1. Warm the teapot by filling it with hot water, swirling it around, and discarding the water (technique: scalding the vessel — this prevents the boiling water from losing heat on contact with a cold pot).
2. Add 3 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea to the warmed teapot.
3. Pour 2 cups (480 ml) of freshly boiling water over the tea leaves.
4. Set the teapot on the back of the stove or in another warm spot and steep for 5 minutes, until the liquor is a deep amber and carries a full, rounded aroma with no raw or grassy note.
5. Strain the tea into cups and serve immediately, with sugar and milk if desired.
6. Do not re-steep the spent leaves, even with the addition of a few fresh ones. Prolonged or repeated steeping extracts excessive tannin, which Farmer associates with adverse health effects.
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