How To Brew Tea Just Like Queen Elizabeth
If you love keeping up with everything about the U.K.'s royal family, then you've likely given some thought to a few things surrounding Queen Elizabeth's day to day. From what she carries in her purse to how she takes her tea, these are the details you just need to know. While we might never know without a doubt which blend of Twinings Tea the queen loves most, the man responsible has opened up about her morning cuppa.
Apparently, the Twining family was given a royal warrant in 1837 by Queen Victoria, and they've been serving the monarch ever since, according to Food & Wine. That job does come with some conditions, of course. "The first rule of doing business with the Royal households is of course confidentiality," explained Stephen Twining, director of corporate relations for Twinings Tea. However, he did divulge how to make tea just like Queen Elizabeth takes it.
This is how Queen Elizabeth's tea is brewed
According to Twining, Queen Elizabeth's tea starts out by heating water in the tea kettle to warm the vessel up (via Food & Wine). After that, he empties and refills the kettle and heats it again until the water boils. Next, pour the hot water over the tea bag in the cup and let it steep for precisely four minutes to make the perfect cup of black tea. The fact that the water must be boiling and added to the tea bag rather than placing the tea bag in the hot water is very important, according to Food.
Twining points out that, "in tea, color is not flavor." So, make sure you time how long the tea steeps rather than looking at the depth of color that the tea presents in the cup. The queen also prefers her cup with milk, but no sugar in the morning, per Taste of Home. Though Twinings didn't confirm it, the queen is said to love Earl Grey tea. However, she is also said to prefer Darjeeling tea for an afternoon pick-me-up.