I have forgot the very basics "HELP"

[mad fridgie]

I have been for many years a coffee drinker, but recently I was in hospital, and the coffee tasted like dish water, so i drank the "Tea" lovely jubbly, nothing flash, came out of a massive tea pot. As an apprentice i was taught and now forgot how to make a nice cup of tea. "How long should the tea bag be in?, when do add the milk?"
I am using a mid quality mass produced tea bag, (PG equivilent, I think)
Help this lost sole get back on the right track!

[Tesla]

Hi Mad
I was taught by my Nana and she would only use leaves but I do enjoy my tea and find it difficult to get leaves and now use bags. This is how I brew it.
Boil the jug, put the hot water into the cup with the tea spoon and stir. This is just to preheat for 10 or 20 seconds. Then empty out the water from the cup. Put tea bag into cup and sweetener (I use honey) add the hot (not boiling water), stir and brew for two to three minutes. Squeeze out tea bag and remove. Add milk to cup, stir and enjoy.
My favorite tea is twinnings afternoon tea. It is best not to add boiling water and preheat the cup to get a nice hot cuppa especially from that cold place where you live.
If you should use a tea pot preheat the cup and pot and use a tea cosey to keep it hot.
I hope you have recovered from your hospital visit.

[mad fridgie]

Thanks Tesla, now its coming back, I shall give that a try.
Smoking, Rich Food, Stress, No excersise, Drinking, I do not understand why I had a problem. Doc says give all this up and suck on a few pills everyday then I should be OK. Funny thing was I rang the health line for a bit of info, they sent an emergency ambo, to pick me up. The officers ran in looking for this near dead person, I was outside having smoke in the van.

[mikeref]

:)Yes Tesla. have to agree on the preheated cup. Many years ago my dad used the tea leaf in the pot and cosey. Add several teaspoons of dried leaf, ( depends on size of pot ), then add just shy of boiling water. Let it sit on a wooden preparation board for 3 minutes then spin the pot slowly around three times in the same direction before pouring into preheated,(as you said above), cup... These days, i use the" Bushells" bag and let it "mature" a little before removing and adding honey instead of sugar.. Gees mad. I hope you are o.k?? Sounds like you need some time off to recover!! I use the slow winter period to unwind and relax.!!:). Have you heard of Bowen Therapy? You and Goober should check it out.. Mike.

[Tesla]

Yes Mike your right - it's coming back now spin the pot three times and one spoon of leaf for each cup and one for the pot. Mad I wrote the first post with a cuppa and smoke, this one is with a smoke and a beer lol. I had a scare like you about five years ago when I left NZ permanently but lost my patience after four hours waiting for the results at hospital and left. I wish you well and hope you will chill out, take a break and do what you want because life is too short.

[desA]

Herbal teas can be great.

Certain medicinal herb teas offer a degree of brain relaxation. :)

[MikeHolm]

They want you to give up beer????? I can see the smokes and the bad food (Fire retardant in McDees frying oil gave me colon cancer). The most important thing I learned was that if someone screamed about not having their cooling when they wanted it...that it is not on the list of lifes physical necessities and, as you guys in the the UK say, "I WON"T BE ARSED TO GET THERE ON A SUNDAY" (bit different if the pipes are freezing).

A nice little waterfall in the back yard, good newspaper or book and the aforementioned cuppa will do you good. And get on a bike. Cheers,