Making the perfect cup of tea
Tea always seems to taste better when someone else has made it, that’s because taking time to enjoy tea is part of the ritual, it’s not just about refreshment. The Chinese and Japanese take the art of making and serving tea very seriously but even for the humble cup in our kitchen there are simple things we can do to ensure the perfect brew.
- Boil freshly drawn water from the tap. Using water that is not fresh tends can give a somewhat stale taste. You could use bottled or filtered water but tap water will likely give more body/taste.
- Ideally, use a teapot which has been pre-warmed to help retain water temperature which affects the infusion rate of the tea. Take one teabag per person and one for the pot and put into the teapot. Some say that for better results, use loose leaf tea (one teaspoon per person and one for the pot for maximum flavour) for a fuller flavour.
- Pour boiling water over the teabags/tea leaves and leave to infuse for 2-4 minutes depending on desired strength. Make sure to take the teabags/loose tea out once it has reached the desired strength to prevent the tea stewing!
- Once the tea is brewed, pour into a cup and add milk and sugar to taste. Traditionally milk is added first to avoid delicate china cups cracking with the heat from the tea, it will also help avoid scalding the milk.
- Ensure that your tea is stored in a cool, dry, airtight container away from light and strong odours.
