MAKING A PERFECT CUP OR POT OF TEA
From "Victorian Tea Party". Afternoon and High tea were daily events in Victorian society in England and ladies tea parties were very popular. The table was beautifully set with the household's best bone china, beautifully prepared sandwiches and treats were served and tea was carefully brewed to ensure the very best flavor. In 1880, Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management was published - here is what she had to say about making tea the proper way: "There is very little art in making good tea; if the water is boiling, and there is no sparing of the fragrant leaf, the beverage will almost invariably be good. The old-fashioned plan of allowing a teaspoonful to each person, and one over, is still practised. Warm the teapot with boiling water; let it remain for two or three minutes for the vessel to become thoroughly hot, then pour it away. Put in the tea, pour in from 1/2 to 3/4 pint of boiling water, close the lid, and let it stand for the tea to draw from 5 to 10 minutes; then fill up the pot with water. The tea will be quite spoiled unless made with water that is actually 'boiling', as the leaves will not open, and the flavour not be extracted from them; the beverage will consequently be colourless and tasteless,-in fact, nothing but tepid water. Where there is a very large party to make tea for, it is a good plan to have two teapots instead of putting a large quantity of tea into one pot; the tea, besides, will go farther. When the infusion has been once completed, the addition of fresh tea adds very little to the strength; so, when more is required, have the pot emptied of the old leaves, scalded, and fresh tea made in the usual manner. Economists say that a few grains of carbonate of soda, added before the boiling water is poured on the tea, assist to draw out the goodness: if the water is very hard, perhaps it is a good plan, as the soda softens it; but care must be taken to use this ingredient sparingly, as it is liable to give the tea a soapy taste if added in too large a quantity. For mixed tea, the usual proportion is four spoonfuls of black to one of green; more of the latter when the flavour is very much liked; but strong green tea is highly pernicious, and should never be partaken of too freely."
Provided by BecR2400
Categories Beverages
Time 10m
Yield 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Steps to Make Proper Cup of Tea:.
- Bring enough water to fill your teapot twice to a full, rolling boil in a kettle.
- Bring the teapot to the kettle and fill it with the boiling water. Put the kettle back on the stove and bring it back to a full boil.
- Let the teapot sit with the hot water in it for a moment or two to warm it up, then pour out the water.
- Add one teaspoon of tea per cup of tea to the teapot, plus one for the pot.
- Add the boiling water to the teapot, put the lid on and cover the teapot with a tea cozy.
- Let the tea steep for three to five minutes.
- Pour the tea into each cup using a tea strainer.
- Offer guests sugar cubes (or honey) and a slice of lemon or a small serving of milk.
- Tips for Making the "Perfect" Tea.
- * A teapot doesn't have to be expensive, but it should be made of china or earthenware.
- * When you pour the water over the tea in the teapot, make sure it is at a full boil.
- * If you are using very fragile bone china, add a bit of milk to the bottom of each tea cup before pouring to reduce the shock of the heat on the fine china. In that case, don't offer lemon slices!
- * Do not use cream in tea, always use milk.
- * Choose fermented teas, not Asian style green teas. Some popular teas are:.
- o English Breakfast Tea (may be too strong for an afternoon tea).
- o Earl Grey Tea, which is flavored with the rind of bergamots.
- o Darjeeling Tea (full-bodied).
- o Ceylon Tea (very popular).
- o Lapsang Souchong Tea (distinctive, smoky flavor).
- o Chamomile Tea (not caffeinated).
Nutrition Facts :
PERFECT ENGLISH TEA
This is more of a technique than a recipe. I adapted this from the Food Network. this would be great using mint or herb teas!
Provided by Sharon123
Categories Beverages
Time 15m
Yield 1 cup, 1 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Fill a saucepan with cold water and put it on the stove to boil.
- As the water just begins to boil, pour a little of it into a teapot to warm it, swirling the water around and then discarding it.
- For each cup of tea, place a spoonful of loose tea leaves into the empty warmed teapot.
- Pour the boiling water into the teapot and let the tea steep 3 to 6 minutes, depending on the type of tea leaves.
- Gently stir the tea before pouring it through a strainer into teacups.
- Serve with milk and sugar, or lemon slices and honey, to your taste. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts :
THE PERFECT CUP OF TEA-BRITISH STYLE
I had a rommate for 6 years who was from England. One day he told me jokingly that he loved this country but "we Americans just don't know how to make a proper cup of Tea" He felt it was his duty to teach me how and he was right! This is the only way I will drink my Tea now. It is really more of a method than a recipe. After careful instruction on how to prepare the proper cup of tea I asked him whether loose tea leaves make a better brew than a tea bag. "Loose tea will always taste better," he said, "but, not so much better as to outweigh the convenience of the bag. What's more important is the type of tea that you choose." "In Britain, the standard supermarket tea bag makes a much stronger and more robust brew than your American tea." He said the closest tea bags he ever found over here that approach the quality of their everyday blends are those marketed as English Breakfast. My friend always made his Tea with lowfat milk and sugar. Explaining "Most English drink tea with a little milk, but never with cream or the high-fat milk that Americans put in their coffee. Low-fat milk is a much better choice. "Make sure you use white sugar. Brown sugar might be OK in coffee, but somehow it never tastes right in tea. As for putting honey in tea, if you tried to do that in Britain, you'd be laughed out of the tea shop." Many thanks to Chris for showing me how to make the perfect cup of tea!
Provided by Little Bee
Categories Beverages
Time 3m
Yield 1 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- First, you have to boil the water - don't just heat it, boil it. Second, add the boiling water to the tea bag, not the other way round. - putting the water in the cup and adding the bag to it - is a recipe for disaster. Unless the water is at boiling point when it makes contact with the tea, the tea will never properly brew.
- Make sure the cup or pot is nice and hot before you start. If necessary, rinse it out with near-boiling water. And keep it covered while the tea is brewing.
- Leave the bag in the water for at least two minutes - longer if you like your tea strong. And for goodness sake, resist the temptation to dunk. Just leave the bag alone until the drink is ready! Add milk and sugar to taste.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 18.4, Fat 0.1, Cholesterol 0.2, Sodium 2.2, Carbohydrate 4.5, Sugar 4.5, Protein 0.2
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