What is this? Nope, it’s not a mesh monocle. It’s a tea ball. A tea ball is a mesh ball about the size of a golf ball attached to a chain or other handle. The ball opens and closes so you can put your own concoction of herbs or tea materials into it. These little balls are good to have around for infusing your hot water with your own mix of herbs either for enjoyment or medicinal use. They can be found in the tea section of most health food stores or online and they’re relatively inexpensive.
To use a tea ball, just slide the latch and separate the two pieces of the ball. Insert your desired amount and combination of herbs (either purchased or dried from your own herb garden).
Close it back up, securing the latch on the ball and insert into your hot water. Let it steep for however long you need, then pull the ball out and enjoy your own customized drink.
For a great reference book on herbs of all kinds and their medicinal uses, check out Natural Health’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine.
Keep preparing! Angela
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This is NOT something new …lol…after all teabags are a rather recent invention. These were used before teabags, and mine is still in use today, mostly for my raspberry leaf tea.
I also use it instead of cheesecloth for clove infusions or the peppercorn bag in corned beef – as the grandkids don’t care for all the little pepper balls…
My most used one is old metal with holes all in in and a screw on top. Some of the sterling silver ones are actual collectors items now :)
Yep, ours has been around a while–surely not long enough to be an antique, though! :)
This is really a great way to do it. I have been using one for years.. Marci is on to something too.
I love using the little tea balls for dusting a baked goods with powdered sugar.
You fill half with powdered sugar, close and shake over a paper cut out if you want… It creates a fine dusting and l little goes a long way.
You can do the same with cocoa powder. I love those tea balls.
I keep one in my mess kit for making nuclear camp coffee!