BEVERAGES PREPARED FROM TEA.
Iced Tea—Put the requisite quantity of leaves in an earthen vessel and pour on briskly boiling water until the vessel is nearly full, and let it infuse or draw from two to three minutes; in no case permit it to boil, as boiling or long infusion extracts the tannin and imparts to it, even the best tea, a disagreeable, herby or astringent taste. When infusion is complete, strain the liquor out of the tea-pot into a jar, demijohn or other covered receptacle, and place it in a cool place for a few hours, or until wanted, then serve in a cup or goblet, adding some cracked ice and a slice or two of lemon. A fine grade of Chinese Congou or Souchong is best adapted for this purpose. Choice Oolong is also good, but Japan tea should never be used, as it is not pleasing when iced to a well-regulated palate. Fine Imperials and Young Hysons are also excellent for those whose nerves can stand Green tea, the first two, however, are best of all, having an especially agreeable flavor when iced. Plenty of ice is needed, which should be cracked, not crushed, and the lemon cut in quarters, the juice being squeezed out and the pulp scraped into the tea. The rind should never be used, as the oil contained in it imparts to the beverage a bitterish taste; use neither milk or sugar unless you are compelled to from habit. It is the bitter flavors of the tea and lemon together that is required to allay the parched feeling of the palate and throat.
Extract of Tea—In hot weather an infusion of tea-leaves made in cold water is much superior to that made in hot or boiling, for the reason that the aroma will not be dissipated. An extract made in this manner may be bottled, and if placed in a moderate temperature will keep for any reasonable time until required for use. When serving, fill the glass with cracked ice, put some sugar on top of it, add a slice or two of lemon and then pour on the extract thus made; the result will be a nectar fit for the gods.
Essence of Tea—Is produced from the leaves by distillation in the form of a dark-colored fluid, of which one or two spoonfuls added to boiling water will make an excellent cup of tea in a very short time. When prepared in a tea-pot, the water should be put in first and the requisite quantity of essence added afterwards; the flavor will be pronounced, coming out remarkably well in the liquor. This essence, when pure and properly made, will keep for any length of time in any climate on land or sea.
New Beverages—An effervescent wine may be produced from tea by forcing carbonic acid gas into the plain liquor as ordinarily prepared, and another beverage is produced by the introduction of an effervescing wine to the liquor only. While a pleasing drink is also prepared by treating the ordinary infusion with a little yeast and sugar, a tea-wine being produced from it differing in color and flavor according to the proportions in which the constituents are combined. Still another being evolved from this by the addition of a little alcohol to the compound. A drink called Rohrer or “tea spirit” is again produced by adding either whisky or brandy to the plain infusion when fresh made.
Paraguayan Tea—Is prepared in a filter or perforated bowl, known as a Maté, heated with warm water. A thin layer of sugar is first put in and a layer of leaves laid on top, another layer of sugar being added, the leaves being sandwiched between. The vessel is next filled with boiling water, which is allowed to percolate through the leaves and sugar. Before serving it is again sweetened with sugar until it becomes almost syrupy in substance, and frequently flavored with cinnamon, orange or lemon juice. Goat’s milk is often used instead of water, when thus prepared the infusion becomes ambrosial, approaching to that of “Chocolate Italienne” or nectar in flavor, becoming still more palatable when cold, but if allowed to stand too long exposed to the influence of the atmosphere it gets muddy and sours quickly.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHEMICAL, MEDICAL
AND
DIETICAL PROPERTIES.
Tea in chemistry is a complex mixture of a variety of substances, including Theine, Tannin, Dextrine, Glucose, Gum and an essential oil known as Volatile, which, together with a portion of the ash, pass into the solution when tea is infused. Being a leaf it also contains some woody fibre, the quantity of which as determined by Mulder, ranges from 17.1 in Green to 28.3 per cent. in Black teas. According to Peligot, whose admirable investigation of tea ranks as a chemical classic, it also contains a large quantity of legumen, a nitrogenous substance, sometimes termed vegetable Caseine, the percentage of which, as given by Peligot, is about 15 per cent. in tea in its usual commercial state. The woody fibre, legumen, some tannin coloring-matter and a certain quantity of the ash make up mainly the portion of the leaf which is not soluble in boiling water. In its commercial state tea is not subject to much irregularity in a hygrometric condition, there being only about 8 per cent. of moisture in it, which may fall to 6 or rise to 10 per cent. from outside causes.