Last modified on Fri 12 Feb 2021 12.44 EST
How long does it take you to make a cup of tea? Forty seconds, if you squish the teabag against the side of the mug? Iâm not judging â that was me until recently, and we are not alone: thatâs the average, according to Dr Tim Bond of the Tea Advisory Panel. Only 4% of people in the UK make their tea from leaves, and it seems the rest of us are missing out.
Iâve dipped in and out of tea over the years, and have never taken it quite as seriously as coffee, but Lockdown 3 seemed as good a time as any to up my game. Previously, Iâd been put off by the complexity of the process â Iâve always found the paraphernalia of pots and cups and bowls a little daunting â but it turns out that a proper cuppa doesnât have to require a whole lot of kit. The game-changer for me was Jing Teaâs simple tea-ière, which is a bit like a cafetiere without the plunger, and with a mark at the level to which you need
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Why Middle Eastern modern art was set to take centre stage at the British Museum
Important works from North Africa and the Middle East were scheduled to go on display to showcase the full range of the region s talent
The Accident. Ink on paper, 2013. Funded by Maryam and Edward Eisler
Credit: Nicky Nodjoumi
The British Museum was due to open an exhibition next week celebrating its collection of modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa: some 700 examples by more than 300 artists, nearly all acquired in the last 10 years. Considering there has been no budget for acquisitions from the museum s central funds, this is a remarkable feat.
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