Do you put your milk in first to create an emulsion?

Or

Do you put it in last and create a mix?

Last

Otherwise it’s always two milky

Both, but does it matter anymore?

I thought this was only in the days of fine china when the milk was added first to ensure that the hot water (boiling?) did not damage the china. Could be wrong of course.

I put it in 2nd

Then I can easily moderate the amount depending on how strong the tea is or how milky I want it

milk in first when i’m pouring from a teapot (dunno why, was just brought up to do that)

however, if brewing in the mug (as necessary at work), then I put the milk in last – otherwise you can’t brew the tea at the hottest possible temperature and it won’t be as nice.

Dave

Last… and why does putting it in first constitute an emulsion? If you put the milk in the mug first it will have no other liquids to emulsify with?

I wasn’t aware you could make an emulsion from a tea bag and milk.

/tuts/ honestly…

If the tea has been made in a pot you can put the milk in first (i.e. teamhurtmore’s reasoning), but if the tea is being made in the mug, it needs near boiling water on the leaves to make a proper brew, otherwise you end up pummelling the tea bag to get any taste and end up with a load of tannin; so always milk after.

Dave’s right. So will be interested to see if the point can be argued. (Or maybe not)

I really, really, really don’t care. It’s tea. Drink it.

Isn’t milk already an emulsion?

konagirl’s post is perfect and should be considered the end of this thread.

what he said

Plus – isn’t the milk itself an emulsion?

Taken from wikipedia
An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (un-blendable).

Water and milk unblendable?

You have obviously watched the guy martin vid on tea – does putting milk in first make it an emulsion? i’m not sure it does – but it does always end up too milky

Milk last for me

last with tea
first with coffee

but tea is crap anyway so never drink it

Milk in tea? Whatever next, ready mixed G&T?

Bollocks – there was only one answer when i started typing 😀

I often put the milk in first* as something to do while waiting for the kettle to boil.

*Unless my OH has given me strict instructions not too because she’s fed up with crap cups of tea. I can’t really tell the difference myself.

Kona and alfa – thanks, always did that but didn’t realise the logic. Good old STW for learning new things!!

My mother tells me that in her childhood there were school questions (I assume in cooking) about how to make a cup of tea properly. Mark deducted if you said hot, rather than boiling, water!!

Well here’s the thing. Back in’t day cheap china was brittle and needed milk first to stay intact, water first is the optimal it allows the highest temperature for the bag.

I don’t wait long for the milk, but it is the last thing in there.

Put the Milk in first and it seems to seal the tea bag, and keeps the tanning inside the bag.

Put the milk in last and it’s stronger and quicker to make.

Milk last for me, I have a fussy friend who prefers it the other way.

but tea is crap anyway so never drink it

Stone him……… 😉

Well here’s the thing. Back in’t day cheap china was brittle and needed milk first to stay intact

Indeed, but that was in time way before teabags – the tea would be first brewed in a pot, so all of the above correct answers stand and the space-time continuum has not been broken……

[/quote]konagirl – Member

/tuts/ honestly…

If the tea has been made in a pot you can put the milk in first (i.e. teamhurtmore’s reasoning), but if the tea is being made in the mug, it needs near boiling water on the leaves to make a proper brew, otherwise you end up pummelling the tea bag to get any taste and end up with a load of tannin; so always milk after.

As above most definetly.

I’ve noticed that in.hard water areas, putting the milk in first stops hard water scum forming. no idea why.

Always milk last for me, otherwise it makes the brew too weak and milky.

Always first in coffee though.

Milk last. It’s the only way to get the colour right.

Milk is an emulsion in any case, to that statement’s a bit off.

I usually only make tea with loose leaves in the cup. Water has to be boiling to make them sink. A splash of milk to colour, then feel the rush.

I take a slice of lemon with my tea. What is all this “milk” you are talking about?

The former.
Guy Martin can’t be wrong.

Guy Martin can’t be wrong

I am sure I saw a video of him doing a TT pit stop, all the other bikers were sipping their hi energy drinks through a straw while in the pits, while Guy’s mechanic, dumped a mug of Tea on his tank 😉

Or was I dreaming 😉

Last! If you put it in first, I find you can’t get the desired strength of brew…