How to make a lovely cup of tea
401 wordsI don’t really get tea, although very occasionally it’s exactly what I want.
I noticed that if I made people tea, they’d seldom finish it. The more strident people would actually complain.
So, when we moved office, and had to actually take turns brewing up, I got Paul to talk me through the finer points of making tea — the prole teabags and mugs way, not the bourgeois teapot and strainer way. Following his instructions to the letter, people seem to be happy to drink the tea I make them. So here goes:
- The brand of tea seems to matter. This lot like Yorkshire Tea and shun Tesco own brand.
- The water needs to have boiled in the last 5 seconds. If it’s been 6 seconds or more, hit the kettle switch again and let it boil vigorously.
- Teabag goes in mug, water goes in mug. Fill it right up to the top, because when the teabag comes out, that’ll make room for milk.
- There’s no need to let it mash for very long. By the time you’ve faffed around getting milk and teaspoons, it’ll be ready.
- Take the teabag out before adding milk or sugar. You can give it a little swill around to get the most out of the bag, but no need to wring out the teabag into the cup. Paul frowns on adding milk while the teabag is in and using the colour as a strength indicator.
- Milk and sugar come next. Stirring is required for sugar. Milk quantity depends on taste.
- Avoid coffee/tea cross-contamination at all costs.
I should add that at home, since we very seldom drink tea, our teabags are probably less than fresh. That can’t help.
Since we’re at it, here’s my instant coffee rules:
- Brand matters. I like Cafedirect 5065 — not so keen on Nescafe. It seems my tastebuds have a conscience.
- If the instant coffee’s been left in a non-airtight environment for any length of time, throw it away.
- Put one rounded teaspoon in the mug
- Ideally use very hot but not boiling water. Stop the kettle in the quiet moment just before it starts boiling (if you’re making tea as well, make the coffee then put the kettle back on).
- Pour the water into the mug, leaving room for milk
- For me, add a tiny dash of milk, so the coffee is the colour of milk chocolate. Many people like it milkier.
- If you want sugar, you obviously don’t actually like coffee, so drink something else.
January 24th, 2006 at 17:23
I’d like to point out that this is how _I_ like _my_ tea. Other people like a very different ‘tea’. Forexample, my mother likes you to wave the tea bag over the top of the boiling water and then put half a freshly squeezed lemon into it.
Ergo, I don’t claim this to be the ‘right’ way; just ‘my’ way.
January 24th, 2006 at 17:28
I’d like to point out that the coffee instructions are absolute. No room for relativism here.
January 25th, 2006 at 15:39
Since you like Cafedirect, round here we drink Teadirect. Damn fine tea.
And I’m a milk before water guy myself. Put the milk in the cup before the water, and drop the teabag in as the water is pouring. Other than that instructions are spot on.
January 30th, 2006 at 00:30
I find this subject quite fascinating I have to say…
Firstly, I can’t stand people who are so obsessed about the way their tea/coffee tastes. I’m damn glad to have someone else do it for me, and quite honestly I’ll drink it however it comes. The benefit of this attitude is fairly obvious: I’m always happy with the outcome and the ’slave’ i’ve enlisted to quench my thirst can rightfully feel their work has been valued.
If drinking tea that is slightly too strong or too weak affects you that much then I suggest aquiring yourself a hobby of some kind, which should go some way to filling the gaping hole which yearns within.
Saying that I do believe there is a clear methodology which makes the ‘perfect’ cup of tea, and I have to say John that your description (donated by PFH I believe) is almost spot on. I was informing an eager desciple just the other day of exactly this method. I would like to point out that I have never discussed this method with Paul prior to reading this post so it adds credence to our combined belief that this is THE way to make tea perfectly.
The only addition I would add is that a little squeeze of the bag against the edge of the mug prior to its removal gives it that little boost of flavour. I dont mean that you should crush the thing, just a little squeeze with the teaspoon. this also serves to remove excess water from the bag before its potentially messy journey to the bin.
For me, the two most important aspects of making tea perfectly are that the water is as close to boiling as possible before pouring (which is why milk first is a bad idea… it will cool your water before it has a chance to affect the tea correctly). The second being that you dont leave the bag in long at all. A quick stir, fetch the milk, squeeze and out!
Sugar should be added before the milk in order that it have optimum chance of disolving and discipating within the tea uniformly.
Milk last.
I have the good fortune to be able to enjoy my tea whether it be strong or milky, but as a general rule go for a ‘golden’ colour.
Now, I started this comment by saying i cant stand people who are obsessed about the condition of thier tea, then went on to explain in length the finer points of tea making… a bit of an odd combination, but when it comes down to it, in the immortal words of Dennis Rodman, “I don’t give a ****”