Making Loose-leaf Tea in the Office

Making tea from loose leaves in the office can be a pain, what with relatively small per-cup servings each requiring a trip to the coffeemaker for some hot water, and with the disposal of the leaves each time. Fortunately for tea-lovers everywhere, we have a solution-- and it is a coffeepot!

Specifically, a French Press Coffee Maker. A French Press is a cylinder with a mesh screen attached to a plunger inside. You put leaves in the bottom (or coffee grounds, if you're so inclined), raise the plunger to the top, and fill with water. When you're ready to pour, just push the plunger all the way to the bottom, and the mesh screen will trap most of the leaves, leaving you with just tasty fresh tea. If you get a variety that has a finer mesh screen that covers the pour spout, you can have the best fresh tea possible with little to no leaves left.

There is a drawback to this method, and it is that the tea will turn bitter if left in the coffee maker for too long (as will coffee, for that matter). So try to buy a french press that will just hold the amount of tea you will likely drink at one setting-- in my case, I can get maybe three cups out of a medium-sized Bonjour model.

Enjoy!