The Tea & Infusion Thread.
- Thread starter Mel
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I'm a bit sad because I am living in a Russian dorm without a tea kettle. Our stove does not work.
I have to go downstairs to the cafeteria to get tea, and it serves Lipton of all horrors. They have bottled iced tea here now, but I think it's all loaded with sugar. Alas.
I have to go downstairs to the cafeteria to get tea, and it serves Lipton of all horrors. They have bottled iced tea here now, but I think it's all loaded with sugar. Alas.
OP
OP
My sister lives in the US and has been for the past 7 years. I just asked her on FB if they have an electric kettle and do her friends have them? 
With her being Canadian, she probably decided that she needed one, but her boyfriend maybe looked at her like she had two heads??
Anyway, my favourite tea brands are Red Rose and King Cole (2 Canadian brands) and Twinnings Earl Grey. I like various herbal teas, and for those the brands don't really matter much, but for black teas it does.
I once bought a huge bag of cheap supermarket tea (100 bags I think) because it was on sale for 1.99$. It was disgusting. It tasted like what I imagine dishwater to taste like.
With her being Canadian, she probably decided that she needed one, but her boyfriend maybe looked at her like she had two heads??
Anyway, my favourite tea brands are Red Rose and King Cole (2 Canadian brands) and Twinnings Earl Grey. I like various herbal teas, and for those the brands don't really matter much, but for black teas it does.
I once bought a huge bag of cheap supermarket tea (100 bags I think) because it was on sale for 1.99$. It was disgusting. It tasted like what I imagine dishwater to taste like.
Im currently drinking a lovely cup of Chai tea...tip of sugar splash of milk.
I prefer it brewed in a pot but because I was gasping for a cup I brewed it right in the cup tonight.
I prefer it brewed in a pot but because I was gasping for a cup I brewed it right in the cup tonight.
Muggle
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Whittards! Whittards is the best place to buy tea! (Apart from local independent tea shops but as a chain it's the best).
Best everyday drinking tea from the supermarket is Yorkshire Tea Hard Water Blend for me. (Because we have hard water here! )
And best way to make tea (by this I mean black tea in a purely British fashion):
1. Boil kettle.
2. Pour boiling water into empty teapot. (I think most people tend to pour some water into the kettle shortly before it boils, swirl it around and pour it out to warm the pot but this doesn't warm it adequately enough. I'll explain below.)
3. Fill the kettle with the required amount of freshly drawn water and boil.
4. Just before the kettle boils, empty teapot of previous water and add the correct amount of teabags/teaspoons of tea (usually the number of people who will be drinking it plus one for the pot)
5. Pour the water into the teapot.
6. Leave to brew for 3 to 5 minutes depending on tea and strength required. (If using teabags do not squish the teabags before pouring).
7. If milk is required, pour into cup first and then pour tea on top of it. (Especially important if using soya milk as it will separate if poured into tea.) Then stir.
8. Drink!
To explain the whole warming the pot properly thing. Tea infuses properly at a certain temperature (which is different for white, green or black tea. For black tea it's pretty close to boiling point. Green is around 77C if I remember correctly). If the pot is cold then when you pour the water from the kettle onto the tea in the pot, the water starts cooling down. Therefore, it won't be at the correct temperature to infuse properly. Just putting a bit of hot water into the pot, swirling it around and discarding it also won't warm the pot properly. It needs to be properly heated using boiling, or very hot water, for a good few minutes before putting the tea and fresh water in. It's also why discarding that water, then putting the tea and freshly boiling water into it needs to be done quickly.
There are actually scientific studies done on this but I can't be bothered to find them right now. I will if you want.
I like tea.
(You should see me make coffee as well. When I make something using espresso it takes around 40 minutes )
Best everyday drinking tea from the supermarket is Yorkshire Tea Hard Water Blend for me. (Because we have hard water here!
)And best way to make tea (by this I mean black tea in a purely British fashion):
1. Boil kettle.
2. Pour boiling water into empty teapot. (I think most people tend to pour some water into the kettle shortly before it boils, swirl it around and pour it out to warm the pot but this doesn't warm it adequately enough. I'll explain below.)
3. Fill the kettle with the required amount of freshly drawn water and boil.
4. Just before the kettle boils, empty teapot of previous water and add the correct amount of teabags/teaspoons of tea (usually the number of people who will be drinking it plus one for the pot)
5. Pour the water into the teapot.
6. Leave to brew for 3 to 5 minutes depending on tea and strength required. (If using teabags do not squish the teabags before pouring).
7. If milk is required, pour into cup first and then pour tea on top of it. (Especially important if using soya milk as it will separate if poured into tea.) Then stir.
8. Drink!
To explain the whole warming the pot properly thing. Tea infuses properly at a certain temperature (which is different for white, green or black tea. For black tea it's pretty close to boiling point. Green is around 77C if I remember correctly). If the pot is cold then when you pour the water from the kettle onto the tea in the pot, the water starts cooling down. Therefore, it won't be at the correct temperature to infuse properly. Just putting a bit of hot water into the pot, swirling it around and discarding it also won't warm the pot properly. It needs to be properly heated using boiling, or very hot water, for a good few minutes before putting the tea and fresh water in. It's also why discarding that water, then putting the tea and freshly boiling water into it needs to be done quickly.
There are actually scientific studies done on this but I can't be bothered to find them right now. I will if you want.
I like tea.
(You should see me make coffee as well. When I make something using espresso it takes around 40 minutes
)
OP
OP
My husband sometimes asks me if I want a "splash of cold" in my tea. No. I take too long to drink it sometimes, so I just let it cool sufficiently on it's own.
I'll try warming the cup I use next time.
I'll try warming the cup I use next time.
My sister and I went to an Aveda spa a few months ago to get massages and while we were there they offered us a cup of their signature tea. O.M.G. It was the MOST delicous tea to ever touch my lips so I HAD to buy some. Well, the jar of loose leaf tea is 4.9 oz. and it was $26. I ended up going through the entire jar really quickly so I decided to make my own. I was able to get all the ingredients at whole foods, all organic of course, for less than half the price so I've just started making it on my own and I'm so in love.
Muggle
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I actually don't make tea in a pot most of the time. We only have big 6-cup tea pots and it doesn't make sense to use one everytime I want a cup of tea so I usually just make it in a mug.
I really want one of these:
but the only place in town now selling them since Wollies closed down is Whittards and they're £20 there.
We only have big 6-cup tea pots and it doesn't make sense to use one everytime I want a cup of tea so I usually just make it in a mug. I really want one of these:
but the only place in town now selling them since Wollies closed down is Whittards and they're £20 there.
I'm not a tea connoisseur by any means and I usually just make it a cup at a time using a tea ball. My hubby just bought me a stove top tea kettle and the only way I've been able to use it is by heating up the water on the stove. I really want a teapot that I can use to brew a whole pot. What should I look for? Do they make something that would go into a teapot to insfuse the loose leaf tea? Something like a giant tea ball? Totally a newb, cantchya tell?
I have twoI actually don't make tea in a pot most of the time.
I really want one of these:
but the only place in town now selling them since Wollies closed down is Whittards and they're £20 there.
Muggle
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Just a normal teapot and then a strainer will be fine.
The strainer balances ontop of the cup, then you pour the tea through it into the cup and it catches all the tea leaves.
You can also get teapots with a built in strainer like this: http://meezo.co.uk/wp-content/themes/shopperpress/thumbs/Stainless-Steel-Tea-Pot.jpg or you can buy a strainer insert like this http://www.cupoftea.uk.com/images/products/large/690/ronnefeldt-teapot-replacement-strainers.jpg to put inside a normal teapot (or even in a mug!) But I don't really like those that much as they don't allow the tea to infuse fully through the pot (it's like the difference between leaf tea and teabags).
thefadedone
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Chai is hands down my favorite. I love trying all varieties and flavors of chai teas.
I'm not fond of fruity teas, but I will drink them every now and then. I prefer herbal teas, but anything overly flowery grosses me out. Rooibos teas are also one of my preferred teas.
I really want one of these:
but the only place in town now selling them since Wollies closed down is Whittards and they're £20 there.
That's so pretty! I hope you end up getting one eventually. Your birthday is coming up, right? Maybe you can hint to friends and family that you want one?
You need an electric kettle!!
I Heart Corey Haim!!
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I love mint tea...I have a tea pot but dont usually use it....I like my tea really strong and usually use two bags per cup....yummm--ee
peace, love and smiles
peace, love and smiles
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
Clipper organic tea is very nice, I signed up to their newsletter and got a free sample of 10 bags. I also like Twining's Assam and English Breakfast, and when I was at uni there was a Lipton's flavour I really liked but I can't remember it now.
The Aveda tea that I remade my self is peppermint, licorice root, basil and fennel. SO addicting and with the licorice root there's no need for sweetener.
Pickle Juice
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I saw some of those tea blossoms for the first time just a couple days ago.
We just stocked up on tea because Teaopia was having their customer appreciation day. We walked out with $50 worth of tea(yikes)....lots of green, black, and even a rooibus that had chocolate chips in it. Amazing. I have had mug after mug all day.
We just stocked up on tea because Teaopia was having their customer appreciation day. We walked out with $50 worth of tea(yikes)....lots of green, black, and even a rooibus that had chocolate chips in it. Amazing. I have had mug after mug all day.
OP
OP
I like these tea blossoms, that you need a glass tea pot to fully enjoy.
This is jasmine tea. That has always been my favorite. Probably always will be.
That looks really cool!
