English tea how to?

I at a loss as to how to serve a tea party for two or three people with an
English tea set. All of the advice on how to make good tea gives times for
steeping of three to eight minutes. They also advise against tea balls or
infusers because they don't allow the tea leaves to properly unfurl and
expand. I agree with this, because the premium teas I prefer expand a LOT.
So the dilemma is, how do I stop the steeping without resorting to inelegant
or messy manipulation. When I make tea for myself alone, I brew it in an
everyday teapot, and after the designated brewing time I pour it through a
gold coffee filter into a preheated thermos. Then I'm set for five cups of
very hot tea to drink at my leisure over several hours. A thermos at the tea
table doesn't fit in, though, and to use my nice bone china teapot for only
six minutes seems a waste. So far the best bet seems to be to brew the tea
in my everyday pot out of sight in the kitchen, then filter it into the
(preheated) fancy pot and use a tea cozy.

How do others do it? Any ideas?

--Rich

You seem to have hit on a procedure that works. Why change it? I
can't help much because I would use an infuser for less than premium
tea..... Toci
Rich wrote:
> I at a loss as to how to serve a tea party for two or three people with an
> English tea set. All of the advice on how to make good tea gives times for
> steeping of three to eight minutes. They also advise against tea balls or
> infusers because they don't allow the tea leaves to properly unfurl and
> expand. I agree with this, because the premium teas I prefer expand a LOT.
> So the dilemma is, how do I stop the steeping without resorting to inelegant
> or messy manipulation. When I make tea for myself alone, I brew it in an
> everyday teapot, and after the designated brewing time I pour it through a
> gold coffee filter into a preheated thermos. Then I'm set for five cups of
> very hot tea to drink at my leisure over several hours. A thermos at the tea
> table doesn't fit in, though, and to use my nice bone china teapot for only
> six minutes seems a waste. So far the best bet seems to be to brew the tea
> in my everyday pot out of sight in the kitchen, then filter it into the
> (preheated) fancy pot and use a tea cozy.
>
> How do others do it? Any ideas?
>
> --Rich

There is nothing wrong with decanting from brewing pot to serving pot
as you do. There are nice tea pouches that cling to the rim of the pot
held in place by the lid. There are also individual strainers that lay
on the lid of the cup. I'd go with my two ideas if the tea pot is
emptied and replentished readily. I'd go with yours if the leaves
would stew in the pot while gossiping.

Jim

Rich wrote:
> I at a loss as to how to serve a tea party for two or three people with an
> English tea set. All of the advice on how to make good tea gives times for
> steeping of three to eight minutes. They also advise against tea balls or
> infusers because they don't allow the tea leaves to properly unfurl and
> expand. I agree with this, because the premium teas I prefer expand a LOT.
> So the dilemma is, how do I stop the steeping without resorting to inelegant
> or messy manipulation. When I make tea for myself alone, I brew it in an
> everyday teapot, and after the designated brewing time I pour it through a
> gold coffee filter into a preheated thermos. Then I'm set for five cups of
> very hot tea to drink at my leisure over several hours. A thermos at the tea
> table doesn't fit in, though, and to use my nice bone china teapot for only
> six minutes seems a waste. So far the best bet seems to be to brew the tea
> in my everyday pot out of sight in the kitchen, then filter it into the
> (preheated) fancy pot and use a tea cozy.
>
> How do others do it? Any ideas?
>
> --Rich