How to make tea
I have just returned from a holiday from NY, and feel as an Englishman I need to explain to the world how to make tea properly. Lots of the restaurants we visited had very fancy teas, and its obviously becoming a more popular drink. Personnally I prefer it in bulk to coffee, as coffee tends to quickly give me a headache. Tea is a much cleaner drink for me.
So what's my gripe? Making tea is simple, just add hot water, wait for a bit for it to change to the right colour, add milk and sugar and drink yes?
Wrong. There is one vital thing that most of America seems to be missing - the water *must* be boiling, or as close as possible when added to the leaves/bag. Its especially important with a bag, as the bag has to be permiated first. If the water is at about 80 degrees C it makes some awful insipid brown muck, regardless of the quality of the teabag.
I believe Americans do not usually have electric kettles, well guys, they are excellent investments if you want a good cup of tea.
Leaves are more forgiving, but the same mantra is true. This is the reason why most klicks machines make such bad tea.
Please never serve me a glass cup of hotwater and a teabag!
See a rather more detailed guide to tea here.
... your coffee is quite good though ;).
So what's my gripe? Making tea is simple, just add hot water, wait for a bit for it to change to the right colour, add milk and sugar and drink yes?
Wrong. There is one vital thing that most of America seems to be missing - the water *must* be boiling, or as close as possible when added to the leaves/bag. Its especially important with a bag, as the bag has to be permiated first. If the water is at about 80 degrees C it makes some awful insipid brown muck, regardless of the quality of the teabag.
I believe Americans do not usually have electric kettles, well guys, they are excellent investments if you want a good cup of tea.
Leaves are more forgiving, but the same mantra is true. This is the reason why most klicks machines make such bad tea.
Please never serve me a glass cup of hotwater and a teabag!
See a rather more detailed guide to tea here.
... your coffee is quite good though ;).
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