49. SELECTION OF TEA.--In the course of its preparation, tea is rolled
either into long, slender pieces or into little balls. Knowing this, the
housewife should be able to detect readily the stems and other foreign
material sometimes found in teas, especially the cheaper varieties. Such
teas should be avoided, for they are lacking not only in flavor but also
in strength. If economy must be practiced, the moderately expensive
grades will prove to be the best ones to buy.
50. METHODS OF MAKING TEA.--Upon steeping tea in hot water, a very
pleasant beverage results. If this is properly made, a gentle stimulant
that can be indulged in occasionally by normal adults without harmful
results can be expected. However, the value of tea as a beverage has at
all times been much overestimated. When it is served as afternoon tea,
as is frequently done, its chief value lies in the pleasant hospitality
that is afforded by pouring it. Especially is this the case in England,
where the inhabitants have adopted the pretty custom of serving
afternoon tea and feel that guests have not received the hospitality of
the home until tea has been served. Through their continued use of this
beverage, the English have become expert in tea making.
51. The Russians are also adepts so far as the making of tea is
concerned. They use a very good kind of tea, called _caravan tea_, which
is packed in lead-covered packages and brought to them by caravans. This
method of packing and delivery is supposed to have a ripening effect on
the leaves and to give them an unusually good flavor. For making tea,
the Russians use an equipment called a _samovar_. This is an urn that is
constantly kept filled with boiling water, so that tea can be served to
all visitors or callers that come, no matter what time of day
they arrive.
52. Most persons, however, make tea into a beverage by steeping it in
boiling water or by placing it in a tea ball or some similar utensil and
then allowing it to stand in boiling water for a short time. Whichever
method of preparation is followed, the water must be at the boiling
point and it must be freshly boiled. Water that has been boiled for any
length of time becomes very insipid and flat to the taste and affects
the flavor of the tea. Tea leaves that have been used once should never
be resteeped, for more tannin is extracted than is desirable and the
good tea flavor is lost, producing a very unwholesome beverage. As a
rule, 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoonfuls of tea to 1 cupful of water is the
proportion followed in tea making.
53. STEEPED TEA.--When tea is to be steeped, a teapot is used. That the
best results may be secured, the teapot should always be freshly scalded
and the water freshly boiled.
STEEPED TEA
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 Tb. tea
1 qt. boiling water
Scald the teapot. Put the tea into the teapot and pour the boiling water
over it. Let stand on the back of the stove for 3 minutes, when a
beverage of sufficient strength will be formed. Strain the beverage from
the tea leaves and serve at once.
[Illustration: FIG. 6]
54. AFTERNOON TEA.--When tea is desired for afternoon serving or when it
is to be prepared at the table, a _tea ball_ is the most satisfactory
utensil to use. This is a perforated silver or aluminum ball, such as
shown in Fig. 6, which opens by means of a hinge and into which the tea
is placed. For convenience in use, a chain is attached to the ball and
ends in a ring that is large enough to slip over the finger. Some
teapots contain a ball attached to the inside of the lid and suspended
inside the pot. Utensils of this kind are very convenient, for when the
tea made in them becomes strong enough, the leaves may be removed
without pouring off the tea.
To prepare afternoon tea with a tea ball, put 1 or 2 teaspoonfuls of tea
in the ball, fasten it securely, and place it in a cup. Then pour enough
freshly boiled water over the ball to fill the cup to the desired
height. Allow the ball to remain in the water until the desired strength
is attained and then remove it. If more than 2 or 3 persons are to be
served, it will be necessary to refill the ball.
55. ICED TEA.--Perhaps one of the most refreshing drinks for warm
weather is iced tea. A tea that is especially blended for this purpose
and that is cheaper in price than other tea may be purchased. Slices of
lemon or crushed mint leaves add much to the flavor of the tea and are
often served with it.
Prepare tea by steeping it, but make it double strength. Strain it from
the leaves and allow it to become cool. Then pour it into glasses
containing cracked ice. Serve with sugar and slices of lemon or
mint leaves.
56. LEFT-OVER TEA.--Tea that remains after all persons are served need
not be wasted if it is poured off the leaves at once. Such tea is
satisfactory for iced tea, or it may be combined with certain fruit
juices in the preparation of various cold beverages. However, there are
not many satisfactory uses for left-over tea; so it is best to take
pains not to make more than will be required for one time.