Down Timer Penguin

Top Tea-related Gadgets

The best tea-making rituals start with, well, tea. There is a brand for every possible taste out there: from easy-brew tea bags containing black, green, white, herbal, blends and many other types of tea, through to fruity or flowery loose tea, to bespoke loose tea mixes blended for the individual taste. How about an apricot flavoured tea, or choc mint, or even caramel?

 

Storing your tea need not be a conventional thing. Bamboo or lacquer tea chests, stainless steel canisters or pottery caddies will protect your valuable commodity and appeal to your sense of aesthetics, or can be just plain funky. These will store bags as well as loose tea. To brew loose tea, you might want to make use of reusable tea bags or filters manufactured from paper or sturdy fibres that will not affect the taste of the tea. An added bonus is that you need not wash a teapot or dispose of a used bag.

 

A teastick is a handy gadget when brewing loose tea and works particularly well for a single serving. Simply scoop up the tea and infuse in the cup. Tea balls or other kinds of infusers also keep the leaves from the cup, or you might prefer to use a traditional tea strainer that now comes in a wide variety of styles.

 

Proclaim your individuality with an unusual tea pot or entire tea set. The possibilities are endless: flowers, abstract designs, plain, glass, china, traditional, sleek, heirlooms – you are spoilt for choice. Make sure to rest the pot on a trivet to protect your table or counter surface from the heat.

 

A fabric drip catcher fitted around the spout of the tea pot is a nifty idea to keep the pot drip-free. Tea cosies are making a pronounced comeback and are available in many different fabrics and designs; from a sleeping cat to a cupcake, from simple material to lush and elaborate fabrics. Individualised tea towels are also available and make great gifts.

 

Kettles for boiling water to just the right temperature make life so much easier for the tea drinker. Some have digital temperature settings; others have preset selections available. You could also invest in a thermometer to measure the heat of the water. Timers come in many shapes and sizes; from the traditional digital timer to a little penguin with a tea bag on its nose, which it dips in boiling water for a set time. To dispose of the tea bag or teaspoon, use a teaspoon rest of your choice or invest in one of a large variety of tea bag receivers in interesting shapes.

 

And that brings us to the very important matter of what to drink from. The traditional cup and saucer is always popular, but mugs are coming into their own. The variety is growing daily, from character mugs or those with an amusing or inspiring message, to double-walled mugs without handles or mugs with unusually shaped handles. Have your mug individualised with your name or photograph or use one that has a space for your biscuits. Or enjoy the mug that is heat sensitive and changes colour when you add boiling water.

 

Who said drinking tea is a boring pastime?

About the Author

4 Wheel Timer - Penguin