Does the milk go in first? How long should the tea steep? These questions have plagued many a tea-drinker, but no need to fear. The folks at Anglophenia, a YouTube channel dedicated to “lovers of all things British,” are here to teach us how to enjoy our tea as much as the British do.
British people consume more than 60 billion cups of tea each year, according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association. That’s 165 million cups every day. Needless to day,
. And, though it was , we still don’t know nearly as much about making tea as the British do.How to make the perfect cup of tea is no simple matter. In 1946, George Orwell wrote an essay entitled, “A Nice Cup of Tea,” in which he describes tea-making as “the subject of violent disputes.” However, there are some good rules to follow:
- Use freshly boiled water. I personally have been chastised by more than one Brit for microwaving tea, but, to be fair, they had a point! It really does taste better that way.
- Steep for 2-5 minutes, depending on your own preference.
- Add milk. This is the tricky bit. Anglophenia has dubbed this “The Milk In Tea Conundrum”: the vital question of whether the milk or the tea is added to the cup first. Thankfully, researchers at University College London have determined that if the tea is made in a cup, then the milk should be added last, lest it interfere with the brewing. However, if the tea is brewed in a pot, then milk should be added to the cup first before the tea.
But tea doesn’t just keep you warm, it’s also a tasty way to stay hydrated and a good caffeine-alternative to coffee. Studies show that tea also helps improve heart health, and green tea might help prevent bone loss.
You can find out more about tea in the video above!
And today we celebrate...