Martha Stewart's Hallmarks Of A Quality Tea - Exclusive

Martha Stewart is known for her high standards when it comes to food and drink, and her approach to tea is no exception. She has loved the beverage since she was a young girl, sipping her favorites with her mother; now, she has partnered with Pure Leaf Tea to bring quality bottled tea to people at home as part of the "Don't Do It Yourself" campaign. We spoke with Stewart in an exclusive interview to learn more, and during our conversation, she told us about the hallmarks of a genuinely quality tea.

Stewart says one of the easiest ways to judge the quality of the tea is to look at how it is packaged: "It's not in a tea bag." While it may be a more convenient format, bagged tea often has much finer leaf particles, which can cause the tea to lose some complexity of flavor. 

Additionally, Stewart brought up concerns about the bags themselves. "Where's the paper coming from? Not that you can't drink it, but it's a little bit scary to do stuff like that," she said. Many tea bags contain plastics — yes, even paper ones — which can contain undesirable materials or break down into microplastics in your drink. "They're now putting tea in fabric bags. I won't buy stuff like that," Stewart said. "I don't trust a lot of stuff." Thankfully, that doesn't get in the way of her enjoying good tea — she also shared a few options she's happy to drink.

Tea bags may be a no-go for Martha Stewart, but that doesn't stop her from making a fresh cup. "I buy loose tea, and I use a nice stainless steel strainer or a little silver tea bowl to brew my tea," she explained. 

But when she does want something a little easier, she opts for Pure Leaf brand — and she told us it's a favorite with her guests, too. "I put a whole case of it in my refrigerator, where other people take drinks from, that disappeared ... It's refreshing, and it's very tasty tea, grown in both South America and in Africa on big farms that are specifically for Pure Leaf." Most importantly, she explained, the brand meets her standards for not being made in a bag and can offer a simple, clean taste without the concerns that come with low-quality bagged tea.

For more information and to enter to win a custom Pure Leaf x Martha Stewart "Don't Do It Yourself" tea kit, visit pureleaf.com/ddiy.