I bought this pitcher from Teaopia several days ago because I was thinking that I wanted to give iced tea more of a go this summer, and this one was $20 and it was their last one. I considered the $28 dollar one – the one with the soft green handle, which was also their last – but reconsidered due to the price. Good thing I did, because this one barely fits in my refrigerator, and I’m pretty sure the green-handled one is taller.
I love it! So happy about it. The first tea I tried was a mixture. I didn’t/don’t have a ton of teas good for icing, but I knew I had at least a bit of DAVID’s Luscious Watermelon left. As it turned out, only about half the amount necessary, so I cut it with Apple Pear (from Teaopia, it’s one of the teas in the kid’s pack). Cold steeped it for about 10 hours.
It was amazing, very sweet and melon-y. I have a confession… I have never liked Luscious Watermelon. Ever. I ended up with a tin of it and could barely drink the stuff. Hot or cold. But now that I finally get the hang of iced tea down, I discover it’s drinkable, and I’m out! Go figure!
AND MY SISTER EVEN DRANK SOME!! …But then she criticized me for not sweetening it (I was adding sugar to individual cups of it, as I wasn’t sure how much to add to the pitcher at first). Then she declared cold brewing (which I love, because it makes the iced tea smoother) to be “stupid” and insisted, “that’s not the way you’re supposed to make iced tea.” Sigh. One step forward, two steps back – I don’t think she’s had any of the pitchers I’ve made since.
There are a few downsides to the cheaper pitcher. Firstly, it is not leakproof, whether or not you have the filter in. I tested this. It made a mess.
Secondly, while it certainly hasn’t broken yet…I’m pretty sure it’s glass, and it makes a cringe-worthy noise when you smack it into something. Which I do frequently, because I’m a klutz. I wish it was made of a more durable material. It’s so pretty, though! Here’s someone else’s review with more pictures: http://lifeovereasy.com/2012/01/tea-please/
(EDIT: Yes, duh, it’s glass. I looked that up when I entered it as “glass pitcher” into the system – that’s all Teaopia calls it – and somehow had already forgotten that by the time I made this note. Yeah. Uh. It’s assuredly made of glass.)
I’ve been thinking about a cast iron pot. I’ve sorta vaguely wanted one for a while, but never bought one as I’d thought I had all the time in the world to save up for one. Now that Teavana’s bought out Teaopia though, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t put down the cash for a smaller one, just because Teahell’s pots start at twice the price for the same size or smaller! Should I do it?
Anyway. I’m nervous about icing green tea, but I have DAVID’s Kiwi’s Big Adventure cold brewing now, so I’ll have to see!
