How to Make - A Really Fine Cup of Tea
Use fresh water. Bring to a furious boil. Put tea in teapot, one level teaspoon per cup (more or less as desired) plus 'one for the pot.' Pour boiling water on tea. Steep three to five minutes - the longer the stronger.
These directions are specifically for black tea. And over the years, most recommendations for making tea no longer include the need for adding 'one for the pot'. Of course, these are all simply guidelines, it's all to personal taste, add more or less tea as desired and steep as long or as short as you prefer. Eventually you will find the perfect balance and achieve a really fine cup of tea.
Sorry, but as a life-long tea drinker and tea room operator, I beg to differ on two points of your recipe for brewing the perfect cup.
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2. a longer steep time makes for more astringent, not stronger, tea. If you want a stronger cup, use more tea
Finally, a note to preheating the teapot and measuring the tea *before* the water is ready is essential.
I love the description of making a fine cup of tea. How fun!
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