A Short History of the Afternoon Tea

How a late lunch and a long wait for dinner became a small daily ceremony. Most of it comes down to good water and a little patience.

Start with the water

A cup of tea is nearly all water, so whatever is in yours ends up in the cup. Filter it if the tap tastes of anything, and boil it only once.

Then give it time

Leaves need room and a few minutes to open. Taste as you go, and write down what you liked -- the next pot will be better for it.