Putting loose tea in a bag

[jglazer75]

Don't know if this has been covered in this forum or not, a cursory search revealed nothing, but here goes...

I have a friend who has lots of loose tea, but this friend often doesn't have time to make a pot of tea or fuss with tea balls. I have searched online to no avail for empty tea bags that can be filled with loose tea and haven't found anything. I've suggested cutting squares of cheesecloth and tying with twine; which is apparently too much effort. Any suggestions? What does everyone do for 'loose tea on the run'? Should my friend just buy bagged tea and save the loose tea for when there's time? Enquiring minds want to know!

[jpr54_]

Don't know if this has been covered in this forum or not, a cursory search revealed nothing, but here goes...

I have a friend who has lots of loose tea, but this friend often doesn't have time to make a pot of tea or fuss with tea balls. I have searched online to no avail for empty tea bags that can be filled with loose tea and haven't found anything. I've suggested cutting squares of cheesecloth and tying with twine; which is apparently too much effort. Any suggestions? What does everyone do for 'loose tea on the run'? Should my friend just buy bagged tea and save the loose tea for when there's time? Enquiring minds want to know!

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imho they make a good cup of tea

there are paper filters for tea- teeli filters, finum tee filters

they can be ordered online

www.uptontea.com

www.specialteas.com

www.adagiotea.com

or can be found in many food shops including

whole foods, fairway, dean and deluca, etc.

Edited December 2, 2004 by jpr54_ (log)

[Lexica]

Try the Melitta tea filters. I used to keep a box of the filters and a tin of yerba mate in my desk drawer at work, and was perfectly satisfied with how it turned out.

And they're so much more convenient than a tea-ball...

[jglazer75]

Thanks for the input, I think was just searching for the wrong thing. And these buggers are a lot harder to find than one would think; I've looked in 'normal' grocery stores (Dominicks, Kroger, even Woodman's) with no luck. Hrmmm...

[jpr54_]

Thanks for the input, I think was just searching for the wrong thing. And these buggers are a lot harder to find than one would think; I've looked in 'normal' grocery stores (Dominicks, Kroger, even Woodman's) with no luck. Hrmmm...

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where do you live?

try some of the specialty shops or go into a teashop-

joanne

[ghostrider]

Yes it is sacrilege. But sometimes life forces you to make these little compromises.

I don't get the concept here, though, if you're at home, how can you not have time to make a pot of tea? It doesn't take substantially more time than making tea with a bag. It really doesn't.

I used bags at work & travel with them for convenience. Though I have a traveling tea kit - pots, tins of loose tea, strainers, the works - which I've been known to tote on longer trips.

[M. Lucia]

My local coffee shop has ~30 loose teas on their menu (from Serendipitea, which are quite good) and they have little bags which they fill when you order and then tie with a little twine. I can try and ask them where they get the tea bags.

Tell your friend not to give up on the loose tea, it is so good!

[torakris]

If you live near an Asian market try looking for these

this is what many Japanese people use to brew their tea, you spoon the tea in the open top and then fold it over itself, sort of like a sandwich bag.

I actually use these for herbs, when steeping them or is soups/stews/etc as I don't drink much tea...

This contains 60 bags and cost be about $2 (could be more expensive outside of Japan though).

[lovebenton0]

Tea shops are good sources, also herbal shops for the little cloth tea bags which can be hand washed and used again. I have used them for tea and herbs.

You can buy them individually or in multi-packets usually.

I'll have to look for the tea bags you posted, torakris, those look very convenient. And disposable.

Edited December 3, 2004 by lovebenton0 (log)

[jglazer75]

Where I live doesn't have many specialty stores, so I either have to wait to get into the big city (Chicago) or order them online. It's a little silly ordering a $3 item online and paying $4 to have it shipped.

[andiesenji]

If there is a health food store anywhere nearby, and often even the smallest towns have one, check with them. Any store that sells loose herbs also sells the fillable tea bags, usually the ones that can be ironed closed (I use a cheap (8.95) curling iron bought just for this purpose).

So they can then be carried in a container, such as a ziploc baggie.

Be sure and get the largest ones as "good" tea leaves need to expand to release all their flavor.

It is best to put the tea into the bags as is and then crush the bags just before use. This allows more flavor to be released as it exposes more of the leaf to the water.

For home use, the "Tea Sock" is very popular and available online from several vendors.

tea sock

However I know people who carry one with them, along with a small canister of their favorite tea and use them in restaurants.

Edited December 3, 2004 by andiesenji (log)

[ellencho]

Perhaps he could purchase a mini tea pot with a built in metal filter/strainer and just transfer his steeped tea into his teacup? That way he can just keep reusing the same teapot and not have to mess with little bags or filters.

Edited December 3, 2004 by ellencho (log)

[skyflyer3]

I got those very same tea filters that Torakris photographed from my local Japanese market (Uwajimaya), and they are fantastic! So convenient for when I am rushing out the door and didn't have time to make tea.

[yimay]

they sell cloth tea bags at Whole Foods. i'd imagine most higher end grocery stores that have loose tea selections will sell them.

i also have a small,1-serving french press that i use for tea only. i've found it's really convenient if i just want to make a small cup of tea for myself. the plunger keeps all the loose teas down and i can do extra infusions so easily and there is plenty of room for the tea leaves to bloom.

but i'm not really sure why making a proper pot of tea is such a hassle, or how it might take longer. i just put the leaves directly in the pot (i don't like to use infuser baskets). after the tea is brewed, just pour it into a thermos and go.

or you can brew the loose leaves directly in the cup, no ball or strainer needed and strain it out into a second cup or a thermos either with a lid (gong fu style) or a small strainer. or like my parents do, they just leave the leaves in the bottom of their cup for additional infusions.