The Royal Debate:
To Add Milk before you pour tea or to add milk after we pour the tea. This has been debated for many years and experts have a divided opinion about it.
The British way of having tea has been pursued by many tea-drinking nations across the world. The ultimate secret was revealed by the Queens Royal Butler. Yes, none other than Mr Grant Harrold, her personal butler shared the Queen's preference.
The insight into the monarch’s tea-drinking habit was startling. The Queen prefers to pour her tea and then add milk if she is having tea with milk. Grant also mentioned that the royal kitchen followed this 18th-century-old tradition, according to him the “proper” way of brewing tea has been to serve tea before milk, and this is what is followed by the British royalty.
The tradition dates back to when the renowned English potter created bone china teacups. The bone china teacups became popular as it did not crack when tea was poured into them, they are known for its quality which comes with an impressive price tag. However, people who could not afford to buy bone china continued to pour milk into their teacup first. The debate of pouring the tea first or the milk became a status issue among the British.
Speaking about the Queen’s favourite teas, Grant revealed that “the Queen enjoys her Assam tea, Darjeeling Tea or her Earl Grey the traditional way, made with tea leaves in a teapot and poured into fine bone china teacups. She also uses a strainer. “
Queen-Elizabeth-drinks Assam and Darjeeling tea
Her Majesty's tea-drinking preferences and habits have been revealed
Her butler revealed the steps that are taken to prepare tea for Her Majesty.
- Pour the tea into the cup from a teapot,
- Add milk to the cup after the tea and never before
- Stir back and forth (never use a circular motion and never touch the sides).
- Lastly, you should always sip from the cup and never slurp from the teacup.
Photo credit: Hello Magazine