On the British Isles, there’s a debate that has torn communities for many generations. A traditional quarrel that comes up in many pubs around the UK is the following: What is the best way to prepare a cup of tea? And there’s no doubt what the biggest point of contention is…
The Milk Debate – Before or After?
Probably the most controversial aspect of making the perfect “cuppa” is deciding which point of the process to add the milk.
Let’s put our British hats on for a second. If one were to drink tea with milk in it – then do you add the milk before you add the tea bag? Or, do you let the tea steep first before adding a dollop of the white stuff?
There is a growing community of tea drinkers who argue that adding milk first will make it easier to control the strength of the tea.
However, most tea “purists” believe that adding milk after the brewing process is the best way to go. Why? Because the tea leaves are a vital component of this hot drink. They simply won’t infuse properly if milk is added to the mix beforehand.
So Which Way is the Right Way?
In short, there’s no objectively correct way. We think that each tea drinker has the right to add milk to their tea at whatever stage suits them. But in our humblest opinion – we think that the tea should be taken care of first. Call us old-fashioned – but that’s how we like it.
The fact that the British even put milk in their tea is a whole other story. Apparently, the first person who did it wanted to keep the tea cool and stop the mug from cracking. Sounds pretty logical to us.
Plenty of Tea Topics to Argue About
Many other tea-based debates sprout up in British society. For example, everyone seems to have their own opinion on what temperature the water should be.
Also, how long should the tea bag stay in the water before it has sufficiently brewed? And what is better – a traditional tea bag or the loose-leaf variety? As you can see, for many British people, tea is more important than life and death.