January 18

This is the best tea accessory I've found in a long time. I discovered it about a year ago and have since seen similar contraptions from other brands but ingenuiTEA is the one that started it all.

I had always wanted to try loose tea and this product made it so easy that I couldn't justify using tea bags (except when my favorite flavor isn't offered as a loose tea). I really don't like the idea of over-packaging and tea bags are the ultimate example of over-packaging. Tea in a little, stapled bag which has a string and tag attached to it, which is then popped inside an individual pouch, which is stacked inside a box with a cellophane wrapper. Holy cow! The good news is that the tea bag itself can be tossed in the compost pile but I still feel bad using the bags. With loose tea, you do get a pouch or re-usable tin but that's it. I can live with that.

This little tea steeper is so easy to use, there is no excuse not to brew delicious, flavorful loose tea. I fill my mug with water so I'll know how much I need. Then I pour it in the tea kettle to heat up. Place 1 teaspoon of tea in the tea steeper. When my tea kettle just starts to chirp, I know the water is hot enough so I pour it into steeper. Stir it just to get the tea leaves moving around a bit and let it steep for 3-5 minutes (as shown). Then, my favorite part...just set the tea steeper on top of your mug. The tea will strain out through the bottom of the steeper into your mug. So easy!

I'll recommend some loose teas in future blogs but, for now, get one of these steepers. You won't be sorry.