1. Take one tea bag

Most are filled with the right amount of dried tea to make one 8oz cup. Want strong tea? Put two tea bags in your cup.

2. Boil some water

Not too much, just a cup. You don't have all day.

 

    3. Pour that 8 ounces of boiling water into your cup

    Let the tea bag sink or float around (it's all good) in your cup for 5 minutes.  Four and a half minutes is o.k. and five and a half minutes is fine too, just do not stray too far from that range.  Just tell Siri, Google or Alexa to set a timer.

      tea bag in cup

        4. Time is up
        Toss that bag away.  Sure, you can use it again (in fact you have just decaffeinated it with that hot water) but why? It is a gangly mess on that counter and so affordable.  I, for one need that slow release caffeine in each cup.

          5. Enjoy!
          It’s still hot – so sip with caution. 

            tea milk sugar macarons

             

            What else? Black tea (English Breakfast, Darjeeling, Assam) is excellent with milk and sugar. Cream, no, don't be tempted. Cream is too fatty for this divine, light-bodied beverage.  How much milk and sugar do you add?  Better to add too little of each at first, then add in more – I would start with a tablespoon of milk and a teaspoon of sugar.