In regards to the "do you put the milk & suger in before or after the water", I don't think there is a wrong or right way, but it depends on how strong you like your tea. I like my tea very strong and I find if I put the milk in the cup before the water, it doesn't get as strong, so I do the milk last after I've gotten the tea dark enough for my tastes.

As you've seen from the other posters "iced tea" as we know it in he U.S is not that common in the U.K., and if you do find it, it may be made with herbal tea rather than "real" tea so you might want to ask about that before ordering it. Personally I don't like herbal tea and if that was what was offered, I'd ask for a soda if I didn't want a hot or alcoholic beverage.

Hmmm...I'm a milk in first tea drinker, too. And, love a bit of milk in my tea. With or without a touch of sugar. Still, I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned that not all teas are considered suitable for "the milk treatment." For example, Earl Grey tea is not. Instead, lemon is used if you want a little something in your Earl Grey.

Rebecka:

Which English tea exporters?

Liptons is an Anglo-Dutch company that owns, among other things, Good Humor ice cream and Dove soap. To the best of my knowledge, the tea it sells in the US is imported from Asia and packed in the US

Twinings is a Canadian-owned business. My memory is that they built a US plant around a decade ago (though I may be mistaken).

You might try your tea party along the 49th parallel.

Eliztrav, I have never heard that milk was not used in Earl Grey. In fact, I know many persons who favor Earl Grey and take milk with it.

Sandykins,
Maybe it was a regional thing! When I lived in Reading (Berkshire), I was told by many in no uncertain terms that Earl Grey was a "lemon" and not a "milk" tea. I found the same distinction when I was invited to tea in London. Of course, bottom line is that if someone wants to use milk in their Earl Grey, no "tea police" will appear out of the woodwork!

My problem was finding lemon for my tea. As a southerner I like lemon and sugar in my tea. The tea at the hotel breakfast has milk -- which I think I used on my cereal -- but no lemon. As I went about my day and would stop for a pot of tea I would BEG for lemon. One place had a lemon tea. YEA. Sugar was widely available. And since I was there in winter I didn't want iced tea.

I'm glad the people didn't think I was too weird for wanting lemon in my tea, but I do like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

What fun this post is! (bballmama--have your questions been answered?!)
I love lemon and sweetner in my iced tea (but not sweetea) and milk and sugar in my hot tea. I even like milk in my Earl Gray. My mother used to give us hot milk tea when we were kids to sooth upset tummies--so I was drinking it that way before I knew it was the "British" way to do it! One time on an airline (in the US) I asked for hot tea and didn't specify milk. The tea came to me with the lemon already in it. I asked then for milk and the flight attendant rather abruptly told me "well, I can't read your mind, now can I!" (I thought the lemon would be on the side) So she rather pointedly brought me back the same cup of tea with milk--and the lemon slice still floating in it. Learned my lesson! So, I feel right at home in Britain!

Earl Grey is flavoured with Bergamot, this doesn't go with milk per se, but if you like the taste of it with milk then take it with milk.

I always like my tea with lemon, as for an hotel not having lemon, I've never heard anything more ridiculous. I'm always presented with a sliced lemon, sometimes they even provide a single slice squeezer for me.

Rebecka - There is also better tea in Japan. And, I agree that what I have found in the rest of Europe tops the US. Now, all of a sudden I think I should pay more attention to where there is good tea and where there is not. So many places I can't remember. Ah, to learn to pay attention!

Does anyone have an opinion on tea quality in Canada vs USA? (Just curious.)

- Sharon

The tea from Safeways in Vancouver seemed all right to my London tastes last summer.

Rebecka, I wonder if it's US wholesalers or retailers who let stock get old on the shelves because there aren't the customers..?

Teabags purchased in the US also contain a whole lot less tea per bag. Twinings tea purchased in England is fantastic. Twinings tea purchased in the USA is a disappointment.

PatrickLondon, I'm glad the Canadian tea was fine for you. My son attends university in Canada. I'm going to have him bring some back on his next trip home from school... Christmas.

- Sharon

I bought two pounds (weight) of loose English Breakfast tea in Harrod's last week. I was worried that it would go stale soon, like coffee would, but the staff member assisting me assured me that tea has a much longer shelf life. She said that my tea would be good for at least two years. Another staff person agreed with her.
I remember that Ben Haines posted something awhile back about the tea museum in London. I don't know the URL anymore, but the information on that site was very interesting. It explained the process of making tea for tea bags, and if I remember correctly, likened the quality of tea from tea bags to that of instant coffee. There certainly is a big, big difference in the taste between tea from tea bags and tea made with loose tea. Could that be the difference that some of you are noticing?

A drink brewed with tea-bags is merely tea flavoured water.

A proper cup of tea must involve tea leaves and a tea-pot!

Another trick to improve the shelf life for tea is to keep it well-sealed on a freezer shelf.

- Sharon

Sharon, please don't take my experience as gospel. I have a very uneducated palate - or at least I prefer a strong and tannic brew of tea - and am fairly easily pleased! It's not a gourmet experience for me.

Patrick, that is what I suspect as well. However, the Twinings Earl Grey and Lapsang Souching I get here are usually quite good, although I have little doubt that the London versions are even better. Didn't know that Twinings is Canadian now? I enjoyed visiting their original 1707 tea shoppe on the Strand many years ago. Needless to say, I really stocked up while there.

m_kingdom2, you would be right home on the tea list of which I used to be a member. My admitting to using teabags there would probably have caused typhoon in a tea vat! Yes, loose tea is usually best, but there are some noteable exceptions. I ordered from online tea purveyor Adagio a couple of times and although the service and shipping sheep were excellent the tea was sometimes less stellar. On the other hand, a Russian tea company in Paris called Kousmichoff sells loose tea as well as tea in muslin bags, which are excellent. Their Russian Evening tea is outstanding for when you want just the clean taste of tea without any flavorings. Many specialty stores here in Boston carry the Kousmichoff teas and they are worth trying out.

I love my Earl Grey with milk and sugar or Splenda, thank you. The trick is not to add milk AND lemon together because that would make the tea undrinkable. As for milk-in-first, milk-in-last, no sugar, lemon, milk or no milk, who cares as long as it's a good cuppa.

I also have an amusing tale to share about the Bramah Tea Museum, but will save that for later.

Keep sipping!

OMG - I have just found this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3836279.stm

(you can tell it's a quiet Friday afternoon in this office).

Rebecka, I think Flanner is stretching it a bit to call Twinings Canadian-owned. Twinings is owned by Associated British Foods (ABF), which in turn is owned by Wittington Investments, the investment arm of the Weston family trust. The Weston family, which also owns Loblaws, Weston Bakeries and Neilson Dairies in Canada, were originally Canadians, but Galen Weston moved to the UK and formed the predecessor of ABF 75 years ago. Some of the beneficiaries of the trust live in Canada, some live in Britain.

And you are right that there is no necessary reason why tea in tea bags has to be less good than loose tea. Just that there are too many penny-pinching, less than scrupulous vendors that are able to get rid of tea leaf dust (and other filler?) by hiding it in tea bags.

PatrickLondon, I'll have my Patrick bring back one box of Twinings Earl Grey at Christmas. I am just so curious now. Besides, we are always sending him a little list of goodies to import from Canada, so he's used to the goodies shopping.

Now that he'll turn the legal drinking age in the states, we can finally get him to bring back some fresh Molson. There is nothing like stale beer!

Maybe you folks think we are a bit weird, but I find that we try items in our travels and like to enjoy them again. By the way, HP sauce purchased in the states is not the real thing... It's very liquidy and bottled in New Jersey. Ugh!

- Sharon

I suppose I was being posh without knowing it then -- I always added my milk after the tea was properly steeped to a very dark, tannic color. Just a little milk, no sugar, no lemon. Didn't matter the brand -- (except herbals)...

However, I have definitely noticed I only like tea on a regular, daily basis when I'm in the UK/Ireland. (haven't traveled anywhere else in Europe YET). The tea in the US always left me cold, now I know why!

Another thing definitely different in the US compared to the UK -- Cadbury chocolate!!!!! The UK is SOOOO much better!!!!! Hershey's makes the stuff in the US, and they de-cream it for the American palate -- the dastards!!