Milk or lemon? Leaves or bags? Here is a list of rules to set the perfect tea, a ritual, which many consider to be more social than culinary in nature.
Some might think that inviting a friend or two over for tea might require less effort than a dinner invitation, but in Great Britain this is not always the case. There are a series of ironclad rules that surround this ritual, which many consider to be more social than culinary in nature.
THE DOS
Heat the water
The tea pot should always be warmed (rinsing it out with hot water), which ensures that the porcelain (often called “China” as that is where the porcelain first originated) does not undergo a “shock” when the boiling water is poured into it, which may lead to cracking.
Add the tea leaves
Calculate a teaspoon of leaves for each guest, plus one more “for the pot”. The boiling water should be poured straight over the leaves. If you place the tea leaves directly in the pot, you will need to use a filter over each cup. If instead, you do not want the leaves to keep infusing in the hot water, you should use a tea “ball”. Infusion times vary from 3 to 5 minutes. True tea connoisseurs will have more than one pot: one for Indian black teas, one for Chinese green teas, one for aromatic teas, etc. Normally, two will suffice when serving: one for the tea and another for the hot water (although a kettle will do) when the tea gets too strong.
Milk or lemon?
Most Brits take tea with milk, a habit that originated from the fact that a drop of cold milk in the teacup prevented the dark, boiling tea to crack or stain the delicate porcelain. With today’s cups, you can safely pour the milk in afterwards. Sugar should be present in cubes or crystals, white and dark, and you should also provide honey or sweeteners.
Savory or sweet
Tea should be served with both savory and sweet snacks. There should be sandwiches, scones, pastries and cakes—served in this order: Savory (finger sandwiches with various fillings); neutral (scones, crumpets, buns); sweet (cakes, biscuits, pastries).
THE DON’TS
Don’t use tea bags instead of loose tea
Don’t pour water when it’s scalding: the leaves will be burned and the flavour, ruined.
Don’t let the tea infuse for too long in the teapot: for all the perfect infusion times, see the chart at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, the aroma will be compromised.
Don’t leave the slice of lemon in the cup as you sip your tea. It should be removed beforehand.