This is a central issue affecting the world today and it appears that everybody has their own opinion on the matter. My Boss and father agree it should be made in a pot and allowed to stew, (whoops I meant brew) until a really dark colour. While this is happening, you should put your milk and sugar in the cup ready. Where they differ is that my father goes for half tea and half milk and my boss goes for an 80% tea ratio.
Personally, after student life, I’m a teabag in the mug type of girl. Sugar and teabag first, add boiling water while stirring then add the milk. Which is backed up by George Orwell “add milk to the tea, not vice versa” in his 11 rules for perfect tea (these can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3016342.stm).
The internet is littered with websites on the matter including http://www.tea.co.uk/index.php?pgId=11 the website of the UK tea council, who say that four cups of tea are required for a balanced diet. I agree, that sounds like a marvellous plan!
http://www.englishteastore.com/howtomaketea.html claim that the best way to make tea “is to use an electric kettle to boil the water… An electric kettle is found in almost every home in Europe for this reason.” I’ll leave that statement to stand for itself, I think.
Another key issue in brew making is who’s going to do it, so Cravendale have created a handy brew randomiser to pick who the poor sap is, http://www.makethetea.com/ .
Generally, all the sites conclude that tea is best made in a pot with fresh boiling water, so you get the most oxygen into your tea. I however, can’t help feeling this is all a bit too far and will continue to brew in the mug. Perhaps that makes me a heathen, but at least I’m full of anti-intoxicants!
