Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 12 October 1916, Page 57

Domestic

MAKING TEA. Over 2000 years' ago a learned Chinaman said of lea : ‘ It dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and clears the perceptive faculties/ This is true when its preparation is guided by Chinese rules, one.of which quaintly runs : ‘Take the water from a running stream, that from the hill springs being best/ and the further directions extend to Oriental imagery. In 20th century brevity it means strictly pure water, with plenty of fresh air in combination brought quickly to the boiling point and used immediately. How to Make Tea.— Scald the pot this is to avoid the loss of heat in the water as happens when one uses a cold pot. Tea critics say they can tell by the flavor when the teapot has not been heated in advance. Allow one level teaspoonful of Oolong tea to onehalf pint standard measuring cup of boiling-water. If using Indian teas, one-half teaspoon to the same amount of water is sufficient. Put the tea in the hot pot, add the water, cover quickly, close the spout, as’ with coffee, to keep in the aroma, and set in the corner of the range to keep hot. Better still, put the pot in a tray and cover with the time-honored ‘cosy/ but best of all, use a tea basket, if it is possible to own one. Allow the pot to stand from three to five minutes and serve promptly. By any or all methods, conserve the original heat but never try to increase it. Tea should be a pleasant infusion, not a violent decoction by boiling. Some ‘Tea Don’ts.’ —Do not use tin or other metal pots, because of tannic acid in the tea. Do not add fresh leaves and more water to the first brew. Do not warm a pot of left-over tea. Leftover tea can be used for ‘ iced tea ’ if it is immediately poured from the leaves or when unfit to drink, it can be used to dampen cloths for wiping off and brightening carpets. The moral of the serving of tea. and having it fresh is to know the number to be served at a family

table, and to measure water and tea accurately in order to avoid unnecessary waste and avoid the left-over tea question. In providing ‘ tea from three to six/ it has been found very successful to measure the capacity of the teapot in standard cups. Then make a numbeivyif square cheesecloth bags large enough to cover the bottom of the pot. The bags may be basted roughly and very quickly with coarse cotton, leaving one end open with several inches of thread by this opening. Put into each bag as many half or whole teaspoonfuls of tea, according to the brand, as you will have cups of water in the pot. Close the little bags by wrapping the thread and all is ready for rapid service. These may be prepared in quantity at any time and be kept in a tight tin box till used. By this method one pot may be in constant use. As soon as empty remove bag with a pair of sugar tongs and put in a fresh one at a side table. Keep a constant supply of freshlyboiled water and the last cupful of tea will be as good as the first one/ As To Bad Tea Methods.— lt is admitted that the faults of tea lie oftener with the method of making than the tea itself, but anyone reading as he runs know that the skins of animals are made into leather, or tanned, by treating them with tannin or tannic acid. Tea is generous in its proportions of the latter and the longer it stands the stronger it grows. The most courageous stomach is rightfully suspicious and resents a boiled astringent that threatens to pucker and irritate its hard worked membrane. Why try a tanning process upon the human creature. and why drink it to excess when a five-minute brewing contains about one grain of the stimulant caffeine to one cupful? Household Hints. No person who sets any value on her time will waste it by ironing stockings or knit underwear. Sheets are fresher when folded directly from the line. Only the hems should be pressed.