The 'milk before water' conundrum clarified.
There is a definite purpose for putting the milk before the water.

If your teacups are made from fine porcelain china* and you make tea
the proper way (in a pot with tea leaves) it is standard practise to put the
milk in FIRST to prevent the hot water from cracking the cup.

If you were so common as to use a teabag and a mug,
you would put the milk in last because the tea needs to be in boiling water to brew properly.

*Edit: should read 'bone china' - typed it in haste.
(oneinthepink is at your cervix m'lady, Mon 20 Oct 2008, 10:38, 8 replies)

Thank You
A voice of sanity. I often say this to people, and they think I'm just being picky.
The other problem (if using teabags in the cup) is that if you add milk first, the teabag is now soaked in milk, so not so desirable for slinging in a bin. If they only get emptied infrequently (at my place of work for example) they end up sticking to the bin and stinking the place out.
/rant
(Kliper Filllets Getting noticed by twats on the internet since, Mon 20 Oct 2008, 11:28, closed)

Brilliant
I will sleep soundly in my bed tonight.
(minky, Mon 20 Oct 2008, 13:15, closed)

Except
that porcelain is fired to around 1200 degrees centigrade during manufacture, so a bit of boiling water is unlikely to do much damage. It can only be made into such delicate cups because of its immense natural strength. Putting a spoon in it is more likely to make you tip it over than prevent cracking.

I reckon even if you stored your porcelain cups in the freezer, they'd be ok if you poured boiling water into them - though I'll let someone else do the imperical research.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Mon 20 Oct 2008, 15:00, closed)

Sorry, I should have said bone-china not porcelain.
My bad
(oneinthepink is at your cervix m'lady, Mon 20 Oct 2008, 15:27, closed)

Finally
Someone with the patience, experience, and wisdom to impart what I always thought would remain a mystery to me.
( rofl harris, Mon 20 Oct 2008, 15:50, closed)

Ah
the voice of brew wisdom
(is it common to call a cup of tea a brew?)
( Droog is too orangey for crows, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 9:39, closed)

I suppose 'brew' on its own would be.
A 'brew of Tieguanyin' or a 'brew of Lapsang Souchon' wouldn't be.
(oneinthepink is at your cervix m'lady, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 11:32, closed)

Hmmm
That had actually never occurred to me as I've got so out of the habit of using a teapot.

I must be common...
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 23:09, closed)