HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT TEA...BRITISH STANDARD

Growing up was interesting and fun, My Dad being a British trained Engineer, always cherished his CUPPA, He had tea with everything and everything with tea lol. My Dad will drink tea with bread, TEA WITH EBA,POUNDED YAM ,EVEN BEANS lol. I MISS YOU DADDY ..so so so much, I bet if He read this post He will say " no be small thing O " . So in His honor I am learning how to make the perfect English Tea! Lets learn it together...in Pictures....

Lets learn it together...in Pictures...from BBC.CO.UK

 WARMING THE POT
Fill the kettle with fresh water. Water that has been boiled before will have lost some of its dissolved oxygen, vital for tea brewing. Soft water – water with a low mineral content – causes less scum to develop on the surface of the finished tea.

Warm the teapot by pouring in a quarter of a cup of water and putting the pot in a microwave for one minute on full power.

THE POT CALLS THE KETTLE BY ITS NAME..lol

Synchronise. Bring the warmed pot straight to the just-boiled kettle and place a single heaped teaspoon of loose Assam leaves (or your teabags ..depending on how strong you want your tea ) into the pot.

Pour in the boiling water immediately. If the water is allowed to cool, it is less effective in releasing the chemicals in the tea leaves. The use of a tea cosy is not recommended, since the liquid needs to cool before pouring. 

STIRRING THE TEA
Stir the brewing tea and leave it for three minutes. This time allows for the release of polyphenolic compounds, which will give the tea its rich colour and flavour. A longer infusion period will unlock high molecular weight chemicals which taste bitter.
You cannot reduce the amount of caffeine in your cuppa by shortening the infusion time, most of the stimulant is released within a minute.

THE SUGARY MILKY WAY

Put chilled milk in your ceramic mug (they didnt say platic cup o! lol ) FIRST. Milk proteins degenerate and taste stale if they are heated above 75 degrees centigrade. The milk first method allows the chilled liquid to cool the hot tea, rather than vice versa. Sugar can then be added to taste. Both milk and sugar reduce the natural astringency [bitterness] of tea.

The finished tea should be a "rich, attractive colour" and be somewhere in the region of 65 degrees centigrade – any hotter and scientists warn that "vulgar slurping" might be required. Which by British Standard is a big NO-NO during Tea parties!

and of course the MEDE MEDE ( snacks) lol to go with the tea can be served like this ..if you be oyibo

..Else as a Nigerian (With the exception of Prof. D.N.Nwokoye lol ), it will be your Standard bread and butter...or your basic sandwich or club sandwich ..

Imagine serving your Tea in this luxury tea sets

Beautiful  antique lacquered wooden  TEA-SET

CIRCA 1920'S - 1930'S , 23 PIECES COMPRISING 6 CUPS, 6 SAUCERS,TEA-POT, SUGAR,BOWL BOTH WITH LIDS, MILK JUG, SIX TEA SPOONS AND SUGAR CUBE TONGS
ALL PRESENTED ON A BEAUTIFUL TRAY COLOURFUL JAPANESE SCENERY PAINTED
ON BLACK..Your tea can never go sour lol

A sterling silver Tea Set

Solid Gold Tea Set

Tea and Coffee Service, 1825, Gold with Ivory. Long-term loan from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Tea and Coffee Service, 1825, Gold with Ivory. Long-term loan from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Antique floral Tea Set
 This frilly vintage tea set is covered with tiny golden flowers and curlicues lending a look of floral lace or netting. We love the unusual baroque shape. There is always something special about drinking out of a cup that is not round. All edges are trimmed with gold bands. All handles are coated in gold as are the finials. The insides of both cups are also solid gold in color. Loads of glitz and glimmer

 Coral Tea Set? Oyibo dey madt O! See bera Coral wey dem suppose use for jewellry ..PURE LUXURY SHA

 ...And from www.luxury-insider.com  THE MOST EXPENSIVE AFTERNOON TEA..
....is by the venerable Cliveden House at Berkshire. Billed as the most expensive afternoon tea yet, the spread for two, at £550 per couple, was conceived by executive head chef Carlos Martinez, and includes a veritable feast of rare and beautiful ambrosia.

There’re exquisite white truffles at £2,500 per kilo, Beluga Caviar at £4,000 per kilo and Da Hong Pao Tea, harvested from thousand year old leaves and valued at over £2,000 per kilogram. You’ll also be treated to flutes of Dom Perignon Rose, as well as a luscious, gold-leafed cake made with the dearest chocolate in the world, Amedi Porcelana. Wash it all down with an earthy, bitter shot of Kopi Luwak, the famous civet cat coffee, at £50 per cup. Here is a picture of the chef and table spread below..

..AND FINALLY YOU LEARN BASIC TEA ETIQUETTE ..THE ENGLISH WAY..Just in case the QUEEN OF ENGLAND pops in for a visit...WATCH O! SO YOU DONT EMBARASS YOURSELF LOL..

Enjoy your tea my dear friends..and please .. Bournvita , Ovaltine or Coffee ...is not tea O! Hope say Una don hear? lol


REFERENCES AND FURTHER RESEARCH FROM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/uk_how_to_make_perfect_tea/html/5.stm
kaboodle.com
turbosquid.com
http://blissfulglutton.com/afternoon-tea-at-the-park-75-lounge-and-terrace-midtown/
theculturebite.com
sellgoldinleeds.co.uk
http://www.etsy.com/listing/89049340/golden-floral-filigree-1970s-vintage
http://www.sandwichrecipe.org/