what goes first?

[jillybean]

when you make a cup of tea do you add the milk before the water or after, and does it make a difference??

[paul3vanz]

i was told by someone that you should pour the milk in last, as you want the temperature of the water to boil the teabag more to bring out the flavour. he said that coffee is the other way round. you add the milk in first, because you don't want the water to burn off the oils that give it flavour. could be a load of twoddle, but it does seem like a sound idea.

[beenee]

After, so that you can give the tea a chance to strengthen itself. Makes sense with a tea bag as osmosis would presumably be easier in water than in water thickened with milk.

Yes, I haven't mastered the science of it but this makes sense.

[andy hughes]

I always put the milk, sugar and teabag in together. Then I can guage the colour of the tea before i take the bag out, sintead of trying to guess. Works for me.

[Jamie Lewis]

You should always add it after. Pouring boiling water onto cold milk can affect the taste of the milk. Also the milk is designed to cool the tea so should therefore be added after the water. Also you should never ever ever ever have sugar in tea. Well that's what my Gran used to tell me anyway.

[thekraut]

I always thought it was some english tradition first to put the milk and then the tea. but thats only if you have your tea made the traditional way: by your butler, in a pot from no-bag tea. If you use teabags and make your tea cupwise it's considered legal to add the milk after the tea (or so I was told). And what about the story of that german spy in england who was caught because he had added milk to the tea?

[Greedyfly]

This is a part of the country thing - I think. Every one I know from the South puts milk in first but now in thre North everyone I know puts milk in last?

[Wee Kaz]

Defo milk in last, looks horrible otherwise although admitedly tastes the same either way. I have a few relies living in England and they put the milk in first so I think it is an english thing

[blythkeith]

The tea needs boiling water to release all the flavor components, oils and whatnot. Then the milk goes in.

[aloha]

Granny Min told me that the reason that people put the milk into the teacup first was to protect the very fine china from cracking due to sudden temperature change.