Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1900-02-09

How long tea has been used as bev-
erage no one knows. 1t was a domes-
tic essential in the Kingdoms of the Ori-
ent long before it was introduced into
Europe, and that was not a few dec
ades ago. To-day it is used as a bev-
erage in nearly all civilized lands, and
even barbarians dream over its care
Deguiling properties. A pious legend
tells us that Daruma, an Indian saint,
was the medium through which the
beverage became known to the world.
he had renounced all allurements of
this life to pass the remainder of his
days in meditation and prayer. Many
long years he spent in supplication,
when one fatal night the evil one pos
sessed his soul and the saint fell asleep
to dream Of a beautiful woman who
had enchanted him. When he awoke
he was so humiliated and panied that
he drew from his girdle a knife and
severed his lazy eyelids from his eyes
and cast them from him. What was his
amazement to discover the next morn
ing that the lids had disappeared. and
in their place two wonderful shrubs
were growing with dainty
leaflets, eyelid-shaped and snowy buds
opening to the east! He called it te,
and vowed that with it's help he would
pass the remainder of his days and
nights in unbroken meditation.
Tea became known in England about
the middle of the seventeenth century,
during the latter half of which we find
occasional reference to it, but it did
not come into general use until the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century. 1t
was first sold in public houses as beer
is now, and tapped.
Tea is the national drink In Russia.
1t is as Indispensable in, the food of the
people as bread and meat, and is taken
at all hours of the day. In all the scr
rows of the Russians. tea and vodka
seem to be the universal consolation.
The first thing in the morning, after
luncheon, after dinner, in the evening,
the last thing before going to bed, are
regular times when everybody takes
tea, but there are many who take it at
odd intervals between times.
In Morocco the teamaker puts a
handful of tea into teapot, pours on
some hot water and pours it off direct
7 ~. Then as many Jumps of sugar as
desired are added and the teapot is fill
ed with boiling water. The same tea
Is brewed two or three times, leaves of
wild thyme and fragrant verbena being
added. Milk and cream are never used.
The host always pours out a cup for
himself first and drinks it off before his
guests have time to touch theirs. This
Is to show them that he has no designs
against their lives, and that the tea is
not poisoned.
Tea is not simply a beverage with
Tlbetans, but the principal article of
food. 1t is invariably mixed with but
ter and parched barley, and the leaves
are not infrequently eaten. The brick
the kettle just before the water boils,
and after cooking five minutes salt and
soda are added. Sometimes it Is par
taken of in this stage of the prepara-
ton, but usually it is put through a
bamboo strainer, into a tea churn, with
a little barley meal, and churned vigor-
ously for two or three minutes then 1t
is poured into earthen or metal teapots
and is ready to be drunk.
The Dutch drink tea in the evening
two hours after dinner. The brazier
with the boiling kettle is brought into
the drawing-room and placed beside the
mistress of the house, and the tea tray
with every appliance on it is set before
her. 1t is served with small cakes, like
our afternoon tea.
The Russians and Germans some
times use claret in their tea. The Mic
araguan ladies call their high teas ter
tulias.