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With all these gourmet delights, tea drinkers are finally learning what it takes to make a decent cuppa. Gone are the days when it was O.K. to drop a bag in hot water and let it stew to a pulpy mess, creating an overbrewed, bitter cup. Each tea variation--green, oolong and black--requires a different steep time and water temperature. Real enthusiasts prefer loose tea strained through infusers, which makes for a stronger, finer brew. Still, there's no need to become Martha Stewart to make tea. "It's not about getting it right, but what you like," says Teaism owner Michelle Brown.
And the teacup runneth over, with purveyors only planning to offer more. Lipton is test-marketing fancy-tea kiosks to be rolled out in places like hotels, airports and corporate dining rooms. Saks Fifth Avenue has discontinued its coffee line but plans an expansion next year of its private-label loose-leaf teas. And then there's Madden, who carries around her own tea, which recently fell out of her portfolio during a business dinner in Las Vegas. "Can I try some?" her companion asked. By the end of the meal, the designer had both a new client and a new convert.