My mother's co-worker was talking about how much she loved Downton Abbey and how it teaches one to make a good cup of tea. My first reaction was-tea, in season two? Where? You mean when Thomas complains to Daisy about the tea being tepid and makes her fetch another cup? Then I realized how many scenes of season one consist tea. In fact, one where Cora and Violet have sat down for tea, Maggie Smith does a remarkable job at making a proper cup of tea while continuing the conversation. For those of you wondering how to make tea, here goes.
Ingredients:
Fine bone china tea pot and tea cups
Loose Leaf Tea
Tea Strainer
H20
Milk and Sugar to taste
1) Fill the tea pot with hot water to let the china warm up (unbeknownest to anyone really, this is a crucial step in tea making).
2) Boil a seperate amount of water- 1 cup (literally the size of the tea cup) per person approximately.
3) When the water is about ready to boil, empty out the warm water from the tea pot and add one teaspoon of loose tea per person plus "one for the pot". Now you know, if you didn't connect it before in your mind, where the terms 'teaspoon' and 'one for the pot' come from. This still does not explain the term 'tablespoon' however...
4) Pour the boiling water into the tea pot over the leaves.
5) Let steep for 3-4 minutes.
6)Strain the tea as you serve it.
7) Let each member of your tea party add their own amounts of milk and sugar.
8) Eat with a biscuit (a dry, sweet cookie meant to be eaten alone or dipped in tea).
Enjoy!
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| My $1 tea pot that I bought at a garage sale- not fine bone china I understand, but the clear glass helps show the steps. Warming up the pot, steeping the tea and then the final product (I added milk to this tea). I promise to pull out the fine chia should the Queen ever come to tea. |
