Help on weaning people from teabags

[snuvidkid]

Since I really got into tea in August 2005 after giving up sodas (haven't had one since), I've been trying to get some of my family to try my teas but they say they don't like them and would rather stick to their supermarket teabags. I know they won't drink anything other tea than black tea. Does anybody have a suggestion on a tea I could have them try, or a different method of prep. I steep 1 teaspoon of leaves per 8 oz of water at 212 for 3.5 minutes and mix half a teaspoon of honey per 8oz. Fortunately we have a spring that's about 10 minutes away so that's where I get my water. I tried filtered tap before and since our water is slightly soft, it didn't taste as good, filtered or not.

Another question I have is this: As of right now I attend college in Oklahoma. People there who try my teas say they love it, but when I come home to Arkansas or visit other family down in Texas, the people there don't seem to care for it as much, nor really want anything to do with it. So is it just me or do people's tastes differ throughout the country? Maybe I'm not the typical southerner since I prefer my tea warm.

[kissmyhuman]

I'm not quite sure to make of the region difference, I'd think since you're in the southern part of the US there would be some avid ice tea drinkers since sweet tea is a very popular drink in that region, and black tea as well among the more affluent. Maybe because your college buddies are more willing to try new things.

You should ask your loved ones why they're reluctant to switch especially since loose leaf teas are more flavorful and contain more antioxidants (even black teas). If you get an ok everyday loose black tea, should only be marginally more expensive than tea bags, and it's worth it. I personally know my family won't switch because my mother and father are extremely reluctant to use credit cards, let alone order things online, and there are no local suppliers.

As far as soft water, some say add a pinch of very fine sea salt (no iodine) to your tea pot, should make the flavor pop more.

And lastly, I'm sorry I can't recommend a loose black tea, I'm fairly new and only tried a limited range of them.

[TeaFanatic]

While I can't recommend any good black teas, I would like to say that many people are reluctant to switch to loose leaf teas because they find it difficult to clean up and that it takes too long. Perhaps you should get your family an ingenuitea, and a black sampler, and then teach them how to make loose leaf in it.

The ingenuitea is much easier to use and take care of than another teapot, and is good for people adjusting to loose leaf tea.

You could also buy them some paper filters that they could put loose black tea in, and as they find out that loose tea is much better, then they might be more willing to get a tea pot and such.