Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-01-14
A TALK ON TEA.
AN EXPERT TELLS ABOUT TIL r
CUP THAT CHEERS,
Where Tea is the Most Popular
How the Leaf is Picked and
Dried-How to Make
Good Cup of Tea

Hot CFcTy nOuy VINO VIII urink III, anu lt Is
given to only a comparative few to know
how to prepare good tea for the table.
The tea drinkers are, firstly, the Rus
slams; secondly, the English, the Irish,
the Scotch of the better classes, the
Americans of the New England and the
Middle States of North America, and of
the Western States, including the Pacific
slope, and the British in the various
colonies Of the British Empire. The
Germans and Austrians drink but little
in comparison with other European peo-
pie, while the Danes and Swcdcs are free
consumers of the leaf. Few ,Spaniards
ever drink tea. The Oricntals Except
in the British Empire of India where
tea is drunk by the Europeans are not
tea drinkers.
The Cinnamon and the japanese are
tea drinkers, but the people of both
China and Japan drink tea very moder-
atcly, and they invariably drink it boil
ing hot. The Russians, and especially
those Of the lower classes, drink tea
habitually, as do also the japanese The
French drink tea very sparingly, and
scarcely ever except as MEDICINE. When
/ any lady who happens to be troubled
with nervousness calls in the aid of
! physician the almost universal medicine
ordered is a cup'of tea which remedy is
speedily followed by a tissanc," which
has not the most remote affinity with the
celestial leaf and as very little is to'b
! found in the drug shops Of France chest
OF tea lasts very long time in the pos
session of the druggist, and is therefore
of too poor quality to be useful for tea
as medicine.
The Russian peasant is free consumer
of tea, and is perfectly satisfied with
"brick tea, (Which is the commoncr sort
of the leaf compressed into the shape Of
small bricks On the other hand the gen
try and the nobility arc also free con
sumcrs; but, as may naturally be sup
posed, their consumption Of tea is con
fined to the higher and more costly
grades. The best tea is therefore, con
sumed by the English gentry and no
bility, and as a rule, by the well to do
middle classes The poor in Eng land
also consume vast quantities Of tea, and
it must be only the miserahl ysspoor
old couple who would be content with
out their cup Of tea morning and even
ing, or who would not be very sorry if
they were unable to offer cup to a
neichbor or companion.
The Southern American is essentially
a coffee drinker, and very seldom drinks
''the cup which cheers and not inc
briatesn y The States between Mexico
and Colombia. Salvador, Chill and Peru
drink comparatively little tea, but are
great consumers of chocolate, as are also
the Spaniards.
The Englishman and the British co.
onst will drink no other tea than Con
gou, and this brings US to the ,ques-
titu VI tilC VI tAC SCfCId
kinds of tea. l have frequently heard
elderly ladies declare that green tea is
very bad for the nerves, and that dcclara
ton is not altogether unfoundcd, as
will cndcavor to explain.
Congou tea and green tea are both
made of the self-samc leaves. but the
manner in which the leaves are manipu-
lated is, in effect, the difference between
'.green tea" and Congou tea" If, when
the leaves are first taken from the the
bushes for the manufacture Of Congou
tea, the leaves are not allowed to become
drv; If there be danger Of their drying
quickly, and, indeed. If there be any ap
pearancc of dryness, the leaves are sprin
kled with fresh water for the purpose oi
: producing certain degree Of decompo
sition Of the leayes-a pro ess which
makes the Congou tea the least hurtfn
Of all tea 10 the nerves Of the consumer
! The leaves thus rnoistcncd and ready 10
manufacture are rolled between the palms
Of the hands, or. according to the degre.
OF moisture or dryness Of the leaves, ar
rolled by the hands and feet. which i
the initiatory process for shaping tn
leaf a handful OF the leaves SO roilee
{ is placed in the palm o. he operative
G who again rolls the mass into kind 0
:, round ball OF leaves, preparatory to be
Q ing thrown into the lower part OF al
iron pan, shaped something like this L
q known as a Fychow pan, dnder which
q gentle fire OF charcoal Is lighted.
: The sides OF the pan being thus grad
J ually heated, the operative throws Il
i bali Of leaves down into the pan, Gre
b asine little cloud Of steaEa proceedin:
a ..om TIC moisture o. the leaves. whs
the maalpa.a,or. knowing exactly 90