One day I decided that I needed a kettle to boil water in on the stove for hot tea and other hot beverages. I used to make tea one cup at a time, but not anymore. Number One found this percolator for me at a thrift store in the city. I know, it seems strange to use a percolator for tea, but I assure you that it makes the a great pot of tea. I have been using it for many years now.
I started making a pot of tea with loose leaf tea and heating it up every time I wanted another cup. This was problematic for several reasons. Most of all, it was a waste of propane and money. Secondly, the supply chain issues started occurring regularly, including tea shortages. Last year we used more propane than ever before. The cost of propane rose by 79% this year alone due to shortages and inflation. I came up with a solution for both of these issues by using One Small Tea Bag, A Percolator, A Thermos And A Yeti Cup...
I figured out that I can use a very small amount of tea and get the same results by using a percolator. I'm not in it for the caffeine as much as the comfort of a hot cup of tea. I tried using a small tea bag when I could no longer get my loose leaf tea and it worked. I really like strong black tea and I was still able to achieve the same flavor using the percolator with a small tea bag. It makes an entire pot of tea instead of just one cup. This saved money and helped with the tea shortages I was experiencing.
My next problem was keeping it hot without using propane. I tried tea lights and a tea pot koozie, but I did not get the results I wanted. I like hot tea not lukewarm tea. I remembered that when we used to travel for work I would use a stainless steel thermos to brew my tea in and it stayed hot for hours. About 16 hours to be exact. However, it was a small thermos and would not hold an entire pot of tea. I do have a larger thermos, but this stainless steel one really does a good job keeping things hot. A friend of ours gave the thermos to me as a gift years ago and Number One literally found the stainless steel Yeti cup last year and gave it to me. How fortunate on both accounts. Talk about keeping things hot, the Yeti is a powerhouse of insulation. You can't hardly drink out of it. It keeps beverages mega hot for about six hours. I pour the hot tea into a mug and drink from it. I will take the Yeti to town and sip on it the whole way there and back. It's quite efficient.
I have put all these tools to use for me and I have really cut down on my propane usage with this technique and other propane reducing ideas. I was also able to stretch my limited tea supply. We have had to learn to make do or do without in the last 18 months or so. The supply issues seem to be getting worse. Until this crisis ends, we must learn to overcome and be creative to solve the challenges we face, especially with the inconsistencies in product availability and shortages.
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| I love using my Pyrex percolator with loose leaf tea or tea bags. |
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| Pyrex percolator and koozie. |
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| I use these items everyday. |
Mrs. Smith
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