How to make a cup of tea

Like all great inventions of humankind, history of tea also started with something accidentally falling from a tree. Yes, Newton’s apple was not the only great achievement that came into this world in such a way. It is rumored that some Chinese dynast was sitting under a tree while his servant was boiling water for him. Some tea leaves flew and got brewed with the water therefore making a drink called tea. Though this story was supposed to happen thousands of years BC, it’s still a lovely one to discuss over the said drink!

In Bangladesh, tea is kind of an everyday drink. Though from every household to every street corner one will find this liquid divinity, none of my parents were tea drinkers and I had no older siblings, so I didn’t get to pick a teacup in my family. But my grandfather often came to visit our house and he loved my mother’s tea. If I requested him enough and be a good girl he would offer me some in a saucer. I was around 2 years old at that time and that was in fact one of my earliest memories. My mom didn’t allow me to have tea until I started to go to school. Hence I always wished for some guests to arrive in our house so that I can have some! Anyway, when I was 10 years old I learned to make it by myself and now I could have all the tea in the world.

I don’t even know what the big deal here is and why am I this obsessed with a simple drink. I started drinking tea to be kind of a rebel against my mother! But growing up with high pressure at school I had to pull a lot of late nighters. Tea helped me to stay awake for a long time.  As I grew up, I got habituated to it and drank around four or five cups of tea every day. If you’re thinking I’m addicted, you’re probably right.

Though everyone makes it differently, over the years I’ve mastered a technique of a good cup of tea. I used to make tea with dried tea leaves, however now I'm open to tea bags also. I used to have milk and sugar but I’ve been tapering my sugar intake for years and 6 months ago I’ve stopped consuming sugar completely. Now there is debate ongoing about whether to take whole milk, half and half or soya milk. I personally don’t like anything processed in my food as long as I can avoid it. If you don’t like milk in your tea, that’s completely ok, but if you are in search of low calorie items, I would still suggest you to go for whole milk.

I put some milk and dilute it with water and boil it for few minutes. After it has simmered for 3-4 minutes I put done or two tea bags in the milk and again simmer it for another 5 minutes.

The only thing left is to take a cup, put a strainer over it and drain the tea in the cup and I can enjoy.

With multiple varieties of tea leaves, different ways and methods to brew and over 3000 years of history, it is normal for a perfect cup to vary from person to person. Try out my one and let me know how this recipe turns out for you.

As the internet is arguing over how tea is equally harmful and beneficial for our health or how black tea is better that green tea one day and vice versa the next day, I’m going to make a cup for myself.