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tommyflan

How do you like your tea?

Tom Flanagan
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
There's no hiding the fact that many of us are relatively tea dependent, but we all have a specific way we make our tea. Having somebody make your tea is a nice gesture, but there's always that nagging worry it may not be how you like it.

So, how do you like your tea? Strong with a dash of milk, weak and very milky, medium strength and no milk, or do you leave your teabag in? Tell us your tea routine!
Winter Gardens · More Info
Featured Answer
  • Cristina Ranchal
    9 years ago
    I love strong tea with a dash of milk! But not Ginger! A cup of English breakfast tea is just perfect for starting my day!

    Comments (31)

    • Jackie Bourne
      9 years ago
      Fresh! There's nothing worse than a cup where the tea bag has been left in too long and has created those greasy-looking spots on the surface! (What is that anyway?).

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    • alant1000
      9 years ago
      Strong but milky with no sugar
    • User
      9 years ago
      Well, one finds that the milk should be in first, and the water not above 85 degrees Celsius - otherwise it scalds the milk.
      English breakfast before 9. Earl Grey after 12. Lapsang after 8pm. lady Grey all day. all the other teas just fall into place! Assam should be taken late at night.
      Anyone else find they can't do without at least five cups a day?!
    • PRO
      OnePlan
      9 years ago
      I can just about cope with peppermint tea - otherwise I'm strictly a coffee girl !!! Talking of which - my first one of the day is calling me - which means it's time to start work !!! Bye !!
    • Tom Flanagan
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      @SBJoinery - I know what you mean, I seem to steamroller through tea these days to the point where I think I've lost count!
    • Clare Ainsworth
      9 years ago
      2 tea bags, dash of milk and piping hot!
    • PRO
      Victoria Hopkins
      9 years ago
      I love my fruity herbal teas, super strong and always in a porcelain cup
    • Jane Bateman
      9 years ago
      Twinings everyday, with an Earl Grey in the afternoon. Not too weak/not too strong, dash of milk and a flat teaspoon of sugar. In a mug!
    • LTS
      9 years ago
      Strong with a dash of milk. Dislike earl grey with a passion!
    • soozmacrae
      9 years ago
      I like to put the milk in last, but my husband prefers milk in first. Its strange but the tea does have a slightly different taste.
    • PRO
      Kitchen Republic
      9 years ago
      @soozmacrae I'm sorry to say but I wouldn't trust anybody that requests milk first. Hopefully yours is a young marriage and you can bring him round to your way of thinking, if not then I would seriously think about consulting legal advice on how to best to split your assets and call it a day.
    • PRO
      Button & Sprung
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      For an everyday cup, it's just Earl Grey with a dash of milk.... For more special moments, you can't beat freshly brewed loose leaf tea poured in to a fine china cup. Especially love Fortnum and Mason's Countess Grey Tea!
    • PRO
      Artorius Faber
      9 years ago
      Croaky voice? Try black Earl Grey...works a treat, but don't let it stew too long. Oh and a little bit more tea advice for all houzzers shifting furniture and remodelling; 'Took its feet off, even with the seat off, should have got us somewhere, but no! So Fred said let's have another cup of tea, and we said "right-oh!" Right said Fred ... ' with thanks to Bernard Cribbins
    • soozmacrae
      9 years ago
      Kitchen Republic, I had to laugh at your comment and Ive tried over the years to get him to change. We have be married for 27 years, pray for me as there in no hope. lol lol.
    • PRO
      Jaimie K Designs Ltd
      9 years ago
      milk and sugar first is how it is supposed to done traditionally but not many of do that these days as we have tea bags and not brewing a whole teapot with tea leaves. So I am afraid it is us that has it wrong and soozmacraes husband who is right. I am an Engish breakfast teabag first , dash of milk girl and preferably in a china cup.
    • purplelore15
      9 years ago
      Mine is strong tea which is then cooled with a lot of milk; no sugar. Not to be confused with weak tea. I like flavour but don't have an asbestos mouth! I prefer tea from leaves; 4 minutes brewing time is perfect!
    • PRO
      PlaceDesign Kitchens and Interiors
      9 years ago
      I think the milk first tradition was born from the days when the china was more susceptible to cracking when boiling water was poured directly into it. These days china is much more heat resistant so its not a problem. My tea is generally in a mug - milk last so I can get the consistency perfect!
    • Eve
      9 years ago
      I've only got into tea in the last couple of years but I enjoy it strong, with no milk and a couple of sugars (or honey). I'll usually go for fruit or herbal but I'm currently exploring 'proper' teas as well!
    • Es Ter
      9 years ago
      Weak, very milky, no sugar. Earl Grey, if possible!
    • peediewee
      9 years ago
      if it's black tea i have it very, very strong leaving the teabag in for 5 minutes or so and then i add a small spoonful of honey. delicious and caramely. all other tea (earl grey, chamomile, fennel, nettle, lady grey etc.) i have medium strong, nothing added. love it.
    • lisabahouth
      9 years ago

      Perfect -- I agree with the timings!

    • milfordmaid
      8 years ago

      Jaime - tea was traditionally brewed in a teapot then poured into cup with milk ie brew tea, add milk. If tea is now made/brewed in cup (using teabag), then milk is added after the tea is made.

      Personally - sugar in cup before boiled water is added. After 1 minute, stir tea + add milk. I leave teabag in. Best tea is bog-standard everyday supermarket quality KENYAN tea from Kenya. If Kenyan tea from Kenya has run out + while waiting for re-supplies to arrive - Robert Roberts sell a very passable Kenyan blend.

      Two cups of tea first thing in the morning, mix of tea + coffee at various times during the day. NO tea after 9pm for me - it keeps me awake All. Night. Long. Very strange as coffee after 9pm doesn't keep me awake ... Any ideas why tea is a greater stimulant?

    • benburnett
      8 years ago
      Darjeeling in a teapot. Two minuets. Paragon teacup. Unpasteurised milk. Oh, and a lemon madeleine or two.
    • PRO
      Lidia Zitara
      8 years ago

      I'm italian and tea lover. It's very difficult to find a real good tea in leaf. Supermarkets offer almost nothing (tea in bags, shoddy, powdered blends with horrible vanilla aftertaste). I order my tea from a store in Milan, but the quality is not excellent (better quality is too much expensive for me). I use almost only Golden Yunnan blend, without sugar, lemon or milk (yes, in Italy "tea" is "tea with lemon". Please don't pass out!). Very strong, but not so much to become bitter. I like even orange pekoe and indian teas, or chinese, but fermented. Don't like neither darjeeling neither green tea, at all!

      You can't imangine how difficult is to find not only a good tea, but the right tea pot, tea filters and cans. To drink tea in Italy is a mission impossible!

    • Najeebah
      8 years ago
      thanks for asking! now I know it will be perfect when we have a tea party.
      I prefer coffee, but do like tea as well. I like all types, with a lot of sugar/honey, either black or very milky
    • User
      8 years ago

      I recommend Nerada tea, from Australia.

    • sootsprite
      8 years ago
      Iced! I live in Texas. It's hot. :-)
    • PRO
      Amber Jeavons Ltd
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      Hello Tom, I like it green! I never drink tea in the morning, I have coffee until midday, then I switch to tea. Coffee is then forgotten until after dinner if I have an espresso. Mostly I don't. I like green tea with a bit of flavouring- not sure it needs to be salted caramel though?! Twining's latest foray into flavoured green teas! ..

      I do though love a traditional cup of Earl Grey, Lady Grey, Afternoon Earl Grey, Rose, basically all the floral black teas and I do have them with milk! Also a Vanilla (black) tea at bedtime is nice.. In refined society it was the done thing to add the milk afterwards.. Given that good china was present... It became the norm to later add the milk before because lesser quality china was prone to cracking due to the heat.. people still argue over this though...

      Also some teas contain more caffeine than coffee and also depending on the leaves and brewing technique, tea can keep you awake if you drink it at night..If no Earl Grey or EG variety then Assam nice and robust- I don't do PG or anything that might turn orange..

      Apparently though we Brits or those here in the UK according to recent findings are falling out of love with tea and are drinking herbal brews and green and fruit teas. I read this the other day.

      As much as I do like my green tea, and I am a new convert in the last year or so.. I still say you can't beat a proper afternoon tea with cakes, egg and cress and cucumber sandwiches and a decent pot and china cups with (saucers which stay on the table unless we are standing!) ... Little lavender or rose biccy or two(enty)! : ))

    • User
      8 years ago

      Does anyone besides me get an allergic/intolerant reaction to Earl Grey tea?

    • PRO
      Amber Jeavons Ltd
      8 years ago

      Hi chookchook2, It's most likely the bergamot.. : ))

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