Tea - milk in first or afterwards? Part 2

[Cortina]

Ok, so I ate humble pie with my colleague and Mumsnet wisdom was that I was wrong about the milk going in afterwards in tea

My wonderful Granny told me about the 'sin' of putting milk in first from when I was a very young child and I wondered how I could have got it so wrong?

Then she sent me this from the Telegraph Weekend section :

Take the everyday act of pouring someone a cup of tea. As far as I was taught, the world is divided into those who pour the milk in first and those who pour it in after the tea. If there are three people sitting together and one of them pours the milk in first, the other two will give each other a knowing look. It's a posh version of the Masonic handshake.

And so it goes on..

So I can revert to Granny, I think someone said that milk goes in first if making a singular mug or cup of tea? And second if making a pot? I think I was told that it goes in second, always, because some may take tea without milk? And that's where it sprang from?

I have not got a clue, but in this day of tea bags and the fact that I always make myself a cup of tea not a pot then the milk goes in second because I have discovered milk with a teabag in doesn't make a very nice or useful cup of tea. But it would make sense for the milk to go in first when doing a pot of tea.

Don't ask me though as I am a heathan!

Tea tastes less bitter if the milk goes in first I read - Also

"Put chilled milk in your ceramic mug FIRST. Milk proteins degenerate and taste stale if they are heated above 75 degrees centigrade. The milk first method allows the chilled liquid to cool the hot tea, rather than vice versa."

"At high temperatures, milk proteins - which are normally all curled up foetus-like - begin to unfold and link together in clumps. This is what happens in UHT [ultra heat-treated] milk, and is why it doesn't taste as good a fresh milk."

But apparently that's not correct, that's the thing.

Who cares I know, but I was convinced I must be wrong about that. Apparently not. I think it used to be something that was considered 'incorrect' but it must have been back in the mists of time.

"But apparently that's not correct, that's the thing."

Based on what evidence?

One can't argue with the science of it surely? re: heating up the milk / altering the taste.

I think the Victorian way was to put the tea and milk in at the same time although that must be hard to get the correct strength?

I wouldn't make a single cup of tea milk in first though due to the strength and steeping action.

These day's I tend to drink a good quality loose green tea so milk isn't an issue!

Meh.

I always put the milk in first if using a pot because the tea has brewed enough in the pot to make the tea strong enough. Cant resist giveing the tea bags a little swirl and squish first though before pouring to make sure it is strong enough. my mum does the same.

BUT you must, must, must put the milk in second if you are using a bag in a mug othewise the tea cannot brew in the boiled water because the temperature is too low for it to steep out and then goes an awful grey colour (are you reading this big sis who always puts it in first yuk!)

must now go and test my theory

Well that's the thing, hasoshiji, not sure? It was how I was brought up, it was non U, like settee rather than sofa, Pudding rather than dessert and so on.

I was beginning to wonder if dear Granny had got it wrong and then she sent me this from the Telegraph when I dared challenge her! I think it might be about some taking lemon tea in polite society? Thinking back to The Importance of Being Earnest etc I don't think the milk would go in first, lemon tea is an option etc. Telegraph says, so it must be true ,:

Take the everyday act of pouring someone a cup of tea. As far as I was taught, the world is divided into those who pour the milk in first and those who pour it in after the tea. If there are three people sitting together and one of them pours the milk in first, the other two will give each other a knowing look. It's a posh version of the Masonic handshake.

Oops I mean dessert rather than pudding! I