We serve about four hundred pots of tea a week in the barn, and the question we are asked most is why it tastes better than tea at home. The answer is not a secret.
Loose leaves
A tea bag holds the dust from the bottom of the sack. Loose leaves have room to open, and they give a cleaner, rounder cup. One heaped teaspoon a person and one for the pot.
Warm the pot
Swill a little hot water round the pot and pour it away. A cold pot takes the heat out of the water before the tea has started.
Freshly boiled water
Water boiled twice tastes flat. Fill the kettle fresh and pour as soon as it boils, for black tea; let it stand a minute for green.
Four minutes, a lid on the pot, and nobody stirring.
Milk second
Pour the tea, then the milk, so you can see the colour you like. Our milk comes from across the yard, which helps, but any fresh whole milk will do.
