How to Make
  a Perfect
Pot of Tea

I have several other teapots now, but I still use the blue-and-white one every day.  I have never gone back to teabags.

Here's the equipment you'll need:

• Water. 
  No kidding.  Use tap walter or filtered, as you like.  (Please don't use distilled!)
  
  
• Something to heat the water in.
  This can be anything from a teakettle to a saucepan.
  
  
• A bag or a box of loose tea.
  
  
• A ceramic teapot. 
  (China is good, too.  But although silver looks classy, many people believe it gives tea a metallic taste.)
  
  
• Something to strain the tea with.   (More on this later.)
  
  
• Teaspoons and cups.
  

Not too tricky so far, right?  Now before we get started, let's talk about the water.

It must be very, very hot in order for the tea to steep properly.  But don't boil the "life" out of it, or your tea will taste flat.  Take the pan or teakettle off the heat just before it breaks into a rolling boil.  (You know, when the water makes those cute little bubbles on the edges of the saucepan.)

And now we'll make the tea:

• Warm the teapot by filling it with hot tap water and letting it sit while you heat your tea-water.  (Don't empty it until just before the tea-water begins to boil.)
  
  
• If you don't know the capacity of your teapot, measure the tap water as you pour it out.  (Six-cup teapots are the most common size, but double-check.)
  
  
• After you've emptied the "warming-up" water, spoon tea into the toasty-warm pot.  You'll want one full teaspoon for each cup, plus one more "for the pot," as our grannies used to say.
  
  
• Pour the almost-boiling water over the tea.  Replace the teapot's lid and let your tea steep for 3-5 minutes, according to taste.  (Read the directions on your box of tea for a hint on steeping times.  Some teas take longer.)
   
  
• When your tea is ready you have two options:  Drink it all right now, or strain it before it becomes bitter.  Some teapots come with little ceramic baskets built in, but you can buy plastic mesh strainer-baskets in any cooking store.  Both of these are easy to remove when the tea is ready.  Some people use metal "tea balls" or "infusers," but I'm afraid they flavor the tea.  (Your mileage may vary.)
  
  
• Enjoy your tea plain or with milk, lemon, honey, sugar...whatever.
  

Additional notes:

• If you like stronger tea, don't steep it longer, just use more tea.  Longer steeping makes tea bitter,  not stronger.  (Just like coffee.)
  
  
• Tea cozies are a great invention.  They'll keep your tea warm until you get to that second or third cup.  Just don't cover the pot until you've taken the tea leaves out of it.  (That's called "stewing" the tea, and trust me--your wonderful tea will quickly become undrinkable.)
  
  
• Finding a few stray tea leaves in the bottom of your cup is charming, not "gross.
  
  

Do you have a question or comment about making tea?

e-mail Brenda