Tea was created in China more than 5,000 years ago. The refreshing drink first appeared in Europe in 1560 and by the middle of the 18^th century it had become Britain’s most popular beverage, replacing ale and gin as the drink of choice.

Approximately 90 per cent of the tea drunk in Britain is known as the popular brand leading blends – the type of tea that you can buy in most supermarkets or shops. Each popular brand has its own recipe and it’s the job of a tea taster to ensure that their company’s blend meets all the criteria. It takes at least five years to become a taster and they can sample up to 1,000 teas a day.

98 per cent of people take milk in their tea and the delicious drink has a number of health benefits. It is said to be good for cardiovascular heart disease and cancer prevention and is a natural source of fluoride that can help protect against tooth decay and gum disease. It also contains half the amount of caffeine found in coffee, and a maximum of four cups a day should be drunk for optimum benefit.

Ralph Lutton is the managing director of Brodies in Edinburgh, a company with over 130 years experience in the art of roasting coffee and blending tea. He shares his secrets on how to make the perfect cup of tea:

 Ingredients

• Use a good quality loose leaf or bagged tea
• This must be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature
• Always use freshly drawn boiling water
• In order to draw the best flavour out of the tea the water must contain oxygen - this is reduced if the water is boiled more than once

 Method:

1. Measure the tea carefully
2. Use one tea bag or one rounded teaspoon of loose tea for each cup to be served
3. Allow the tea to brew for the recommended time before pouring
4. If you are brewing tea from a bag in a mug add the milk last for the best flavour

TEA TIPS

• For more information on Brodies and the tea they make see the website
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