This week you shared your tips for making the perfect cuppa. While it’s one of the world’s oldest drinks, we still haven’t mastered a technique for us all. Everyone’s got their way, so here’s how you make your brew.
When it comes to tea, I have minimal style. I’m a PG Tips man who splashes in gallons of milk and adds two sugars.
While that may sound disgusting to some, I think I agreed with Sophie G who said:
‘Milk before tea or tea before milk? This is a similar question to the one Captain Haddock asks himself in one of the Tintin books: sleep with the beard over or under the blanket? There is one right answer per person.’
There’s no tea without water
But it seems water has a big part to play in the perfect cuppa. As Wavechange said:
‘Please spare a thought for those who have very hard water, which is not very good for tea. Coffee is less affected and the smell of ground coffee is wonderful.’
Beryl acknowledged the issue of hard water and advised:
‘I too have very hard water, but invested in a Brita Water Filter Jug. That, together with a decent brew of Yorkshire Gold in a teapot, makes a perfect cuppa.’
But maybe it’s the otherside of the world that holds the key, as Alan J said from Facebook:
‘I get Yorkshire tea here in Oz, makes a canny cuppa’
After you
But what goes in first: water, milk, or the teabag? Milk gets Renniemac’s vote:
‘I pour the milk in the cup, I know! They say the milk curdles if put in first, but maybe unknowingly I like curdled milk as I prefer this method. Then sit back to enjoy my beautiful cuppa. Mm mm.’
And Beryl seems to agree:
‘I understand it is considered socially correct by connoisseurs to pour the tea first before adding the milk but found my teacups became badly stained and were difficult to clean so now put the milk in first.’
We’ve come along way together
Malcom RÂ reminisced how it was done when he was young:
‘When I worked on the railways for six months after leaving school, tea was made in an enamel can – you just put sweetened condensed milk and tea leaves in it at home and then added hot water when you had your snap (food) at breaktime. Not a perfect cup of tea but drinkable.’
But it was John Ward who posted my favourite comment (and was awarded comment of the week) after spotting the ‘prefect’ ‘perfect’ typo:
‘I did serve two years as a prefect but no one ever made me a cup of tea – and I probably would have poured it down the sink if they done so [out of suspicion of an evil intent].’
This Convo made me think of the best cup of tea I’ve ever had and I started to think perhaps the situation is the key ingredient. What do you think – can you remember the best cuppa you’ve ever had? Do you have any more tips to share?