The perfect cup of tea?

Question

This is going to sound daft, but anyhow....

When I moved out of my parents house I got used to making tea with a single tea bag in a mug. but recently I have got round to buying my very own teapot.
The other night I was making a cup of tea for my Mum, using tealeaves of course, but my method of puring the tea made her recoil in horror. You see, she is under the impression that you should pour the milk into the mug first and the pour the tea. I, on the other hand, don't see why it should make any difference. I've tried putting the milk in first and last, but I can't taste any difference. Is it an etiquette thing or what? What is the best way to make a perfect cup of tea?
Discuss :o)

Answer 1

Oscar Wilde compiled the following rules in the 30's
1. Use tea from India or Ceylon (Sri Lanka), not China
2. Use a teapot, preferably ceramic
3. Warm the pot over direct heat
4. Tea should be strong - six spoons of leaves per 1 litre
5. Let the leaves move around the pot - no bags or strainers
6. Take the pot to the boiling kettle
7. Stir or shake the pot
8. Drink out of a tall, mug-shaped tea cup
9. Don't add creamy milk
10. Add milk to the tea, not vice versa
11. No sugar!

But... rule 10 is high controversial. It seems that dribbling a stream of milk into hot water makes "denaturation of milk proteins" more likely. Horrible!

It is better to have the chilled milk massed at the bottom of the cup, awaiting the stream of hot tea. This allows the milk to cool the tea, rather than the tea ruinously raise the temperature of the milk.

Answer 2

The perfect way is to pick which flavor of tea you want, and pour water into a teapot to boil. When ready, pour the water into the pot. Then stir the water with the tea packet to get all of the flavorings and take out the bag. Let it cool for a few minutes. And enjoy! I love tea.

Answer 3

there is no right or wrong way of making the perfect tea. Y0ur way may be the best in your opinion but it is not in your mother's eyes. For me, the perfect tea will be earl grey tea in a pot and adding hot water to the tea bag, then a small teaspoon of sugar and top it up with milk. My friends like to add honey instead of milk so it;s really up to you. Then i will sitting in a cafe, looking at the world passing by and enjoying my earl grey tea. That to me is the perfect cup of tea.

Answer 4

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Drinking tea is as much a ritual of contemplation and conversation as it is a delicious way to warm the body and refresh the mind. Tea aficionados are passionate about the details: What kind of clay went into the teapot, what time of year were the tea leaves picked, what exact temperature is the water? Others simply enjoy a reassuring pot when an old friend stops by. Whatever your preference, try these ideas to bring out the best flavors in your tea.
Steps

1. Start with cold water, which retains more oxygen for fuller flavor. If your tap water is hard, use filtered or bottled water.
2. Preheat your teapot: While the water is heating, fill your teapot with hot tap water, let it warm, then drain it completely.
3. Measure into the teapot 1 tsp. of loose tea for every cup you plan to pour. Some tea drinkers, especially those who take milk with their tea, add an extra spoon for the pot. If you're using a mesh tea ball, don't fill it more than halfway, to allow for complete expansion of the tea leaves.
4. For black teas, bring the water to a full boil. Remove the teakettle from the heat as soon as the water begins to boil. Boiling all the oxygen out of the water will flatten the tea's flavor.
5. For more delicate green teas, remove the teakettle from the heat before the water begins boiling, at 165° to 170°F (74° to 77°C). Or you can add 1 part cold water to 4 parts boiling water to cool it to the ideal temperature range.
6. Before steeping, pour a small amount of the hot water over the tea leaves, to allow them to bloom, or open up, and release some of their bitter tannins. Drain immediately.
7. Fill the pot with the boiling water. Keep the spout of the kettle close to the teapot, so the water does not cool as you pour it in. Cover the teapot and leave the tea to brew. In general, black teas are best brewed for 4 to 5 minutes; green teas should brew for no more than 3 minutes.
8. When the tea is ready, pour and serve all the tea. Avoid keeping leaves in contact with the hot water: Overbrewed tea tends to taste bitter.
9. To keep the tea warm through several cups, transfer the tea to an insulated pot or cover your regular teapot with a tea cozy. Don't apply additional heat to keep the tea warm, as this will quickly degrade its flavor.
10. A good-quality tea can be infused three to five times. Just add more boiling water. Let it steep for less time with each brew.

Overall Things You'll Need

* Loose Tea
* Insulated Pot Or Tea Cozy
* Teaspoon Or Mesh Tea Ball
* Teapot
* Teakettle

Overall Tips & Warnings

* Select a pot with a brew basket for quick and easy removal of tea leaves.
* Since the leaves in tea bags tend to be cut into smaller pieces and thus infuse more quickly, brew tea bags for only 30 seconds to 1 minute.
* These steps can be followed for perfect individual cups of tea as well. Use a cup with its own brew basket, high-quality tea bags or, for loose teas, a mesh tea ball.
* Store teas in an airtight container away from heat, moisture and light. Tea leaves will keep for up to three months.

Answer 5

Milk after the tea has been poured. Another rule for teapot is:
1(bag or tsp of loose) for each person and 1 for the pot!

Answer 6

i don't see how it makes any difference. did she tell you how it tasted? if it tasted "off", you may have oversteeped the tea, and it have have had that bitter taste. But adding the milk to the tea makes absolutely no difference, given that the tea and milk tastes the same.

Answer 7

Herbal tea with a spoonful of honey and a cinnamon stick.

Answer 8

i dont have my tea with milk, i have it with lemon and i put in the lemon afterwards.