h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hey fellow tea-lovers! I must say that I've always enjoyed a good cup of well-made tea, but recently, due to my American heritage, I've been unable to create anything but a dilute, watery, mess.

I read Douglas Adams entry on how to make tea, and I pour in the water straight from boiling to get the best effect, and I always put in milk first so it doesn't scald, but recently I havn't been able to coax the proper flavor from my leaves.

Any advise on the rituals of tea-making would be held in the utmost of regards.

Thanks,


GN

Hi!

My first advice would be to get some really good tea - tea bags may be all right, but large leaf tea is definitely better! Also it shouldn´t be too old - tea doesn´t get mouldy or anything (at least not easily), but it loses its flavour after a while. In my opinion, milk is not necessary at all, especially not with a really good tea, such as a single estate Darjeeling. The delicate flavour of such a tea would be ruined by milk... A strong Ceylon blend is another matter, of course.
Hope this advice can be of help in your quest for a really nice cup of tea!
Good luck!

PS I´m not British...

I read the bit on making tea as well, in the Salmon of Doubt. It changed my life forever....
I can make a fairly good cup of tea from a bag of Earl Grey and proper timing with the kettle. I don't use milk, occasionally lemon, but always a touch of sugar. My grandmother left me a set of china that was made in England many many years ago, which gives a British feel to my tea. Also, I always have bickies and 90% of the time my cousin will come over and have tea with me. Very nice....very fun....

Leaves... you are in a teapot, yes? Putting milk in first when you're making it in a cup is detrimental.

The main thing is the quality of the tea. Leaf tea is better, but you should be able to get a proper colour and strength brew with bags. Make sure they're good bags.

The best teabags in the world are not made of paper, but of a new kind of material. Whittard of Chelsea has them... Also, pyramid bags are good because they allow the tea to circulate a bit. Apart from that, I still prefere loose leaves. In a pot, yes, or in my special cup with large fitted sieve - perfect for that tea-for-one in the morning!

I guess we all agree: is best!

I actually started making my tea in a japanese teapot, so my tea-making skills are improving by a lot. We're trying different green teas, and most are delicious. They don't even need any additives! Kyoto Green is great. So is Bourbon Street Rooibos (sp? not green tea, tho).

In regards to Vip's statement: MILK FIRST! It is very simple. If you put cold milk into just-boiling water, it will scald from the extreme temperature change. Always put in milk first and pour the water slow at first to allow for a sensable temperature change for the milk. DNA was so passionate about this simple scientific fact that he wrote a guide entry about it with a comprehensive flash movie!

Thanks for the advice, lovers! Keep 'em coming!


GN

Where might one find this movie?

I mean that it's the lesser of the two evils. If you have a cup, and put a teabag and milk in the bottom of it, pour in the hot water and expect to make a good cup of tea, you are sadly mistaken. You will have a cup of hot dishwater and nothing more.

I have always been a member of the milk first club. But only with a teapot.

I was told by someone that American kettles do not boil as hot as English ones, for whatever silly reason. Maybe that's it

Madman42q: I guess he meant the Tea entry here in the Guide. One of the early ones, that...

An update: I'm now living on my own in college and we got a self-warming tea pot (electric tea pot, if you will) as a gift and it works great. We heat up water in that and either pour it in the cup with a tea bag already in it or we put it in another pot with an infuser filled with leaves. Both produce great tea.

Thanks for all the advice and...

Keep them coming!!
GN

"I was told by someone that American kettles do not boil as hot as English ones, for whatever silly reason. Maybe that's it."

Surely water still boils at 100 degrees C??

Vip x x

I thin kwhat the person that told you that meant is that Americans don't boil the water, they use a water heater which only heats to around 90C.

Eeee. *shudder* No wonder they make crap .

No worries. I assure everyone that my self-warming pot makes the water nice and angry. No dishwater tea for me (bleh).

-GN

Some Norwegian cafes have heaters like that too. They just keep the water lukewarm. For hours. Awful, isn't it?
At home, I have an electric kettle myself. A very good invention!