Kitchen

[kitty4me]

I was at our Annual Christmas Bazaar yesterday and while there I was buying some tea I sampled. The one Tea I purchased was Loose Leaf. I asked now how can I use this since I don't have a Tea Ball? Well, they now sell empty Tea Bags and come in different sizes. Has anyone bought them and used them? Did you like them? Which ones did you like and use?

[forrestwolf]

I personally bought a stainless tea ball, for like a dollar, and use it for spices, instead of cheese cloth, and have used for loose tea....... Never heard of these "tea bags"......

[adelle38]

I use a tea pot for loose tea and then use a tea strainer like this.

[glmama]

Hi-I've never used the empty bags, but I have seen them. I use a tea ball.

[kitty4me]

Hello Forrestwolf, like you I never heard of them either and the reason for this thread. I'm considering buying them and what a great idea to put spices and herbs into soups. Thank You Forrestwolf.

[ChynnaBlue]

No, that's wasteful.

I have loads of cute and clever tea infusers, but my favorite is the IngenuiTEA by Adagio Teas. (Other companies have different versions of the same idea.) It's a plastic mug you add your tea and water to and let it steep. When it finishes, you set the infuser mug on top of your drinking mug and it triggers a valve the drops the tea from the top mug to the bottom. Then you tip out the used leaves, rinse, and it's ready to be used again. Fast and easy - just make sure you don't pour in more hot water than your drinking mug will hold.

[sunshine45]

if you dont have a tea ball just put the loose tea in a china tea pot, add boiling water and let it steep (you can use a tea cozy, place on top of the tea kettle, or place on a warmer to keep it warm). put a small amount of tea in your cup and add boiling water to it......this is the way it is done if using a samovar (the "old fashioned" way).

[Sooner]

Go to Amazon and search for forlife teapots. One word: ForLife. They make wonderful teapots, mugs, and infusers that all have infusers and let the leaves really bloom out and make far better tea than anything that keeps them wadded up and not as loose so water can flow through.

Lots of tea sites sell their pots, mugs, and infusers and they are great products! I LOVE the little stump teapots!

[sunshine45]

On 11/21/2014 ChynnaBlue said:

No, that's wasteful.

I have loads of cute and clever tea infusers, but my favorite is the IngenuiTEA by Adagio Teas. (Other companies have different versions of the same idea.) It's a plastic mug you add your tea and water to and let it steep. When it finishes, you set the infuser mug on top of your drinking mug and it triggers a valve the drops the tea from the top mug to the bottom. Then you tip out the used leaves, rinse, and it's ready to be used again. Fast and easy - just make sure you don't pour in more hot water than your drinking mug will hold.

i like this idea.....my daughter is a big tea drinker. i may have to get her one of these and some loose teas for christmas!

[forrestwolf]

On 11/21/2014 Katey1261 said:

Hello Forrestwolf, like you I never heard of them either and the reason for this thread. I'm considering buying them and what a great idea to put spices and herbs into soups. Thank You Forrestwolf.

Especially wonderful when making corned beef with those spice packs.........