Tea Brewed to a T

Polly Browder’s letter (Jan. 12) regarding the proper preparation of tea is correct in most respects but with some important omissions. She overlooked mentioning the first step before pouring boiling water over the tea, and that is that the empty teapot must first be rinsed with boiling water. Tea is added, one teaspoon for each cup and one more for the pot. The pot (I prefer a crockery pot to the finest silver one) is covered with a cozy and allowed to steep.

The first cup (I also like to rinse the empty teacup with boiling water) is served to the person who likes his tea less strong and the last cup to the person who likes his tea the color of strong coffee.

I recall the time after World War II when my husband’s friends from India came to visit us in New York and I had to prepare my first high tea. My husband made the finger sandwiches, buttering the crustless bread, delicately added watercress to some, transparent cucumber slices to others. There was a white iced cake, cinnamon toast, plain toast and damson jam.

I bought a tin of tea from Schrafft’s, not knowing one brand of tea from another, but every time I entertained lifelong tea drinkers they never failed to remark that Schrafft’s tea was the best they had ever had. I still like to think that the proper preparation of the tea is what made it so good.

MAE FERRIS Los Angeles