TeaChat

A lot of places tell you to use "1 teaspoon" of tea, but a few different places mix their meaning of teaspoon. Some mean a teaspoon as in the spoon you use somewhat regularly for cereal or for scooping sugar, whereas others say teaspoon to mean a measuring teaspoon.

I heard a measuring teaspoon holds about 2 grams of tea. Any idea what a full teaspoon (the actual spoon) holds in grams? Anyone have approximations for 1 measuring teaspoon = 1.5 regular teaspoons or something?

well grams depends on the type of tea and how its prepared...you can fit a lot more rolled tea in a teaspoon than twisted tea.

My experience is that functional flatware "teaspoons" are not remotely universal in their size/shape/volume... there is little consistency, which is why I always assume that a measure calling for a teaspoon is referring to the standard meaasuring spoon. And I almost never use teaspoon measures when it comes to making tea, because the tea leaves vary so much in their shape and density depending on the variety. I'm an eyeballer on most things except sencha/shincha, where I will often use a scale.

Sarah

My thoughts are actually the opposite. I realize in recipes the teaspoon is a constant, but in measuring tea, I usually take it to be a regular tableware teaspoon. Even though the size of spoons is not a constant, I guess I figure unless talking grams, it is all subjective anyway. Try the way recommended then tweak as needed.

I always assume the universal measuring spoon tsp.

Sometimes (less and less these days) I'll use a measuring spoon and usually it's a heaping tsp at that. More so I just pinch and toss... maybe go back for another pinch... and perhaps a tad more

In some situations, no teaspoon will ever do:

This is why I prefer a scale, at least until I get used to eyeballing the relative quantities of a particular tea for a particular vessel: even if the spoon's capacity is truly one standard measuring teaspoon, the quantity of tea you get may be quite different....



A larger, clearer version of the same thing here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/debunix/43 ... 9/sizes/o/

(sorry for the damaged links, repaired now)

With black teas I've got it pretty much down just eye-balling the leaf.

Anything else and the scale comes out.

I know I know... Let the tea fairy massacre begin...