On Tue 05 Jul 2005 10:34:17a, Dimitri wrote in rec.food.cooking:

>
> "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Tue 05 Jul 2005 09:29:59a, Dimitri wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>>
>>>
>>> "Me" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> what's the difference between brewed & steeped?
>>>
>>> Brewed is made with hot water.
>>> Steeped is generally made with cold water such as sun tea.
>>>
>>> Fill a jug with cold water, add the tea in bags, cover and put out in
>>> the sun to steep. Good stuff.
>>>
>>> Dimitri
>>
>> Cookbooks often say to pour boiling water over the tea in a teapot and
>> allow to "steep".
>>
>> --
>> Wayne Boatwright *¿*
>
>
> 2 out of 3 say nothing about heat:
>
> Dimitri
>
> 4 entries found for steep.
> To select an entry, click on it.
> steep[1,adjective]steep[2,noun]steep[3,verb]steep[4,noun]
>
> Main Entry: steep
> Function: verb
> Etymology: Middle English stepen; akin to Swedish stöpa to steep
> transitive senses
>
> 1 : to soak in a liquid at a temperature under the boiling point (as for
> softening, bleaching, or extracting an essence)
>
> 2 : to cover with or plunge into a liquid (as in bathing, rinsing, or
> soaking)
>
> 3 : to saturate with or subject thoroughly to (some strong or pervading
> influence) <practices steeped in tradition>
> intransitive senses : to undergo the process of soaking in a liquid
>
> synonym see SOAK
> - steep·er noun

I wasn't referring to dictionary definitions, but to cookbooks.

For example, from Joy of Cooking, 1964 Edition:

"Place tea leaves in a preheated pot... Water should only just have arrived
at a brisk rolling boil... Pour over leaves, stir, and permit to steep not
less than 3 and not more thana 5 minutes."

There are many similar references in other cookbooks.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974


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