Traveling with the Ocha Teapot

Bring the Ocha Teapot on the road with you, and enjoy a great cup of tea anytime

As you can tell from all of my foodie blog posts, I've been traveling a lot lately. And it's not just food that I love -- it's coffee and tea, too! But not every hotel room has a coffee maker, let alone tea bags and a way to make hot water. So if you travel a lot and love tea (or coffee), take matters into your own hands and brew your own tea and coffee.

Why do you want to brew your own tea or coffee in a hotel room?

• You can brew exactly the flavor and strength of tea or coffee that you prefer
• You don't have to worry if the hotel is going to provide tea bags or a coffee maker
• Brew as much tea or coffee as you like

Sound complicated? It's not! Here's all you need to brew your own tea or coffee --

• A travel-friendly tea pot like the Ocha teapot
• A microwave-safe mug or cup
• Tea or coffee
• Cream or sugar if desired

Get a microwave-safe mug or cup

Get yourself a microwave-safe cup or mug. I got a nice one at Target for only two bucks. You don't want to microwave the plastic or wax cups that are found in many hotel rooms. Take care not to get an over-sized mug; get a regular-sized mug so that the Ocha teapot will fit over it easily.

Scoop one teaspoon of tea into the teapot (or more or less, depending on how strong you like your tea and what kind you are using).

Fill your mug with water. This way, you won't overfill the teapot.

Heat the mug in the microwave for a few minutes, depending on how hot your like your tea and how powerful the microwave is.

Pour the hot water into the top of the teapot.

Let the tea steep for 3 to 5 minutes

Set the tea pot on its spiffy little coaster for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Use your phone's timer to keep from guessing.

Then set the Ocha teapot on your mug, and watch as the tea drains in. Then it's ready to enjoy!

Most hotels that provide a coffee maker and coffee will also provide packets of cream and sugar, and I grab extras in case the next hotel room doesn't have them.

Clean up is easy. Just pull out the filter, rinse it and the teapot, and dry everything before packing it back into your luggage.

And it makes coffee, too! Use two scoops of coarsely-ground beans. I find it helps to swirl the teapot around (carefully so as not to spill) after the coffee has steeped a minute or two. Perfect for when you only want one cup of coffee.

So how do I like the Ocha Teapot? I like the Ocha tea pot a lot. Not just because it's convenient when there's nothing else to make tea with while traveling, but because it makes a delicious cup of tea. And I also drink a lot of coffee, so being able to brew a single cup is very handy. I will continue to use the Ocha teapot even when I get back home next month.

TIP: Look for local tea shops as you travel, and try out some local or unique flavors. Having a teapot with you gives you another way to enjoy your travels.

Find out more about the Ocha Teapot and order your own at ochatea.com. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Watch this YouTube video that shows you how the Ocha Teapot works --

My thanks to Ocha Tea for providing me with a complimentary Ocha teapot for the purpose of this review. My opinions are my own.

Do you have a travel or road food product or place for me to review? Let me know!

Book Review: Walking Portland by Becky Ohlsen (Wilderness Press)

During our wonderful week in Portland we had a chance to spend an afternoon walking. And after all we eaten during the week, we needed a long walk!

I thumbed through my copy of Walking Portland by Becky Ohlsen (published by Wilderness Press). It is full of walks that cover most of the city. The walks vary from short to long (less than a mile to 4 or 5 miles). See the book's Amazon.com page for more info and reviews at Walking Portland: 30 Tours of Stumptown's Funky Neighborhoods, Historic Landmarks, Park Trails, Farmers Markets, and Brewpubs.

Each walk includes historical sites to see, places to eat, and interesting facts about Portland. The walks are well-documented and easy to follow.

Are you planning a walk in Portland? I recommend this book. You can buy a copy at Amazon --

More books about food and travel

 

We took the Upper Sandy walk. Here's what we saw on our Upper Sandy Boulevard walk in Portland.

Pittock Mansion

We visited Pittock Mansion which is featured in the Forest Park: House on the Hill walk.

Here are some of the places we ate at as seen in Walking Portland --

Annie's Donuts

Cheese Bar

The Moon and Sixpence Pub

Horse Brass Pub

Voodoo Doughnut

Here's what else we ate in Portland.