybe the turning causes a little jiggling which
> kicks off the nucleation.

The point is that it is "possible." But, like you say, it's very
unlikely.

The turntable likely "helps," as does the natural convection of the
heating water. It's one of those things - if all of the elements are
right, it can happen. But the improbability factor of all of the
elements be right is so great that it'd probably take you to Alpha
Centauri and back.

(Kudos to anyone who gets the reference.)


>>The same effect can actually be accomplished with a kettle. But most
>>kettles have seams in the metal, or patterns embossed in the bottom.
>>These are enough to prompt nucleation, so at 212/100 degrees, water
>>boils at sea level in a kettle.
>
> Maybe my pyrex is not really clean so there are little particles on
> the sides that kick off nucleation.

Or not completely smooth. Or any number of other issues - like the
fact that your microwave has a turntable.

> Remembering way back to high school chemistry, I am guessing that
> keeping the container still is more important that keeping the edges
> smooth. The chemistry teacher did a little experiment with
> supersaturation one day. He took a beaker of water and heated it up to
> 80C while dissolving sugar in the water. He told us that hot water can
> dissolve more suger/gram of water than colder water. When he had
> dissolved as much sugar as he could, he put a pencil over the beaker
> with a string with a little weight dangling down into the water. He
> then turned off the bunson burner and went on with his lecture. He
> told us that we had to be careful not to bump the counter where the
> beaker was sitting.
>
> After 30 minutes or so, he came back to the beaker which was now much
> cooler. He took a knife or something and tapped the side of the beaker
> one time. In a flash, the string was covered with sugar crystals --
> like the rock candy you sometimes see in novelty stores. He explained
> that when the water cooled, it became super saturated. There was more
> sugar in the water than the water could handle, but the crystalization
> couldn't get started. The tap got it started.
>
> The string was to give it a place with some rough edges to get started
> on. Without the string, he said, it mght not form crystals or it wold
> form on any little rough spot or impurity on the edges of the beaker.

That's always a fun experiment. I can't wait to do it with my kid in a
couple of years. You know, opening young minds to science and all
that.

> I don't know if this relevant, but something similar might be
> happening with the water and the formation of bubbles.

Same idea, I would suspect.

>>I have "tested" several different microwaves over the years, and on
>>several instances, I produced a cup of water that was over 212/100
>>when measured with a thermometer but never produced a bubble.
>>
>>However, to accomplish the "boilover" in a microwave typically
>>requires overcooking the water by a couple of times beyond what was
>>necessary to achieve a boiling temperature.
>
> That makes sense. I never let it go much more than a minute or so past
> the boiling point.

See? So you're safe.

--
Derek

When birds fly in the right formation, they need only exert half the
effort. Even in nature, teamwork results in collective laziness.

On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 08:50:34 -0800, Top Spin wrote:

> On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 13:44:12 GMT, "DPM" > wrote:
>
>>
>>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> I purchased 50 g of a tea labelled "Makaibari Estate FTGFOP1" at a
>>> local tea shop on their recommendation. I have made two 4-cup pots so
>>> far. One seemed weak and the other astringent.
>>>
>>[snip]
>>
>>Darjeelings are fussy teas - you need to be very careful about brewing time
>>and temperature. Also, the combination of more tea/less time seems (to me)
>>to work better than the reverse. When you find the right combination, IMHO
>>there is no better tea on earth!
>>
>>Try the Makaibari (a top-flight producer, BTW) with water slightly under
>>boiling, and try 2, 2.5 and 3 minute steeps. I generally use one rounded
>>teaspoon of tea per 8oz of water; if the leaves seem large, toss in an extra
>>half-teaspoon. I'd avoid using a microwave to heat the tea water, although
>>it's OK for heating the pot. Tea made with microwaved water never tastes
>>the same (or as good, I think) as with water conventionally heated.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Dean
>
> OK, I'll try shorter steep times.
>
> Do you also recommend trying it at lower temperatures?

Personally, I steep Darjeelings at less than boiling. The full roll
that I dump on Assams and China Blacks seems to "disagree" with
Darjeelings.

But, like everything with tea, that's a matter of taste.
--
Derek

On the sixth day, God created the platypus. And God said, "Let's see
the evolutionists try and figure this one out."

"Top Spin" > wrote in message
...
[snip]
> >Try the Makaibari (a top-flight producer, BTW) with water slightly under
> >boiling, and try 2, 2.5 and 3 minute steeps. I generally use one rounded
> >teaspoon of tea per 8oz of water; if the leaves seem large, toss in an
extra
> >half-teaspoon. I'd avoid using a microwave to heat the tea water,
although
> >it's OK for heating the pot. Tea made with microwaved water never tastes
> >the same (or as good, I think) as with water conventionally heated.
> >
> >Regards,
> >Dean
>
> OK, I'll try shorter steep times.
>
> Do you also recommend trying it at lower temperatures?
>

Yes - if you have a thermometer available, try water in the 190-200F range.

Personally, I think most Darjeelings are really oolong-style teas. In fact,
I've had first-flush Darjeelings that appeared to be completely green - no
visible leaf-edge browning at all! So treat them like you would a good
Tieguanyin or Pouchong: water 10-20 degrees F under boiling and short
steeps. In fact, if the leaf style is bold you can get a respectable second
infusion from them if you keep the first steep at 2 minutes or less.

Regards,
Dean

>
> The turntable likely "helps," as does the natural convection of the
> heating water. It's one of those things - if all of the elements are
> right, it can happen. But the improbability factor of all of the
> elements be right is so great that it'd probably take you to Alpha
> Centauri and back.
>
> (Kudos to anyone who gets the reference.)



Is this a referance to quantum tunneling? Or something in Hitchhiker's Guide
that I have forgotton in my dotage?

We sure have a lot of intelligent people on this list....

Melinda (that wasn't a self-compliment, lol)

>
> --
> Derek
>
> When birds fly in the right formation, they need only exert half the
> effort. Even in nature, teamwork results in collective laziness.

On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 18:18:28 GMT, "DPM" > wrote:

>
>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
.. .
>[snip]
>> >Try the Makaibari (a top-flight producer, BTW) with water slightly under
>> >boiling, and try 2, 2.5 and 3 minute steeps. I generally use one rounded
>> >teaspoon of tea per 8oz of water; if the leaves seem large, toss in an
>extra
>> >half-teaspoon. I'd avoid using a microwave to heat the tea water,
>although
>> >it's OK for heating the pot. Tea made with microwaved water never tastes
>> >the same (or as good, I think) as with water conventionally heated.
>> >
>> >Regards,
>> >Dean
>>
>> OK, I'll try shorter steep times.
>>
>> Do you also recommend trying it at lower temperatures?
>>
>
>Yes - if you have a thermometer available, try water in the 190-200F range.
>
>Personally, I think most Darjeelings are really oolong-style teas. In fact,
>I've had first-flush Darjeelings that appeared to be completely green - no
>visible leaf-edge browning at all! So treat them like you would a good
>Tieguanyin or Pouchong: water 10-20 degrees F under boiling and short
>steeps. In fact, if the leaf style is bold you can get a respectable second
>infusion from them if you keep the first steep at 2 minutes or less.
>
>Regards,
>Dean

I happened to find a boxed tea at the supermarket called Afternoon
Darjeeling from Taylors of Harrogate. Just for fun, I bought a box.
It's loose tea in a foil bag. It recommends "one tsp/cup plus one for
the pot" and to brew it for 4-6 minutes in a warmed teapot with
boiling water.

I tried a pot with 7 grams of tea and it tasted kinda weak. I'll try
it again later with more tea, but there was no bitterness or
astringncy. so, you are all correct. Every tea is different and you
just have to try various methods until you find one you like.

That's tough on us techies who like formulas. (sigh) ;-)

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 12:23:21 -0800, Melinda wrote:

>>
>> The turntable likely "helps," as does the natural convection of the
>> heating water. It's one of those things - if all of the elements are
>> right, it can happen. But the improbability factor of all of the
>> elements be right is so great that it'd probably take you to Alpha
>> Centauri and back.
>>
>> (Kudos to anyone who gets the reference.)
>
>
>
> Is this a referance to quantum tunneling? Or something in Hitchhiker's Guide
> that I have forgotton in my dotage?
>
> We sure have a lot of intelligent people on this list....
>
> Melinda (that wasn't a self-compliment, lol)

[ding] [ding] [ding]

Got it on the second guess.

Kudos!

--
Derek

The nice thing about losing one's marbles is that you only have to
pick up the ones you want.

"Top Spin" > wrote in message
...
>
> OK, I believe that this is "possible". It's just very unlikely -- at
> least in my situation for several reasons. I am boiling a lot of water
> (3-4 cups).

As I noted previously, my situation involved 24 oz.

> I have one of
> those turntables so maybe the turning causes a little jiggling which
> kicks off the nucleation.

The microwave that exploded my water also had a turntable and I had used it
w/o incident several times before under similar conditions to "boil" water
for tea.

It was just one of those things that falls under "right time + right place =
shit happens." Since it happened to me, and it's happened to others as you
read on the .gov link I posted, it *could* happen to you, also. I'm just
here to tell you. Also, please note that you aren't limited to adding sugar
or instant coffee to avoid exploding water - it can be anything that's
microwave-safe such as one of those plastic stir-sticks that fast-food
places provide for coffee or a wooden spoon or stick.

'Nuf said. I've done my part.

--
~~Bluesea~~ "A word to the wise is sufficient."
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

"Top Spin" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:01:15 -0600, "Bluesea" >
> wrote:
> >
> >Usually, the type and amount of tea affects the intensity of flavor (for
> >example, a Darjeeling is "delicate" and an Assam is "robust") while
> >oversteeping causes bitterness and too high a temperature for green tea
> >causes astringency. Since black teas are typically best brewed with
boiling
> >water, but you may have super-heated your water by using your microwave
and
> >used a tea ball, it's hard for me to tell.
>
> It's a black tea ...

Something I forgot - What I was trying to say was that since too high a
temperature for green tea causes astringency and since you're using a
microwave w/o checking the temperature with a thermometer and don't really
know if your water's boiling at 212F or higher because it might be
superheated, it's possible that the astringency with your black tea is also
caused by too high of a temperature, i.e. a temperature that's over 212F.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

"Top Spin" > wrote in message
...
>
> I tried a pot with 7 grams of tea and it tasted kinda weak. I'll try
> it again later with more tea, but there was no bitterness or
> astringncy. so, you are all correct. Every tea is different and you
> just have to try various methods until you find one you like.
>
> That's tough on us techies who like formulas. (sigh) ;-)

Yabut, yabut (I see your winkie) - when you get a new tea, you get to figure
out what works best for you...a personalized formula...and then you stick
with it until you run out of that particular tea.

I got a small journal to record all my tests and impressions and it's kinda
fun to get another batch of the same tea the following year and see if the
"formula" for that tea still works.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 21:46:24 -0600, "Bluesea" >
wrote:

>
>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:01:15 -0600, "Bluesea" >
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >Usually, the type and amount of tea affects the intensity of flavor (for
>> >example, a Darjeeling is "delicate" and an Assam is "robust") while
>> >oversteeping causes bitterness and too high a temperature for green tea
>> >causes astringency. Since black teas are typically best brewed with
>boiling
>> >water, but you may have super-heated your water by using your microwave
>and
>> >used a tea ball, it's hard for me to tell.
>>
>> It's a black tea ...
>
>Something I forgot - What I was trying to say was that since too high a
>temperature for green tea causes astringency and since you're using a
>microwave w/o checking the temperature with a thermometer and don't really
>know if your water's boiling at 212F or higher because it might be
>superheated, it's possible that the astringency with your black tea is also
>caused by too high of a temperature, i.e. a temperature that's over 212F.

Oh, sorry. I have been checking the temperature with one of those
probe thermometers. I should have mentioned that.

We are at sea level (100'). The thermometer reads close to 212 when
the bubbles start appearing. It I add part of a small glass of cold
water, it drops about 10 degrees.

But I think you are right about the astringency and also the
bitterness. I will try lower temperatures and shorter brew times.

Thanks

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 21:57:47 -0600, "Bluesea" >
wrote:

>
>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
.. .
>>
>> I tried a pot with 7 grams of tea and it tasted kinda weak. I'll try
>> it again later with more tea, but there was no bitterness or
>> astringncy. so, you are all correct. Every tea is different and you
>> just have to try various methods until you find one you like.
>>
>> That's tough on us techies who like formulas. (sigh) ;-)
>
>Yabut, yabut (I see your winkie) - when you get a new tea, you get to figure
>out what works best for you...a personalized formula...and then you stick
>with it until you run out of that particular tea.
>
>I got a small journal to record all my tests and impressions and it's kinda
>fun to get another batch of the same tea the following year and see if the
>"formula" for that tea still works.

And I will probably set up a database to keep track of everything,
most of which I will never refer to ever again.

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 21:32:33 -0800, Top Spin wrote:

> On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 21:57:47 -0600, "Bluesea" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
. ..
>>>
>>> I tried a pot with 7 grams of tea and it tasted kinda weak. I'll try
>>> it again later with more tea, but there was no bitterness or
>>> astringncy. so, you are all correct. Every tea is different and you
>>> just have to try various methods until you find one you like.
>>>
>>> That's tough on us techies who like formulas. (sigh) ;-)
>>
>>Yabut, yabut (I see your winkie) - when you get a new tea, you get to figure
>>out what works best for you...a personalized formula...and then you stick
>>with it until you run out of that particular tea.
>>
>>I got a small journal to record all my tests and impressions and it's kinda
>>fun to get another batch of the same tea the following year and see if the
>>"formula" for that tea still works.
>
> And I will probably set up a database to keep track of everything,
> most of which I will never refer to ever again.

Tea Geek!

Not that I ever set up a database to keep track of my tea experiences.
No way would I ever do that. Nor would I find a way of synchronizing
those databases with another database program on my Palm handheld
computer. I absolutely wouldn't do that.

Now, if you'll excuse me, my nose has recently enlarged itself quite
dramatically for some reason, and it is making it hard to see the
screen.

--
Derek

The harder you try, the dumber you look.

Bluesea wrote:
> WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
> microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o
it
> ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are
right,
> it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.

Any danger of explosion if I put my plastic IngeniTEA in the microwave?
I typically fill the IngeniTea with cold water and microwave for 4 or
5 minutes. I *usually* get bubbles.

Thanks,
Jennifer

On 5 Feb 2005 07:23:08 -0800, jenandcleo wrote:

> Bluesea wrote:
>> WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
>> microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o
>> it ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are
>> right, it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.
>
> Any danger of explosion if I put my plastic IngeniTEA in the microwave?
> I typically fill the IngeniTea with cold water and microwave for 4 or
> 5 minutes. I *usually* get bubbles.

The concern I would have about an IngenuiTEA in a microwave is the
mesh filter. Is it metal?

Other than that, because the bottom of the IngenuiTEA is mesh and has
the plastic supports for the filter, you've got plenty of "non-smooth"
points for promoting nucleation, i.e. the transition from water to
steam.


--
Derek

There is no greater joy than soaring high on the wings of your dreams,
except maybe the joy of watching a dreamer who has nowhere to land but
in the ocean of reality.

Top Spin > wrote in
:

> And I will probably set up a database to keep track of everything,
> most of which I will never refer to ever again.

That's just what I'd do! Well, except for setting up the database in the
first place ;O)

--
fD
I might have been a geek, if I weren't so very, very lazy.

The IngenuiTea is made for use in the microwave. The mesh filter is
plastic. There's an air hole in the cover.

That being said, if you overheat the water and open the cover quickly, you
risk a steam burn...as with any hot water appliance or vessel. If you try
to add the tea quickly before the bubbles dissappear (in the case of
super-heating) the contents might flair up toward the top of the pot and you
might scald yourself. (I've done that.) Do not heat the water with herbs
or tea in it. I tried doing this with rooibos to cut down on the time to
infuse and it boiled over in the microwave before the usual time was up. It
was a huge mess.

Personally, I may heat my water in the microwave for herbal tisanes but I
don't do it for fine tea. I get a better result from a kettle or my
electronic water dispenser (since I know what the temperature of the water
is based on the digital display.)

As far as your original question, can it explode? Whether or not you agree
with the superheated water theory, the cover is on a hinge and the water can
boil over or shoot out the top of the unit. My answer is yes--like anything
placed in the microwave for too long. Can it be used safely in the
microwave? Yes. It was designed to do that.


Renee




"jenandcleo" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Bluesea wrote:
> > WHOA! Stop right there 'cause you're scaring me. Are you aware that a
> > microwave oven can super-heat water beyond the 212F boiling point w/o
> it
> > ever creating a shimmer much less a bubble? And, if conditions are
> right,
> > it'll explode spontaneously and scald you.
>
> Any danger of explosion if I put my plastic IngeniTEA in the microwave?
> I typically fill the IngeniTea with cold water and microwave for 4 or
> 5 minutes. I *usually* get bubbles.
>
> Thanks,
> Jennifer
>

"Frank & Renee" > wrote in message

> That being said, if you overheat the water and open the cover quickly, you
> risk a steam burn...as with any hot water appliance or vessel.

Well, if so many theories about it have proven the existence of the
phenomenon of "overheating" water without steam, I have to admit it exists.
I also realise we don't have the same usage of microwave around the world,
as I never cover the water.

Kuri

Frank & Renee wrote:
> Personally, I may heat my water in the microwave for herbal tisanes
but I
> don't do it for fine tea. I get a better result from a kettle or my
> electronic water dispenser (since I know what the temperature of the
water
> is based on the digital display.)

Thank you Renee. I've been on the verge of buying an electric kettle
anyway (so now I have a good excuse).

Thanks,
Jennifer