Hearty brew

Purists who insist on leaf tea rather than teabags now have something else to
get upset about: tea tablets are on the way. The Drop Tea tablets, developed by
the Towa Company of Tokyo, are made of tea leaves tightly compressed into
tasteful heart-shaped moulds. To make a fresh brew you just drop three or four
into hot water. Because the compacted leaf surfaces are protected from air, they
are claimed to stay fresh longer than loose leaves. Added to hot water, the
leaves open up to brew Earl Gray, Darjeeling, Assam, apple or lemon tea.