Thursday, June 6, 2013

How To Steep Tea

We all know that Tiny Tummy and tea are two peas in a pod, but I realize that although preparing loose leaf tea is second nature to me, it may be a daunting task for some, so I decided to lay it out for you step by step so you're not stuck relying on those pre-bagged sachets because fresh tea is so worth the extra effort.


To make your very own cup of loose leaf tea, you will need:
1 tea ball or empty bag of tea
2 teaspoons fresh, looseleaf tea
1 mug of boiling water 

To prepare, start by putting the tea into the tea bag or ball and securing it shut. They, add the tea to the boiling water and let it steep. For how long, you might be asking? That depends. If you like really strong tea, you're going to want to steep it for longer, whereas if you like just a touch of flavor, you're going to want to leave it in the water for a shorter period of time. The best way to determine your sweet spot is honestly to taste as you go. For weaker tea I would suggest anywhere from 2-4 minutes. For stronger tea, 4 minutes and beyond. I like really strong tea, so I often leave my tea ball in for at least 8 minutes (call me a rebel) and sometimes up to 15 minutes (but I usually sip as I go.

With simplicity like that, it sure makes commercial tea bags look silly, no? The single extra step of putting your own tea in the bag/ball makes a world of difference. If you're an environmentally conscientious person, the tea ball is a great way to save those tea bags (and save yourself money over time!) And if you hate doing dishes, then the bags are the way to go (but you're already washing the mug anyway, right?) The bags are really best if you want to bring your own tea to a restaurant so you can drink something other than water when everyone else is drinking soda (again, save yourself some money too!) We could learn a little something from the tea fanatics in London. If water is not your speed, try tea!

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