So you've just torn open the wrapper to a fresh sachet of your favorite two leaves and a bud tea, and plunked that sachet in the bottom of a big mug while waiting for your water to boil.

It boils. You reach for the kettle, move your over-eager face back from the mug so the steam doesn't hit you right in the eyes, and start pouring.

And then it happens — your biggest peeve with two leaves and a bud. That little tag that tells you you're about to enjoy a better cuppa tea falls right into your mug, and is floating there on top of the sachet while your tea steeps. It's not like having that tiny piece of paper afloat is going to ruin your tea, but darn it, you're just so sick of having to find a spoon to remedy the problem, or scalding the tip of your finger while dragging that little tag out of the water.

"Why don't they just make the string that attaches the sachet to that little tag a bit longer?" you think. "That wouldn't be hard."

I asked Bess, the two leaves sales manager, why this isn't a problem we solved a long time ago, and she gave a clear answer: It's all about the machine that fills and seals our tea in those biodegradable pyramids. It just can't handle longer strings.

I went online to investigate the so-called "Fuso Machine" that creates those high-quality sachets for our high-quailty tea, and found a website for the company that makes them. And I liked seeing the thumbnail photos of those cool machines.

But this is little comfort when you're standing there with a scalded finger.

Hey, it's okay to be annoyed with your favorite product now and then. Take a deep breath and read on, because I'm offering you this advice on how you can avoid losing the string in your next cup of tea. Complete with photos.

Step 1: When you tear open the packet, tear most of the way across the top, but not all of the way.

Step 3: Put the sachet in your mug, leaving the tag and packet hanging out of the mug, where they won't budge when you add hot water. Steep and enjoy.

 

 

Step 4: Take two leaves and a bud off your peeve list, for good. This will give you more time to focus on your other peeves like "EXpresso" instead of "espresso," or when the toilet paper comes from under the roll, instead of over the top. These are important issues.