The process of soaking ingredients in hot (but not boiling) water to extract flavors, typically used for tea, coffee, and delicate herbs. Temperature and time are carefully controlled to avoid bitterness.
From Old English 'steapan' meaning 'to soak in liquid,' related to 'steep' meaning a deep slope. The connection comes from the idea of something being deeply immersed, like a steep hillside plunging into water.
Different compounds extract at different rates and temperatures - this is why green tea becomes bitter if steeped too long, while black tea can handle longer steeping. The tannins that create bitterness extract more slowly than the pleasant flavor compounds!
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