another bloody yank

On the rare occasion I drink tea, I throw a teabag in a mug of water and nuke it for a minute and a half.

This can't be the drink you are all nuts about.

So what do I do to make a cup of tea? I can't see giving up my beloved coffee (My wife calls my travel mug my "blankie" because I carry it around even when it's empty, just in case) but I sure would like to see what the fuss is about.

So what are your methods/recipes?

Jerseygirl

OMG you can't put tea in cold water!!!

Boil the water first...you should pour some of the boiling water into the empty cup/mug, swirl it around a little to warm the cup/mug then pour it away. Put the tea bag in the cup/mug then pour boiling water over the teabag. I like to do this slowly...seems to make for a stronger cuppa IMO.

BTW I don't do the warming thing with the cup/mug.

another bloody yank

Pour hot water in the mug, then pour it out. Then put the tea in the mug, then more hot water. Got it. No wonder mine sucked. I didn't do any of that.

Bluegrass Lass

My OH boils the water in his electric kettle, then pours it over a couple of tea bags in the teapot. He swears that this makes the tea taste better. When he's on the go, he'll pour the boiling water into his travel mug, and then add the tea bag(s).

Mind you, he only cleans his teapot out once in a blue moon, so I have no idea what effect this may have on the tea quality.

I'm not a big tea drinker, unless you count iced tea (w/very little sugar).

Sally Redux

The water needs to be hot before it is introduced to the tea, squash it around a bit and add milk.

Ridski

Defo. Boil kettle. Now, most US tea bags are actually folded over, there's a gap in the middle you can poke your finger through, do that and drop bag in cup, so the bag is open to allow for free flow of water through the bag. Pour still boiling water over bag. Leave for about 3-5 minutes. Stir with spoon and use spoon to squash the bag, for extra flavor/strength. Remove bag. Add milk/sugar to taste.

Of course, as mentioned in the other thread, I actually use two bags, but I love really strong tea.

Ash UK/US

I don't drink tea and even I know that!

labmumUK

We use a coffee maker here in the states ( a kettle at home, of course) we put two tea bags in the filter area where the coffee granuals would go and filter the water as you would coffee makes a smashing cuppa add more tea bags if you like it stronger we get 12 mugs of tea for 2 tea bags this way, you can also let it stew for a bit on the hot jobby and it's good and strong

Jerseygirl

Oh yes...I forgot the squashing of the bag...that's a must.

Ridski

Gotta get all that precious tea-juice out!

Ash UK/US

I have never hear of doing that way... doesn't it make the tea really weak?

labmumUK

Nope it really doesn't. I use English tea tho'. You can let it stew or add more tea bags but two usually makes a good strong cuppa for us.

TruBrit

tried that once in a hotel but the water needs to be boiling to make a decent cuppa and not off the boil as in the coffee makers.

Sally Redux

Yes it's not the same.

labmumUK

I really don't find it much different EXCEPT in hotel rooms where the coffee maker has been used for COFFEE YUK! and they don't allow it to get very hot at all and if you had American tea bags - deffinately not the same !