Milk

Heat it in a clean pan until it reaches a full boil, stirring so it heats evenly. Cool it promptly and put it back in the fridge; use a clean, covered container.

Keep it covered in the fridge, ideally on a shelf rather than in the door, and follow its use-by date. Once opened, keep it chilled and use it promptly.

Raw milk is often not homogenised, so its cream can separate and rise while it stands. Gently stir it back in before pouring if you want a more even, creamy texture.

For tea or coffee, boil the milk first if you plan to drink it. For porridge or custard, heat it thoroughly as part of cooking; pasteurised milk is the simpler choice when you want to avoid handling raw milk.

Yes. Pasteurised whole milk usually works as a one-for-one replacement in tea, porridge, sauces and baking; it has been heat-treated to kill harmful bacteria.

It can taste creamier when the cream has risen to the top, but the flavour depends on the milk. Pasteurisation itself does not guarantee a particular taste.