The most British past time there is, tea-drinking, was introduced to our little island 358 years ago today.
Google have celebrated the anniversary with a classic Doodle on their home page of a Union Jack mug and the four classic ingredients.
As it turns out, scientists spent 180 hours perfecting the exact proportions and temperatures that these ingredients need to be in for the ‘perfect’ cuppa.
On this day in the 17th Century, an advert for tea was placed in a British publication, describing it as ‘China Drink’.
Haven’t we just made it our own. Research from City University found that nearly 70 per cent of Britons drink tea when faced with a dilemma.
It always helps Sherlock when he’s in a sticky situation:
So we better get this recipe just right.
Experts at the University of Northumbria’s School of Life Sciences spent 180 hours working on the formula – with a panel of volunteers consuming 285 cups for the experiment, the Sun reports.
Step 1: Add 200ml of boiling water to a tea bag in a cup and leave for two minutes
Step 2: Remove the tea bag and add 10ml of milk
Step 3: Add sugar (if you wish)
Step 4: Leave it for six minutes so it reaches the perfect temperature of 60C
*Note: Be careful not to leave it for too long – if it drops below 45C it will be past its best, ruining the “all round sensory experience”.
Tea has a deep historical context in the UK, impacting on social class, taxes, importing, smuggling and tradition. So let’s keep it up and stop the teabag sales from falling anymore!
I think you should just try out the recipe just so that their 180 hours weren’t for nothing.
