Three Ways to Brew Loose Leaf Tea
Loose leaf tea used to be the way that everyone enjoyed the beverage.
The leaves would settle in the bottom of the cup, and drinkers would leave an inch of loose leaves at the bottom of their cup, so as not to swallow the soggy leaves, in 1908, Thomas Sullivan created the first tea bags by packaging the tea leaves in silk muslin bags.
The make shift "tea bags" exploded in popularity, and became the preferred way to drink by the 1950s.
By 2007, the bags made up 97% of the market.
Recently, loose leaf tea has regained popularity with a vengeance.
Avid drinkers proclaim its superior quality to its bagged counterpart.
Loose leaves are generally fresher, as it has a shorter shelf life than bagged tea.
Loose leaf comes with a rich flavor that can be adjusted to your preferred strength.
There are several ways to brew loose leaf tea.
Here are three that produce delicious results, cup after cup.
1.
Use tea balls.
The closest method to that of bagged tea, tea balls are reusable holders for loose leaf tea.
Tea balls can be purchased at almost any kitchen or home appliances store, for a relatively cheap price.
The ball should be filled about three quarters of the way with loose leaf tea.
There should be plenty of room for the tea to expand and unfurl.
Pour hot water into a pot, and allow the tea to steep for two to three minutes, depending on your strength preference.
2.
Use an Infuser.
Like the balls, the infuser allows you to add the desired amount of leaves before placing it in the pot or mug.
Insert the leaves into the scoop, and then clasp it together again.
Fill a mug or pot with hot water, and steep the infuser for two to three minutes.
Many tea pots can be bought with built-in infusers, making this version of loose leaf tea quite convenient.
3.
Use a strainer.
Brew a pot with about 2 tablespoons of loose leaves.
Allow them to brew freely in the pot, without any kind of ball or infuser.
This will give the tea a robust, distinctive flavor.
When you are ready to pour, simply hold a tea strainer above your tea cup to filter out any tea leaves.
The result: a full, flavorful cup of tea without the inconvenience of loose leaves in your cup.
We're curious: how do you like to brew loose leaf tea?
The leaves would settle in the bottom of the cup, and drinkers would leave an inch of loose leaves at the bottom of their cup, so as not to swallow the soggy leaves, in 1908, Thomas Sullivan created the first tea bags by packaging the tea leaves in silk muslin bags.
The make shift "tea bags" exploded in popularity, and became the preferred way to drink by the 1950s.
By 2007, the bags made up 97% of the market.
Recently, loose leaf tea has regained popularity with a vengeance.
Avid drinkers proclaim its superior quality to its bagged counterpart.
Loose leaves are generally fresher, as it has a shorter shelf life than bagged tea.
Loose leaf comes with a rich flavor that can be adjusted to your preferred strength.
There are several ways to brew loose leaf tea.
Here are three that produce delicious results, cup after cup.
1.
Use tea balls.
The closest method to that of bagged tea, tea balls are reusable holders for loose leaf tea.
Tea balls can be purchased at almost any kitchen or home appliances store, for a relatively cheap price.
The ball should be filled about three quarters of the way with loose leaf tea.
There should be plenty of room for the tea to expand and unfurl.
Pour hot water into a pot, and allow the tea to steep for two to three minutes, depending on your strength preference.
2.
Use an Infuser.
Like the balls, the infuser allows you to add the desired amount of leaves before placing it in the pot or mug.
Insert the leaves into the scoop, and then clasp it together again.
Fill a mug or pot with hot water, and steep the infuser for two to three minutes.
Many tea pots can be bought with built-in infusers, making this version of loose leaf tea quite convenient.
3.
Use a strainer.
Brew a pot with about 2 tablespoons of loose leaves.
Allow them to brew freely in the pot, without any kind of ball or infuser.
This will give the tea a robust, distinctive flavor.
When you are ready to pour, simply hold a tea strainer above your tea cup to filter out any tea leaves.
The result: a full, flavorful cup of tea without the inconvenience of loose leaves in your cup.
We're curious: how do you like to brew loose leaf tea?
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