A Nice Cup of British Tea or How a British Tea Shop Should Be

 It is a sad fact that in Japan a truly satisfying cup of English tea is something of a rare thing.  I found myself dreaming the other night about the chink of bone china and the noise tea makes as you pour.  I could almost taste the real amber nectar.  I can smell that wonderful earthy aroma from a hundred yards away.  The day I met a very special person once in Kensington London we had tea together. On a happy day we had afternoon tea at the Savoy in London; it is one of the most wonderful memories I have. On that day she looked like a Princess enhanced no doubt by the beautiful surroundings and tea service.

The local supermarket here stocks a number of teas.  Specialty teas are popular such as those produced by Twinnings.  Other so called English brands that are not particularly well known can be found intermitently.  If I could set up a tea shop  I could probably increase their sales by 100% by reselling them with expert advice.  Where they fall down is by not selling bog standard (but excellent) teas such as Red Label or PG Tips.  British blended black tea of any flavour or strength is conspicuous by its absence.  Two varieties of Lipton teas are available and they are the nearest thing to the real deal but still not 100% and not supplied loose.  This tea is supplied in tiny pleated tea bags.  I recently received two packets of PG Tips and when I tasted this tea it was like getting a real taste of home – not to mention a real cuppa.

For some reason the perception or image of tea here is associated with the British aristocracy rather than the great British tea drinking masses.   We all know the Queen loves a nice cup of tea in a china mug but it is us commoners that drink most of it.   So how about ‘British Milk Tea’?  Everywhere there are vending machines that dispense an ice cold, milky, sugary, tea tasting drink, called Royal Milk Tea and you can even get a bag of this concoction in the supermaket in an instant version.  The advertising informs you that British people drink this stuff all the time; and horror of horrors actually prefer it to any other kind of tea.  Where is the Japanese Advertising Standards Authority?  On very hot days I drink it in preference to fizzy drinks like Coca Cola and it reminds me of the tea I used to have as a child in a pale slightly translucent plastic beaker with a lid.  In my family we used to call this lukewarm, sugary, offering ‘Dinky Tea’.  I have dubbed this drink ‘Royal Milk Tea Flavoured Drink’.  I am hoping they might make a sugar free version then it would approximate an extremely milky tea flavoured drink with the benefit of being kinder to my teeth.  According to the Japanese advertisers British people also drink gallons of apple tea which is a refreshing alternative.

Tea is available in Mr Donut here amongst other chains.  In case you don’t know Mr Donut is a place where you don’t have to feel guilty about eating more than one donut.  The donuts on offer are not just jam and custard filled but have things like curry and all kinds of wicked fillings for those who desire instant weight gain or a complete donut meal.  The tea on offer is Lipton but they insist on serving it in an unwarmed pot with coffee whitener despite having ice cold milk in the fridge.  (I once charmed the manager to let me have some) I have been forced to bring my own carton of milk in order to make the tea properly.  The good news is that the milk here is excellent (a lot better than in the US where it is a real problem to find anything good (unprocessed) enough to put in tea!) and almost as good as in the UK.  Please note people of the UK that UK milk is the envy of the world so don’t mess that particular institution up (bad enough that it no longer comes in recycled glass bottles delivered on eco-friendly electric milk floats!).

There are tea shops here in Japan but I have found that there is always something not quite right or even badly wrong.  It is as if someone in the future has tried to recreate an English traditional teashop from artefacts that they happened to have dug up from all over Europe or the USA and jumbled these together in one room.  I am reminded of a scene from the cult Woody Allen film ‘Sleeper’ where the exact pupose of items from our time have been been forgotten or assumed to be for something other than their original purpose.  The result of these efforts is usually a well meaning mess as if someone read a book on how to create tea shop ambience and over did it by the bucket load.  You often find coffee cups instead of tea cups and tea pots that have lids that fall off.  The tea is normally too weak and the pot has not been warmed (I always check the lid).  Bags are used in preference to loose tea.  I end up feeling (and sometimes sounding) like Gordon Ramsey in a nightmare restaurant. ‘Did you see that?’  I may sound a bit picky but it’s a cultural thing and I think some things should be done right.

 The music in these tea shops is usually what I term ‘queasy listening’ and therefore somewhat annoying or American Rock.  I prefer Jazz or non-orchestral classical music but carefully selected music from the 50s and 60s is also very pleasant.  Music should never drown out conversation but rather bubble pleasantly in the background to help create the atmosphere to encourage it.

Furnishings should be simple, tasteful and comfortable.  There should be some nooks and crannies if possible.  I prefer to think in terms of zones for different tea drinkers.  One of the best tea shops I have known had several old pine kitchen tables, wooden desks, and a multitude of odd chairs and felt very cosy.  I like the idea of a teashop being a bit Victorian in character rather than looking like a transport cafe.

Pastries, cakes and snacks and sandwiches in Japanese tea shops are usually better than the tea on offer.    However, there really does not seem to be much interest in doing the thing properly using authentic materials and equipment (easily available from China).  This is dissapointing as Japanese people are missing out on an authentic experience and currently accepting a very poor excuse for tea shops as a substitute.

So how do you know you are in a good tea shop?  There are a number of things to look out for to save yourself from bad tea and a poor tea drinking environment.   Firstly, observe carefully how the tea is handled and stored.  Is the tea being treated with proper reverence and respect.  If respect is being shown to the tea it should be stored in opaque airtight containers in subdued light.  Look for the range of teas.  There should be a good range of teas catering for a wide spectrum of tastes. If you are in the right place they will not be using tea bags.  Look at how the water for the tea is being handled.  Is it freshly boiled water or something approaching super heated steam from a boiler.  Observe if the teapot is warmed. Is the milk real milk and ice cold.   Is any food you have ordered to accompany your tea fresh well presented. Is everything clean?  What is the atmosphere like?

How do you make an acceptable cup of tea at home and how and where you should drink it.

You will need:

Loose Tea (a British or Irish blend is best) 1 heaped teaspoon per person (per 8 oz of water) plus one for the pot. If you have to slum it and use tea bags bear in mind that British style 3.1 gram teabags have 50% more tea and are larger to allow room to brew than US style string and tag 2.1 gram teabags – so use two per person.

An electric or stove-top Kettle.  These boil the water faster and do not deoxygenate the water too much.  Tea must be boiling.  European style electric kettles made by Tefal are available in Japan.

 Do not use the microwave to heat water for tea or be tempted to reheat cold tea in it.

Water.  Use freshly drawn water.  If your tap water does not taste good your tea will not either.  At the very least run the tap a little to get more highly oxygenated water from the main supply.  Use a water filter such as those made by Brita to improve the taste.  Do not use distilled, mineral, previously boiled, or water that has been left to stand as it will not be sufficiently oxygenated to release the full flavour of the tea.   Do not microwave water for tea as it will get deoxygenated and the taste will be impaired.

A Teapot.  These come in all shapes and sizes.  I have managed to break two since being in Japan and cannot find a good traditional replacement anywhere.  My Preference is a French Press style pot that has the advantage of allowing tea leaves space to brew and you can terminate brewing with a plunge. 

When choosing a tea pot three things are essential.

1. It holds sufficient water to allow near boiling water to circulate and tea to brew 

2. It retains heat (this drawback in the case of stainless steel pots can be overcome by the use of a tea cosy)

3. It allows tea to be poured without spillage or the top falling off. 

No matter what type of tea pot is used it is essential to warm the pot.

Milk.  This should be of good quality.  There is an age old debate whether to put the milk in first.  The most persuasive argument for adding the milk to the tea is that there is less risk that the milk will be denatured by heat as some of this will have dissipated by adding the tea to the cup.  I will risk everything by suggesting it makes little discernable difference.

Tea Cups If you are not using bone china be sure to warm your cup first – even if you put your milk in first.

Now You are Ready to Make the Tea 

Step 1

Boil the water using more water than you need.

Step 2

Before the water is quite boiled pour some into the teapot to warm the pot.

As with most things opinion is divided regarding the way to do this.  Some prefer to pour some of the near boiling water into the pot. Others use hot water from the tap.

Step 3

Discard the pot warming water and put a teaspoon of loose tea in the pot for each person plus one for the pot.  If you are using tea bags then use the same ration of British tea bags (if using American teabags double it)

Step 4

Pour the water on to the tea leaves and put on the cosy.  Leave the tea to brew for a minute then give it a quick stir or gentle swirl.  Tea should be allowed to brew for 3-5 minutes only otherwise over brewing will result in bitter tasting tannin that will ruin the flavour (some people like this)

Step 5

Pour the tea slowly into the cups savouring the rich aroma of the freshly made brew

 Step 6

Take time to enjoy your tea especially when you are with others you love and if it is good don’t forget to say ‘That was a lovely cup of tea I wouldn’t another cup’.

Please let me know if you would like to back (provide the funding for) the first ‘real tea’ British tea shop in Okinawa, Japan.  You will be introducing something extremely British to Japan and doing Britain no harm in the process.  Support Britain and British culture.  Maybe one of the British tea companies might be interesting in establishing this cultural outpost? Please help if you can, whoever you are ,or wherever you may roam, there’s no taste like home.  I am sure that, once it is established, it would become a major chain.