# Perfect Cuppa Tea



## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Hello,

I recently had to stop drinking coffee as it was bugging me a lot when I change to the night shift for my current job. So, I started drinking tea. I don't drink anything but water as a rule, so I need something to feel like I am enjoying myself! Anyways, how do you all make your perfect cup of tea. Here's mine:

1 Twinnings Earl Grey packet
1 Kettle of boiling water
1 tbsp of local buckwheat honey
1 Homer Simpson mug

After the water has boiled, I pull the plug and count out 10 seconds. Then I pour just enough water in to the mug to soak the tea packet. After I let that sit for 2 seconds I slowly fill the mug up. Then I but a little plate on top to help keep the heat in and let it sit for 5 minutes to steap away.

I am interested in how others do it.

Thanks,

David Cole


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

God, I hope it never comes to this. My wife's tea smells like liquid compost and probably would do just as good a job on the garden. I'm jealous of anyone who can drink the stuff, the right stuff is supposed to be good for you.

Is it true that folks don't wash their tea pots?

Peace, Mooh.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Mooh said:


> Is it true that folks don't wash their tea pots?
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


True.With a good black tea, just rinse the pot, no detergent, & allow the black tannin to stain the pot. I am looking for an aluminium on here in Calgary if anyone has one.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

1. Red Rose
2. Water has to be boiling
3. Hit the tea pot with a bit of hot water first
4. plop in 1 or 2 bags
5. let steep for a few minutes
6. Fill tea pot accordingly
7. If you take milk it "must" go in cup first
8. add tea and sugar (or not)


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Mooh said:


> God, I hope it never comes to this. My wife's tea smells like liquid compost and probably would do just as good a job on the garden. I'm jealous of anyone who can drink the stuff, the right stuff is supposed to be good for you.
> 
> Is it true that folks don't wash their tea pots?
> 
> Peace, Mooh.



TEA HATERS UNITE UNDER OUR BANNER AND RID THE WORLD OF THIS EVIL SCOURGE!!!

yeah, me too.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I'm typically a coffee drinker, but a perfect cuppa at the right moment can make all the difference in the world.

Ideally, one uses a "brown betty" teapot, with a tea cozy, but this teapot that my son got me from Ikea is terrific: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90150071/ The mesh basket is easy to clean and it makes a terrific pot.

When I was a teen, I worked weekends with my dad in his small machine shop, fabricating parts for snowmobiles, and baby cribs. He would get these empty tea chests from the Salada plant in town (Montreal) to stack the completed parts in. Whenever he'd get a new one, I'd bend over and stick my whole head in it. Oh....my...goodness that smelt wonderful. Pure tea oils embedded in the wood. The only other omnipresent aroma I've ever smelt that was that beautiful was driving by the Cavendish R&D facility, just outside Kensington, PEI. It smelled like the chipwagon of the gods.

For me, the water has to be boiling madly, not just nuked to steam-point in the microwave like my wife does it (feh!!). Bulk leaves are where it's at. The nice thing is that you can make your own blend. Want just a hint of oil of Bergamot? Then stick in a pinch of Early Grey with your English breakfast. Want a rosehip with a little bite to it? Throw some mint in with your herbal.

Porcelain teacups are nice, but the eastern European in me insists that tea be served in a glass cup, not porcelain, and that it have lemon, rather than milk. I don't mind milk in my tea, and even enjoy it sometimes, but if I have to put something in it, lemon is preferred. When I was a kid and was sick, my dad used to give me tea and honey, spiked with sweet red wine. That'll get your average 10 year-old sweating.

My supervisor is from Sri Lanka, and goes back home to visit family once a year. His family has a tea plantation, apparently. So he always brings back a tin of tea for us.

...And it's pronounced peck-oh, not pea-co.

Tea drinkers tired of being discriminated against should head to Victoria, where they serve you a proper 6-cup pot, tea cozy and all, instead of those damn little 1.5 cup stainless steel things with the hinged lids that never fit right, and spill all over when you try and pour it.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

If you like different type of teas I recommend one of these kettles from Breville. 











Green teas taste so much better when steeped at the right temperature. Boiling water might be ok for Red Rose, but most teas are better at around 175-190 degrees F.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

I am surprised that there is a little tongue in cheek hatred of tea going on here. I work with 24 guys who are mostly from farms and small towns and have worked in power plants and as construction electricians and so forth. The most narrow minded types of people I am trying to say. I thought I would get called gay for drinking tea at work but most of these guys drink tea all the time. So,

TEA DRINKERS UNITE AND FORCE THE AWESOMENESS UPON THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER NOT!


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Can't stand coffee, of any type. Raised sitting on my Grandads' knee sipping from his hot tea, in a mug as it should be, laced with sugar 

One of my earliest memories.



dcole said:


> I am surprised that there is a little tongue in cheek hatred of tea going on here. I work with 24 guys who are mostly from farms and small towns and have worked in power plants and as construction electricians and so forth. The most narrow minded types of people I am trying to say. I thought I would get called gay for drinking tea at work but most of these guys drink tea all the time. So,
> 
> TEA DRINKERS UNITE AND FORCE THE AWESOMENESS UPON THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER NOT!


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

If coffee is bothering you, go Decaf. The Decaf process also takes the acids out of the coffee and you'll find it's smoother and it won't cause heartburn if that's been a problem. It also is classed as a thirst quencher like water since it hydrates you rather than dehydrating you.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Swiss water decaf, to be specific Stead. 

I do like tea, but I don't drink it often. 
Earl Grey is my favorite too when I do drink it.

There's a new outfit in one of the malls, Teavana, I think.
Loose leaf teas, with the option of lattes, a la Starbucks.
I really enjoy the London Fog latte there, it's made with Earl Grey.

I'd agree with Mark, go loose leaf and a diffuser.
Sort of the same difference between grocery store ground coffee and a good whole bean, big difference in flavor.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Oolong.

Go to your nearest 'Chinatown' or Asian market and find the teas. Buy Oolong. Never drink tea made with teabags again.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Hi, new here. First post (isn't it cute):

I bought some real nice green tea - the kind that poor souls have to hand pick in some other part of the world. 

Put it in a mug
Cover with hot water (after its cooled slightly off a boil)
Pour out that water (it kills me to do this, but it does make a difference)
Refill
Add honey
Piece of ginseng 
Piece of licorice root (on occasion)
One star anise
Stick of cinnamon. 

Good to go.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

As a hardcore coffee drinker, my tea making procedure is slightly less refined, but here goes: 

1. Place tea bag in mug 
2. Boil water (a kettle seems to do the trick)
3. Fill mug with boiling water (do not pour directly on hands)
4. Start drinking once it's cool enough (leave bag in)


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Those are some interesting additions. I may have to try them myself someday.



> Hi, new here. First post (isn't it cute):
> 
> I bought some real nice green tea - the kind that poor souls have to hand pick in some other part of the world.
> 
> ...


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

What model of brewer do you have there? Is the french press setting for coffee or tea?




Sneaky said:


> If you like different type of teas I recommend one of these kettles from Breville.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

davetcan said:


> Can't stand coffee, of any type. Raised sitting on my Grandads' knee sipping from his hot tea, in a mug as it should be, laced with sugar


My maternal grandmother was originally from Russia, and the way she drank tea involved a home-made sugar cake. She'd dissolve the sugar in boiling water, and cook it over a low heat until it got thick again, and let it cool to form translucent flat blocks, about maybe 1/4-3/8" thick. She'd break off a piece, stick it under her tongue, and drink her tea with that in her mouth, rather than putting sugar in the tea itself.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

adcandour said:


> Cover with hot water (after its cooled slightly off a boil)
> Pour out that water (it kills me to do this, but it does make a difference)


Yes. A Chinese lady told me to do that as it will get rid of any toxins/pesticides that they used while growing the tea.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

sulphur said:


> Swiss water decaf, to be specific Stead.


There is another method as well but I can't remember what it was and I didn't google it to find out.

A few years ago they found two or three species of coffee bean/tree that was naturally decaffeinated.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

smorgdonkey said:


> Yes. A Chinese lady told me to do that as it will get rid of any toxins/pesticides that they used while growing the tea.


Aaah, that makes a lot more sense then what I thought my Chinese lady told me - something about her dead homies?


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

dcole said:


> Those are some interesting additions. I may have to try them myself someday.


If you think it sounds good by just reading it, you'll really enjoy it when you try it. Add a slice of ginger and it'll blow you away.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

We just bought ginger for orange-ginger chicken last night. You can bet your buns I'll be giving it a try today.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

My wife got us a Soda Stream machine a few months back. One of the things we do with it is soda-fy pre-brewed fruit teas, or add the tea infusion packs to the water before fizzing. I don't drink it (I actually don't drink very much at all beyond the 2 cups of coffee over the morning), but the family likes it.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

I am a lifelong tea drinker. I divide tea into two groups, Orange Pekoe teas, collectively referred to as Real-i-tea and everything else, commonly referred to as Artificial-i-tea. For perfect Orange Pekoe, start with a HOT crockery or glass tea pot, add tea and pour boiling water into pot. Let steep until desired strength is achieved and enjoy black, with honey, cream and sugar or watever.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)




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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

I'm a tradesman and had to quit drinking coffee...was easily a pot a day guy. Switched to green tea...waaaay more level headed and less irritable now!!


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## corailz (May 1, 2008)

sulphur said:


>


LOL!That's hilarious!


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Scotty said:


> I'm a tradesman and had to quit drinking coffee...was easily a pot a day guy. Switched to green tea...waaaay more level headed and less irritable now!!


I'd like to stop myself- I only have one cup of coffee a day, so its not too bad. I think caffeine affects me more than normal. Gives me the jitters.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

The reason I had to quite coffee was that I was getting headaches going into night shift because I would'nt drink coffee in the morning before I slept all afternoon and I also had tons of problems turning around at the end of shift. Now that I don't drink coffee and only have one cup of tea a day, I have no problems switching for night shift.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I used to drink tea as a young man. 

These days it's one or two coffees a day.

I figured tea was tea. Red Rose was fine for me and making it was pretty simple. Put tea bag in cup, add boiling water, a little cream....drink.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I won't take anything away from Red Rose (loved their ads as a kid, especially this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-918OMwCx6w ), but there ARE better and worse cups of tea. Even the very best tea can dry out and lose its aromatic oils.

I'm no foodie or snooty gourmand, but personally, I don't understand how my wife can wax poetic about her cup of Nescafé instant coffee, or her cup of tea made in the microwave, with the bag in the cup. Sometimes the difference between doing something _properly_, and doing it poorly, can be lost on people.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

I know what you mean. It took me a year to convince the wife that water boils quicker with a lid on the pot and that Oprah's episode on "Phantom Power" doesn't apply to my guitar amplifier. For one month straight I found my amplifier unplugged every time I tried to use it.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

dcole said:


> I know what you mean. It took me a year to convince the wife that water boils quicker with a lid on the pot and that Oprah's episode on "Phantom Power" doesn't apply to my guitar amplifier. For one month straight I found my amplifier unplugged every time I tried to use it.


Can you get her to talk to my wife?


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

mhammer said:


> davetcan said:
> 
> 
> > Can't stand coffee, of any type. Raised sitting on my Grandads' knee sipping from his hot tea, in a mug as it should be, laced with sugar
> ...


My maternal grandparents were from Finland & bought special sugar cubes, likely imported from Finland, that didn't dissolve as quickly. My grandfather would pour some coffee into the saucer to cool, slice a sugar cube into thirds, hold a piece between his teeth & then slurp the coffee through the sugar cube. He's been gone for a few yrs. now but I can still hear him.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

It sure sucks when Grandparents leave this world.

Your the second one to mention drinking tea through a sugar cube in the mouth. I wonder what the benefit of it is?


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