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 Why sugar sifters make lousy tea strainers
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| Author | Topic: Why sugar sifters make lousy tea strainers |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 02-19-2017 12:28 AM
  
Sugar sifters aren't interchangeable with tea strainers, even though both have holes. Raise your hand if you've stained tablecloths discovering this the hard way. Me too. Why doesn't the tea go through the little sifter holes? Surface tension. The molecules at the surface of the water cling together, forming an elastic skin. When the holes in the sifter are small enough, the skin is strong enough to hold up the water. My husband made a video demonstrating this effect (click the picture below to see the video): IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 02-19-2017 08:53 AM
Hi Polly. Fortunately I have never tried to use a sifter for a strainer and so have not ruined any table cloths from this (though my guests have done in more than one cloth when they have accidentally spilled wine or gravy on them). That is a very beautiful sifter in the leaf shape. Who is the maker? Kimo IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 02-19-2017 08:58 AM
Thanks, Kimo! It's Ludwig, Redlich, the Rusticana pattern. You can see more in this thread: The Shiebler - Redlich Connection IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 02-19-2017 09:07 AM
Great post and video! IP: Logged |
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wev Moderator Posts: 4121 |
posted 02-19-2017 09:08 AM
This is why I drink beer, fewer complications. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 02-19-2017 09:24 AM
Scott, thanks for your help! wev, I wonder what effect the carbonation in beer would have on the surface tension at the holes? I might have to do another experiment...but my videographer might object to the waste of beer. IP: Logged |
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Vetdaddy Posts: 70 |
posted 02-19-2017 10:45 AM
Interesting. So I would suspect a similar result when testing holloware for pinhole leaks. I recall hearing that water needs to be left in the vessel overnight in order for the leak to be detectable. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 02-19-2017 11:35 AM
You can get the water (tea) to drain out of a sifter by keeping the bottom of the sifter submerged in the cup of water (tea) and lifting it slowly. That way there isn't a surface at the holes, so there's no surface tension. But that requires you to already have tea in your cup, which defeats the purpose. And it requires the sifter to be small enough (or the cup to be big enough) so the sifter can fit inside the cup, which is not the case with most sifters and teacups. Moral: Use tea strainers, not sugar sifters. Actually, many tea strainers have the same problem, I've found. I need to find ones with bigger holes. My solution usually is to just pour the tea into the cup without a strainer and let the leaves fall where they may. And then read the tea leaves and invent auspicious fortunes. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 02-19-2017 11:43 AM
Vetdaddy, I bet soapy water would drain out of vessels with pinhole leaks. The soap breaks the surface tension. [Polly goes off to the kitchen to test the sifter with soapy water...Yes! the soapy water drains out of the sifter. I wonder if I could get away with serving my guests tea made with soapy water for the sake of using my beautiful sifters??? They'd never know the difference, would they??] Can you tell that I'm supposed to be doing my taxes today? This is SO MUCH MORE FUN. IP: Logged |
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Vetdaddy Posts: 70 |
posted 02-19-2017 01:30 PM
Soapy water- good to know. Taxes?......such language!! IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 02-19-2017 01:32 PM
Vetdaddy--I think what you meant was, "Taxes? Such language! Wash your mouth out with soap!" IP: Logged |
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Vetdaddy Posts: 70 |
posted 02-19-2017 03:42 PM
LOL!! IP: Logged |
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asheland Posts: 935 |
posted 02-20-2017 10:22 AM
Cool video, interesting to note. Fun thread! IP: Logged |
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