- A tea press is made up of a couple different parts. The first part is the brewing chamber of the tea press. This chamber is usually made of clear glass or plastic and is large enough to hold several cups of water. The second component is the lid, which has a plunger handle running through it. The bottom of the plunger is attached to a round mesh screen that fits securely into the main chamber. This screen filters the tea leaves from the liquid after the tea has brewed. To prepare the press, remove the lid from the main chamber and rinse all the parts under warm water. Leave the lid off of the chamber and place it on a level, heatproof surface.
- Heat water on the stove until it is steaming, but not boiling. Boiling water tends to yield bitter tea. Pour the desired amount of water into the brewing chamber, then add about a teaspoonful of dry tea leaves for every cup of liquid. Adjust the plunger handle so that the mesh screen is flush with the bottom of the lid, and place the lid on the brewing chamber. Wait about 5 minutes (or until the tea reaches the desired color), then depress the plunger handle until the mesh screen is against the bottom of the brewing chamber and the tea leaves are trapped beneath it. Serve the tea immediately.
- After the tea is served, you'll want to remove the wet leaves from the tea press. Tea leaves that are left in the tea press can stain the brewing chamber (particularly if it is plastic) and can grow moldy. Remove the lid from the press and use a non-abrasive sponge or a paper towel to scrape the leaves from the bottom of the brewing chamber. Hand-wash the tea press with hot water and mild dish soap. Tea presses generally are not dishwasher safe.
