The Washington herald., 1915-01-02
1t Is as Difficult as Boiling an
Egg Right-New Devices
for the Tea Table Include
Electric Toasters.

| The tea table, with humming kettle.
cleaning silver. dainty china. and tempt
/ ing sandwiches or little cakes, is an in.
vitation to contentment and happiness.
But often the cup of tea brewed by the
woman who presides over the table
brings quick disillusionment Content
ment and the spirit of happiness fee
with the first draft of the mke-warm,
bitter, oversweet liquid which goes under
the name of tea.
In novels written thirty or forty years
ago, when the impractical, helpless sort
of woman was the heroine, she generally
made the statement somewhere between
covers that she could not cook, excepting
to make toast and tea. Probably nur
ideas about the brewing of this beverage
were as vague and unforceful as her
ideas on every other subject, and the cup
of tea she made would have borne a
close resemblance to the dark and mys-
terious mixture already referred to. Fol-
it takes a good deal of sound sense to
make tea as it should be made.
Boiling water which has been put in
the kettle fresh and cold is the first
essential to good tea. A spirit lamp on
the tea table or tea tray is, therefore,
necessary, unless the tea is made in the
kitchen and brought in in a teapot
How Much Teas
II the tea is made in a pot it should
he of china, crockery, or earthenware,
and should be heated and dry. The old
rule of allowing a teaspoonful Of tea fol
each cup and one for the pot is a good
one to follow if strong tea is desired
Put the tea in the warm, dry pot, and
the moment the water boils pour in
cupful for each teaspoonful of tea Steep
from one to five minutes, according to
the kind of tea-Ceylon, for instance,
gives it's strength in a minute-and pour.
Never let the tea stand more than five
minutes. If stronger tea is wanted, more
leaves must be used. The first cups
poured will be weaker than those poureo
last, and if they are passed with this
point in mind all tastes can be suited.
If tea is made in a ball, the same rule
holds good about the fresh, boiling
water. The ball should be held in the
cup of water until it is-Sufficiently col
ored.
There is one objection to a ball which
does not hold in the case Of the tea
strainers made with wide, fiat rim TO set
over the edge of the cup. 1t is dith-
cult and somewhat graceless task to
open the hot bail, remove the wet leaves
neatly and make ready for second cup
of tea. When the open strainer is used,
Ine Wet leaves CdH Dt tdSlAS ASlAlO'SN
with a teaspoon.
A good cup Of tea can be made with
any sort of tea if boiling water is used
and If the tea is not allowed to steep
until II Is bitter. But there are many
sorts of tea and blending and mixing at
home will doubtless produce flavor
better liked than any which can be OBJ
tanned ready mixed.
Teas Black and Green.
Teas are either black or green. The
familiar green teas are Gunpowder, Hy-
son, Young Hyson, and Imperial. The
more usual black teas include English
Breakfast. Oolong, PekOe, Formosa,
Souchong, and Ceylon. Green teas are
more stimulating to the nerves, and
therefore should always be used in COM ,,
bination with black teas.
Orange Pekoe Of a good quality. which |
can be obtained at 81 a pound, BLENDED
in small amounts with Ceylon, English !
Breakfast. or Oolong. brings out all the
deIicacy of flavor hidden in the tea
leaves Pekoe, Young Hyson, and Eng |
lish Breakfast form another good blend |
and many persons think OOlong, mixed !
with a third of its own weight OF un- |
colored Japan tea, delicious.
The flavor of tea is further varied by |
the addition of sliced lemon, lemon slices |
pierced with whole cloves, quartered !
orange slices and orange flower water. |
So, with blends of half a dozen sorts to |
choose from, tea of various kinds Is to |
be had for the asking-and the PAYING |
and orange lemon, or Glove to lend |
final piquaDcy, every one ought to find /
some taste to suit his palate.
Russian tea brings a slightly different
flavor from the lemon than is found /
when the lemon slice is dropped into the |
tea after it is poured. The Russians put
the slice of lemon in the cup first and |
pour the hot tea on it.
What to Serve with Friendly Cup
Sandwiches of any sort, biscuits and
unsweetened or sweet: toast or
little cakes are all served with after
noon tea; but the keynote Of this repast
must be simplicity. The day when the
hostess served salads and
ices, jellies, and rich layer cake in the
middle of the afternoon is over. After
hospitality of that kind. the guests wen.
to the dinner table with dulled appetites
or none at all. The cup of tea at 4
or 4:3O o'clock, accompanied with a sand
wiCh or two and sweet biscuit or small 7
cake, refreshes, but in no way interferes
with the dinner served a few hours later.