What is your favorite way to steep hot tea?

[rafiki]

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[Tap]

I don't like extra gadgets or appliances laying around so I boil water in a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave, then pour the water into my cup with the tea either in a bag or ball. Then I put a saucer on top until brewed.

[Frontier Mom]

My water dispenser has a "hot" and I just use that to steep my tea. I agree, don't like lots of extra stuff on my cabinets or in my drawers.

 

However, saying that, I have a small tea diffuser and a individual tea press that I use sometimes. All in all, I tend to use a teabag and my hot water dispenser most.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

4 of the 5 of us drink it, right now we have a miniature stove tea pot that I'd like to replace (too small and doesn't match our kitchen). I see there are electric tea kettles, infusers, presses, I'm so confused. Then I look at what I think are regular old tea pots, but they say not for stove top or microwave. So do you use a stove top pot, then put it in the tea pot to steep? How long will it stay hot? We drink a good bit of tea and usually have a dozen varieties on hand, but they are all tea bags you steep for various minutes. What should I be looking at/for?

 

I use this on my stove. Some of the reviewers are saying it doesn't whistle. I have to wonder if they're keeping the cap up on their spout. It is a low whistle though, not a scream.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Calypso-5-Quart-Enamel-Whistling-Teakettle/dp/B000FCI96U/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1228767229&sr=8-1

 

If we're all having the same kind of tea, I steep it one of my teapots and then pour into individual cups. (I only prepare what we'll be drinking right away so I can't attest to how long it stays hot. Besides, it depends on the individual teapot, I would think.) If we're having different kinds of tea or if I'm having tea alone, I pour into individual cups and steep there.

 

I've not had much luck with teapots that come with their own strainers for loose leaf tea. Some small leaves always get through and cloud the tea. I buy the bodum tea bags and make my own if I'm using my loose tea.

 

Kristina

[hornblower]

I will only use a brown betty type pot (I have a Denby right now but it's the same shape).

 

Preheat the pot by filling with hot water from the tap & let it sit waiting for the the kettle to boil.

 

Then, empty out the tap water, put in loose tea or tea bag & pour boiling water from kettle.

 

Let steep covered.

 

If using tea leaves, I will strain through a strainer into another pot so it doesn't keep getting stronger. I have used tea socks too & they work well. http://www.hrhiggins.co.uk/accessories/tea/tea_socks If it's bags, I remove the bags when tea is done.

 

Drink right away. My dd & I will pretty much finish a pot. We make fresh pots about every 2h when we're home.

 

I keep meaning to knit a cozy for my teapot to keep it warm longer but have never got around to it.....

 

If there's leftover tea in the pot which has grown cool, I pour into a Denby or other microwaveable mug and reheat in the microwave.

 

Do not reheat tea with milk or cream in it. Always reheat plain & add the milk/cream.

 

I personally do not like the flavour of any tea which has been kept warm. It starts tasting bitter and icky to me. Letting it cool & reheating in the micro is not as good as a fresh pot, but a good second best alternative.

 

Otherwise, if you want a boiled tea, make chai (seasoned sweet Indian tea) on the stovetop. That kind of tea improves with a gentle long term heat.

 

BTW, for really great teas, I highly recommend Murchies.

http://www.murchies.com/

[Oak Knoll Mom]

I use an electric French press. I love it! My husband got it for me 3 1/2 years ago and just this weekend I told him again how much I love it. :001_smile:

 

I can put the water in the press, boil it, put in the loose leaf tea, brew it then press and pour. No boiling water in a kettle, pouring water into a teapot, messing with an infuser or straining. Just one simple pot that does it all!

 

I usually make myself two large cups of chai in the morning and just put the extra cup on my candle warmer until I get around to drinking it. If I have friends over I will pour my tea it into a teapot, but that's mostly for asthetics.

[dirty ethel rackham]

We just keep it simple here. I have a kettle that just sits out on my stove. I fill it with cold water (due to lead concerns in our old pipes), set the kettle to boil. I do have a teapot that I use when we have company. Otherwise, I just put the teabags/loose tea in a ball into the cup and pour water over it. Everyone in my house likes different teas so individual servings work better. However, I am eyeing this tea infuser for loose tea. My friend has it and it makes a great cup of tea and can be stored in a cabinet next to the tea mugs.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Simple here, too.

 

Kettle remains at home on the stove. I fill it with cold water and while waiting for it to whistle I fill my tea-ball with leaves, get out the tea pot, get out my cup, et c. When the kettle whistles I fill my teapot and put in the tea-ball. I also fill my cup with hot water. When the tea is ready I pour out the hot water from the cup, remove the tea-ball (leaves go into the potted plants) and voila! a cup of tea. My pot holds two cups nicely.

 

That's it. No fancy gadgets just tea the way my grandmother did it . . . or would have if she hadn't been a coffee drinker!

[Ellie]

There is a difference between a tea kettle and a teapot. You put water in the tea kettle and put it on the stove to boil. You pour the boiling water from the tea kettle into the teapot to brew the tea.

 

I use an electric tea kettle. It heats water much faster than a stove-top tea kettle, and I can put it anywhere in the kitchen (i.e., not just next to the stove, which may or may not be where I need to actually use the boiling water).

 

I use loose tea. For single cups of tea, I use a cup that came with its own infuser, similar to this one, but there are many other infusers/brew baskets available that can be used with any cup, like this one. I prefer mesh infusers that fit inside the mug, like this, rather than the infusers that dangle by chains, like this. I can use the same infuser when I make big pots of tea for guests.

 

I fill my cup with water and pour just that amount into the tea kettle. No use heating up a larger amount of water than what I need, eh?

 

Sometimes I will make myself a small pot of tea, about 2 cups or so, with a small teapot and infuser. Bodum has some nifty pots.

 

I found plain ol' Lipton tea, loose, in my local grocery store. When I want something fancier, I buy from Glenbrook Farms.

 

I put honey (or other sweetener) and cream in my hot tea :-)

[Susan in KY]

Use a tea cosy.:001_smile:

[hornblower]

There is a difference between a tea kettle and a teapot. You put water in the tea kettle and put it on the stove to boil. You pour the boiling water from the tea kettle into the teapot to brew the tea.

 

Hi Ellie,

 

I'm so glad to see someone pointing that out. I've had a # of conversations about this with American folks who did.not.get.it. :001_huh:

 

Less so in Canada because the British influence seems quite strong here still.

[The Governess]

I use a tea kettle and a small traditional Chinese tea pot. I boil a kettle full of water on the stove and put loose tea leaves in the tea pot. Then I fill it with the hot water and let it steep for a couple minutes. It's only enough water for a cup or two. The loose tea can be used several times though, so I can refill the pot with more hot water several times. The water seems to stay warm enough in the kettle for 30-60 minutes. Or it only takes a minute or to to bring it back to boiling.

[Ellie]

Hi Ellie,

 

I'm so glad to see someone pointing that out. I've had a # of conversations about this with American folks who did.not.get.it. :001_huh:

 

Less so in Canada because the British influence seems quite strong here still.

 

Yeah, what's up with that???

 

Although I have to confess that no one I knew when I was growing up had a tea kettle. I guess (because I really don't remember the process) that if someone wanted to boil water, she just boiled it in a pan. But I got a whistling tea kettle as a wedding present and was converted.:D

 

My dds moved up to Seattle and got an apartment together a number of years ago; the first thing they did was get a tea kettle from Ikea, because it was just so ghetto to boil water in a pan for tea.:D

[Ellie]

Use a tea cosy.:001_smile:

Oh, yes, tea cozies are necessities if you make more than a single cup of tea.:D

 

Also, it's fun to get fancy-schmancy sugar cubes like these or these.

 

Ooo, and this same site has lots of other fun tea things, like this gravity tea pot. You can just never have enough tea things.:D

[SquirrellyMama]

I microwave a cup of water for 60 seconds and then dunk a tea bag in for a couple of minutes. :leaving:

 

This board has a bunch of tea purists. :001_smile:

 

Kelly

[Jann in TX]

I've had a hot-water dispenser in every house we've owned for the past 18+ years. I would hope I'm never without one.

 

I have over 50 varieties of tea--most are in bags but I do have some loose that I use with a tea ball.

 

If I did not have access to a hot-water dispenser I would use a tea kettle and then pour into my mug (I prefer mugs to cups) to steep... If I were sharing I would pour into a tea pot to steep (I have several different sizes).

 

I do love my tea!

[PrairieAir]

I microwave a cup of water for 60 seconds and then dunk a tea bag in for a couple of minutes. :leaving:

 

This board has a bunch of tea purists. :001_smile:

 

Kelly

 

That's the method I use...unless you're talking about Tea ("tea"/TEA/tea/tea /*tea*--what did y'all decide was the proper way to type that?) and not just tea:lol:

[Happy]

I used to have a delightful strawberry tea kettle (from Europe) sitting on my stove all the time. Unfortunately, it developed rustiness and had to be retired.

 

But, at least, I know the difference between the kettle and pot. My British born friend saw to that. :D

 

These days we have a hot water dispenser. It fits on the sink where the extention hose used to go. Changed faucets a few years ago to one with the extention built right into the head...and thus...room for the hot water dispenser.

 

Love it. Easy. Always ready to brew a cup of chocolate or tea.

 

Right now...it's chai tea with honey because of a sore throat.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

funny . . . I, too, have a hot (and cold) water dispenser and had never thought of actually using it for tea. I use it for a host of other things but tea . . . never. huh. Somehow my whistling kettle and little pots and cups are comfortable. I don't have to drink tea out of a pretty pot and cup but somehow it's just nicer that way.

[Laura Corin]

We have an electric kettle that boils water. I then make tea in a cup for one (teabag) or in a pot (with a tea cosy) for more.

 

Laura

[Peela]

Electric kettle,boil water, pour water into cup with tea bag inside, steep a minute or two, take tea bag out, add milk and or sweetener.

Isn't that how everyone does it, or is this another Aussie quirk?

[Guest Lorna]

Herbal and Fruit

 

I have a one litre flask like a jug which we bought in Denmark. I put in one herbal tea bag and fill it up with boiled water from an electric kettle. I drink this tea throughout the day and the children can help themselves too. It stays very hot. In the evening I refill it with one fresh camomile tea bag and take it to bed.

 

Morning Green Tea

 

I put a pinch of green/white tea leaves in the bottom of a cheap heat-proof glass and pour over just boiled water. When I am finshed I reuse the tea leaves by simply pouring more hot water over them and have my second cup.

 

A Pot of Tea for Visitors or my Husband

 

I boil freshly drawn water in an electric kettle until it is only just boiled (this keeps the oxygen in the water for a fresher taste). I pre-warm the china teapot by swirling some boiled water around and pour it out. I add tea leaves and boiled water and leave the pot under a tea-cosy for five minutes and then pour through a strainer.

 

Too much information :tongue_smilie: I'm turning into my Granny!

[Guest Lorna]

it was just so ghetto to boil water in a pan for tea.:D

 

We did this when we were in Denmark - the landlord thought we were crazy when we asked for a kettle.

 

This thread reminds me of a cultural difference story my Scottish granny told me. She was once asked to come for 'tea' with all her children two hours drive away to her sister-in-law's in England. My granny presumed her sister-in-law meant for an informal dinner. When they arrived they really did just get a cup of tea. My granny was in shock.

Edited December 10, 2008 by Lorna

[Laura Corin]

This thread reminds me of a cultural difference story my Scottish granny told me. She was once asked to come for 'tea' with all her children two hours drive away to her sister-in-law's in England. My granny presumed her sister-in-law meant for an informal dinner. When they arrived they really did just get a cup of tea. My granny was in shock.

 

My stepmother invited the parents of my brother's future wife over for tea, so the two families could meet each other. She served them a cup of tea with biscuits, then they just stayed, and stayed and stayed. My stepmother had no idea why they wouldn't go. Finally, she had to say that it was time for her to put my two sisters to bed, and the future in-laws got up and went. They, of course, were waiting to be served a meal.

 

All involved were English, but I think there are big vocabulary differences between groups even in the same city.

 

Laura

[Ellie]

That assumes you drink anything other than a good black tea :-) Nothing else in this house.:D

[Ellie]

funny . . . I, too, have a hot (and cold) water dispenser and had never thought of actually using it for tea. I use it for a host of other things but tea . . . never. huh. Somehow my whistling kettle and little pots and cups are comfortable. I don't have to drink tea out of a pretty pot and cup but somehow it's just nicer that way.

And there's a reason for that. If you're making a cup of black tea, *hot* water doesn't do the job adequately. You need *boiling* water. I now understand that green tea is fine with just hot water, but black tea? No. Boiling water it is. I can taste the difference between black tea made with hot water and black tea made with boiling water (although if I were to visit my friend Jann in TX, and she made me a cup of tea with her hot water dispenser, I would gladly drink it without batting an eye).

 

And yes, the more tea things, the better.:D

[Ellie]

Electric kettle,boil water, pour water into cup with tea bag inside, steep a minute or two, take tea bag out, add milk and or sweetener.

Isn't that how everyone does it, or is this another Aussie quirk?

 

Definitely not just an Aussie thing; I believe it is an English thing. My family has been on the Outer Banks of North Carolina since the late 1600s, and we have assumed that most of the early settlers were English. When I was growing up in Virginia, and visiting the family in NC, surrounded by others of English ancestry, I always had hot tea with milk in it (even though we didn't use tea kettles or tea pots, lol). I spent 30 years in California feeling like the Lone Ranger, because *no one* drank tea with milk. Oh, the tragedy of it all!

[Melissa in CA]

unless you're talking about Tea ("tea"/TEA/tea/tea /*tea*--what did y'all decide was the proper way to type that?) and not just tea:lol:

 

:lol: My first thought when seeing this thread was...tea? Hmmm, what tea are we talking about!? Are we talking tea, or tea?

 

Regardless of the type of tea, or how it is "steeped," hot tea is best. ;)

[Guest Lorna]

Definitely not just an Aussie thing; I believe it is an English thing. My family has been on the Outer Banks of North Carolina since the late 1600s, and we have assumed that most of the early settlers were English. When I was growing up in Virginia, and visiting the family in NC, surrounded by others of English ancestry, I always had hot tea with milk in it (even though we didn't use tea kettles or tea pots, lol). I spent 30 years in California feeling like the Lone Ranger, because *no one* drank tea with milk. Oh, the tragedy of it all!

 

 

My Kurdish friend was so excited when she moved to England and discovered that it was normal to have milk in tea here - only children take tea like that in Turkey and everyone used to tease her about it. :D

[Guest Lorna]

My stepmother invited the parents of my brother's future wife over for tea, so the two families could meet each other. She served them a cup of tea with biscuits, then they just stayed, and stayed and stayed. My stepmother had no idea why they wouldn't go. Finally, she had to say that it was time for her to put my two sisters to bed, and the future in-laws got up and went. They, of course, were waiting to be served a meal.

 

All involved were English, but I think there are big vocabulary differences between groups even in the same city.

 

Laura

 

That wasn't my Granny was it? :lol:

[Jennifer3141]

I'm a classic kind of woman when it comes to tea. I have a teapot on the stove and I steep the bag however long I want.

 

Jen

[Laura Corin]

That wasn't my Granny was it? :lol:

 

In my family, the midday meal was lunch, tea was a cup of tea, the evening meal was supper, and dinner was a rare posh meal with guests.

 

For my best friend from south Wales, the midday meal was dinner, the evening meal was tea, and a drink before bed was supper.

 

You can see where it comes from. In Jane Austen mealtimes are quite fluid but different families have strong opinions on them. In general, breakfast seems to be late, dinner hovers around the afternoon, tea is served after dinner (I seem to recall), then supper is a late night meal.

 

Laura