When did you last see a television advertisement for loose tea? If you’re under 45, the answer is probably never. The multinationals behind our mass-market brands are eager to promote the bagged variety – which allows them to charge more for less, both in terms of quantity and quality – and they’ve laboured hard to convince us all that the loose option is somehow ‘difficult’, ‘messy’ and ‘fetishistic’.

For a generation reared entirely on tea wrapped in modified nappy liners the prospect of ‘going commando’ can be daunting, but with a little forethought and the right equipment, making the switch from bagged to loose tea can be as easy, liberating and hassle-free as switching from PC to Mac.

The first principle of loose tea management is to store it in an appropriate container, ideally one with a wide opening for easy access. Attempting to spoon it into the pot directly from a crumpled foil packet will invariably have you reaching for the dustpan and brush.

While the kettle is coming to the boil, you may want to decant the desired quantity of leaf into a separate vessel – a small tumbler or the like – so that it can be tipped into the pot without fuss or prevarication. This will be an essential step if you have a medical condition that causes significant hand tremors.

Give the tea a brisk stir, let it stand, then stir again before pouring – through a fine mesh strainer if you prefer your brew without the juicy bits.

Now comes the best part: drinking the tea. Let’s take a moment or two to enjoy that full, rich, unfettered flavour…

Ahh! Tea as it is meant to be. I think there’s a drop more in the pot. Let’s do that again…

Splendid. Where were we? Oh yes…

The issue of disposal is where many novice ‘leafers come unstuck. Attempting to scoop out the warm, soggy residue with your fingers will not take you to a pleasant place, and washing it down the sink will invariably have you reaching for the plunger. A better solution is to simply use your strainer as illustrated below.

Douse the used leaves with tap water and pour in short bursts, tipping the pot back and forth to prevent the leaves from settling and clogging the spout. Then simply tap the contents of the strainer into the green plastic basket (or similar) that your local council has provided for food waste, and you’re good to go.

Even if you like it quick’n’dirty (as we all do from time to time), loose leaf can easily trump lobbing a dust-filled bag into a soiled mug. Simply load up a one-cup infuser with M&S Extra Strong, slop some hot water and UHT milk over it, and I guarantee you’ll feel sleazy for hours.

The Tea Caddy