A cup of tea please

 Morning reflection 

A SIMPLE CUP OF TEA, PLEASE!

Early morning is probably my favourite time of the day. The world is still quiet, the phone hasn't started demanding attention, and I can enjoy one of life's simple pleasures: a good cup of tea.

Now, I am quite particular about my tea. Nothing complicated. Tea leaves or a good old tea bag, plenty of hot water and just a little milk. And when I say a little, I mean a quarter teaspoon. Half a teaspoon, if I'm feeling particularly generous!

But I have noticed that people have some rather interesting ideas about how tea should be made.

Take the milk brigade, for instance. They pour in so much milk that the tea turns almost white. In fact, there is so little tea in it that I sometimes wonder whether the milk was introduced to the tea or the tea was merely invited to join the milk!

And then there is the other category. The spice brigade.

Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper, star anise, fennel, nutmeg and goodness knows what else. The entire contents of a spice cupboard seem to find their way into one saucepan.

And then comes the performance. Boil, strain, boil again, strain again. Add a little more ginger, perhaps another cardamom pod. By the time they are finished, I am not sure whether I am being offered a cup of tea or a bowl of curry!

Honestly, whatever happened to tea being just tea?

I have nothing against people enjoying their tea however they like. To each his own. But surely there is something to be said for keeping things simple.

Tea should taste of tea. It should have a little strength, a lovely colour, a proper aroma and perhaps the tiniest suggestion of milk.

That's it. No elaborate recipes, no spice exhibitions and certainly no need to put the saucepan through an endurance test.

I shall continue to enjoy my uncomplicated cup of tea.

And to those who prefer theirs with half a dairy farm or the contents of an entire spice market, please carry on. Just don't ask me to join you!

Some things in life are best left alone. A good cup of tea is one of them.