How to use a teapot

I have a collection of teapots. Glass, ceramic and even cast iron. Some came with strainers; others didn’t. But we use them all. When we brew loose tea leaves (or even loose dried flowers and herbs to make tisane), we use a teapot with a strainer. When what we have is a teabag, we use a teapot with no strainer.

How to use a teapot with strainer

In Asia where loose tea leaves are preferred, a teapot that comes with a strainer insert is ideal for making the drink. The strainer can be glass, ceramic or wire mesh.

Put the strainer in the pot, drop your tea into the strainer and pour in hot water. Not boiling water but hot water. If you boiled water for tea, allow it to cool for about 40 seconds before using.

If you want to be really traditional, steep for two minutes, pour out the water then pour in hot water again. This process is supposed to take away much of the bitterness of the tea. Steep again and pour.

The pot can be refilled with water three to four times. After that, you will need to throw out the now-flavorless tea leaves, drop in a new batch and repeat the process.

When making a herbal brew (tisane) with dried flowers, leaves, barks or fruit peel, a teapot with a strainer is also ideal.

How to use a teapot with no strainer

Teapots without a strainer are common in Western Europe. Not because they don’t mind eating tea leaves that fall into the cup but because loose tea leaves are less commonly consumed.

Some people do prefer tea in bags, and a strainer in the teapot is unnecessary. Just drop a teabag into the pot, leave to steep and pour into cups.

A tea bag in a teapot? Shouldn’t the tea bag go directly into the teacup? No. Oh, no. Although I have to admit that it has become such common practice.

The truth is, steeping a tea bag with very little water (such as the amount of water in a single teacup) will yield an extremely strong drink. I know a lot of people who leave the tea bag in their cup for a short time only then refrigerate the tea bag to make another cup or two the next day. Some say it works, I find that tea made by reusing a tea bag tastes awful.

With a few exceptions, we add neither sugar nor milk into our hot tea. But if you do, I suggest that you make a strong brew. Adding sugar or milk, or both, to a weak brew will drown out the flavor of tea.