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Fall and winter are our favorite seasons for cozy tea moments, and no other herbal tea offers a comforting embrace quite like a freshly brewed ginger infusion. The balance of spice and sweetness is especially comforting on cold days. We’ll show you what’s important when preparing it at home and introduce some exciting variations of this winter tea classic.
What You'll Need for the Perfect Ginger Tea
On those cold days when you crave a soothing, aromatic ginger tea—whether it's in the evening after a long workday on the sofa or just to warm up during the day—ginger tea can be easily made with minimal effort. This gives you the chance to experiment with different flavors and adjust the tea's intensity and spice to your personal liking. For simple ginger tea, you don't need much aside from fresh ginger, hot water, and optionally, a tea strainer.
Tea from Fresh Ginger: The Essential Ingredients
Ginger tea is a popular winter drink and a beloved ingredient in many tea blends. A pure infusion can be made from either fresh ginger or ginger powder, each offering its own benefits. Fresh ginger contains a variety of essential oils that are responsible for its characteristic spicy and tangy flavor. It lends the tea an intense, aromatic note and is appreciated for the warm feeling it spreads through the body.
Ginger powder, on the other hand, is very convenient and offers longer shelf life. It's perfect for those who prefer quick preparation, as it easily dissolves in hot water. While the flavor is milder than fresh ginger, the powder still retains the warming qualities that make ginger so popular. Whether using fresh ginger or its powdered form, both create a wonderfully fragrant cup of tasty tea.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Prepare Your Ginger Tea
A cup of fresh ginger tea is quick and easy to prepare with just a few simple steps and utensils. Here's how to do it, along with answers to some common questions.
You’ll need:
- 20g fresh ginger
- 250ml hot water
Preparation:
- Slice the fresh ginger into thin pieces. You can decide whether or not to remove the skin.
- Bring the water to boiling temperature (100°C) and pour it over the ginger.
- Cover and let it steep for 2 to 4 minutes.
- Enjoy your fresh ginger tea.
To Peel or Not to Peel?
The answer depends on the ginger root and your preferences. Generally, ginger can be brewed and consumed with the skin on. However, some prefer clean, yellow pieces of ginger in their tea, while others don’t mind the slightly brown skin. It’s important to ensure the ginger is fresh since older roots can have woody and bitter skin. If peeling, it’s best to gently scrape the skin with a small spoon to conserve as much of the precious root as possible.
Does Organic Quality Make a Difference?
We recommend using fresh ginger or ginger powder of organic quality as it is grown without synthetic pesticides, thus ensuring more sustainable cultivation. If organic ginger isn’t available, it’s advisable to peel it to avoid possible residues.
Thin Slices
For a fresh ginger brew, cutting the root into very thin slices is recommended. This maximizes the extraction of essential oils and the unique spicy flavor of the root, which is further enhanced when enveloped in warm water.
Powder or Fresh: Which is Better?
As mentioned earlier, it depends on what you have on hand. We love the intense, spicy kick of fresh ginger, but powdered ginger is easier to make and enjoy quickly, with a slightly milder flavor.
How Long to Steep?
It’s important to use boiling water, as this helps with extraction and ensures the elimination of germs and bacteria, allowing you to enjoy the infusion worry-free. After a steeping time of 2-4 minutes, your ginger tea will be perfectly flavored. The longer you let the ginger steep, the stronger the ginger flavor will be. For those who enjoy it extra spicy, steeping for up to 10 minutes is advisable.
Room for Creativity: Variations of Your Ginger Tea
Ginger tea comes in countless variations. Many know it as a warming drink in winter, but it can also offer a refreshing, zesty taste when made as cold ginger water instead of tea. Here are a few examples of how you can experiment with different flavors and preparation techniques:
- Sweetening Ginger Tea: Ginger tea with honey is the perfect duo for cozy winter evenings on the couch. The added sweetness enhances the ginger's natural flavors. Alternatively, you can use agave syrup or other sweeteners.
- Ginger and Lemon: The combination of sweet and sour, spicy, and tangy is especially popular. Lemon and ginger complement each other perfectly and create a refreshing taste experience. You can also infuse the tea with other citrus fruits like orange for an intriguing twist.
- In Herbal and Spice Tea Blends: Ginger is a true all-rounder that pairs well with other spices and herbs. Whether it’s fresh mint, cinnamon sticks, turmeric, or lemongrass—the possibilities are diverse and offer a blend for every taste.
- Ginger Shot: These potent energy boosts are particularly popular. Instead of just extracting ginger with water, it's mixed with water, lemon juice, and for example, turmeric to create an intense “shot.”
A Magical Root: Why You’ll Love Ginger
Ginger is a real culinary superstar, and it's easy to see why. This small, unassuming root hides a rich spectrum of flavor and aroma that really shine in teas, captivating tea lovers worldwide. With its distinctly sweet-spicy taste that delights our palates, ginger has secured a permanent place in the culinary traditions of many countries. Originally from Southeast Asia, it’s deeply rooted in the region’s culinary heritage. You can discover more background about this fascinating root and its many uses in our magazine.
Your Perfect Companion: Discover Our Ginger Teas
Ginger tea is a naturally caffeine-free infusion that deserves a spot on every tea shelf. When you’re in a hurry or don’t have fresh ginger on hand, check out the ginger tea creations from PAPER & TEA. Our GINGER is pure ginger, which, thanks to special freeze-drying methods, retains its juicy-sweet flavor. Our GOLDEN BOOST combines the power duo ginger and turmeric into a unique tea blend. The Winter Whisper Set is an ideal gift for yourself or other ginger tea enthusiasts. Enjoy our GINGER tea in the convenient Brewing Mug—the perfect duo for cozy winter evenings.
