What's the best way to get into good, loose-leaf tea?
Adagio has a great starter kit: http://www.adagio.com/
Comes with a book, a teapot which is great for making single-cups, and your choice of 4 different tea samplers. The entire investment is only $19 plus shipping so if you can't get into it, it's not a huge loss.
8 Answers
Tea is relatively easy to make, and there isn't much investment. Assuming you already drink tea, even if it's just something in bags, and like it, the next step is to find a place to buy some really good tea in bulk. If you live near a major metropolitan area Chinatown might be a good place to look. If you can't find anything locally, there is always the internet.
Once you have a store where you can buy tea, and a small supply it's time to brew.
Because tea is mostly water, you want to use good water. If you wouldn't drink it from the tap, don't brew tea with it. Bottled water, or just filtered tap water works fine.
Now get your teapot and tea kettle out (you have both right?).
Boil some water in your tea pot. After it boils, take it off heat and pour a good cup into your kettle, rinse it around (warming up the teapot) and spill it out. Wait until the water has cooled down a little (190 for black, 165 for green, roughly) and then pour it over your leaves in the tea pot. Let it steep for a while (depends on the leaves) and then pour.
Enjoy your tea.
Good tea leaves can be used several times, and the flavour profile changes with each use (or wash). Real purists throw out the first wash entirely, but that's a little unnecessary.
Once you have this basic pattern down, vary it, try different teas, the same tea at different temperatures, the same tea steeped for different periods of time. You'll soon start to develop your own taste for teas.
Adagio has a great starter kit: http://www.adagio.com/
Comes with a book, a teapot which is great for making single-cups, and your choice of 4 different tea samplers. The entire investment is only $19 plus shipping so if you can't get into it, it's not a huge loss.
Look for a local Indian foods store. They carry full-leaf (orange pekoe) Lipton teas, among others. Lipton is actually a very good tea when brewed from this.
Try Whole Foods Market.
The loose leaf counter there is very nice with a great selection, and the people who work there are very knowledgeable about all this loose leaf. They can even help you out with suggestions based on taste, what you are trying to get out of your tea, and how to prepare.
That and Whole Foods is generally full of attractive women.
Doesn't hurt.
If you are in a major city see if they have a Teaism. They are a great location with both a store and a sit down serving area. You can try a multitude of teas there and the wait staff is usually very versed in the preparation of the teas.
Of course with most things its all about finding what you like. Loose Leaf teas open an entire new world of beverages. Whether they be the more traditional or the new (at least in the US) red rooibos from africa.
Another good location is Teavana. Go and try to get your hands on a Perfect Tea Infuser making tea has never been so easy. http://www.teavana.com/Loose-Leaf-Teas/Perfect-Tea-Accessories/Teavana-Perfect-Tea-Maker-16oz.axd
Adagio Teas is amazing great shipping and product. Also I personally use a 8oz tin at work with Blomus Stainless Steel Teastick at work to keep my loose tea flowing.
Try drinking Mate
It comes in giant bags and you buy a cup with a special straw that has a filter.
It's more stimulating than most other tea.