Welcome to How to use a teapot 101! It doesn’t matter if you want a pick-me-up after a hectic work schedule or share a warm moment with someone; there is nothing better than sharing a cup of tea.
Serving tea the right way can really elevate the experience. But if you aren’t sure of how to use a teapot to serve your tea, follow our guide below so you can enjoy the best experience and learn what to serve with your most delicious tea.
Heating The Water
It starts with the water. The first step is heating and boiling the water in a saucepan or pot. It’s best to use spring, low-chemical, and low mineral water to make sure your tea comes out crystal clear.
Then, heat the water by bringing it to a boil, and kindly don’t use the microwave because it results in uneven hotness in the water. In addition, don’t re-boil or over-boil the water because it disturbs the flavor of the tea.
Proper boiling water temperature should reach 212 degrees.
How Much Tea Is Needed Per Serving?
In general, when it comes to serving tea leaves, a good rule of thumb to remember is to use one teaspoon of your desired tea leaves for every six ounces of water.
If you would like to use a full cup or 8 ounces, add a little extra tea leaf for best result.
How to Measure Loose Leaf Tea
Measuring tea leaves can be a little challenging if you aren’t sure of what how to do it. To measure tea leaves, we recommend using a measuring spoon.
The measuring spoon will help you not add too much or too little to the water so you can have the best tea experience.
Be mindful that the measuring spoon is only used as a guide. It is not “precise science”. In this case you’ll have to your best judgement to determine how light or strong you’ll want your tea to be.
Large Tea Cup Measurements
Bigger cups no problem! When it comes to drinking tea, the experience is surely what you make it.
If you are making a larger quantity, we’ve included a helpful table to help you as a guide of how much tea leaves to add for every cup.
Remember the guide below is only to be used as an estimate. It is not exact science; therefore, we recommend that you use your best judgement when it comes to learning how to use your teapot, steeping, pouring, and enjoying your tea.
| Type Of Tea | Amount of Tea Leaves | Water Temperature | Steep Time |
| Green | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | Steaming Water (175-180°) | 1-2 minutes |
| Purple | 1 heaping tsp. per 6oz. | Steaming Water (175-180°) | 3 minutes |
| Black | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | Fully Boiled Water (212°) | 3-5 minutes |
| White | 2 level tsp. per 6oz. | Steaming Water (175-180°) | 2-3 minutes |
| Herbal | 1 heaping tsp. per 6oz. | Fully Boiled Water (212°) | 5-10 minutes |
| Mate | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | Steaming Water (150-160°) | 3-5 minutes |
| Steeping Loose Tea Leaves | |||
| Tea Leaves | Fluid Amount (Teapot) | Steep Time | |
| 2 tsp. Loose Leaf Tea | 2 cup teapot (16 oz) | 2-4 Minutes | |
| 4 tsp. Loose Leaf Tea | 4 cup teapot (32 oz) | 3-6 Minutes | |
| Using Tea Bags In Your Tea Pot | |||
| 1 Desired Teabag | 2 cup teapot (16 oz) | ||
| 2 Desired Teabags | 2 cup teapot (16 oz) | 3-6 Minutes (Minimum) | |
| 4 Desired Teabags | 4 cup teapot (32 oz) | 3-6 Minutes (Minimum) |
Adding Tea To The Teapot
As stated, when it comes down to adding tea to the teapot, you need to use one teaspoon of tea for one cup of water. Also, there are different types of infusion, such as;
- External Strainer – this is the most impactful way of making herbal tea, and it should be added for at least five minutes or longer. On the other hand, if you are making oolong, green, black, and white tea, make sure you don’t over-steep the tea
- Internal Infuser – the majority of teapots are designed with the infuser. So, whenever you are using the internal infuser, you must follow the correct steeping time for making tea
- Teabags – you can easily use any teabag you want for quick removal
- Tea-To Go Filter – these filters are convenient for tea blends, such as rooibos and chamomile, which contains fine botanicals, but it can be challenging to clean
In addition to this, make sure that you store herbs and tea in a dry, dark, and cool place. Proper storage of the tea will eliminate the chances of disturbing the flavors.
Steeping Your Tea Properly
Once you have chosen the infusion method for tea, you can now move to the steeping option.
Keep in mind that every tea has different steeping methods to ensure you enjoy the best balance of aromas and flavors. We recommend that you check the tea instructions to ensure proper steeping and see the guide above.
Removing Leaves From Your Teapot
Same as steeping various steeping methods, there are different ways to remove tea leaves from your teapot.
Now that you have added the tea, you need to remove leaves from your teapot (you cannot add leaves to the cup, right?).
This is because the tea leaves not only look weird when served, some teas also keep infusing flavor into the tea.
For this reason, it is important to remove leaves from the teapot, and you can easily use a strainer for it.
Some teapots also come with a removeable strainer or infuser, making it easy for cleanup.
If a strainer or a removable infuser is not an option, consider using a slotted spoon.
What To Serve With Tea?
Teatime is most enjoyed when the tea is served with delicious bread, rolls, and even milk buns that are dipped in seasoned olive oil.
Although tea can be enjoyed by itself, it’s even more memorable when it is served with some delicious treats.
Listed below are some of our best recommendations to serve at your next tea party.
The possibilities are endless! Here are a few of our favorite tea party recipes that you and your friends or family will surely enjoy.
Small sandwiches. consider deli sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, vegan sandwiches, Cheese sandwiches.
- Scones
- Strawberry Turnover
- Light and fluffy air fryer scrambled eggs with bread
- Brownies
- Cookies, like these Pistachio Cookies
- Fruit tarts
- Tuna sandwiches
Enjoying Your Tea!
Take the time to truly appreciate and savor the moment. Once the leaves are removed, pour your tea into the cups, and serve it with perfection.
Also, when you take the first sip, it’s best to taste the tea on its own to savor the flavor. However, if you want more flavor, you can easily add some milk or a drop of honey to it.
In fact, adding a bit of raspberry jam will spruce up the flavor!
Once you are done and have completely enjoyed yourself, be sure to clean your teapot thoroughly to avoid bad odor and or rust.
If you would love how to set up your table for a delicious tea party, special event, or during the holidays, check out how to set up and host a dinner table here!
We always love to know which recipes you’ve from our site and how you set up the table for your tea party.
Tag us on Instagram or Facebook so we can see your beautiful dish and table.
Also, we would appreciate if could give any of the recipes a star rating!
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