Making Tea The British Way (Kate Arnell Reveals How to Make the Perfect Cuppa)

Nobody does teatime quite like British people do. I mean, they made it an official time of the day, and they celebrate the National Tea Day every 21st of April. Kate Arnell of BBC UK, revealed how to make the perfect cuppa. Yes, exactly the way British people make their tea. Most of us have been cutting corners when it comes to drinking tea, and we might have been unable to enjoy tea the way British people do because of that! 

Although Arnell does mention a few different types of tea, the instruction she provided is most suitable for making black tea blend like the English Breakfast Tea, which is an all time favourite of the Brits. Here's how it's done:

1. Boil your water.

Boiling your water in a kettle on a stove top or electric kettle is an important step. Water boiled between 190 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit is said to be the best temperature to bring out the best out of the tea you're making. In easier term, the water should reach its boiling point, or nearly its boiling point.

2. Steep your tea.

Put your tea bag, or loose leaf tea into your favourite cup and pour freshly boiled water into it. Always steep your tea! Generally, 2 to 5 minutes of steeping time is a good window to aim for, depending on the type of tea and how strong you like it to taste. Be careful because tea tends to go bitter when you steep it for longer time. 

3. Add your milk.

Not all Brits drink tea, but a whopping 86% of them do. And 98% of these tea drinkers put milk in their tea. In Britain, there was a conundrum whether to put milk first then the tea, or tea first and then the milk. According to Arnell, studies have shown that both ways are correct, depending on how you make the tea. If you brewed your tea in the cup itself, add the milk after it's done steeping. But if you brewed your tea in a pot, pour the milk into your cup first, then add the already brewed tea.

It is important to note that not all kinds of tea go with milk, but black tea goes well with it.

4. Extras!

Arnell said that although tea bags are the most popular, loose-leaf teas can still be found in many restaurants and hotels. Wherever you go, she pointed out that you must familiarize yourself with some questions:

a. "Would you like a builder's brew?"--This means an extra strong tea with milk and sugar.

b. Do you want your tea "white without"?--White without means a cup of tea with milk but no sugar.

c. "Do you prefer your tea loose-leaf, or in a tea bag?"--This means whether you prefer the tea leaves packed in small bags, or just the rolled, dried tea leaves.

5. Dunking.

Dunking, according to Arnell, is the art of dipping a biscuit which British people call less sweet cookie into your tea. According to research, the best dunking biscuits are the rich tea biscuits and the chocolate flavoured digestive biscuits. It sure is a big and serious business in the UK.

Now that you know how British people make their tea, might as well try it at home and see for yourself!