January 12th is National Hot Tea Day.
A day dedicated to enjoying one of life’s simple pleasures: a warm, comforting cup of tea.
I remember chilly evenings when my mom would make me a cup of hot tea, accompanied by a slice of toasted and buttered bread. I always felt so grown up with my tea. Like a princess. But would you believe I’d dip my toast into my tea before eating it? Honestly, I still do that!
Now that I’m older, I’m a year-round hot tea drinker and enjoy sampling all flavors of tea. Ranked among my favorites is Lady Grey.
Lady Grey is a smooth, black tea infused with citrusy flavors. Once brewed, I add a cube of sugar and a splash of milk to sweeten it up.
Whatever tea flavor you choose to drink on National Hot Tea Day, here are some tips on brewing the perfect cup.
Use good, quality water to give your tea its optimum taste.
Make sure you measure. One teaspoon of loose-leaf tea per cup. For loose-leaf tea, you can use reusable tea strainers or tea bags you can fill yourself. If you’re using already portioned tea bags, one bag per cup will suffice.
Check that you have the right temperature for your specific tea blend. For example, green tea tastes best with water brewed to 176-185 degrees, and black tea steeps better at 203-208 degrees.
Steep times vary by tea. Three to five minutes is the ideal time for Lady Grey. Adjust the steeping times for your desired strength. Don’t let the tea steep for too long, or it will get bitter.
After brewing, you can drink it pure or with additions. Extras often added to tea are sugar, milk, honey, or a bit of lemon. It’s best to check to see what might enhance your favorite tea before changing the taste too much.
Taking time for a cup of hot tea is one of my favorite ways to spend a relaxing afternoon.
Several snacks pair well with your cup of tea, such as scones, fruit, shortbread cookies, and finger sandwiches.
Scones are a tender, slightly crumbly, and flaky baked good. People often add a dollop of lemon curd or jam to the top before eating. I prefer blueberry or lavender scones. The flavor options are endless, and they aren’t difficult to make yourself.
Cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwiches are among my favorite savory foods to pair with tea. Ham and cheese, or a fresh chicken salad sandwich, also complement well.
Tea and Books: Another perfect pairing
Book reading days are perfect tea-drinking days.
To enhance the experience for readers of my novel Best Seller, I collaborated with a local tea artisan Lily Rose, and Heirloom Tea was born.
Picture yourself traveling the globe, discovering libraries filled with leather-bound books, reading by candlelight, and getting lost in cozy mysteries. 
Lilyrose makes handcrafted, custom-made, artisan tea in a variety of flavors and, after sharing my idea with Lilyrose, she crafted a tea that perfectly captured the notes of Best Seller.
And it’s bodyguard approved.
Heirloom Tea is made with Assam Tea, Cinnamon, South African Honey Bush, & Orange. It tastes wonderful, hot, or cold.
Insider Tip: After I brew a cup of Heirloom Tea, I add a few drops of honey and a little shot of caramel.
How can you celebrate National Hot Tea Day this January?
Why not invite friends and family to a cozy tea and book party? Set up a table complete with charming teacups—it doesn’t matter if they all match—scones, tiny sandwiches, and beautiful vases full of flowers. Invite friends to read portions of poetry or books with tea settings and add some classical music to set the mood.
However you choose to celebrate National Hot Tea Day, remember to pause and enjoy the ageless tradition of drinking tea.