High tea drinks

A high tea progresses from light to full-bodied, and the tea follows along. Start light: a white or green tea has little body and won’t get in the way of the first, delicate bites. Serve something more robust with the scones, such as a black tea or Earl Grey; it has enough tannins to hold its own against clotted cream and jam, which can overwhelm a light tea. Finish with an herbal tea, such as mint, chamomile or rooibos, so there’s also something for anyone who no longer wants caffeine later in the afternoon. Serve a glass of bubbly at the beginning, not the end: it works as an opening, but halfway through it gets in the way of the tea.

Allow approximately 2 grams of loose-leaf tea per 20 cl cup, so a one-and-a-half-liter pot requires about 15 grams. It is better to brew two one-and-a-half-liter pots than one large one: tea that steeps for half an hour becomes bitter, no matter how well you cover it. Remove the leaves as soon as the steeping time is up, and top it up with hot water rather than making a fresh brew. Place the pot away from the snacks in its own corner of the table, so it does not sit cooling between the serving dishes, and put a tea cozy or a trivet with a warming plate underneath it.

Not every tea needs boiling water. Brew green and white tea at around seventy to eighty degrees, otherwise they become bitter and grassy; black tea and herbal tea can handle water just below boiling point. If you do not have a kettle with temperature control, pour boiling water into a jug and let it stand for two to three minutes; it should then be approximately right. Steeping time matters just as much: two minutes for green tea, three to four for black tea, and herbal tea can steep for longer.

A tea bag usually contains finely broken leaves that quickly release color and bitterness, but little aroma. Whole leaves need room to unfurl, and they only get that space in a pot or a roomy infuser. That is also why a tea ball with a narrow opening is disappointing: the leaves are packed in too tightly. Use an infuser that fills at least half the pot, or let the leaves float freely and strain them when pouring. Loose-leaf tea often costs no more per cup, because you can steep the same leaves a second time.

The best way to make iced tea is to cold-brew it: steep 10 grams of leaves in one and a half liters of cold water in the refrigerator for eight hours, then strain it. This produces a smoother, less bitter tea than brewing it hot and cooling it afterward, because cold water releases far fewer tannins. Pour it over large ice cubes, as small cubes melt so quickly that you will be drinking weak tea after ten minutes. A ready-made recipe can be found at iced tea.

A glass shows off the color and suits mint tea with a sprig in it or iced tea with lemon. A mug with a handle is more comfortable when the tea is really hot and when you stay seated for a long time, because you hold it differently. A practical solution is to put out both and let people choose for themselves; a set of six of each is more than enough for a table of eight. Double-walled glass stays cool on the outside; for that, see the double-walled glasses. Mixed sets can be found among the glass sets.