Eugene:
Tea caddies - the chest type, that is - usually have something inside to line the container. In the eighteenth century, that something was often sheet lead, because no one knew any better. Obviously, lead poisoning was the end result of that tactic.
Later, tin was used, and then, silvered paper, which is often still used today - the Williamsburg reproduction caddies use this.
I keep enough tea for short-term use (say, a week's worth) in the tea caddy. Larger quantities go into a tightly-closed tin, which then goes into a Ziploc bag, with the whole thing going into the freezer.
My favored brew is Earl Grey, which is black tea flavored with bergamot, an extract of bergamot oranges. The bergamot gives the tea a pleasantly fruity taste, and knocks the edge off the tannin taste - that "puckery" flavor you often get if tea is brewed a bit strong.
I prefer loose tea to teabags for tea-time. I am perfectly okay with teabags for iced tea, but I don't like them in front of company.
The brewing method I prefer is the classic one:
- Fresh water, in a tea kettle.
- A teapot, which can be any material you like, pre-warmed with boiling water which you then pour out.
- A tea cozy, which is a little padded cover that goes over the teapot to keep the heat in while the tea brews.
- A tea strainer, which is a little strainer with a handle on it; it sits on top of a teacup.
Freshly drawn water should be brought to a full, by-grannies boil on the stove in the teakettle. While it's coming to a boil, measure one rounded teaspoon of tea into the teapot for each cup you intend to make. If you have ever heard that there should be an extra measure "for the pot," you have been misled; don't do it. Allow the tea to steep for five minutes, with the teapot covered with the cozy. As soon as the steeping is done, pour cups of tea, holding the strainer over each cup.
People can then add sugar *, and choose between lemon and milk. Lemon and milk never go into the same cup of tea, unless you enjoy instant cottage cheese in your brew.
A full, five o'clock tea can be very complicated, with lots of equipment, but these are the basics.
* If you really want Ye Fulle Olde Tyme Britishhe Experience, try getting hold of Demerara sugar, which is beige in color (okay, okay, colour!) due to a small molasses content still in it. Dee-licious! More and more American grocery stores are carrying it. It's pronounced deh-murr-RARE-ruh, not deh-murr-RAH-ruh.[this post was last edited: 7/27/2014-17:31]