New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-21
| R&SE555E] TALK5
ALL ABOUT THE TEA-cosEY.

The tca-cosey Is an English institution that he1
! recently been adopted In this country. II datee
back to those days when certain good people timed
the drawing Of their tea by reciting the Miserers
Psalm Ieisurely, as 10 have only the spiritual
part OF the tea properly made cosey r. almost
necessary to q properly made cup or tea I'M
mersed In tho thick wadded teapot cushion tbe
heated teapot remains at a uniform temperature.
and the tea develops It's finest flavor. II II served
ut ouce-ss soon the leaves have fairy sunk, ana
before the rank flavor OF fannie acid has developed
we will have ideal cup Of tea. providing the
quality OF tea used Of the best
Where a cosey is used IL Is essential that the eeor
pot be heated as hot as possible by pouring boiling
water In II and allowing IT to stand In hot place
for ten minutes. All this water must then be poured
out and the tea put In. Fastidlous Russian tea
makers pour boiling water over the tea at this
stage and instantly pour It of. This is 10 wAsh
the dust off the tea"
An English American does not -
this. but draws her tea with this first water Both
the English woman and the American. good
housekeepers, careful 70 use water that boil-
Ing thoroughly, and that has not boiled more than
five or six minutes. This is also one Of the secrets
OF the delicious tea OF the land Of the samovsr.
which, every now knows. is not used -
make tea in," but merely to boil the water Sss
that purpose.
So essential does the Russian mistress consider
the Of water that is thoroughly and freshly
boiled In the brewing" Of a cup OF tea that she
never intrusts the delicate process to servant, but
has the samovar, or charcoal cheated water-boiler.
brought to the table with the teapot ard the caddy.
Fresh cold water Is put in the samoyar. and the
charcoal furnace in the centre is started In . tsw
moments the water II steaming, and soon II u
boiling hard The tea Is then made with this water.
and the pot Is Immediately covered with thick
wadded -cosey 1t Ii allowed to stand for about
Ave six minutes.
The time depends considerably on the brand sf
tea used The Russian mistress Of the tea table
brews very strong tea. She fills the dainty crys-
tai tea glasses only one-thrd full and aftcrwafd
hs them up with boiling water from the samovar
putting the teapot back under its "cosey." The
Russian tea glass contains a long handled spoon
OF silver, and this prevents IL from being sivered
The is not Of often nseS for
the coffee-pot. Coffee Is much thicker q bever-
cosey is so essential to keep it hot, Moreover.
cofee-pots tall that cosey Of sufficient size
cumbersome The teapot suitable to use with .
cosey Is the fat round Chinese shape. which 70
The cosey should be fitted over the teapot, and
therefore the same shape will not do for all coseys.
ovals, which form the two sides, and united
by pun of any decorative and suitable material.
The sides are embroidered in various appropriate
ways Sometimes they are made OF white linen,
and side Is embroidered with a design OF the
tea plant in pale green. and the other with golden
Chinese letters from tea chest
den china pattern. with blue in the patterns OF
color of green tea. is often used lining these
embroidered coseys. which should be wadded thick
desirable TO keep them as soft as possible so that
they cling TO the teapot over which they are set.
sian noblemen are sometimes imported to this
country before they are made up. They then con:
ssi o. oor bs OF make IN eoa
and appropriate tea-coseys.