What Do You Think

[teacake44]

The tea bag was a great invention, but for who? If you are of a certain age you will remember your mom having a tea caddy, and every so often you would empty about half inch of tea dust out of the bottom, and refill with new tea. Today most use tea bags,( I still use loose tea ) the reason being, you get tea leafs, and tea bags are to me just weak, ( fairy water if you like ) Now if you could possibly break away from AB, go and get a tea bag, (got to be a new dry one) rip it open, and you will find pure dust, like your mom had in her tea caddy at the bottom. ( now wasn't that a fun thing to do today?) well done!! :) Now to my thoughts and yours, with all the tea that is produced, and we are talking tons of the stuff, in turn that as got to also produce tons of tea dust, ( just like your moms tea caddy) when I buy loose tea there is not a sign of dust, only wholesome tea leafs, The UK sells very little loose tea, compared to tea bags, compared to other countries. So are we the dumping ground for all the tea dust so other countries can enjoy a fine brew. They've made buying loose tea expensive, I wonder why. Now I hope you took part in todays experiment, and found it exciting, I really look forward to your thoughts, ( on tea please not that you think I'm a nutter?? In the mean time I will pop off to make a brew, and a buttered teacake.

[Denton]

Are you a Schoolteacher? you come across as a very condescending Individual.

[bednobs]

lol I cant somehow imagine teacake is a teacher

[ummmm]

I'll give that a miss.

Welldone to you though, Teacake, for breaking away from AB!

[teacake44]

Denton, Did you get out the wrong side of the bed this morning, or swallowed a dictionary for breakfast.

[spathiphyllum]

No idea why people are getting teacher vibes from this post.

Regarding tea dust... It has more surface area making it flavour the tea more quickly than a leaf. It is also very dry tea, making it flake up and turn into powder.

You are right, bagged tea is poorer quality, but it's more available and cheaper. Makes sense no?

[New Judge]

I still use leaf tea. On t every rare occasions I sue a teabag I still brew the tea in a pot. I can't stand that oily scum floats on the tea and is left behind when tea is make in a cup.

I saw a programme on the TV a while back - "Inside the Factory" or similar - which showed the tea bag making process. They said that the tea was "specially processed" to be finer for the bags. I wasn't convinced. Like you I believe the stuff in tea bags is what is swept off the floor at the end of each day in the plants where they produce proper tea. I think about 98% of tea made in the UK is made using tea bags - far more than any other nation. It's quick and easy to stick a tea bag in a cup and pour boiling water on it. But then it's quick and easy to get your dinner from MacDonalds.

[teacake44]

Good point Spath, (surface area )

[New Judge]

//You are right, bagged tea is poorer quality, but it's more available and cheaper. Makes sense no?//

No.

[spathiphyllum]

/s It's McDonalds you uncultured leaf drinker. ;) ;)

[spathiphyllum]

New Judge i find in my experience if something is readily available, and quite cheap, then it is usually of a poor quality.

[windywillow]

Good luck with that, Mr. Judge. Never heard of a teabag being sued, but I guess there's a first for everything. :0)

I use tea leaves but only because my husband prefers them.

[New Judge]

//New Judge i find in my experience if something is readily available, and quite cheap, then it is usually of a poor quality.

That's quite right - usually. That's why it doesn't necessarily make sense to buy it. There are exceptions but tea bags are not among them.

[spathiphyllum]

"That's why it doesn't necessarily make sense to buy it."

Ahhh i see what you mean

[andres]

Just had a cup of tea made with loose tea. No floaters and a better taste . Surely it costs more to make little bags for individual teabags than putting loose tea in a container.
It's all to do with convenience though ,a bit like sliced bread.

[anneasquith]

Ummm, I think it was only for yesterday tc was taking a break. Then we return totally refreshed . ;*)

[MWG14]

We buy teabags but always use a teapot. That way we get four good sized mugs/cups of tea instead of one.

[teacake44]

andres, not when you consider that the dust they put into teabags was a waste product at one time.

[retrocop]

Years ago a colleague of mine visited Ceylon or it may have just become Sri Lanka. He and his wife visited a tea plantation as an excursion.
Towards the end of the visit they were directed to the leaf grading house which was a long wooden shed on stilts.
One end of the hut was open and where the tea leaf was introduced. The graders would sweep the leaves into various piles ( according to their grading system).
Underneath the hut was piles of leaf dust that had fallen through the gaps in the floor. This was gathered up and used in tea bags.

[retrocop]

I hadn't read your post NJ but you appear correct according to what my colleague told me.
//Like you I believe the stuff in tea bags is what is swept off the floor at the end of each day in the plants where they produce proper tea.//

[237SJ]

I agree with Retrocop - I went to a tea plantation in Sri Lanka and the dust that fell through the sifting racks was what went into tea bags. The whole leaves were reserved for the middle eastern market. I have bought tea in India though and they call what we use 'tea granules' Whole leaves are really expensive (even in India)