by Emily Lewis

Tea is a great alternative to coffee, especially on cold winter nights when you would prefer not to have any caffeine. There are various types of teas, and lots of ways to customize them as well. I’ve been in love with tea for a few years, and through my dozens of cups of tea, I’ve found the perfect way to make it.

Things You’ll Need:

• A cup or mug — find one that has a cool design or shape!
• Tea bags — There are a lot of types of teas, so if you are just starting out, I recommend box with multiple flavors to try out which one you like the most. My favorites are chamomile, oolong and simple black tea. Celestial Seasonings is a great brand with lots of flavors.
• Honey, sugar, artificial sweetener, or milk — There are lots of additives you can put in your tea; you’ll just have to find what you like. My favorites are honey and a bit of sugar.
• A spoon
• Either a Keurig or a kettle — Personally, I use my Keurig to get hot water. I used to use a kettle to boil water, but with my Keurig I get the exact amount of water I want.

Steps:

1. Begin by boiling your water. While it’s boiling, put some honey in the tea-cup. I learned from a cafe that putting the honey in before pouring the water gives the honey a better taste.
2. Once the water is boiling, pour it into your cup. Stir the water a bit to dissolve the honey.
3. Place the tea bag in your water, and stir it a bit with your spoon. You should only leave the tea bag in to steep for 3-6 minutes. Leaving it in for longer will cause unwanted flavors to come forth, making the tea more bitter.
4. Once you’ve steeped the tea for a few minutes, remove the tea bag and put a bit of sugar in the cup. Stir ’til dissolved and you’re done! I always wait a few minutes before drinking since it is quite hot.

This is how I make chamomile tea. When I started drinking tea, I usually added a lot of sugar, before slowly decreasing the amount, similar to how people decrease the amount of cream in their coffee.

Enjoy making tea!