Penny's Kitchen: Episode two; Mistresses Tea ( or; Tea, Earl Grey, Hot.)

I am an enthusiastic tea drinker. So much so that its almost religious to me. I have spent years looking for the ideal combination of elements culminating in the perfect cuppa every day. Now to be fair my lifestyle is such that I no longer make my own tea, but I did train my servent how to make it exactly the right way, and that knowledge was gained by years of trial and error, and by my 7 years as a professional barista. The very best ingredients make for the very best end product.

I start with a stainless steel 4.5 cup Teapot. I purchased it at a restaurant supply outlet in Boulder CO. It holds heat wonderfully, is just the right size for the amount of leaves I use and pours without a glug, which I like allot. The handle is shielded from heat and the whole thing is built to last.

To begin I boil 5 cups of water. I use a Bodum water boiler for this but a pot works just fine as well.

The tea I use is from a tea shop named KuCha. Their Organic Earl Grey is simply the most divine version of this classic tea I can find outside of Britain. It has subtle undercurrents and complex top notes. Just divine in every sense of the word.

While the water is on the boil I place one heaping teaspoon of leaves into my 2" tea ball infuser.

I set that into a little stainless bowl, ready to be used and dip a table spoon into a jar of the best honey in Colorado. Busy Bee Farm in Larkspur makes the most amazing pure honey I have ever had, plus its local so there is a benefit for allergies there as well. I dip a spoon in, let some roll off, spin it twice to keep it from dripping and place it into the teapot handle up.

Then pour the water into the teapot directly off the boil, one should pour directly onto the spoon with the honey causing the honey to melt and diffuse evenly through the pot. Mix lightly and remove the spoon. In goes the infuser, set a timer for three minutes. When three minutes has lapsed remove the diffuser and place it back into the bowl. I then add two tps of half and half. I use a stoneware teacup that holds two cups but I never pour more than half a cup in, thus preserving the heat and ensuring a piping hot cuppa every sip.

Hope you enjoy please feel free to ask any questions, have a lovely day!