My Perfect Cuppa

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Call me plain, but my personal perfect cuppa is a breakfast blend with a dash of milk and a lump of brown sugar. It might be rather basic, but it hits the spot for me every time.

My first introduction to hot tea was the first time we visited England in 2012. I’d had a hot cuppa tea every once in a while during my childhood if I was sick, but for the most part, Texas is a purely iced tea culture. It’s also rather hot here most of the time, so hot beverages aren’t much of a hit (although I constantly point out that folks will drink hot coffee no matter the temperature, so why should hot tea be any different?).

Jump to 2012. My husband (boyfriend at the time) and I were in England, kicking off a month-long trip. The short version is that we were in England for a week and were then boarding the Titanic Memorial Cruise to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. We would stop by Ireland and Nova Scotia before docking in New York. From there, we would head to Salem, Mass., and then down to Florida to visit my dad. For the long version, check out our travel blog here.

But first, England.

Right. We were staying with my cousin who’s husband was stationed at the same base that our grandfather was (meaning that both of our parents also lived in the same small town. How cool is that?). I think it was our second dinner out where I gave hot tea a go for the first time. I was leery about putting milk in it but figured, when in Rome right? Or England in this case.

I tried it plain, then with sugar, and then added milk. BAM. It’s like a door blew open and a whole new world appeared before my eyes. I was in—tea for life.

Brown Sugar

I put brown sugar cubes in my tea as opposed to white. While we were in England, I noticed that most tea settings had both white and brown sugar cubes. I’d had the white, so I figured I’d try the brown also. A few years later, while with friends in Ireland, I was told that white sugar is for tea and brown is for coffee. The friend who was telling me this was from Ireland and had tea every day. She had never once put brown sugar in it. She tried it and was surprised at how much she liked it. It seemed I’d caused something of a stir because over the course of the week, she was telling everyone that I drank my tea with brown sugar and how everyone needed to try it.

Personally, I think it adds such a depth of flavor to the tea that white sugar doesn’t. It’s not as sweet to me either, which I like. Combined with the milk, it gives breakfast blends a deep, well-rounded flavor. I use La Perruche because it was the only brand I could find in the States when we got home. There are quite a few brands available now, but I haven’t tried any of them.

Milk

Yes, I add a dash. I’m a sissy and don’t like too bitter a brew. I like the mellowness it brings to the flavor, but there is definitely a sweet spot. Too little and the bitterness overpowers everything. Too much and the tea becomes watery with no flavor. I usually base the perfect amount on the color of the tea. A creamy, rich brown is the perfect cuppa.

Order Of Operations

This might make me a monster to some. Everyone makes their cuppa differently, so don’t eat me alive if I do it ‘wrong.’ I don’t warm my cup. Living in Texas, especially during the summer, I don’t feel that it’s necessary. If it’s super cold in the winter, then yes, I’ll warm my cup by splashing hot water in it first. But usually, I skip this step.

I put my teabag in the mug and then pour hot water over it. After steeping, I add my sugar cube, and then the milk last. I don’t know why I must do sugar and then milk, but it really bothers me if I do milk and then sugar. I’d love to hear how you make a cuppa, so let me know in the comments!

Favorite Breakfast Blends

I do have one stand-out favorite, but I’ll pretty much drink any breakfast blend you put in front of me. My favorite to date is one that I bought while in Scotland. It was so good that I distinctly remember tasting it and then double-checking the tin to see what I’d bought. The flavor was so rich and smooth and I haven’t found another one like it since. It’s Brodies Scottish Breakfast and is absolutely delicious. If you’d like to try it for yourself, you can buy some here.

A few of my favorites include:

• Titanic Tea by Thompson Family Teas – I received this tea as a gift when we visited Ireland and it would hold the top spot if I hadn’t tried Brodies. It is an Irish breakfast blend that is full-bodied and rich in flavor.
• Grantham Breakfast Blend by The Republic of Tea. Yes, this a Downton Abbey tea. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It is organic Assam black tea with ginger, and it is to die for. (It looks like the newest version of this tea doesn’t have ginger. I guess I’ll have to give it a try!)

What’s your perfect cuppa?

That’s my perfect cuppa. I’d love to know what yours is! There are so many different flavors and types to choose from and there are so many that I haven’t tried yet. Hit me with any recommendations you think I should check out!
Cheers,
Lydia