Which do u use? i use tea bags because they are so much easier than loose tea, much less hassle.
Tea Bags Or Loose Tea?
Loose tea. Nothing finer than getting out your best china and pouring it out of your favourite tea pot.
I mostly use teabags, because they're easier, but freshly brewed tea leaves in a pot are far better. It's an ocassional thing for me though.
Tea bags. Not much price or taste differential.
I think those who buy coffee pod machines and then pay up to 600% extra for their 'limited choices' coffee maybe drink little coffee.
I think those who buy coffee pod machines and then pay up to 600% extra for their 'limited choices' coffee maybe drink little coffee.
I like the idea of loose tea and use it now and again, especially if I'm using my nicest Crown Derby and a teapot, but usually day-to-day I just use teabgs in a mug.
The tea supplier we use in Aberystwyth does lovely teabags. Even Twinings do teabgs now!
The tea supplier we use in Aberystwyth does lovely teabags. Even Twinings do teabgs now!
Day-to-day: Tetley (although I live with someone, and my own preference is Yorkshire Tea), however, when I go to a friend of mine's, we have Assam Loose Tea, and it is considerably nicer.
How do you actually use loose leaf tea? I've never used it and the thought of getting a mouthful of tea leaves at the end turns my stomach!!
Originally Posted by petral_gal:
“How do you actually use loose leaf tea? I've never used it and the thought of getting a mouthful of tea leaves at the end turns my stomach!!”
“How do you actually use loose leaf tea? I've never used it and the thought of getting a mouthful of tea leaves at the end turns my stomach!!”
1. Fill the kettle with fresh water from the tap and put it on;
2. When the water in the kettle is warmed up put some in the tea pot to warm the teapot;
3. Put one spoon of tea leaves for every cup in the tea pot;
4. Fill the tea pot with boiling water; give it a stir;
5. Leave the tea to brew for 2 - 4 minutes depending on taste for strength;
6. Pour into (preferably) china cups or good quality cups or mugs using a tea strainer;
7. Add milk and/or sugar to taste.
Note the water used must be boiling if you want a good cup of tea and must only have boiled once in the kettle, not repeated boiling as that boils out the oxygen in the water.
Tea strainers should be still readily available from places like Lakeland.
I use the best of both. Loose tea in a filter bag.
The convenience of bags with the better taste of loose tea.
I love a strong Twinings Lapsang Souchon or a medium strong Twinings Earl Grey. No milk plz.
The convenience of bags with the better taste of loose tea.
I love a strong Twinings Lapsang Souchon or a medium strong Twinings Earl Grey. No milk plz.
It has to be loose Assam tea, lovely strong flavor. If I'm making it for just me I use a small one cup coffee cafettaire(sp). Just put a small scoop of the loose tea in, pour over the boiling water leave to brew for a little while then plunge and pour. Easy no fuss no mess but tasting far better than the dust sweepings that they put in the bags.
Tea bags were invented not for convenience but as a way to use up the loose dust that was too fine to sell as leaves. Of course the bag has taken over from loose tea as convenience always seems to win out over flavor
and most of the expensive tea bags contain leaves, but there is still a large amount of tea manufacturers that buy the dust for their bags.
Tea bags were invented not for convenience but as a way to use up the loose dust that was too fine to sell as leaves. Of course the bag has taken over from loose tea as convenience always seems to win out over flavor
and most of the expensive tea bags contain leaves, but there is still a large amount of tea manufacturers that buy the dust for their bags.
Oh no! I didn't know tea bags were made from dust! 
'Real' tea is too much of a faff for me! Oh blow it!
'Real' tea is too much of a faff for me! Oh blow it!
with real tea you can tell the future from the leaves.
Me I'd prefer not to know and stick with tetley bags
Me I'd prefer not to know and stick with tetley bags
Originally Posted by indianwells:
“Blimey, the last person I saw using loose tea was my granny, and she died in 1977!”
“Blimey, the last person I saw using loose tea was my granny, and she died in 1977!
”
yeah its quite funny when people come round and they don't know us that well, and the poor so and so's get conned into making the teas for the hoard, to be confronted with a teapot and loose tea.
Mind you its better than what we used to do years ago. We had a massive enameled teapot that was brewed and brewed on the range till the tea was really stewed. The tannin in the tea used to build up to such a degree on the pot that we regulary had to take a screwdriver and hammer to the inside and chip it away, just so it would pour
Many a time I would rescue this pot from the clutches of the dustbin. The taste could not be recreated in any other pot.
I can only drink decaff, and as I've only seen that in bags then I'll have to go with that, I guess...
Welsh-lad - I know the tea supplier you mean - I used to live a few doors down from it!
Welsh-lad - I know the tea supplier you mean - I used to live a few doors down from it!
The water in my area is very hard and full of lime so when I make a mug of tea using a tea bag the top of the tea looks disgusting as if it was made with swamp water. Loose tea made in a pot is so much better (using a strainer made of nylon not the steel ones that let leaves through and into the cup). I do think that where you live is so important to the taste of the tea. When we are on holiday the tea is better regardless of which other part of this country you may be in, it seems.
