Tea Recipe

Tea

1. 1

   Boil water

   Pour 4 cups of cold water into a kettle or saucepan. Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat (about 5–7 minutes depending on stove and kettle).

2. 2

   Steep tea

   Place 2 black tea bags into a heatproof teapot or large heatproof container. Once the water has boiled, pour it directly over the tea bags. Let the tea steep 3–5 minutes for medium strength. Steep 2–3 minutes for lighter tea or 5 minutes for stronger flavor.

3. 3

   Sweeten and flavor

   Remove the tea bags, gently pressing them once against the side with a spoon to extract liquid (avoid squeezing them hard to prevent bitterness). While the tea is still hot, stir in 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon honey until dissolved. Add 4 fresh mint leaves and stir briefly to release aroma.

4. 4

   Add milk or lemon (choose one)

   For milk tea: pour in 1/2 cup milk and stir to combine. Serve immediately. For lemon tea: omit milk and add 2 lemon slices to each cup or to the pot; stir and serve. Note: do not add lemon if you used milk (it will curdle).

5. 5

   Serve

   Ladle or pour the prepared tea into cups. If desired, garnish each cup with an extra mint leaf or a lemon slice. Offer extra sugar, honey, milk, or lemon at the table so guests can adjust to taste.

6. 6

   Iced variation

   To make iced tea: allow the brewed tea to cool to room temperature (15–20 minutes), then refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice and add lemon slices or a splash of milk and additional sweetener if desired.