I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.

-andy

If you like what you get, you're doing fine. Toci
wrote:
> I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
> doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
> directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
> one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
> But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
> What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
> it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.
>
> -andy

wrote in news:1163028414.555334.141710
@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

> I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
> doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
> directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
> one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
> But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
> What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
> it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.
>
> -andy

As toci said, "If you like what you're doing..."

I generally place the loose tea in the (largish) infuser, place it on top
of a pint mug, then brew my tea in that combination.

Ozzy

wrote:
> I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
> doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
> directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
> one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
> But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
> What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
> it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.
>
> -andy

You might be able to get more out of your leaves if your mesh ball is
big, or if you have another infuser of some kind that will allow your
tea leaves to expand in the water. A common problem for the balls is
that they are too small and the tea ends up not realizing their full
potential.

But yes, if you like what you're doing, that's good enough

MarshalN
http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN

Andy, here's my $0.02: if you're really developing an interest in tea,
invest in a good pot/infuser. Here's a suggestion:
http://www.specialteas.com/Japanese+...category.html;
I've got a few of these - their reasonably attractive, durable, not
outrageously expensive and if you search you can probably find them for even
less. I'm sure other regulars here on rfdt will chime in with their own
recommendations. I have Darjeelings that, brewed in a ball infuser in a
mug, are barely recognizable as Darjeeling. But brew them in a pot where
the leaves can properly infuse, and layers of complexity and flavor appear
so that you wouldn't believe it's the same tea.

When you get to the point of exploring large-leaf Chinese and Indian greens
and oolongs, get an inexpensive gaiwan - they were designed to extract the
maximum flavor and aroma from these teas. A personal testimony: I purchased
an expensive Phoenix Bird oolong a while back and brewed it in my pot. I
thought the tea good but not exceptional, and not worth the price. Then I
got a gaiwan, tried the same tea in it and was amazed to discover nuances I
completely missed before. Others here have similar stories about their
favorite Yixing pots. My point: teaware matters!

Enjoy the journey!

Regards,
Dean

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
> doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
> directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
> one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
> But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
> What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
> it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.
>
> -andy
>

Using a strainer like a mesh ball is a good approach to making tea. I
prefer the strainer on the end of a spoon versus a chain. There are
strainers that rests across the face of the cup. Almost any strainer
will do. If you have access to a Chinatown you can buy the tea cup and
lid with infuser which is a removeable basket for brewing for about $5.
There are also cheap tea presses aka coffee presses where the strainer
is on a plunger. The tea brews in the cylindrical pot with the plunger
retracted and you use the plunger when ready to decant into a cup. If
you use larger leaf teas you can drink 'off the top' ie tea remains in
cup. The last couple of swigs might be a bit much so there is some
waste. However usually this type of tea can handle another infusion
and you can drink 'off the bottom' at some point. There is no correct
place to start or finish when making tea with pots. My pot is a
converted tea press. I remove the plunger handle and secure the
strainer to the lid. The volume of the pot should equal what you drink
in a cup. How the tea behaves in a pot basically determines how it
taste in the cup. You'll end up using a 'pot' but the individual cup
will work till you get there. The apparatus to make tea is important
but in the end all teas taste different. I'd spend more money on
different teas than investing in teaware.

Jim

wrote:
> I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
> doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
> directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
> one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
> But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
> What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
> it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.
>
> -andy

> wrote:
>I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
>doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
>directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
>one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
>But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
>What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
>it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.

The problem is that the infusers pack the tea in too tightly and it does
not get a chance for to diffuse out.

For a considerable improvement try a plastic mesh cup-infuser. The Republic
of Tea sells something called the People's Brew Basket that you can find at
a lot of supermarkets and tea vendors for a couple dollars. Upton's Tea will
sell a fancier and slightly more expensive one. These things basically take
up the whole cup, but allow you to pull all the leaves out easily.

There are plenty of other methods, but this one is a cheap and convenient one
for making a single cup without having to worry about leaves in your cup or
have any skill at removing the leaves.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

11/8
/06

> I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
> doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
> directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
> one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
> But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
> What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
> it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.
>
> -andy


Hi Andy,

I want to suggest that you invest in a small teapot
of porcelain or stoneware, but it can be dirt cheap.
Put your pinch of tea directly into the pot and use
a small strainer when you pour into your cup to
keep out unwanted bits.

Several reasons for this: First, you will have put
to rest the problem of the tea bound and gagged in
its metal mesh prison, giving it the opportunity to fully
impart flavor to the water. Second, the leaves of
many teas are quite beautiful swimming around
in their teapot pond, but you miss that when you
encase them. Personally, I find washing out a small
teapot hardly more work than washing out an infuser.

Give it a try and see how you like it. What kind of
tea do you normally drink?

BTW, for black teas, a level teaspoon per cup and
one for the pot is as good a beginning as any, if this
is news to you. And of course good hot water. Green
teas are a completely different matter.

Michael

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> For a considerable improvement try a plastic mesh cup-infuser. The Republic
> of Tea sells something called the People's Brew Basket that you can find at
> a lot of supermarkets and tea vendors for a couple dollars. Upton's Tea will
> sell a fancier and slightly more expensive one. These things basically take
> up the whole cup, but allow you to pull all the leaves out easily.

I'm a big fan of the People's brew baskets myself and have them at work
and home for when I want a quick cup. They are nylon instead of metal
like so many other strainers and that means a lot to me. They can also
be washed in the dishwasher or in a bleach solution with no off tastes
introduced. I still keep one for each type of tea (green, black, etc.).
They are like $3-4 each and easy to find.

Highly recommended.

My other favorite way to enjoy a quick cup with a little more style is
a 3-piece ceramic tea mug that includes the mug, a strainer that is
also ceramic, and a lid that doubles as a coaster/holder for the
strainer. They are quick, cheap, and conveinient. Just make sure the
strainer is very large and deep and that it has holes on all sides
including the bottom.

- Dominic

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'm not too much of a tea drinker (yet!), but I've taken a liking to
> doing several infusions of the same pinch of loose tea in the cup
> directly. Getting the water to the right temp., then pouring it over
> one of those mesh ball infusers and letting it sit for a few minutes.
> But from what I've read in the faq, this isn't really the way to do it?
> What do others think of this method? Anyone do it themselves? Or would
> it be that much better to invest in a teapot and kettle.
>
> -andy

The thing is to let the leaves expand and swim about as freely as possible
which a ball or spoon infuser won't do. A cup/mug/teapot-sized basket
infuser is best if you don't brew loose in a teapot and use a strainer.

To continue brewing in your cup or mug, I recommend something like the
Teeli/Finum (same product under different names) because the mesh is fine
enough to contain the smallest leaf particles, it has tabs which aid in
removal, and a lid that both helps retain the heat while steeping and
doubles as a drip tray afterwards. SwissGold and Chatsford basket infusers
for cups and mugs are just as good. Chatsford mugs come with mug, lid, and
basket or you can get the basket alone from Upton's.

The People's Brew Basket was the first basket infuser I bought. I took an
immediate dislike to it and started trying others because it requires prying
out of the cup and leaf particles tend to get stuck in the seams. It's
harder to clean than my Teeli, Chatsford, and SwissGold baskets. I keep it
only because the mesh is fine enough to contain rooibos and because it's the
only one that fits into a tumbler that I avoid using for travel anyway,
preferring to use a different travel mug with a Teeli basket.

When you decide to invest in a teapot, I suggest a Chatsford or one that
comes with a similar basket because it's easier to control the steep, and
remove and save the leaves between brews. If you use a standard cup and
think it likely you'll get a 2-cup Chatsford pot in the future, consider
getting a replacement basket to use as a cup infuser now. That way, you'll
save a bit of money and will already have a spare basket on hand when you
get the pot - very handy when switching from one tea to another before the
leaves are spent. If you use a mug and anticipate getting a 4-cup Chatsford
pot (the best size, IMO, for tea-lovers, allowing you to have one pot
suitable for you alone as well as to share with a guest), go ahead and get
the 4-cup replacement basket to use in your mug, now.

HTH.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

"Bluesea" > wrote in message
...
>
> If you use a mug and anticipate getting a 4-cup Chatsford pot (the best
> size, IMO, for tea-lovers, allowing you to have one pot suitable for you
> alone as well as to share with a guest), go ahead and get the 4-cup
> replacement basket to use in your mug, now.

But, check first to insure that it will fit into your mug since mugs have
various volumes, shapes, and sizes.


--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.