CHAPTER VII.TESTING, BLENDINGANDPREPARING.
There is no article handled by the grocer which engages more of his time, demands greater attention, or has a more important bearing upon the success of his business than Tea. In many respects it stands ahead of all other commodities in commanding and maintaining patronage, also in that it is expected to attract and retain trade for other articles, and at the same time yield a larger margin of profit. As gain is the fundamental object of business, and as Tea plays such an essential part in determining this profit, we may be excused if, considering the article from a purely practical standpoint, we urge the relation which it bears to the success of the dealer in it, and who, as a rule, experience more difficulty in the selection of Tea than in any other article he trades in. The cause is obvious, being due to the numerous varieties and almost innumerable grades, characters and flavors with which he is confronted, and to be selected from, taken in connection with the diversity of tastes and preferences to be catered to, it requiring no ordinary skill or knowledge to make the proper selection under these circumstances to suit patrons. The acquisition of such knowledge, for all practical purposes, is not, however, quite as difficult as many may suppose, as it can be fairly obtained by a little study, a few simple and inexpensive experiments and repeated trials to familiarize oneself with the leading characteristics and values of the differentvarieties, grades and flavors of the teas best adapted to each particular class or section of the country.
Teas have two values—anIntrinsicor real value, and aCommercialor market value; quality, strength and flavor constituting the first, the latter being more often based on style, appearance, supply and fluctuations in price. So that in their selection for commercial purposes four leading features are to be considered—Leaf, Style, Liquor and Flavor. The drawing and drinking qualities of the tea in the cup are paramount to the style and appearance of the leaf in the hand, as many teas, though rough-looking and coarse in “make” or style, draw and drink well in the infusion. There are five principal methods of testing the merits of a tea:—
By Style or Appearance.—Which, though not invariably an indication of merit, has still considerable to do with the value and quality of a tea. Choice teas of all kinds are however, handsomely made and stylish in appearance, that is, compactly if not artistically curled, twisted, folded or rolled, according to its make, and all teas being small and fine in proportion to their youth and tenderness, the ripest and most “sappy” curling up tightest and retaining their form longest, consequently the younger and fresher the leaves the richer, more juicy and succulent the tea. If it be Green tea of the Imperial or Gunpowder order the leaf is hard-rolled and “shotty,” regular in make, bright natural green in color, very uniform and pleasing in general appearance. But if of the Hyson or Young Hyson sorts, the leaf will be well and evenly curled or twisted, the latter being almost “wirey” in texture and of the same hue as the former. If Black, of the Oolong or Congou variety, the leaf will be finely made, “silky” or “crapy” in texture and varying in size from small to medium, artistically twisted andattractive to the eye. Old and inferior teas, on the other hand, will be large, rough and loosely rolled or curled, in proportion to their age, quality and picking, and being partially or entirely devoid of “sap” or succulence, they are correspondingly thin, coarse or flavorless in the infused state.
By Feeling.—Judging a sample of tea by feeling is applicable more to the curled, twisted or rolled sorts, such as Oolongs, Congous, Souchongs and Hyson teas. If the leaves of a tea of these makes, so tested, be really choice they will be found smooth, crisp and elastic in the hand, and capable of resisting a gentle but firm pressure, yielding rather than snapping or breaking under it. But if old and “sapless,” they will be found rough and “chaffy” to the touch, very brittle, cracking easily and crumbling under the same conditions, making much dust.
By Smelling.—By blowing or breathing hard upon a sample of tea and then quickly catching the odor emitted from it a fair estimate of its general character and value may be arrived at. To judge by this method, however, an acquaintance with the distinctive flavors and peculiarities of the various sorts and grades will be first necessary. This knowledge is best acquired by adopting as a type or “standard” a sample of the tea to be matched and educating this sense to its flavor and aroma. It is not for a moment claimed that this test will be at all times accurate or reliable, and only a general estimate can be formed, especially if suffering from a cold, in which case its true character or value cannot be even approximated. Again, many teas that may be “new and nosey” in the hand will be “thin and flat” in the cup, the “flashy” or evanescent flavor passing off rapidly on infusion.
By Masticating.—A close and almost accurate estimate of the character and value of a tea can be formed by chewing a few of the leaves. With this method a good tea may be recognized by the ready manner in which the leaves almost dissolve in the mouth on slight mastication, becoming quickly reduced to a “pasty” consistency if young, tender and succulent, the “sap” or juice yielded will be abundant, pungent and pleasing to the taste. If of the Green or Japan variety the residue will be of a bright, natural-green color on removal, rich olive-green if Oolong, of a rich reddish-brown tint if Congou and dark-red if India or Ceylon. But if composed of old, inferior, spent or spurious leaves they will be found difficult to masticate, being dry, “chippy,” sapless and tough in texture, yielding little or no juice according to its age and inferiority. Whatever little is expressed being “wild,” “weedy,” “woody,” “herby,” “mousey,” “grassy” or “metallic” and bitterly astringent to the taste, the residue being dark in color, coarse or granulated on removal. This test should not be resorted to only on extreme occasions, as a too frequent chewing of tea-leaves, owing to the tannin in their composition, severely affects the nervous system and ultimately the digestive organs.
By Infusing or Drawing—Is unquestionably the most reliable and satisfactory method of testing or appraising tea, being the one adopted by all brokers, experts and dealers as the most conclusive and least injurious to the system. For this purpose a number of small porcelain cups, scales and half-dime weight is requisite, together with a perfectly clean kettle and freshly distilled or filtered water, briskly boiled. Take the weight of the half-dime of leaves and mark the cups to correspond with the samples under examination, thenpour on the briskly boiling water and allow it to draw from three to five minutes by the watch, first seeing that the cups are thoroughly clean and dry, or, better still, heated or rinsed with boiling water before weighing or putting in the tea, as cups used for drawing other sorts of tea will impart the flavor of those previously tested to the last if not properly washed and dried before using again; also see that the water isbrisklyboiling before pouring it on the leaves, as water not properly boiling will cause the leaves to float. If large cups are used the quantity of leaves should be increased proportionately, say to that of a dime in weight for an ordinary tea-cup. It is customary with some brokers and tea-testers to cover the cups with a lid or saucer during infusion, but this precaution is not absolutely necessary; still it has its benefits, as it prevents the vapor and aroma from escaping, both valuable factors in the exact testing of tea. The water used should be as soft and pure as can be obtained; boiled briskly and usedonlyat the boiling point. That is, it must boil, but not overboil, for if it be allowed to do so for even a few minutes it will not extract the full strength and flavor of the leaves. Expert tea-testers are most particular in this respect, watching their kettles so that the water may be used the minute it boils, and if any water remains in the kettle it is poured off and refilled with fresh water before using again, as the effect of using water that has been boiled a second time is the same as that of water which has been overboiled. In testing teas by infusing or drawing five important points are to be considered: Body, Color, Strength, Flavor and Aroma of the Liquor, the tea combining these qualities in the highest degree proving, of course, the best. On removing the lids, if used, inhale the vapor slowly, noting its aroma at the same time; nextstir the leaves gently with a spoon for a few minutes, and smell them occasionally, also noting their odor; by which time the tea will be cool enough to taste. Before doing so, however, observe the color of the liquor—an important factor in tea—a rich straw, golden or corn-yellow colored liquor, generally, if not invariably, indicating a tea of fine quality, except it be of the Congou, India or Ceylon variety. Next, taste the tea by sipping it so as to strike the palate, but do not swallow, as it kills the taste, and noting its body, flavor, strength and pungency while so doing, comparing it with the tea required or to be “matched.”
But while a clear, bright, sparkling liquor denotes a fine tea it does not always determine its body or strength, as many light-liquored teas are full and round in body, pungent and “snappy;” others again, though dark and heavy in liquor, are yet devoid of strength and flavor, the liquor of old and inferior teas being invariably dark, thick or “muddy” in color, and lacking in briskness and flavor. After an opinion has been formed of the liquor in all its relations, next examine the infused leaves with regard to their size, color, form, texture and condition, as all these points have an indirect bearing on the age, quality, character and value of the tea under examination. The infused leaves of fine, pure teas range from small to medium in size, perfect or nearly so in shape, regular and symmetrical in form, uniform and unbroken in appearance. While the infused leaf of low-grade and adulterated teas is large and dark-red or brown in color, broken, irregular and different in size, form and color from the true tea-leaf. The smaller, brighter and more symmetrical the infused leaf, the higher the grade, and consequently the greater the value of the tea, that of fine Oolongs being olive-green, with slightly brownor “burnt” edges, Congous and Souchongs rich reddish-brown, India and Ceylons, “salmony-red.” Scented teas possessing a small olive-green infused leaf. In Green teas those yielding a bright, sparkling, “amber”-colored liquor, with small or medium infused leaf and presenting an unbroken and uniform appearance are the best; the same rules that govern in the selection of Green teas also applying to Japans.
The value of tea commercially, depends principally upon the character and flavor of the infusion and also on the aroma imparted to it by the volatile oil, which is not generally estimated by chemists owing to the imperfect methods of obtaining it and the difficulty attending the operation. But commercially the value of a tea is based on the amount of “extract” it yields as well as on the quantity of theine and tannin contained therein. Tea-testers and experts on the other hand take no account of theine, which is almost tasteless, but which is at the same time physiologically the most important constituent of tea. And so far as total extract is concerned Congou teas are inferior in quantity to Oolongs, Greens and Japans, while the latter in turn yield a larger percentage of theine than either India or Ceylons, notwithstanding that it is claimed that they yield less. Yet it must be admitted that a deeper color is imparted to the infusion by India and Ceylon teas, and that they are also of greater strength than China and Japan teas, in fullness (not delicacy) of flavor, the former claim is not borne out by either analysis or testing. There is also no uniform relation existing between the chemical composition of teas and their commercial value, as the percentage of extract determined by a half-hour’s boiling of the leaves in 100 parts of distilled water bears in China and Japan teas particularly a more uniform relation to the price, although the totalextract obtained by exhausting the leaf is very irregular. This result is also quite in accord with the fact that the finer and more valuable qualities of all teas are to be found only in the youngest and tenderest leaves, the decline from the finer to the lower grades in the amount of theine dissolved being also noteworthy as showing the power to yield nearly all their theine, the latter doing so only to a limited extent under the same treatment. But although these results show the difference in the drawing qualities of all the various kinds of tea, yet they are not sufficiently uniform to make such analysis the basis for calculating the price of tea. It is evident, however, that the volatile or essential oil—to which tea owes it flavor and aroma—plays a more important part than any of the other constituents in determining the commercial value of tea. Again, it must be noted the strength and flavor of the infusion is as much due to the character of the water used in drawing as to any other cause, the quantity of tannin extracted by soft water being greater than that obtained by the use of hard.
The taste for tea being an acquired and not a natural one, it necessarily follows that persons who have been accustomed to a certain variety or flavor in tea, want that particular kind and will be dissatisfied if any other is given them. Consumers of wine have their fancies, so have users of ale or beer—one prefers a dry, another a sweet wine—one a mild and another a bitter beer. This being the case, it becomes essential to the success of the tea-dealer to study and learn what variety of tea or what particular flavor his customers have been accustomed to before attempting to cater to it. This is a question somewhat difficult to answer, as not only is there a wide difference of taste in tea in the different parts of the country, but in every large town or city alone the varietiesand flavors in demand are so numerous and various that most dealers are compelled to mark out a distinct line for themselves. In the larger cities this is the most successful course to pursue, particularly if the kind and quality of the tea be kept regular and uniform the year round, as it secures the return again and again of the same customers for that particular tea, and thus keeps a business always steady and progressive. Even away from the larger cities it is well to follow this course, but while at first it may be found advisable to keep close to the established tea-taste of the section, a gradual change may be found good policy, as a dealer can by a little effort educate his trade in time to a particular variety or flavor of tea, for after all is said, and as remarked before, the taste for a certain tea is only an acquired one. He may, for instance, be selling a heavy-bodied Amoy or dark-leaved Foochow Oolong and suddenly change off to a fine Formosa. In such a case his trade would be very apt to find fault at first, notwithstanding that the latter may be choicer and more expensive than the former, but by ignoring the complaints at the beginning and continuing to insist upon their taking it, eventually succeed in educating them to acquire a taste for it. Still the importance of retaining and maintaining the quality and flavor to which his customers are longest accustomed cannot be overestimated, for no dealer can afford to jeopardize his business or can expect success if his teas one month consist of fine flavored teas, the next month of heavy and dull and the third of a sharp and pungent kind. To maintain this necessary regularity, must be admitted, is difficult, as no two consecutive importations of tea are exactly alike although selected from the same picking or chosen from those grown in the same district the variations may still be sowide as to cause dissatisfaction among consumers. Therefore it becomes essential to the success of the dealer to pay particular attention to the quality of his tea, as there is no article he deals in which will attract trade or retain it longer than good tea, a fine tea creating more comment in a town or neighborhood than any other article used at table and if customers once lose confidence in either the ability or honesty of the dealer they will be repelled rather than attracted, it being next to impossible to get them back again. So that it does not pay a dealer to make any mistake in the selection of his teas, such mistake proving fatal to drawing or holding trade. Poor teas will drive more customers away in a week than can be made in a year; it is therefore much better and more profitable in the long run to sell only good teas at a smaller margin of profit than to sell poor teas at a larger one. Many dealers make use of the argument, “I bought this tea so much cheaper and my customers do not appear to notice the difference; they do not complain.” This may be true, but it is delusive, as people seldom complain; they go elsewhere and get better value. Every community becomes accustomed to drinking a particular description of tea and is quick to discover any change in the character and flavor of any tea that may be substituted for it, thereby becoming dissatisfied notwithstanding that even a higher-priced tea, of different character, may be given them. For this reason the dealer will do well to keep as close to the grade and variety in use there and as nearly uniform as possible at all times maintaining a “standard.” To do this effectually it will be necessary for him to study and learn as near as he can the particular grade and flavor his trade prefers, which is best accomplished by first trying them with various kinds until he has found that which is best suited to a majority of his customers; havingsucceeded in this, let him stick to that particular kind. Again, as any one variety will not suit all tastes, he can next endeavor to find a tea adapted to the minority by the same method, reserving and keeping these two or more kinds as the case may be. It is much easier to describe what teas to avoid than those to select or what may be best adapted to a particular section, as good tea of all kinds will sell at any time.
Again, some sections of the country possess great advantages over others in the testing and preparation of tea for use, as, wherever the water is soft and pure, much better results are obtained from the infusion by a given quantity of leaves, owing to the fact that such water dissolves more rapidly and extracts a larger amount of thetheinethan hard or muddy water. The coarse as well as fine properties of the tea are also “brought out” more prominently by the action of the former, it being for this reason that “high-fired,” “toasty” and “tarry” teas so much in favor in some sections will not sell at all in others where the water is soft as a rule, and why China Congous are best appreciated in sections where the water is soft, as the natural delicacy of their unique “fruity” flavor is best extracted by that kind of water and to a greater extent than is the flavor of most other varieties.
The distinctive flavors which characterize the different varieties of tea may be summed up in a single technical term—Amoys are “nutty,” Foochows are “mellow,” Formosas are “fragrant,” Green teas are “pungent,” Pekoes are “piquant,” Congous are “fruity,” Souchongs are “tarry,” Japans are “mealy,” Scented teas are “aromatic,” Indias are “malty,” Ceylons are “toasty” and Javas are “sour.” Oolongs of an “herby,” “weedy” or “wild” flavor should be avoided, as they are principally mixed with Ankois.Pingsueys, Cantons and alldoctored Green teas should be tabooed altogether; if cheap Green teas must be had, procure a low-grade Moyune regardless of its appearance, as it will give better satisfaction than the finest of the foregoing. Japans of a “fishy,” “grassy” or “metallic” flavor should also be shunned, as they will be found dear at almost any price. Congous of a “woody,” “mousey” or “smoky” flavor and too “tarry” Souchongs are also good teas to leave alone, while Canton and Macao Scented teas should never find a place in the dealer’s stock. Low-grade India, Ceylon and Javas are either “raw,” “uncooked,” “baked,” “burnt” or “sour” in flavor, and decay very rapidly being unfit for use after a few weeks’ exposure. In brief, do not handle any old, raw, grassy, weedy, woody, smoky, fishy or brassy flavored teas under any circumstances. There is no satisfaction in them to the consumer and no profit in them to the dealer. Keep good teas only and get your price. It pays best in the end.
A tea-dealer with any desire to extend or even retain his trade should no more attempt to sell poor, inferior, unclean or damaged tea than a butcher to endeavor to sell tainted meat or a baker to give his customers sour bread. The offense may not at first seem so objectionable, but the verdict of the public will be the same in each case, and the practical manner in which his customers will manifest this opinion will be to let such dealer severely alone. Good clean teas can nearly always be purchased for a few cents per pound above the price of the “trash” now offered in the American market and masquerading under the name of tea, being nothing more or less than a gross libel on the “fascinating beverage.” By this mistaken policy of trying to save three or four cents, the seed is not only sown for thefuture ruin of the dealer himself, but it also produces the effect of disgusting the public and casting discredit on tea as an article of food. While, on the other hand, if the dealer make a comparatively small but necessary sacrifice for the sake of future gain by sellingTea that is teaand be content with a fair and legitimate profit, satisfaction will be given to his customers, trade fostered and the consumption of this now most important food auxiliary increased at least two-fold in this country.
“Standard Chop,” or “celebrated district” teas, should always be selected when possible, and “first-crop” for high-grade teas, as first-crop teas are invariably superior (except in the case of Formosas) to the later pickings in flavor, aroma and keeping properties, due to the larger amount of theine and volatile oil which they contain, and possessing every quality except weight for which tea is valued or appreciated. To do this it will be necessary for the dealer to ascertain which “chop” is the best and which district has yielded the best picking during the current season, thereby making quality as well as quantity the test of excellence. For, as with wheat and other crops, the tea crop also varies according to the season and curing; some years being highly successful in one district while it may be a comparative failure in another. The “Tong-lees” may be heavy and flavory this year, thin and flavorless the next; while the “Tong-mows,” or some other “chop,” inferior in leaf and liquor last season may possess all the most desirable qualities this. Green teas, Japans, Congous, Souchongs, India, Ceylons and all varieties of tea being equally subject to these variations So that the advantages to be derived from a careful selection of the best “chop” and “district” teas of the season, with but slight consideration, will be manifest to the intelligent dealer in tea.
The tastes of communities differing so widely in the various sections of the country, the dealer must study and learn the particular variety and flavor best adapted to the locality or town in which he is doing business, as a tea that may give general satisfaction in one section may not suit at all in another. But generally in mining, milling or manufacturing districts or among working classes in cities, heavy-bodied Amoys and dark-leaved Foo-chous will be found the most popular. The taste for China and Japan teas in this country is undoubtedly an inherited one, but irrespective of this cause they are for the vast majority of tea-drinkers peculiarly the most suitable and best adapted, being softer, milder, richer, more mellow and wholesome than either the India or Ceylon growths, and it is only a cultivated and refined taste that can appreciate them at their true worth. In a community composed principally of Irish, English or Scotch, thick “fruity” Congous, heavy-bodied “tarry” Souchongs, Capers, Pekoes, India and Ceylon teas or combinations formed from these varieties will prove the most satisfactory. While Green teas are most in demand in the Southern States. Oolongs in the Eastern and Middle, Foochows and Formosas being chiefly sold in the larger seaboard cities, Amoys in the principal manufacturing districts, Japans in the Pacific and Northwestern, India, Ceylons and teas of the Congou order, in Irish, English and other foreign settlements.
All teas after ripening have a tendency to decay, some teas not keeping as well as others, there being a great difference in the time that some will keep before the deterioration becomes pronounced in comparison with that of others. And tea also possessing an natural aptitude to become impregnated with the odor of any high or foul-smelling article near which it may be placed, careshould be taken to keep it away from such commodities as fish, soap, coal-oil, molasses and spices, as it quickly absorbs all pungent odors. Yet I have known of teas that were imported with or stored in close proximity to wine, oranges, lemons and even camphor to be improved in flavor, more particularly when very lightly tainted by such odors. Still teas should be kept as much as possible from the light and air, particularly in damp or humid weather, as the oxydizing influences of the atmosphere has a more or less deleterious effect upon them. They should never be sold out of freshly-painted bins or newly-japanned tea-caddies, being much better, at all times, to deal them out of the original packages, replacing the lead and lid when through. The most successful tea-dealers I have met invariably sell them in this manner. Do not keep your teas too close to a fire or stove, a dry, cool atmosphere of moderate temperature is always best.
The tea-market fluctuating considerably in the course of the year, it will be necessary for the dealer to understand something of the law of supply and demand, which affects the fluctuation to a considerable extent, before he can make profitable purchases. The dealer who is best “posted” in his business makes the best business man, so that the tea-dealer who not only understands the article he is dealing in, but whose knowledge and discrimination enable him “to buy the right tea at the right time” possesses advantages over his competitors, the value of which can hardly be overestimated. Each season, on the “first arrivals,” high prices are paid, and if there be a brisk demand those full prices are continued for some time, after which follows a dull, drooping or listless market, from which but little satisfaction can be obtained; but should the demand on arrival be light, through dealers holding off for betterterms, the prices rapidly decline to a more reasonable level, it then becomes comparatively steady. When this is the case the decline occurs about the middle of September, and dealers will do well to take advantage of the choice selections of teas that arrive during the months of October and November. For the better buying of teas at this time it will also be found necessary to note the supply very closely, as during heavy shipments the market is nearly always easier, while, when the arrivals are light, the tea-market is higher. These points are deserving the special attention of the successful tea-dealer.
For some years past a new development of the tea trade has, to the surprise of the older wholesale and retail dealers, assumed a good deal of prominence, for if the advertisement columns of newspapers, startling placards at railroad stations and on fences form any criterion, the public are taking a liking to teas put up in pound and half-pound packages under fancy names—the latter having no relation whatever to any country, district or locality where the teas are grown. That the public should, to a certain extent, buy anything persistently forced upon its attention is perhaps possible, but tea put up in tin, lead or paper packets would seem a somewhat hopeless direction in which to attempt to draw the public taste. Tea in bulk, in the original lead-lined chests, undoubtedly keeps better, as it preserves the strength, flavor and aroma of the tea longer than when exposed to the oxydizing influence of the atmosphere, particularly in this climate, so that during transference into the tin, paper or unseasoned lead packet, ornamented with a “showy” label which the more gorgeous the more apt it is to communicate a taste of the ink, paint, glue or material in which it is packed to the tea they are intendedto adorn. Again, these packets, labels and labor add as much as five to eight cents to the cost of the tea, together with the expense of flaunting them before the eyes of the public, which must be simply enormous. The public generally are ignorant in such matters, and the legitimate dealer might look with amused surprise on the apparent demand for packet teas if it were not that an increasing number of dealers are adopting the new system. Engaged as most of the grocers are in trying to stop the plague of all sorts of proprietary goods which yield them so little profit and make them the servants only of the manufacturers and proprietors, it is astonishing, to say the least, that other dealers should be found who are adopting the same system with tea. A grocer cannot manufacture spices or sugar, grow wine, distil whisky or brew beer, buthe can, as generations of grocers have done before him, sell good tea out of an honest tea-chest,—or caddy—and make a respectable living, if not money, out of it for himself and not for others, while serving the public well at the same time. Surely, the attitude of the grocers on this question should not be one of doubt, as they have it in their power to make it clear to the public thatthey can sell cheaper, betterand fresher teas of their own, and with a far better guarantee of the source of supply named or adhered to than if a paper or metallic packet with a fancy label, however attractive, is trusted to. Again, there can be no valid reason why every grocer, if he sees fit, should not put his own teas up and offer them under his own name and brand upon it, if his patrons should desire, a fancy and costly packet with no other advantages attaching to it.
Comparatively little is known of the art or principle of mixing or blending of teas in this country, Americandealers and consumers alike being averse to the practice, regarding it as about on a parity with other methods of sophistication. Such objections are entirely erroneous, as it is an acknowledged principle that a combination of different varieties of wheat make better flour, the same being true of coffees and other articles of diet. So that the practice of blending teas, if properly understood and skillfully performed, would prove a more satisfactory and profitable one to both consumer and dealer. The object is not, as the public may imagine, to lower the quality or reduce the cost to the dealer, but simply to produce better tea and obtain a finer and more desirable flavor than that yielded by any single variety, one giving better satisfaction to the consumer at a more moderate price and at the same time allowing a larger margin of profit to the dealer. As an illustration, a dealer may be selling a tea possessing a suitable flavor, but be lacking in body or light in liquor, whereas, by adding to it one or two other teas possessing these qualities the defect is rectified and a full-flavored heavy-bodied tea is produced and the two latter also improved. It follows then that by the judicious blending or mixing of three to five teas, differing in variety and grade, a more uniform and pleasing tea, heavier in body, richer in liquor and flavor can be obtained by this principle at a more moderate cost.
The idea of blending teas originally arose from the experience incidentally gained that a beverage more pleasing, satisfactory and less costly, could be produced from a number of different varieties and grades judiciously and scientifically combined, than could otherwise be obtained from any single sort when used alone. No sooner was this experience confirmed than “mixing” or blending of teas was generally resorted to by many ofthose who had the dispensing of the article to the public. Some dealers had marked success in this branch of the business, while others again who attempted it failed completely in their efforts to produce any satisfactory results, the end accomplished being, instead of an improvement, an injury to the quality and value of the tea combined, often to such an extent that ordinary plain teas would have pleased better at less labor and cost. The cause of this failure was due alone to the want of that necessary training and experience which would enable the dealer to understand the characteristics and affinities of both the teas which are improved and those which are deteriorated by blending together. The knowledge and skill required for this particular branch of the tea business is only attained in perfection by numerous tests and constant experiments which are performed by mixing from two to five or more samples of tea, differing in variety, character and quality, alternately changing, altering and substituting them until the dealer has succeeded in producing a tea unique in character, the body, flavor and aroma of which will prove more pleasing and satisfactory to a majority of his patrons, at a more moderate cost, identified with himself and differing in every respect from that of any tea offered by his competitors. And after he has succeeded in his efforts he must be careful to keep it as uniform as possible, never allowing even his employees to know of what teas his combination is formed. By following these precautions he becomes noted for keeping a tea that cannot be secured elsewhere and one which, after his customers become once educated to that especial flavor, will not be satisfied with any other.
“The world moves” and the American tea dealer should move with it, as time and experience has proved beyond dispute that skilful and judicious Tea-blendingwill be found to amply repay the study and labor bestowed on it. The chief and only difficulty existing in the art lays in first finding a combination that will please a majority of your customers. The primary object and fundamental principle should be to obtain in a consolidated form, harmony, strength, pungency, flavor and piquancy and at the same time to effect these results with the smallest possible outlay. To accomplish these results three important points must be carefully studied: First, to learn the taste of your customers; second, to ascertain what teas combine best to suit this taste; third, to find out to what extent the component parts of a once adopted and satisfactory blend may be varied in case of difficulty to secure the same kind of teas for future use. These results can be best secured only by proper selecting, weighing, regulating and arranging the proportionate quantities and different qualities in such a manner as to obtain the best results at the smallest possible outlay. So that before proceeding to produce a specific blend or mixture the dealer must consider well the descriptions which will combine satisfactorily and these that will not unite harmoniously, as teas that are not improved are certain to be deteriorated by blending.
The chief art in successful tea-blending is to combine body, strength and some particular and distinct flavor in one, so as to please the majority of that portion of the public for whom the tea is prepared, and at the same time so arrange its constituent parts in such a manner that this desirable result may be obtained at the smallest possible outlay. To satisfactorily accomplish this object the dealer must first learn to understand thoroughly the taste of those for whom the tea is intended, and secondly, to study what teas will combine best to please their taste, as well as to know how far the component parts ofthe blend can be varied without seriously affecting its regularity so that advantage may be taken of the cheapness of any special variety or grade of tea. The importance of retaining the uniformity of a blend, when once a satisfactory combination has been discovered, must also not be overlooked. Other combinations may be as good, or better, their component parts skilfully arranged and properly mixed, but unless one standard blend is decided on, and then sedulously maintained, fault will be found and customers go elsewhere. This difficulty is best avoided by paying proper attention to the selection of the teas constituting the blend, having each sample matched as close as possible before purchasing, as well as by not changing more than one of the teas composing the blend at a time when it is the intention to alter the character of the tea. When a large number of teas are used in the formation of a blend, the alteration of any—provided that a particular one is fairly matched—will effect but a comparatively slight variation in its general character. But, if more than one change is to be made let it be done by degrees, for, if the changes in the various teas forming the blend are made gradually, few, if any, will detect the alteration.
The proper Blending of tea is an art that cannot be correctly taught in books or easily learned, it must be acquired by study, experiment and experience alone. Like all other knowledge there is “no royal road to it” the dealer must endeavor to learn himself, to understand the flavors, characters and affinities of the teas that will be either improved or deteriorated by combination, as no absolute rule can be substituted for the practical knowledge so acquired. In the proper blending of teas it is essential also that all combinations should be judiciously and thoroughly mixed together, the leaves of thecomponent parts being selected with due regard to size, color and uniformity and broken as little as possible so that all may harmonize well together. It is a serious mistake to imagine that the successful or profitable blending of tea consists solely of an indiscriminate or injudicious heaping together carelessly and indifferently of two or more varieties of tea in one homogeneous mass without the least regard to quantities, qualities, affinities, affiliations or assimilations of leaf, liquor, character or flavor of the component parts. On the contrary, the art consists in combining the two or more different varieties or grades of tea forming the combination in an intelligent, judicious and scientific manner so as to yield an unique and particular tea of uniform quality, strength, flavor and pungency at a given price, pleasing and satisfactory to the greatest number and maintaining its standard at all times and under all circumstances.
But while it is admitted that it is next to impossible to understand tea-blending thoroughly without an apprenticeship to the business and that the combinations that may be formed from it are almostkaleidoscopic in their range, requiring a separate work. Still, even a novice need not spoil good tea by injudicious mixing, as a little study and a few simple rules carefully followed, although they cannot be substituted for years of experience in such a difficult branch, will prevent any serious error and ensure a fair measure of success. It must be understood at the outset that all combinations of tea, as a rule, must depend upon the character, flavor and grade of the tea most in demand in the section or neighborhood of the dealer, that particular variety forming the base or foundation of the blends prepared, that is, it must dominate the combination. To illustrate, ifOolongs be most in demand, the blend must be composed of from one-half to two-thirds Oolong, and so on with Congous, Greens, Japans or India sorts, as the case may be. Before proceeding to describe any particular blends it will be necessary to name the descriptions of tea that will not combine satisfactorily, as well as those which will amalgamate most harmoniously with each other. The former are described first, becauseteas not improved are certain to be deteriorated by blending. One of the first and fundamental rules in tea-blending is not to allow unclean or tainted tea, even in small quantities, to be introduced into any combination, which rule should be as rigidly adhered to in the low-priced blends as well in the higher grades, so that all “weedy,” “herby” and “wild” flavored Oolongs should be eschewed in blending.
In this country, where the taste for Oolong and Japan teas appear to be an inherited one, and where there is every prospect of their continuing to be the favorite teas with American consumers for all time to come, the best results are to be obtained from combinations formed of these varieties. Ripe, juicy and succulent “first crop” Foochows make the best foundation for all blends in this country. First-crop Formosas losing their fragrance almost as rapidly as Japans. Third-crop, or “Autumn-leaf” Formosas that have been well-fired, and which, unlike most other varieties, improve rather than deteriorate with time, becoming more “mellow” for at least the first year after arrival, rank next for this purpose, the action of the atmosphere in exposure bringing out their fragrance more fully, and at the same time causing their high-toast or burnt flavor to disappear. Bold-leaf, sweet-drawing Amoys; dark-leaved, full-liquoring Foochows, and large-leaf “nosey” Formosas and thick, sweet, “fruity” Congous make the bestfoundation for all tea blends, andfor the purpose of imparting a rich fragrance to any combination a choice or “pekoed” Formosa will be found the most desirable and valuable, its high character and great piquancy being possessed by no other variety grown. A small quantity of a really choice or even tolerably good Formosa tea will penetrate and dominate a blend, making itself felt and tasting through it. Its value consisting in its delicate “cow-slip” aroma and great piquancy, mellowing the liquor and giving a rich “bouquet” to the infusion. It is also a tea that when once tea-drinkers become educated or attached to its matchless qualities are ever after hard to please with any other.
Low-grade and artificially-colored Pan-fired Japans, owing to their usually “brassy” or “fishy” flavor, and well-known tendency to early decay, which has a highly detrimental effect on the other teas should be avoided, while new, “mealy,” Basket-fired Japans are especially adapted for all Black tea blends, as they impart a peculiarly rich color and tone to the liquor and a very pleasing mellowness to the flavor of the combination, but should never form the base of the blend. “Old,” “musty,” “mousey,” or “smoky” Congous, too “high-fired” and excessively “tarry” Souchongs should also be avoided altogether, as they invariably detract from or destroy the flavor and aroma of the finer kinds used in the blend, their deleterious effects being felt through the entire combination, and all “dusty” and “stemmy” teas in particular, for while some tea-drinkers will bear with a small quantity of these most objectionable features in tea, the vast majority will protest, as it is next to impossible to prevent dust and stems from finding their way into the tea-cup.
The appended formulas are not given with the intention of laying down any fixed or positive rules, but simply assuggesting a code that may be useful to those who are compelled to blend tea without ever having an opportunity of thoroughly mastering the art. Only two to five varieties, at current prices, are used, in order to illustrate the principle more simply, as more complex combinations should not be attempted until the dealer has acquired that practical knowledge attained only by experiment and experience.
1. (Low-priced)—Suitable for restaurant and general trade where a cheap, heavy-bodied and strong-flavored tea is the main consideration. Base 10 pounds Amoy Oolong at 20 cents, 2 pounds Oonfa or other dark-leaved Congou at 20 cents. Average cost 20 cents. In the Oolong forming this blend a little coarseness may be tolerated, but “herby” and “weedy” teas must be avoided, as what strength is needed is supplied by the Congou, which must be free from any suspicion of oldness. The color of the leaf, however, must be black, so as to harmonize with that of the Oolong. If not sufficiently pungent, the addition of 1 pound low-priced Assam will supply that defect.
2. (Medium)—Base 10 pound Foochow Oolong at 25 cents, 2 pounds basket-fired Japan at 25 cents and 1 pound Ning-chow Congou. Average cost 25 cents. This will be found a popular tea in a mining or manufacturing district where a smooth-flavored substantial tea is required, or 10 pounds Ningyong Oolong at about 20 cents, 2 pounds Congou at 24 cents and 1 pound Assam at 24 cents may be tried if the former should not prove entirely satisfactory. This combination makes a heavy-bodied, dark-colored “grippy” tea; one that will stand a second drawing and still be strong and flavory.The Ningyong used in this combination should be light, clean and as sweet-drawing as can be had at the price and the Congou as “high-toasted” as possible, and if the Assam be “pekoed” so much the better.
3. (Medium to Fine)—Is a tea that has been found to give almost universal satisfaction in a district composed of a working class who appreciate smoothness and richness to weight or strength, and is formed as follows: 10 pounds fine dark-leaved Foochow Oolong at 30, 2 pounds Basket-fired Japan at 25 and 1 pound Moning Congou at 25 cents. Average cost 29 cents. Or where Oolongs are most in demand 10 pounds Foochow, 10 pounds Formosa and 5 pounds Basket-fired to mellow or tone the combination may be substituted, 5 pounds of a true Moyune Young Hyson to replace the Japan when a Green tea is preferred in the blend, or, better still, added to it. The Foochow in this combination while possessing a full body is yet lacking in aroma which is imparted by the Formosa, the Japan supplying the mellowness and Young Hyson the requisite pungency.
4. (Fine to Choice)—A Blend like the following will be found to give universal satisfaction in any locality, being full, strong, round, smooth and fragrant, one entirely foreign in flavor and aroma to that of any single tea in common use: Base 10 pounds choice “third crop” Formosa at 35 cents, 1 pound fine Ning-chow Congou at 30 cents and 1 pound Yamashiro Basket-fired Japan at 30 cents, for which an equal quantity of Nankin Imperial may be substituted when it becomes necessary to vary the combination, or, better still, added to it if a Green tea is desired in it by the customer.
5. (Choice)—Is a combination that will yield a most pleasing tea to suit a mercantile or professional trade having been fully tested and proved popular among theseclasses in Philadelphia and vicinity. Foundation: 10 pounds “first chop” high-district Foochow Oolong at 40 cents, 10 pounds choice “pekoe-tipped” Formosa at 40 cents and 5 pounds “Spring-picked” Basket-fired about same figures. A blend composed of these three varieties cannot be approached in drawing and drinking qualities by that of any single tea costing 60 cents.
The combinations to be made from Green teas are not many, being limited in range.
6. (Low-Priced)—A heavy drawing, thick-liquored full-flavored tea can be prepared from a combination of equal parts of a cheap but clean, sweet-drawing Moyune Hyson or Twankay and Japan Nibs, when a cheap all-Green tea is required, as both these teas drink much better in conjunction than when either is used alone, the Japan mellowing and otherwise enriching the China tea.
7. (Medium)—Base 20 pounds fair Foochow, 5 pounds Moyune Young Hyson, and 5 pounds Sun-dried Japan, make a unique and popular blend in some sections where the taste for Young Hysons is still extant, but where Imperials are preferred, the best results are obtained by a mixing of ⅓ Imperial to ⅔ Foochow or other Oolong.
8. (Choice)—Pan and Sun-dried Japans, in equal quantities, always combine well with Hysons and Imperials, imparting a clearness and briskness to the liquor, but in the blending of green teas only true Moyunes should be employed, as Cantons, Pingsueys and all artificially-colored Green teas invariably injure and detract from the combination in which they may be introduced, no matter how fine the base and other constituent parts of theblend may be. Whenever low-priced Green teas are to be used select a cheap, clean sweet-drawing Moyune Imperial, Hyson, or even Twankay; they will give better results than the better-made and higher-priced doubtful sorts.
One of the greatest delusions indulged in by the novice in blending is that by using large and disproportionate quantities of Scented teas in old, inferior or damaged teas, under the erroneous impression that no matter how thin, flat, tainted or otherwise defective they may be it will “bring it up” and improve the flavor. No greater mistake in blending could be made, for while it is admitted that a small quantity of either Orange or Flowery Pekoe will add to the value and flavor of a clean, sweet Congou, but if used too freely makes it thin. Scented teas of any kind cannot overpower, neutralize or even modify the flavor of inferior or tainted teas, but, on the contrary, will make them more so, particularly if Cantons or Macaos be used. In this variety the best combinations are always to be produced from teas of the Congou and Souchong sorts, though not infrequently they combine well with Oolongs in very moderate quantities.
9. (Low-Priced)—Is a favorite blend in Scented tea localities, particularly when the water is hard or cloudy. To 10 pounds Saryune Congou add 1 pound Amoy Foochow and 1 pound Orange Pekoe. The fullness and smoothness of Saryune is unequalled for blending by that of any other low-priced Congous, but must be selected with care, as they are sometimes sour, often rank and frequently dusty. For those preferring an Oolong a cheap Saryune Oolong is best substituted for the Congou in Scented blends, the affinity being strongerand more natural. Another good blend intended for the same trade may be made from a combination of equal proportions of a cheap but clean and free liquoring Black-leaf Congou, Broken-leaf Assam and a Scented Caper—Foochow if the price should permit.
10. (Medium to Choice)—Foundation: 10 pounds Padrae Congou or Oolong, 2 pounds thick “fruity” Kiu-kiang or delicate Kintuck and 1 pound Foochow Orange or Flowery Pekoe make a fragrant and aromatic tea in affiliation, the three flavors assimilating as if governed by the law of gravitation. This will be found a tea combining strength and delicacy at the same time and well appreciated, as the chief difficulty in tea blending is the production of these two qualities in the same tea at the same time.
The selection of India teas for blending is more difficult than that of either China or Japan, most India teas possessing a sharp, acrid or “baked” flavor not found in the former kinds and the natural result of excess of tannin and artificial curing. These “peculiarities” consumers in this country greatly dislike, and to such an extent that is only when the finest grades are used that they can be neutralized, disguised or well-tempered with the heavier bodied China sorts that they will use them at all. For an “all-India blend” the best plan is to mix three or four different district kinds together in equal quantities—a strong, heavy Assam, a brisk and pungent Cachar, a soft and juicy Deradoon and high-flavored Kangra or Darjeeling; the latter will impart a distinctive tone to the entire combination. But fairly excellent results may also be obtained from a blend composed of equal parts of Cachar and Darjeeling alone.
11. (Low-Priced)—Is produced from proportionate quantities of a heavy-drawing Broken-leaf Assam or Darjeeling Oonfa Congou and Cachar Souchong, the whole making a rough-looking but full-bodied, strong and “grippy” tea.
12. (Medium)—Prepared from ½ Darjeeling Souchong, ½Kee-mun or Ningchow Congou and ¼ Paklin. Its predominant feature will be delicacy, though not sufficiently so to please a general trade, the Paklin detracting from the body, but imparting a rich, deep color to the whole.
13. (Choice)—Is a good combination certain to be appreciated by lovers of the India and Scented varieties, is made from ½ of a brisk, pungent Assam Souchong, ¼ Ningchow or fruity Kintuck and ⅛ Foochow Caper. The Ningchow should be grey-leaf and as heavy as can be procured, but without being coarse or “tarry,” and the Assam as pungent as can be obtained at the time.
Blended teas are the rule in England, where the skillful mixing of tea has become an art, very little, if any tea being sold to consumers that is not mixed or blended in some manner, every dealer, both wholesale and retail being identified with or noted for some particular flavored tea. Many of the blends sold in London, although differing widely in character, are most skilfully and scientifically combined, the greatest care being taken that no tea is introduced which might act detrimentally upon any other tea in the blend. The majority of these blends are markedly distinct, almost opposite, the chief features of one being a rough, strong, but ripe Saryune Congou, that of another being an even-leafed, delicate-flavored Chingwo, the base of a third being a plain Ningchow orfruity Oonfa, to which is added an Assam Pekoe or Souchong to increase its thickness and pungency as well as give tone to the mixture, together with a small quantity of low-pricedKaisow to reduce its cost. But however great the divergence in the blends, whenever knowledge and judgment have been brought to bear on the subject success has followed in its wake, and although the most of the combinations are exceedingly popular there is still ample room for the introduction of others as well as for improvements upon those that are at present in use.
14.The following is a very popular London blend, and will be duly appreciated among English residents generally: 3 pounds Kaisow Congou, 2 pounds Souchong, 2 pounds Assam, 1 pound Pekoe and 1 pound Foochow Oolong. The foundation of this combination as will be observed, is composed of China Congous, the Souchong enriching, the Assam giving sharpness and pungency, the Oolong softening and mellowing and the Pekoe imparting aroma and piquancy to the entire.
15.Another English blend, cheaper, and consequently not as satisfactory, is composed as follows: 6 pounds Ningchow, 6 pounds Oonfa and 5 pounds Cachar or Darjeeling Congous, 5 pounds Oolong, 1 pound Caper and 1 pound Pekoe. The Congous forming the base of this blend being lacking in strength, an extra quantity of Cachar is required to “bring them up,” while the equal quantity of Oolong softens and the Scented teas give a tone to the high-toasty flavor of the India.
In Blending teas scoops or guessing should not be relied on, but scales and weights always used in measuring. If it is worth the time and trouble to test a number of teas so that the most suitable may be selected, it certainly must be worth a little more of each to weigh and arrangethe proportions in the best and most advantageous manner, and not risk the success of the combination by a rough conjecture at the various quantities composing it. The advantage of correctly weighing tea for blending is not surpassed by that of selecting it in the first place, and a blend should never, under any circumstances, have its cost reduced by the introduction of a tea coarser or rougher in leaf than that of the majority of the kinds composing the mixture. Low-priced teas when used for this purpose should be clean, plain and sweet, as a tea of more pronounced character will stamp its own impression on the other teas instead of its being lost among them, its coarse features standing out prominently, while the superior qualities of the finer grades will be, if not entirely obliterated, so marred as to be unrecognizable. Whereas, if the blend is so arranged that the most powerful tea is also the highest grade in it, the effect is that all the other teas are elevated to its level. Teas should on no account be ever blended in wet or damp weather, as they have a natural susceptibility for absorbing moisture and all surrounding odors. After blending, they should be immediately replaced in the original lead-lined package and covered, or in tightly-covered cans, to exclude the air and protect them from the weather, and then allowed to stand from a week to ten days in order to let them assimilate and unite their opposite qualities.
In China, where tea has been in use from time immemorial, and where it not only forms the regular beverage of the people but also administers to the luxury of the epicure, it is generally prepared in the cup. The tea service consists of large porcelain cupswhich fit into a silver base, a smaller cup and cover, the leaves being placed in the large cup which is filled with boiling water and also covered. In about two minutes when the tea is drawn it is decanted from the large to the smaller cups, the cover being used to strain off the tea, after which it is drank without the addition of either sugar or milk. Another shorter method is to first put a small quantity of leaves in a cup and place a perforated silver-lid on top to keep them down,brisklyboiling water is then poured on and the cups covered with a saucer to prevent the aroma from escaping. The tea is then allowed to brew or “draw” in this manner from eight to ten minutes, after which the infusion is drank from the original cup. By these simple processes only the more volatile and stimulating properties of the leaves are extracted the tannin or astringent principle being retained in the leaves and an immeasurably much finer beverage produced than by any other known method.
The Mandarins and wealthier Chinese prepare it in a small hollow ball made of either gold or silver, about the size of a walnut, suspended from a finger-ring by a slender chain of the same material four to five inches long. This “tea-ball” is divided in the middle, the halves being hinged and perforated with innumerable holes, but is often made like a globular sieve of gold or silver wire connected in the same manner. The halves are filled with tea-leaves and then clasped tight and suspended by the ring and chain from one of the fingers of the right hand into a porcelain cup of freshly boiling water and gently moved to and fro or up and down until the water is colored to the desired height, the strength of the infusion thus prepared depending much on the length of time the tea-ball is agitated in the cup, making it strong or weak as may be required. The Chineseinvariably make the infusion with rain or spring water heated to a high degree, the ebullition lasting only a few minutes and poured on the leaves just as soon as the bubbles appear on top of the water.
The Japanese, to whom tea is as valuable as it is to the Chinese, first reduce the leaves to a fine powder by grinding them in a small hand-mill made for the purpose, and then mix it with hot water to the consistency of a thin pulp, in which form it is sipped, not drank, particularly by the aristocracy and richer people, being made and served to visitors in the following manner: The tea-table, with the powdered tea enclosed in a box, is set before the company and the cups filled with boiling water as much of the powder as would cover the point of a knife put into each cup, which is then stirred and mixed with a curious denticulated instrument until the liquor foams, in which state it is served to the company, and sipped while warm. Customarily they strain the liquid before drinking, but frequently the tea and pulverized leaves are drank together in the same manner that the Turks and other Orientals use coffee.
In Cashmere a beverage called “Cha Tulch” is prepared from tea by boiling the leaves in a tin-lined copper pot to a strong, dark decoction, and while boiling brisklyphule(red potash), anise-seed and a little salt is added, after which it is poured into a kettle and finally served in porcelain tea-cups. It is also prepared there in a vessel termed aChajos—kettle and tea-pot combined—and poured direct into the cups, but is used only after meals, more particularly after the morning repast. The morning meal, consisting of this decoction and someplain biscuit served hot. Another preparation, known as “churned tea,” made in a similar manner, but afterwards regularly churned like milk, is highly prized among them, being used exclusively for entertaining visitors. And there is no doubt that the Cashmere ladies talk scandal, vent their grievances and discuss their bonnets and their babies over this peculiar beverage in the same manner as do their more civilized sisters in America at their “five o’clock teas.”
Vumah cha or “Cream tea” is the favorite form in Turkestan in the preparation of which only Black tea is used, but is a much stronger decoction than that ordinarily made. The leaves are boiled in a copper pot and the color heightened by lifting spoonfuls up and letting them fall back again into the vessel while boiling, cream being added to it meantime and bread soaked in it, after which it is eaten. Another preparation termed Seen cha or “bitter tea” is made from Green tea infused in the regular way, but drawn for a shorter time, as the lighter the color the higher it is valued.
The Persians boil the leaves in a pot or kettle until the water assumes a blackish color and bitter taste, after which they add fennel, anise-seed, cloves and sugar to it, while the Hindoos and Cingalese simply put the leaves in seething water and use the liquor only without the addition of any other ingredient. In Chinese-Tartary tea is prepared in the customary manner as with us, but the liquor and leaves are swallowed together. The Mongols generally add milk, but make a much stronger decoction and use only the infusion, while the Bokharis use only Black tea mixed with camel’s milk or suet, breaking up their bread in it, always carrying a bag of it withthem when traveling, giving it to their innkeepers to brew as they need it.
In Siam when the water is well boiled they pour it on the leaves which have been put in an earthen pot proportional to the quantity they intend to make, the ordinary amount being as much as they can take up with the finger and thumb to a pint of water. They cover the pot until the leaves have sunk to the bottom and then serve it up in china dishes to be drank as hot as can be endured without sugar or milk.
A preparation calledShammaor “residue” is made from the spent or exhausted leaves—that is, leaves once used—in Beloochistan, and chewed like the pan or betel-leaf is in India and the coca in South America, and is claimed to have the same exhilarating effect in enabling them to stand fatigue and long journeys.
Tea is prepared for use in Thibet by first grinding the leaves and mixing them with bullock’s blood. This compound is then pressed into the form of bricks, dried by a fire-heat and wrapped in sheepskin until required for use, in which form it also serves as a currency throughout Central Asia. A kind of “bouillon” or soup is made from them by boiling in water and adding salt flour, oil, tallow or camel’s milk.
Among the Arabs tea is prepared by first placing a large kettle over a wood fire to heat and then filling it with water, the leaves being meantime mixed with salt and thrown into the water as it heats. When it approaches the boiling point they are rapidly stewed and lifted with a large ladle until the liquid becomes dark brown,when it is poured into another vessel, the kettle being cleaned meanwhile and a paste composed of meal and butter put in to fry in it. The tea infusion with cream added is then poured on the whole, ladled as before, after which the mass is removed and set aside to cool. In this condition it is ladled into wooden mugs and served up, the decoction thus prepared forming both meat and drink, satisfying hunger and thirst at the same time.
Tea in Morocco is regarded as a “course meal” the tea-pot or kettle is first filled with Green tea, sugar and water in such proportion as to make a thick syrup, which is used without the addition of milk or cream, but frequently addspearmint, wormwood, verbena, citron, and on great occasions ambergris. It is usually drank while seated cross-legged on soft carpets, spread on the floor around a costly tray with small feet raising it a few inches from the floor, furnished with glasses in place of cups, nothing else being taken at the meal. An infusion made of tea and tansy is also a favorite beverage with the people of Morocco which is highly aromatic and tonic in its effect, and claimed by them to be a remedy for debility.
In Switzerland it is customary to mix cinnamon with the leaves before making the infusion, and brew both together at the same time in the usual manner. While in France and other continental countries brandy, wine, or other liquor is generally added to the beverage before drinking.
The Russians, who are a nation of tea-drinkers, and who are close enough to the Chinese to have received some knowledge of their methods of preparing tea foruse, are very particular in using fresh-boiled water. They prepare it in the same manner as with us, sliced lemon being invariably added to the infusion before using, which wonderfully improves the flavor, making a delicious beverage. Sugar or milk are seldom added, but in cold weather a kind of liquor called “Vodki” is substituted for the lemon, the latter making it a potent drink, sending a glow all over the body. The vessels used by Russians in making tea consists of a small china tea-pot and a “Samovar” invariably, but the tea is not brewed or “drawn” in this vessel as is generally supposed, it being simply the utensil in which the water is boiled, taking the place and serving the same purpose as our tea-kettle. It is usually of brass, though often of other metal, urn-like in shape, but, unlike an ordinary urn, having an inner compartment or cylinder running through the middle, in which is placed burning charcoal for heating the water to an extreme temperature on the principle of a tubular boiler. The charcoal is not lighted until the Samovar is placed on the table, the water being drawn on to the tea as required, the tea being first put in a porcelain or earthenware tea-pot and filled from the Samovar; the first water is poured off the tea as soon as it is put on, being used merely to carry off the dust. A second water is then used for drawing the tea, sufficient to make a strong infusion, being poured on at once, after which the tea-pot is covered, an ample “cosy” being fitted over it to keep the tea warm and prevent the aroma from escaping, and is then allowed to draw from four to five minutes. Sufficient of this beverage is poured into each cup orglassand a slice of lemon added, as tea is drank chiefly from glasses set in metal frames in Russia, and the glass refilled with boiling water from the Samovar.
It is strange that nothing is ever done in this country by dealers to attempt to educate or enlighten their customers how to properly prepare their tea, study the water or preserve its aromatic properties after purchasing, seeing, as they must, how little the art is understood in this country particularly. Good tea can be kept intact, like good wine, for years with considerable advantage to both dealer and consumer alike, and there is no valid reason why consumers of tea should not be as particular and fastidious as buyers of wine. But to obtain good tea in the first place the consumer should purchase only the best, it requiring much less of the finer grades to make a good infusion—purchasing only from the most reputable dealers, those who know or study to understand their business. As a nation, the American people want the best of everything, or, as they characteristically express it, “the best is good enough for them,” and they intend to have it if money can purchase it. But of what avail is the best—tea for instance—if it be not prepared properly or in such a manner as to develop and secure its more delicate, subtle, volatile, refreshing and exhilarating properties. A country that expends annually upwards of sixteen millions of dollars on this commodity alone ought to devote a little more time and trouble in studying the best methods of preparing it and in extracting its most desirable and fragrant qualities.
Tea may be made depressing and injurious, or exhilarating and wholesome, according to the manner in which it is treated and prepared for use. Many who imagine that a high, dark-colored liquor indicates strength, boil the leaves, while others, again, spoil the tea by putting the leaves into the boiling water, some people putting the leaves in cold water and then placing the vessel over the fire to boil, prolonged infusion being still anotherserious mistake. All of these methods produce the same evil results—that of extracting an increased amount of the tannic acid—thereby destroying the flavor of the tea by giving it a bitter and astringent taste as well as imparting an almost ink-black color to the infusion.
The falsely economical custom of filling the tea-pot a second time without removing the exhausted leaves is another error in the making of tea, as the theine which is only soluble in fresh-boiled water, is wholly extracted in the first drawing and cannot for this reason be present in the second, the latter being merely a decoction composed chiefly of tannin. To avoid this error a sufficient quantity of tea should be made in the first drawing or fresh leaves supplied as needed. And still another reprehensible practice is that of adding fresh leaves to those that have already been used once, it being utterly impossible to add either to the strength or flavor of tea by putting more leaves in the tea-pot after the first drawing, for the reason thattea-waterwill not extract the active principle—theine—from the dry leaves of fresh tea;only fresh boiling water will do this. The use of tea-water simply increases the amount of tannin, darkens the color, destroys the flavor and only adds to the quantity of leaves already in the pot without in the least affecting the active principle, so that if it be necessary to increase the strength of the tea prepared, draw some fresh leaves in a separate vessel and add the liquor to that already made.
Tea being aninfusion, not adecoction, it should bebrewed, notstewed, the object being to extract as much of thetheineor refreshing principle and as little of thetanninor astringent property as possible, without, at the same time, either boiling or overdrawing. So that in the proper preparation of tea for use, the aim andobject should be to extract as little of thetanninas possible and as much of thetheineandvolatileoil as can be conveniently extracted without permitting the infusion to boil, to obtain which most desirable result the following general rules are recommended: Put the requisite quantity of leaves in a covered china or earthenware vessel—avoid tin or metal of any kind, even silver—then pour on fresh,briskly-boiling water and let stand where it will keephotwithout boiling from seven to ten minutes according to the variety of tea used. In this time, while the tea isdrawing, only the refreshing and stimulating principles (theine and volatile) are extracted from the leaves. Boiling or prolonged infusion dissolves and brings out the astringent principle (tannin) which injures the nerves and impairs digestion, for which reason no tea that has been either boiled or overdrawn is fit to drink. When tea has been boiled or overdrawn it can be readily detected by the exceedingly dark color of the liquor, as well as by its bitter and astringent flavor.