Tea Recipe

Boil Water

Pour 2 cups of fresh cold water into a kettle or pot. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat (about 3–5 minutes depending on heat source).

Warm Teapot or Cup (optional)

If desired, pour a small amount of the boiling water into the teapot or cup, swirl to warm, then discard the water. This helps keep the brewed tea hot longer.

Steep Tea

Place 1 tablespoon of loose black tea (or 1 tea bag) into the warmed teapot or directly into your cup. Pour the boiling water over the tea. Cover and steep for 3–5 minutes: 3 minutes for a lighter cup, 4 minutes medium, 5 minutes for strong. If using a teapot, use a lid to maintain temperature.

Strain Tea (if using loose leaves)

If you used loose tea in a teapot, pour the brewed tea through a strainer into your cup to catch the leaves. If you used a tea bag, remove and discard the bag after steeping.

Sweeten

Add 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar or 1 teaspoon of honey to the hot tea. Stir until fully dissolved. Adjust sweetness to taste.

Add Milk or Lemon

For milk tea: add 2 tablespoons of milk (or more to taste) and stir. For lemon tea: add 1 slice of fresh lemon instead of milk (do not combine milk and lemon).

Final Taste Check

Taste and adjust: add more sweetener, milk, or steep longer next time for stronger flavor. Serve immediately while hot.

Discard used tea leaves or tea bag and rinse the teapot, strainer, and cup. Wash with warm soapy water or place in dishwasher if dishwasher-safe.