> ... My first solution was a literal solution: put the sugar in the kettle
> instead of the cup, raising the boiling point.
>
> Rick.

Moving from the silly to the serious, I have often done the following
instead of pre-warming the pot: add water and leaves, then zap the thing in
the microwave for a few seconds to bring it back to a boil. Makes much
better black tea, even if the aesthtics are deficient.

-DM