Tea infusers hold tea leaves while brewing, allowing them to expand and immerse in water. Designs range from teaspoons to infuser cups, with classic tea eggs or balls being the most common. It’s important to follow tea-making directions to avoid bitterness.
A tea infuser is any type of device that holds tea leaves while brewing, allowing them to expand and immerse in the water. There are many designs of tea infusers ranging from teaspoons to infuser cups. In all cases, the tea infuser should only be partially filled so that the leaves can fully expand. It’s also important to follow tea-making directions, so you don’t end up with a bitter cup of tea.
The most classic tea infuser is a tea egg or tea ball. These tea infusers are spherical or ovoid and have two halves that are bolted together. A chain is typically attached to the tea infuser so it can be pulled out of the cup when the tea is ready. Some tea balls are made of fine mesh, so that no tea leaf sediment escapes. Others are made with larger holes and need to be used with a tea strainer to drain small pieces of tea leaf. Many tea markets and shops have an assortment of eggs and tea balls, sometimes in fancy decorative shapes.
Infuser cups are also very popular and easy to use. Typically, an infuser cup has three parts: the cup body, the infuser, and the lid. The tea infuser is made from ceramic and designed to fit inside the cup. Placing the lid on the tea while stirring enhances the flavor and the lid can be removed and reversed so the infuser can be placed on top of it after the tea has been brewed. Asian specialty stores often carry infuser cups, usually with decorative patterns painted on the outside. You can also get infuser teapots, which work on the same principle, but make more cups of tea.
When brewing green tea in an infuser, you want water that is slightly below boiling and should steep for about three minutes. The easiest way to do this is to take the kettle off the heat just before it boils, or let it boil and then rest. Black tea can be brewed with boiling water for about five minutes. Herbal teas also appreciate slightly cooler water and can be brewed for 15-20 minutes, depending on the ingredients. If your tea uses bark and roots, you may want to extract the infuser first, as these teas can become bitter when consumed too much.
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