Tea Strainers vs. Tea Bags

You want a cup of tea. You want a quality cup of tea. You want a quality cup of tea NOW!

Most people resort to – ugh! – bagged tea. “What’s wrong with bagged tea?” you ask. Good question. As Elizabeth Barrett Browning once wrote, “Let me count the ways.”

• Inferior grade of tea.
• More likely to overbrew and be bitter.
• Even with “flow through” bag designs and getting away from bleaching the teabag, this bag is still coming between you and your tea.

To understand why bagged tea is not preferred by tea aficionados, let’s take a quick look at how tea is processed. (We’re talking about true black tea made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, just as chocolate is only made from cacao beans and coffee is only made from coffee beans. All the rest are herbals, florals, or just plain plant infusions.) Leaves are plucked from the tips of the branches. Then, they are spread out to dry. Depending on the type of tea desired, from here the process varies. For black tea, which is in most tea bags, the leaves are rolled, oxidized, etc. In short, they go through the proverbial ringer.

You are probably guessing by now what I’m going to say next. “These leaves get broken up a bit.” Very good! The dried and processed leaves get quite broken. (Imagine a bag of potato chips that you have rolled over a bunch of times with a rolling pin or metal rod.)

Here comes the next step of the process: sorting the pieces by size.

Using a series of filters (fine, medium, coarse), the tea leaves, now all dry and dark, are sorted into dust (fine), fannings (medium), and pieces (coarse), with the whole leaves that manage to remain intact being left to last.

In the spirit of “waste not, want not,” the dust and fannings are further processed and bagged. Some of the pieces (also called “broken-leaf”) and whole leaves (also called “full-leaf”) are also bagged (usually in higher quality sachets, sometimes made of silk). The rest are packed in tins.

Despite the inferior quality, etc., the demand for bagged tea has grown over the years since they are seen as being more convenient (something I contest later in this article). Starting, as legend says, with a tea merchant who mailed tea samples in little silk bags to potential customers, the market really grew with companies like Jewel Tea, Luzianne, and of course Lipton pushing strong.

With our fast-paced lifestyles, it often seems that bagged tea is our only alternative. How do you make a nice cup of tea in the office using loose tea? Impossible, right? Wrong. Fixing loose tea (whole or pieces) is just as easy as, and much more satisfying than, bagged tea.

How to do it: use a tried and true tea strainer! (You probably saw that coming.)

Here’s a simple tea setup for any office:

• A two-cup teapot
• A teaspoon
• A cup or mug
• Loose tea
• Your sweetener of choice, if used
• Milk or creamer, if used
• Water (if not already provided)

I’m assuming, of course, that, like most offices, yours has a microwave oven available. Just fill the teapot with water and heat it in the microwave. Add about two-and-a-half spoonfuls of loose whole leaf tea into the pot. Let steep for about five minutes or until brew has reached desired strength. Add milk/creamer and sweetener to your cup or mug before pouring in the tea for a better blending. Hold the strainer over the cup and pour the tea through it. (Tip: You may find pouring a little easier if you remove the lid from the teapot first. Be careful, since it could be very hot.) Give your tea a gentle stir and enjoy!

I’ve posted some photos of tea strainers for your benefit below.

Until next time, enjoy the “Tea Life”!

© 2009 A.C. Cargill photos and text

Stainless steel strainers with stainless steel mesh:

Plastic strainers with nylon mesh:

Porcelain strainer with matching bowl:

What’s Coming Between You and Your Tea? Part III – More Types of Infusers

The previous article talked about infusers in the form of tea balls, teaspoon-shaped, sticks, and baskets. Now, let’s take a look at filters/infusion bags (not the bags that bagged tea comes in), French Presses, and cups and teapots with ceramic infuser baskets. Do they really enhance your enjoyment of the “tea life” or just come between you and your tea?
 

What they are

Filters / Infusion bags

These are bags sized either for a single cup or various sized teapots. They are usually made of unbleached paper (so no chlorine affects the color and taste of your tea). You can use not only whole leaf and broken leaf (pieces) with these bags, but also tea you buy in fannings or dust form, such as Twinings loose teas in the tins.
 

French Presses

These are cylindrical, glass pots with a metal support structure (feet and handle) and a filter/plunger. One caution here is not to squeeze the tea leaves too hard when you plunge so that the bitter dregs don’t get into your brew.

Cups with Infuser Baskets
These are usually ceramic or pottery mugs with either a matching basket or one made of mesh (stainless steel or nylon). These are best used with whole leaf and broken leaf (pieces) teas.

Teapots with Infuser Baskets

Teapots can be ceramic with a ceramic basket, or the more modern glass with nylon baskets (some with plungers). Again, I caution you to not plunge too hard or you will get some of the bitterness left in your tea leaves into your brew.

Bottom Line
If after all of this you’ve decided that a tea infuser is not for you, what is the alternative? Very simple. You can resort to bagged tea, or you can put your tea directly in the pot and use a strainer. My next articles will cover those plus a demonstration of the difference in your tea when using an infuser or putting the tea leaves loose in the pot.

Until then, happy tea drinking!

© 2009 A.C. Cargill photos and text

What’s Coming Between You and Your Tea? Part II – Exploring Some Different Types of Tea Infusers

In the previous article (What’s Coming Between You and Your Tea? Part I – The Tea Infuser), I showed what infusion was and the disadvantages of an infuser. However, if you still want to use one, here is a rundown on some of the types currently available.
Infusers come in various forms, including tea balls, teaspoon-shaped, sticks, baskets, filters, infusion bags (not the bags that bagged tea comes in), French Presses, and cups and teapots with ceramic infuser baskets.

Choices, choices, choices!

But if you are truly to live the “tea life,” this will be an important decision for you – to use one of these infusers or not, and which infuser is best.

Most infusers are fairly inexpensive, ranging from a few dollars upwards. However, cost of these items isn’t the real issue. It’s the cost of the tea. Why use an infuser that keeps you from getting the most out of your tea? If you must use one at all, pick one that is going to provide the best infusing for the best cup or potful of tea. Also bear in mind that they are not suitable for use with tea in the form of fannings or dust. Whole leaf or pieces is best.

What They Are
Tea Balls

Hollow spheres, in two pieces, made of either stainless steel mesh or stainless steel with small holes. The mesh ones usually have a snap closure. The steel ones twist the two halves together.

Teaspoon-shaped Infusers
As the name says, they’re shaped like teaspoons. Otherwise, teaspoon infusers are essentially the same as tea balls. They are meant for brewing up a single cup of tea. Heat your water, fill the teaspoon infuser with tea and close it, then put it into a cup and pour in the hot water.

Tea Infuser Sticks
Stainless steel tubes that slide for filling and have small holes for infusing. They are meant for brewing up a single cup of tea and often have a hooked handle for catching on the side of the cup.

Infuser Baskets

Baskets made of stainless steel or nylon/plastic. They come in various sizes, some for your cup and others for your teapot. You put your loose tea in them and put them in the cup or teapot, then pour the hot water over them.



How effective they are:
On the Websites that sell infusers, they instruct us to fill the infusers only halfway. Why? So that the leaves have room to expand fully within the infuser. Good advice, but the leaves still don’t get to fully interact with the water as they would if loose in the pot. As one who truly lives the “tea life,” I don’t see tea balls, etc., worth the time and trouble. They just seem to come between me and my tea, especially a fine whole leaf tea, and they are virtually worthless on teas that are comprised of fannings or dust (which should only be used in a non-bleached bag), since the particles of tea are small enough to fit through the holes or mesh of the infuser.

On the other hand, if you want tea that is a step up from bagged tea in a setting where infusing tea in a pot and then straining it would be awkward (such as in an office), then an infuser could be just the thing. You can use whole leaf or broken leaf tea, get a good tea flavor, and avoid the fuss of a teapot and strainer.

Of course, there are infusers that fit into your teapot. There are also French Presses. We’ll look into these in the next article.

For now, enjoy your infusion of tea!

© 2009 A.C. Cargill photos and text

What’s Coming Between You and Your Tea? Part I – The Tea Infuser

Tea is a pretty simple beverage. However, for those of us who live the “tea life” the equipage seems to be getting more complicated every day – many items being proclaimed a “must” for your tea enjoyment. This is especially true of items “guaranteed” to give you a better-tasting brew. I’m talking about infusers.

Are they really needed? Or are they just coming between you and your tea?

I’ll be exploring the issue more fully in the next few articles.

Let’s start by taking a minute to see what infusing means. For the purpose of this article, I will be talking only about true teas, made from leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, not herbals, dried flower petals (chamomile, hibiscus, etc.), rooibos, and more.

Basically, infusing is the interaction between tea leaves and hot water. That interaction is accomplished by putting a quantity of tea into a container (cup, teapot, measuring cup, whatever) and adding water heated to the appropriate temperature (usually boiling, but some teas need cooler temps). Then, the magic begins. Those tiny atoms of H2O work to separate the good from the bad, the aromatic and flavorful from the dregs (one reason it’s important to stop the infusion process at the right time, keeping those dregs from joining the party). The result is called a “liquor” and ranges in color from almost clear to dark reddish-brown, depending on what tea you started with (white, green, red, black, etc.).

Another thing to consider is the size and shape of those tea pieces. Tea is available in several forms: whole leaf, pieces (also called “broken leaf”), fannings, dust, and powder (usually green tea served in Asian countries and some Asian restaurants here in the U.S.).

Speaking of dregs, they lurk in your tea bags (usually containing fannings or dust). So, if you’re tempted to get a pair of tea bag tongs for use in squeezing the last drop from your tea bag after infusing, consider this: When you squeeze out that last drop, you are squeezing out those bitter-tasting dregs. Just as when brewing a fine cup of coffee you want to avoid over-brewing and using an inadequate amount of grounds, the same goes for tea. If you’re going to spend the money on the tea, don’t spoil it with those bitter dregs.

On the Websites that sell infusers, they instruct us to fill the infusers only halfway. Why? So that the leaves have room to expand fully within the infuser. Good advice, but the leaves still don’t get to fully interact with the water as they would if loose in the pot. That means, you don’t get the full taste and wonderful aroma from your expensive whole leaf tea.

As one who truly lives the “tea life,” I see tea infusers as just coming between me and my tea, especially a fine whole leaf tea, and they are virtually worthless on teas that are comprised of fannings or dust (which should only be used in a non-bleached bag).

For those of you still wanting to use an infuser, which after all provides convenience and better tasting tea than from most bagged tea, I’ll go through the different options available in my next two articles, along with some places to find one that is just right for you.

In the mean time, have fun living the “tea life”!

© 2009 A.C. Cargill photos and text

Setting Up a Kitchen Tea Station

Each area of the U.S. has its food specialties. Southern states have their great, rib-sticking, take-a-nap-after-lunch cooking, such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits, collard greens, and black-eyed peas. The northeast has its seafood and baked beans. Texans have barbecue and country-fried. The southwest has its cuisine with a strong Hispanic influence, and California has “California cuisine.” These are just a few of the coast-to-coast goodies.

Whatever the dish and the region, one thing is essential: a great kitchen in which to cook.

Such a kitchen has a refrigerator large enough to hold the ingredients and the few leftovers, a stove with plenty of burners and an oven that can heat food evenly and accurately, a big sink to clean the pots and pans, and a dishwasher to scrub the last bit of potato or grease off the plates. For those of us who live the “tea life,” one element is just as essential: a tea station.

“What’s a tea station?” you query. Good question. Thought you’d never ask.

Quite simply, a tea station is a spot where most of the things you need to prepare your tea are located. This saves a bit of time, effort, and injuries (from bumping into family members also seeking sustenance).

Some items you will need in your tea station:

1. TEA! (bet you didn’t see that one coming!)
2. Your sweetener of choice (sugar, honey, aspartame, etc.)
3. Your teapot array:
• a 1-cup for brewing up that special cupful just for you
• a 2-cup for a larger portion of that special brew or for sharing with your sweetheart
• a 4-cup for tea with the family
• and a 6-cup to make a potful for your afternoon tea party or to have through the day
4. A tea cozy or two (definitely one for the 6-cup teapot)
5. A selection of your favorite mugs and/or teacups and saucers, plus teaspoons
6. A tea strainer (or a teabag holder, if you prefer bags to loose tea)
7. A spoon rest for your teaspoons
8. Optional: A tray (or, as I do, a turntable) on which to set the pot, sweetener, tea strainer (or teabag holder), and spoon rest.

The next consideration, as they say in the real estate game, is “Location! Location! Location!”
I can’t be too specific here, since kitchen layouts vary widely from simple galley-style to farmhouse to gourmet, but I can give you some general guidelines:

1. Keep it in an area where you can prepare your tea without interfering with anyone else preparing food.
2. Be a short enough walk from the stove for you fill the teapot by the stove once the kettle has boiled and easily to carry it to the tea station (always fill the pot by the stove, instead of carrying the kettle to the pot, so that the water doesn’t get a chance to cool).
3. Ditto for the microwave (if you heat your water there instead of on the stove).
4. Be a step or two away from the refrigerator so you can easily get to the milk or lemon.
5. Be within easy proximity to the pantry or cupboard where your cookies and other tea-time treats are squirreled away.

Once you have your tea station all set up, you will be ready whenever the urge arises to indulge in a daily “tea moment” as part of living the tea life. As for what food goes best with your tea of choice, that’s another article. For now, pick a tea, pick one of your local food favorites and enjoy. Cheers!

© 2009 A.C. Cargill photos and text

Sun Tea and Iced Tea – Cooling Treats

The heat is on in the Southern U.S. and the central states (from Texas on up almost to the Canadian border). Time for something cool to drink. Iced tea to the rescue! (Yes, it’s “iced tea,” not “ice tea.”) In the Southeast it’s a true tradition, and “sweet tea” is almost a right of passage.

One popular method of making iced tea is a sun tea jar. The ones I’ve seen in stores hold about one gallon of water (smaller than one gallon is a little impractical). However, you can use any glass jar as long as it has a tight-fitting lid. The store ones have spouts in the lids for easier pouring, although the weight of a full jar can be daunting, and some have spigots (not always leak proof).

The recipe for sun tea is simple:

Ingredients:

• 1 glass jar (1-2 gallons) with tight-fitting lid
• Tea bags (8 regular size bags per gallon of water – fewer if you like weaker tea)
• Or you can use loose tea leaves (8 Tbsp per gallon of water)
• Sunlight (of course!)

Directions:
Fill the jar with clear, clean water. Add in tea bags (or loose tea). Put your lid on the jar and be sure it is screwed on tightly. Set the jar in sunlight for several hours or until the tea is the desired strength (for most people, this would be a caramel color). When the tea is brewed, remove the jar from sunlight and remove the tea bags. Refrigerate the tea to chill, preferably overnight. (If you used loose tea, pour the liquid through a strainer into another container and then chill. Straining out the tea leaves will avoid your tea taking on a bitter taste.) If you choose to use ice, you may want to brew the tea a little stronger since the melting ice cubes will dilute it.

A caution on sun tea: If there are any bacteria in the water, they will be in the tea, since the sun’s rays will not get the water hot enough to kill them. This article on sun tea by Jon Stout tells you how you can determine if your sun tea is safe to drink.

As for taste, I personally find tea brewed in the sun to be somewhat bitter. Since the bags (or tea leaves) are in the water for hours. A short brew in water at the proper temperature (for example, 205-212 degrees Fahrenheit for black tea and steeped for 3-5 minutes) assures a much smoother taste that is gentle on your tastebuds.

Once the tea is chilled, you can drink it straight or add your sweetener of choice (honey is NOT recommended, since it requires heat to thoroughly dissipate through the tea) and other flavors. Lemon is the most popular, and can be sliced in rounds and floated in the tea or cut in wedges for squeezing individually into glasses. (Note: Lemon is acidic and will lighten the color of the tea.) Mint is another popular flavor (goes best with teas made from Gunpowder, Darjeeling, Pouchong, and Tung Ting Oolong,). However, give yourself a change of pace with this recipe for blueberry iced tea.

As I mentioned earlier, the Southeast is hooked on “sweet tea.” (Here’s one recipe.) As someone who was raised in the Midwest and has bounced around the U.S. and abroad, coming to the Southeast and having a waitress automatically ask if I wanted “sweet tea” was a bit of a culture shock. “Sweet tea” is virtually unknown elsewhere. It’s basically iced tea with a truckload of sugar in each glass full (at least it seems so to my tastebuds). To try new things, I ordered a glass. One mouthful was enough. To say it was sweet would be like saying the Eiffel Tower contains a little iron. Decades ago, when my mother was diagnosed with diabetes, I switched from drinking my iced tea with sugar to drinking it unsweetened. So, sorry to all you folks in the Southeast, but I have to pass on the “sweet tea.”

Whether sweetened or not, sun brewed or regular brewed, enjoy a cool moment during the heat of the day with a tall glass of iced tea.

© 2009 A.C. Cargill photos and text