To insure a really good “cup of tea” the kettle must be filled withfreshwater—if distilled the better—and boiled for about three minutes; there will be a sparkle about tea made with fresh-boiled water that it cannot receive from flat, hot water, which has been boiled long or repeatedly. For moderate strength it requires one heaping teaspoonful of good tea to each half-pint of boiling water or an ordinary tea-cup half-full to a quart of water will make a sufficiently strong infusion for five persons. No metal vessel, not even one of silver, is fit to make tea in, nothing being better adapted for the purpose than the old-fashioned tea-pot of heavy, glazed, brown earthenware, covered with a tea-cosy—a tufted cushion, cap-shaped, which envelopes the tea-pot, keeping the tea warm and the aroma from escaping. This vessel must be first“scalded” and set on the range to dry and keep hot, after which the tea is put in and allowed to heat for a few minutes before the boiling water is poured on the leaves, and the infusion allowed to draw or “brew” from five to ten minutes according to the variety of tea under treatment.
India and Ceylon teas are usually “drawn” in five minutes, longer infusion, owing to their great excess of tannin, making them still more bitter and astringent than they naturally are under ordinary conditions. The addition of extra quantities of milk and sugar, however, greatly modifies their great strength, sharp pungency and pronounced flavor. China Green and Japan teas require from six to eight minutes to “draw” thoroughly, while China Oolongs are best at from eight to ten. China Congous yielding lower percentages of tannin than most other varieties, the time allowed should be longer than ten minutes if a full yield of their best properties should be desired. They will also be found more suitable to temperaments to which teas containing larger quantities of tannin are found injurious or objectionable. China teas in general do not require much milk or sugar, while Japans are more pleasing and palatable without the addition of either.
Everything should be clean, the water fresh and the tea drawn at a specific heat, to insure which requires a brisk fire or gas heat, and different treatment according to the season of the year. Care should be taken that the water boils, it being much better to let it boil for a few minutes than use it under the boiling point. In winter the vessel should be made hot and the leaves heated in it before the water is poured on, for about a minute, while in summer the tea-pot need not be heated or the water poured on while boiling, but should beallowed to cease for a few seconds, more or less, according to the heat of the day. It is also a needless operation to pour a small quantity of water on the tea for a preliminary drawing, as is frequently done. Always fill the tea-pot, or pour in at once the quantity required, but for the more temperate seasons a modification of these methods may be adopted. The longest time that any tea should be allowed to steep is from five to ten minutes. As soon as it has been steeped this length of time, at the outside, it should be served. Even if it is allowed to remain on the stove a few minutes after this time it will be ruined.
The character of the water used greatly influences the liquor and flavor of the tea. Soft water should always be used when available, it being next to impossible to make good tea with hard water. Excess of lime in the water also deteriorates the infusion, the last difficulty may, however, be remedied by the judicious use of carbonate of soda, as much as would cover the face of a dime being sufficient for an ordinary drawing of tea.
Tea being an extremely delicate and sensitive article, it should be protected from all foul and foreign flavors, its susceptibility to the odors of other articles being a source of danger and deterioration, as it readily absorbs the smell of coffee, cocoa, spices, meats, fish and other commodities of pronounced flavor. Even when securely packed in the lead-lined chests in which it is received from the producing countries, the change from the glowing heat of Eastern skies to our atmosphere deprives it of much of its pleasing fragrance. For this reason the complaints so frequently made would not arise if always kept in places free from contagion or stored in a dry, warm temperature and not exposed to atmospheric influences.
BEVERAGES PREPARED FROM TEA.
Iced Tea—Put the requisite quantity of leaves in an earthen vessel and pour on briskly boiling water until the vessel is nearly full, and let it infuse or draw from two to three minutes; in no case permit it to boil, as boiling or long infusion extracts the tannin and imparts to it, even the best tea, a disagreeable, herby or astringent taste. When infusion is complete, strain the liquor out of the tea-pot into a jar, demijohn or other covered receptacle, and place it in a cool place for a few hours, or until wanted, then serve in a cup or goblet, adding some cracked ice and a slice or two of lemon. A fine grade of Chinese Congou or Souchong is best adapted for this purpose. Choice Oolong is also good, but Japan tea should never be used, as it is not pleasing when iced to a well-regulated palate. Fine Imperials and Young Hysons are also excellent for those whose nerves can stand Green tea, the first two, however, are best of all, having an especially agreeable flavor when iced. Plenty of ice is needed, which should becracked, notcrushed, and the lemon cut in quarters, the juice being squeezed out and the pulp scraped into the tea. The rind should never be used, as the oil contained in it imparts to the beverage a bitterish taste; use neither milk or sugar unless you are compelled to from habit. It is the bitter flavors of the tea and lemon together that is required to allay the parched feeling of the palate and throat.
Extract of Tea—In hot weather an infusion of tea-leaves made in cold water is much superior to that made in hot or boiling, for the reason that the aroma will not be dissipated. An extract made in this manner may be bottled, and if placed in a moderate temperature will keep for any reasonable time until required for use. When serving, fill the glass with cracked ice, put some sugaron top of it, add a slice or two of lemon and then pour on the extract thus made; the result will be a nectar fit for the gods.
Essence of Tea—Is produced from the leaves by distillation in the form of a dark-colored fluid, of which one or two spoonfuls added to boiling water will make an excellent cup of tea in a very short time. When prepared in a tea-pot, the water should be put in first and the requisite quantity of essence added afterwards; the flavor will be pronounced, coming out remarkably well in the liquor. This essence, when pure and properly made, will keep for any length of time in any climate on land or sea.
New Beverages—An effervescent wine may be produced from tea by forcing carbonic acid gas into the plain liquor as ordinarily prepared, and another beverage is produced by the introduction of an effervescing wine to the liquor only. While a pleasing drink is also prepared by treating the ordinary infusion with a little yeast and sugar, a tea-wine being produced from it differing in color and flavor according to the proportions in which the constituents are combined. Still another being evolved from this by the addition of a little alcohol to the compound. A drink called Rohrer or “tea spirit” is again produced by adding either whisky or brandy to the plain infusion when fresh made.
Paraguayan Tea—Is prepared in a filter or perforated bowl, known as a Maté, heated with warm water. A thin layer of sugar is first put in and a layer of leaves laid on top, another layer of sugar being added, the leaves being sandwiched between. The vessel is next filled with boiling water, which is allowed to percolate through the leaves and sugar. Before serving it is again sweetened with sugar until it becomes almost syrupy insubstance, and frequently flavored with cinnamon, orange or lemon juice. Goat’s milk is often used instead of water, when thus prepared the infusion becomes ambrosial, approaching to that of “Chocolate Italienne” or nectar in flavor, becoming still more palatable when cold, but if allowed to stand too long exposed to the influence of the atmosphere it gets muddy and sours quickly.