Kettles: The perfect cuppa
Follow our tips to brew the perfect cuppa
'There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.' (Philosopher Bernard-Paul Heroux)
You can't get much more particular than the Japanese when it comes to making tea. But the British aren't far behind in engaging in a lot of ceremony about the perfect cuppa – countless formulae have even been devised detailing how to achieve this.
Top tips for a tasty tipple
- Use freshly drawn cold water. Ensure your kettle is descaled regularly and your teapot is clean. You might want to use filtered water if you live in an area with hard water. Boil only what you'll need – it'll save time and energy.
- Warm the teapot with some hot tap water, and then pour it away.
- Add as much tea as you desire to the pot (one teaspoon of tea, or one bag, per cup is usually about right). Leave to brew for about three minutes.
- The Royal Society of Chemists and the British Standards Institute agree you should pour milk in the cup before the tea, but according to George Orwell it should definitely be added after. Whatever your preference, we'd recommend the milk shouldn't be too creamy and you should add enough to produce a rich colour.
- Sweeten to taste. Sit back and relax.