The speciality of loose leaf tea that tea bags don't have, is it demands a little bit of your attention. Unlike a tea bag, loose leaves hands control back to you instead. During the process, you ask yourself, how much leaf, how long it steeps, how many times you brew it again. With each brew, you build a closer relationship with your cup.
Here’s the exact experience you should expert during your first proper loose leaf ritual:
1. Open the container and the aroma hits immediately. One peak into the container, you’ll find long, twisted, whole leaves, sometimes with silver tips still visible, or distinctive herb fragments visible.
2. Prepare the essential tools for your ritual; a teaspoon, tea infuser/strainer/teapot with a built-in-filter, and your favourite teacup/mug.
3. Warm your teapot or cup first with a splash of hot water.
4. Measure roughly one headed teaspoon of leaves per cup into the infuser, strainer, or teapot. 2 -3 g to be exact.
5. Pour hot water over the whole leaves and watch them slowly open. This is the moment tea bags hint at.
6. Cover and steep. Layer by layer, these gradually release their character. Unique characteristics originated from terriors of Haputale and Embilipitiya, infused unhurriedly.
7. Don't discard the leaves yet. Most whole leaf Ceylon tea has enough left in it for a second, sometimes a third, infusion.
