An Introduction

My name's Dominika and I love tea.  But I'm poor.  I'm 22, still in college and my parents are a bus driver and a piano teacher.  What this means is that I try to find good quality tea at a bargain price (a real bargain price, not 20 dollars for a box of tea).  I also can tell you how to brew it properly, what flavors I think go best with a dish and what to look for.  I plan on these posts being short and to the point but with some pictures thrown in.

Equipment that I have:

A water-boiler ($14-ish):  It's not like i have anything against teapots, but it boils water quickly, is easy to clean and only requires a sink and a power outlet meaning it's great for by your desk or in a dorm room.

A mesh-ball tea infuser that lets a couple leaves through ($2):  Teabags are great on the go or for beginners who need tea pre-measured, but most tea-snobs out there stick with an infuser.  You don't need to worry about little particles of paper (which is usually bleached), you can adjust the amount for a stronger flavor and loose-leaf tea is generally something that gives you more bang for your buck.  Like most everything else, I got the super-cheap mesh ball that you hang off the side of your tea kettle.  It's a little deformed and it lets a few of the leaves/herbs through but that won't kill anyone.

A bunch of mugs ($1-3.50 for me):  With mugs, make sure you get something with thick walls.  There are some really cool tea mugs out there with notches to store your teabag or in the shape of a heart, but mine are pretty generic.  Also, if you love a business/organisation then buy a mug from them to support them (coincidentally, if you're in the Pittsburgh area and love cartoons and comics then come visit me at the Toonseum).  Clear glass mugs can be tricky so make sure it's either specifically made for hot drinks or really thick glass.

Two aluminum bottles ($2):  I prefer metal bottles over plastic ones for a variety of reasons, mostly boiling down to I'm a slob and I don't clean things as well as I should.  You can pour boiling water into an aluminum bottle and it won't warp plus it'll be sanitized (Note: if you do this, please don't hold onto said bottle or else you'll end up burning yourself).

Sweetener whether it be sugar, honey, Splenda or (in my case) Ideal:  There's a lot of tea out there that can be drunk without anything and still be delicious.  There's also a lot of people out there who can't drink something unless it's sweet.  In general, the more unprocessed something is, the better it is for you so if you want something slightly sweetened, then try honey or raw sugar.  However, I enjoy Ideal because even though it's a no calorie sweetener, it doesn't change the flavor of tea like Spenda does.  It's also made from Xylitol which is what's in a lot of sugarfree gum (and it helps strengthen teeth).  There's also flavored syrups which can be added for some fun flavors (I'm going to recommend Torani Sugarfree Vanilla if only because it's the most versatile).

The last piece of equipment I have is the internet in general.  I know that sounds lame and all but knowledge about what temperature tea should be brewed, how long you should steep it for and what the flavor profiles and benefits of the teas and herbs on each region is more important than spending 15 bucks on 20 tea bags.  I'll possibly write a post about how I brew each tea but for now, just search tea on Wikipedia for some general rules.  

I hope you all enjoy this and can get a good idea of what's good to drink and what to stay away form.