The humble cup of tea is a morning pick-me-up, a soothing drink during a busy day, and perfect with all kinds of foods. Indeed, as Mary Poppins author PL Travers so beautifully put it, tea is balm for the soul.

Tea is second only to water in the list of worldwide favourite drinks, so let’s look at how to make the perfect cup.

Loose leaf, maximum flavour

Of course, many of us brew up using a handy teabag. This is convenient – just pop the tea bag into the mug and pour on the boiling water – but loose-leaf tea can give a deeper, fuller flavour. If you haven’t tried it yet, all you need is some loose-leaf breakfast tea, a teapot, and a strainer.

Whichever you choose – loose leaf or tea bag – pour the water on around half a minute after the kettle boils. The reason for this is that 96 degrees has been proven to be the optimal temperature for brewing tea.

If you like a full-bodied, flavoursome cup of tea, two minutes is the optimal brewing time. Add a dash of milk and sugar to taste.

What is the perfect accompaniment to tea?

Lots of people would argue that tea goes with anything, but there are some classic combinations that work perfectly together. Almost anyone would agree that tea and a biscuit – or two – makes the perfect elevenses. Likewise, tea is a great way to wash down your lunchtime sandwich or to accompany a sweet dessert.

If you are celebrating, you may consider hosting an afternoon tea at home. Tea is the perfect accompaniment to the tiers of tasty sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and – of course – dainty cake bites. To make things easier, you can even order afternoon tea box delivery from a company such as www.afternoonteabox.com/.

Whichever way you take your tea, remember that you have great taste. Almost one-third of people across the world name it as their favourite drink.