How do you make the best brew in the world? We caught up with the experts at Yorkshire Tea to find out...
In a teapot
1. Run the tap a little so the water is nicely aerated. Use water that has boiled just once – any more than that and the level of oxygen in the water is reduced, so your tea may taste a bit ‘flat’.
2. Warm the teapot first by swilling boiling water around inside it; then warm the cups with the water from the teapot.
3. For a four-cup pot, use two teabags. For loose tea, use one teaspoon per person and one for the pot.
4. Add freshly boiled water to the pot, stir, and leave to brew for 4-5 minutes depending on how strong you like it.
5. If you take milk, we recommend a splash of whole or semi-skimmed milk. Don't forget the sugar, if you've a sweet tooth!
In a mug/cup
1. Pour freshly boiled water directly onto your teabag in a mug (or nice china cup). It infuses much better this way, as opposed to adding the teabag to a mug of boiled water.
2. Leave to brew for 4-5 minutes according to taste. Remove the teabag with a spoon giving it just one gentle squeeze.
Miffy or Tiffy?
People are very particular about their tea; but there’s one aspect of tea-making that really sparks debate... milk or tea first? ‘Miffy or Tiffy’ as the folk at Yorkshire Tea call it.
You’re bound to have your own theory, and if tea is brewed in a pot, there is no definitive right or wrong answer. But if you’re making tea in a cup, it’s never milk first – it reduces the water temperature so your cuppa won't brew properly!
Potty about tea
If you can make tea in a teapot, do. You’ll get the best taste out of it. You’ll also be keeping one of Britain’s greatest traditions alive.
And then there’s the humble tea cosy, of course. A few years ago, the Women’s Institute (quintessentially British and equally mad about their tea) knitted a fantastic variety of tea cosies for Yorkshire Tea. In 2011 the tea company auctioned off a selection of them to raise money for their Yorkshire Rainforest Project. You can take a peek into the magical world of tea cosies here.
Have we got it right, or is there a better way to make tea? Don't be shy – share your brewing methods in the Comments box below.
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