I am extremely fussy about my tea. And yes, I take it every afternoon.

Of course it is preferable to source some great leaves and and brew your tea in a fine china pot with equally fine cups and saucers. But, let’s face it, most of the time it so much more convenient to just pop a bag in a mug and add water. It’s what I do.

However, this does not mean that you need to compromise too much on quality. You really can enjoy a perfectly good cuppa with a bag. You just need to follow two rules: a good tea bag and the three-minute wait.

Ready

• 1 bag per cup of Yorkshire Gold tea
• Boiling water
• Milk
• Sugar (optional)

Set

• Kettle
• Mug
• Teaspoon
• Watch or timer

Go

1. Boil the water (no shortcuts please — it has to be boiling water)
2. Pour the water on to the tea bag.
3. Using your watch or timer, leave the bag in the mug for three minutes precisely. Don’t stir during this seeping process. And don’t squeeze the tea bag when you remove it. This will make the tea a little bitter.
4. Add a little milk and sugar if you like

What you should know

Milk and sugar should play secondary roles to the tea. If you are accustomed to having your tea very milky and with anything more than half a teaspoon of sugar, try cutting back on each. Your tea should be something like the color of oiled teak.

And if you are wondering why Yorkshire Gold, I moved to this brand following a suggestion from a celebrated tea importer and entrepreneur based in Southern California. He asserts this is the finest tea to be had in a bag. It is widely available but, if you struggle, try the Internet. In the US you can get it from The English Tea Store.