A tea strainer is a type of strainer that is placed over or in a teacup to catch loose tea leaves. When tea is brewed in the teapot the traditional way, the tea bags do not contain the tea leaves; instead, they are suspended freely in the water. Since the leaves themselves are not consumed by the tea, they are usually strained out using a tea strainer. A strainer is usually fitted over the top of the cup to catch the leaves as the tea is poured.
Some deeper tea strainers can also be used to brew single cups of tea in the same way you would use a tea bag or brew basket – place the leaf-filled strainer in the cup to brew the tea. When the tea is ready to drink, it is removed along with the spent tea leaves. By using the tea strainer in this way, the same leaf can be used to brew multiple cups.
Although the use of tea strainers decreased in the 20th century with the mass production of tea bags, the use of tea strainers is still considered preferred by connoisseurs, who claim that keeping the leaves in bags, rather than circulating freely, inhibits diffusion. Many have asserted that inferior ingredients, i.e. dusty quality teas, are often used in tea bags.
Tea strainers are usually sterling silver, stainless steel tea infuser or porcelain. The filter is usually combined with the device, with the filter itself and a small saucer to place it between the cups. Teaglasses themselves are often imprisoned as masterpieces of art by silver- and goldsmiths, as well as fine and rare specimens of porcelain.
A brew basket (or infusion basket) is similar to a tea strainer, but is more commonly placed on top of a teapot to hold the tea leaves it contains during brewing. There is no clear line between a brew basket and a tea strainer, and the same tool can be used for both purposes.
Post time: Dec-29-2022