Tea
 

I put this up to prevent the "Bye Bye Brownie" thread from being hijacked.

I drink loose and bagged tea. I have two teapots and a tea press that I am using.

I liked the Chantal Tea Steep for it's design, especially the locking infuser and lid, but the infuser had very large holes which required me to use a tea strainer.

I also have my Wagenfeld tea pot, but the glass work doesn't look very good when it's stained with tea, so if I use it I have to clean it each time.

My favorite loose tea is Ti Kuan Yin "Iron Goddess of Mercy". It has a unique earthy flavor.

I have a very, very cheap teapot. Not quite dollar store, but only a step above ... it's ceramic, has a proper teapot lid, and fits underneath my tea cozy, so teapot it is, even though it's not quite traditionally shaped, it does the job.

One of these days I'll get a proper English teapot.

When I'm being lazy I'll just load it up with five teabags (Stash Double Chai is a current favorite) and do a brew up. I do buy loose teas from the chinese grocer up the street, and will make Jasmine Tea when I'm feeling particularly floral. Rather than fussing about with a strainer or tea ball (I have one ceramic, one stainless) I put the leaves into a "tea sock." It looks rather like a windsock on a short wooden handle, and lets the leaves rest nicely in the water.I can also put this contraption into the top of my really big stainless steel thermos (I broke a glass vaccuum bottle through clumsiness before I even got to use it, so on my next trip to the store I went for "indestructable" as my primary criteria) and just pour hot water in and I can either take it to work with me, or carry it upstairs for consumption next to the computer.

Twinings Earl Grey. With honey.

I like Twinings. I try to keep a box of their Assortment on hand in the Tea Chest. (Irish Breakfast, English Breakfast, Earl Grey (which tradition demands I call Squirrel Grey) and there are two others in the set ... Lady Grey and Prince of Wales, possibly.)

Don't let on to the tea snobs, but I've been known to make a pot of Tetley's also.

Japanese green tea, all the way.

I can drink Red Rose, but Tetley's is too bitter.

Aren't you culturally required to drink only Swee Touch Nee, and to have a collection of those metal tea treasure chests?

I like Twinings--Irish Breakfast and Earl Grey are favorites. I've a proper English teapot, but, alas, no cozy. One of my very favorite treats is to go to the English teahouse we have in Oakwood (Central Perk--don't ask me how they got away with that one) and have High Tea or Elevensies. What fun! I even stick my little finger out while having my cuppa! :)

Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Numi Bushmen's Brew is one of my favorites along with various brands of Yerba Mate. I've heard that you're not supposed to boil the water -- just get it to a temp where it begins to steam. And it does seem to have a better flavour as I used to bring the water to a compleat boil. Any thoughts on the ideal steeping temperature?

:lol:

I like the Tazo Herbal Teas... Passion being my favorite. I have to try to avoid the caffiene as much as possible, so I prefer the herbal tea variety.

Tea? TEA? Don't mention tea. You can hardly see a minute pass in its entirety without the M-I-L plonking another cup in your hand. Remember a two week holiday in Spain a few years back, when she took a 360 bag box of PG Tips tea bags with her and we ran out after the tenth day. All right, there were four of us but that still works out at an average 9 cups a day each!

Tend to go for loose tea brewed in a good sized pot - standard tea-making procedure, Boil kettle, pot to kettle, warm pot with small amount of boiling water swirled around then discarded, two generous teaspoons per person plus a bit 'for the pot', pot back to kettle, top up pot to required level (you get to know this with practice), leave to stand under tea cosy for five minutes, prepare cups (milk in first) and pour through tea-strainer.

Some go for second cup top-up of pot with more water but quallity deteriorates and we make a fresh brew each serving.

We stick with standard breakfast tea - normally PG Tips. That's the Brits for you! Oh, and not to forget the irresistable pleasure of dunking biscuits !!!

Pissing Gnats????
:p

What is an M-I-L ?

Monst... err.. I mean Mother-In-Law