RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

So being an American I really love strong black bitter coffee however I’ve discovered the joy of a cuppa tea! I bought some Tetley’s round tea bags, boiled a bit of water and steeped it in an antique tea cup for 5 minutes. I added a teaspoon of sugar and a dash of milk and I’m hooked. I absolutely love the regimen of the preparations and will enjoy it from here on out. Just sharing an “off topic” subject.

Jimster!
I must stick with the thoroughly British tradition of drinking a frosty Diet Coke while working on the builds. While Tea does sound intriguing, ever since that first six pack of Diet Coke cans washed up on that midnight beach, lo' these many moons ago, I have heard the siren whisper of the chemical laden brew! ;o)
regards, enjoy your cuppa and ignore idiots such as myself,
Painless
;o)

And of course you can use the left over tea to dye your sandbags...

I used to drink beer, lots of beer, stopped all of that about 9 years ago and replaced it with tea, I recommend
Yorkshire tea, I have no sugar in mine and a drop of semi skimmed milk, just enough to colour the tea.
Also leave the tea bag in mine while drinking it, it puts hairs on your chest

regards john

TEA BAGS How dare you.
Has your mother or your cook not shown you how to brew a pot of tea
I can see my work here has a long way to go.
Here is a short list of the necessary items needed,
A Ceramic Tea Pot,It should not be too big, just large enough for a second cup for however many people are partaking of the brew,
A Stainless Steel Kettle free of any limescale deposits,If you have an AGA a cast iron kettle is better,
A Tea Caddy NOT PLASTIC, with a tight fitting lid,
China tea Cups and Saucers and Silver tea spoons, A tea strainer, and FRESH LOOSE LEAF TEA,
You should have a choice of teas kept in a dry cool part of the larder away from aromatic foodstuffs,
A quality breakfast tea, an Afternoon tea and an Evening tea are the absolute minimum and of course a luxury tea such as Mauritius Vanilla tea, I would suggest Earl Grey but it is an aquired taste and not for all,
Do go online to see what appeals to you,
Run the COLD Tap for a minute to ensure the water is fresh and has not stood in the pipes overnight,
NEVER draw water from the hot water tap,
Do not overfill the kettle. place it onto its heat source, Allow it to boil, wait 30 seconds then having prewarmed the teapot with hot water pour the water from the kettle into the teapot over the Loose leaf tea inside, as many heaped tea spoons full as tea cups is the benchmark PLUS one tea spoon for the pot
Allow the pot to stand so that the tea may infuse with the water, the longer the stronger is the watchword for the waiting time,
I warm the cups before pouring but that is not vitally important, place the tea strainer over the cup and pour the brewed tea into the cup, then add sweetner, a nice demerara is acceptable or a very few sugar lumps. if you must then add milk never cream, it detracts from the taste of the tea, frankly milk in tea is barbaric in my opinion.
Enjoy the soft clinking of the tea spoon as it stirs your tea then with a hot buttered crumpet to hand sip then swallow the amber nectar.
Used tea leaves have a number of household uses what they must NEVER be used for is a second brew.
Do make sure that whoever washes the tea things that they avoid strong smelling soaps and that they rinse everything properly in clean hot water.

Or alternatively, a good sized china mug, add a builders best tea bag, whatever sweetener suits you and a splash of semi skimmed. Gob it down as you work or relax and repeat process, say 10 to 15 times a day. It will keep you going all day.
Most of the night too, getting up for a pee. Nothing beats it.

Thank you Jarndice for the extensive instructions and admonitions over tea bags.

If possible, I would like to add an extra? Our stainless tea pot is never washed, only rinsed. It now has a nice caking of old tea residue which helps mature the taste.

Also, for an Australian touch, you should boil the water in a billy over a camp fire beside a billabong. Throw the tea leaves in and towards the end, a eucalyptus leaf.

Thank you Mr jarndice for the in depth explanation.

But two pointers you missed out from the first ever cook book that explained the how's and why's to making good tea. Although I may have that wrong, it may have been a house keeping book.
Firstly, it is essential to warm the Bone China cups before pouring.
And two, only let the servants boil the water and bring the tea things. "And on no account allow the servants to make the tea."

I used to make loose leaf tea, but as I'm the only one that drinks tea these days, and I easily have a dozen cups a day, I made the transition to tea bags. Modern tea bags are a lot better than they used to be, but you still get a "film" on top when left too long in a cup.

[quote="jarndice"]
I warm the cups before pouring but that is not vitally important"


As to allowing ones servants to make ones tea I would suggest it depends who in ones entourage is entrusted with that delicate duty,
Of course the secret is discovering a member of ones staff whose tea making skills match ones palate,
My youngest daughter met all the requirements but obviously out of spite she went and grew up and moved out to share a house with some flipatagibit she calls her husband who never ceases to point out what a cracking cup of tea she makes.

Estnische wrote:Thank you Jarndice for the extensive instructions and admonitions over tea bags.

If possible, I would like to add an extra? Our stainless tea pot is never washed, only rinsed. It now has a nice caking of old tea residue which helps mature the taste.

I do ensure that all the tea making utensils are properly washed and dried BUT my Coffee mug since day one over 30 years ago has only ever been washed by holding it under a running cold water tap.
It has accrued a fine patina and if anything happened to that mug I would be lost
This is where I have to add that I percolate real ground Coffee not the instant muck that seems to be the norm today.