# O, joy, rapture, ecstasy! In a word: TEA!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 20, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129 "2002-12-20T22:52:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/21 "2002-12-22T10:38:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chukhung \* > \*\*[Upton Tea](http://www.uptontea.com/) ships internationally. > > In the UK, I’ve heard good things about [Whittard of Chelsea](http://www.whittard.co.uk/cgi-bin/whittard.storefront), but I’ve had no firsthand experience with them. \*\* Thanks for this **chukhung**. I’ve looked at both and see lots of potential for each site. Was especially looking for chai tea, which I have not been able to find here in the UK. Thanks again! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/22 "2002-12-22T16:55:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chukhung \* > \*\*You might want to consider a Chatsford tea pot (or similar). It has a removable strainer basket that makes brewing a pot of loose tea extremely painless. There’s a picture of a Chatsford teapot and its basket along with a description here: [http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/information/INFOaccessoryUse.asp](http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/information/INFOaccessoryUse.asp) \*\* Alton Brown says you should let your tea steep loose. Of course, even tea loose in a basket would probably be better than bags. Anyone else see the Good Eats episode on tea? I wanted to rush out and buy all sorts of tea paraphenalia after that. Alton recommended cast iron teapots, which I found, but they were _sooooo expensive_. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/23 "2002-12-22T18:11:45Z")
Just to add to the tea snobbishness, I get mine from Adagio. Assam Harmony mmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/24 "2002-12-22T18:46:24Z")
I still prefer Twinnings. [www.twinnings.com](http://www.twinnings.com) ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/25 "2002-12-22T19:16:02Z")
I like Twinings too. I just finished a cup of Twinings Lady Grey. Yum. But you guys have got me all crazy tea happy, and I just bought a new teapot, a tea sampler, and some puerh from **Podkayne** ’s new favorite website. The only thing that I’m annoyed at is that they don’t have strainers that you can rest on the rim of the cup (since I decided to get a teapot without a strainer), so I’m going to have to actually _go out and buy one in a store._ Can you believe it?! I’m really interested in the puerh. I’ve never heard of it, but according to the website, it was illegal to import into the US until 1995, and it’s aged for 2-4 years. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/26 "2002-12-22T19:34:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\*Alton Brown says you should let your tea steep loose. Of course, even tea loose in a basket would probably be better than bags. In order for the leaves to release their flavor, they have to be able to unfurl fully. As long as your basket is big enough not to cramp your leaves’ style, you’re okay. Just don’t cram them into a bag or _shudder_ a ball (a vile invention–hard to use, _]and_ bad for your tea.) ---
**Author:** ![SparrowHawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@SparrowHawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparrowHawk)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/27 "2002-12-22T22:45:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\* Alton recommended cast iron teapots, which I found, but they were _sooooo expensive_. Oh well. \*\* I have wanted a cast iron teapot for some time now, but I’m afraid to get one. Living where I do, I am afraid I will end up with a rust-encrusted pot that adds nothing positive to my overall tea experience. It is so humid here. Hawaii is the place where metal comes to die. Anybody know if the pots are treated in any way so that they are resistant to rust? ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129/28 "2002-12-22T23:12:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > **Alton Brown says you should let your tea steep loose.** Unless you like those ultra-bold leaf green teas, I doubt if you’ll notice any problems using the infuser basket on a Chatsford pot. There’s plenty of room in there to let almost any tea “stretch its legs”. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > **Of course, even tea loose in a basket would probably be better than bags.** Oh, yes. Keep in mind that the tea they use for teabags is what’s known as “tea dust”. It’s generally CTC (crush-tear-curl) method tea to begin with. And it’s what shakes out of the bins and gets swept up off the floor that ends up in the teabags. (I’m exaggerating, but not by much, I bet). If you like black teas, try an orthodox-method BOP (broken orange pekoe) to start. Orthodox BOP teas are a lot cheaper than full-leaf teas, they taste almost as good, and they don’t brew that much slower than CTC teas. You’ll notice a whole range of flavors that you miss with teabags. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-joy-rapture-ecstasy-in-a-word-tea/144129.md?page=1)