Tea Bags vs. Loose tea leaves

Midas · 6 June 2005 at 9:41AM

Thirzah - I aren't sure what's happened to Typhoo either, I used to sometimes buy it but haven't seen it around for years. It is however, advertised for sale on this American website http://www.englishteastore.com/brands-typhoo.html, so I guess they still make it.

Or you could try Yorkshire Tea instead, I think this is about the best loose leaf tea around at the moment.

aliasojo · 6 June 2005 at 9:45AM

Yeuch! *Spit spit* *Screws face up in painful grimace*

Sorry just reminiscing, I remember drinking tea at my 'Nan's' when I was young and I still have lasting memories of getting a mouthful of tealeaves. Scarred me for life it did.

Give me nice tea bags any day!:D

MrsMW · 6 June 2005 at 10:07AM

aliasojo wrote:

Yeuch! *Spit spit* *Screws face up in painful grimace*

Sorry just reminiscing, I remember drinking tea at my 'Nan's' when I was young and I still have lasting memories of getting a mouthful of tealeaves. Scarred me for life it did.

Give me nice tea bags any day!:D

I have the same memories, ugh it was disgusting.

Loadsabob · 6 June 2005 at 10:30AM

Well, I was shocked to find that in my town, neither Tesco nor the Health Food shop seel fair trade loose tea!!!!! As I was down to my last teabag I had to get bags AGAIN, only now I've ended up with two boxes, as they were "save 82p if you buy two"...silly, I probably could have made the same saving by buying just one box and seeking the loose tea online. I'll do an internet search.

The range of loose-leaf tea was unimpressive, to say the least (not sure about Typhoo, I hadn't read that post when I went shopping!)!!

But I will NOT give up!

BWZN93 · 6 June 2005 at 12:00PM

Ironically, whilst reading this thread having my morning cup of tea, kitty jumped up on my shoulder and scared me, and the HUGE morning mug went flying all over the floor! Any good ideas to stop staining???

Incidentally, I use bags, simply because I have my tea so strong, it is cheaper for me to keep with bags! I intend to get one of those bodum tea pots, so I can do assam leaf tea, because that is way nicer than any bag ive ever had!

Jo xx

squeaky · 6 June 2005 at 12:17PM

Blot the worst up straight away. Blot don't rub.

Put a small amount of washing powder in a mug of warm water and again blot until the stain is gone.

Then rinse, blotting again, with clean cold water.

Midas · 6 June 2005 at 4:37PM

loadsabob - try your local co-op for fairtrade loose leaf tea, the co-op's "ethical" stance means that they usually stock a good range of fairtrade goods. Try the fair trade chocolate brownies, they're great!

Loadsabob · 6 June 2005 at 4:46PM

Midas wrote:

loadsabob - try your local co-op for fairtrade loose leaf tea, the co-op's "ethical" stance means that they usually stock a good range of fairtrade goods. Try the fair trade chocolate brownies, they're great!

Thank you Midas. Co-op used to be very local to me, and they're superb for Fairtrade, I agree - they really led the way! I haven't tried the brownies, though, they sound yummy!

Now though, the co-op is about a mile from me. I'm shopping in the town centre as that's within walking distance (I don't drive), but I'm limited to Tesco (BAD!) and my health food shop which I use a LOT, and green grocers, which I use a bit, but their local produce is thin on the ground, and there is NOTHING organic! I COULD go to co-op, but it seems a long way when I have to carry the shopping home, and want to spend as little of my time food shopping as possible! I know a mile may not seem too bad, and there are buses, but it makes it a long old trip, with having to go to the twon centre for the health food shop local veg and other things as well...

Aaarggh!!! I may buy direct from Traidcraft, as I know their tea is nice...probably will end up online. Thank you!

spendaholic · 6 June 2005 at 4:57PM

When we were in Hungary we bought these mugs that had matching ceramic tea strainers and lids that you took out once the tea was strong enough - and the lids keep the tea warm if you take it into the garden on a cool evening. But it always seems such a faff when you may as well just dunk in a teabag. I have a large teapot and an individual teapot and the dinky one always makes better tea, for some reason, but I still use teabags. I'm not your typical Yorkshire lass, I don't like my tea very strong at all (and sorry for generalising, but I find most Yorkshire folk like to stand a spoon in their tea), so I don't like Typhoo, PG Tips or Yorkshire Tea. Tetley's my sup of choice, closely followed by loose English Breakfast or Afternoon tea.