I have thus named a few out of the many dishes which
might be mentioned, which cost little, and yet are whole-
some and nourishing. We must not forget, however, that
the poor have frequently to contend with an insurmount-
able difficulty in their cooker)', and that is scarcity of fuel.
How can those who have very little coal, and perhaps no
oven into the bargain, prepare their food properly ? It is
very easy for us who have every needful appliance and
utensil to say what others should do ; yet very likely if we
were in the place of these poor creatures we should not
do nearly so well as they do. Let us, therefore, while
trying to help our poorer brothers and sisters, be very
charitable in our judgment of them, and remember who
it was who said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
136
XXI.
HOW TO MAKE TEA AND COFFEE.
fEA can be made rightly nowhere but in the British
Islands. Perfectly — it can be made in no house but
mine, and by no person but myself.
This is the opinion held by a great many modern
British housewives. They do not express it in so many
words, but they hold it most tenaciously. You may tell
them that the Chinese and the Russians imagine that
they also can make the beverage in question, but the
ladies will regard this as a sign of ignorance in the poor
deluded foreigners which has been foolishly pandered to
by travellers. You may deal out a side stroke, and inform
them that though they make tea, they cannot make coffee.
This point they will yield, and admit that if those who
profess to know speak truly, the French can make coffee
better than they; but what is coffee.? It is on tea that
they stake their reputation ; and they judge of the intel-
lectual and moral qualities of every visitor who comes to
the house by the extent of his or her appreciation of their
children and their tea.
If these ladies are made happy — and, above all, if they
are led to maintain their present high standard of excellence
by this inner consciousness of skill — I cannot say that I
see any harm in it. They can make a good cup of tea.
There is no doubt of that. I make fun of them here, but
I assure you I should not do so if I were in their presence.
I should accept their tea with gratitude ; and I should be
most effusive in my expression of appreciation of it. I
should also inquire with profound humility by what process
this wondrous result had been attained. As the process
was described, 1 should note carefully whether it differed
from my own in any particular. If it did, I should remark
to myself, with deep satisfaction, that my friend did not
know everything : she had to learn one or two things yet.
137
How to Make Tea and Coffee.
For now I will confess it — I also am a British matron.
I really do know how to make tea. Let those, therefore,
who wish to learn the one perfect way in which tea should
be made listen to me.
Page 91
Presented as published in 1882. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
I have thus named a few out of the many dishes which might be mentioned, which cost little, and yet are wholesome and nourishing. We must not forget, however, that the poor have frequently to contend with an insurmountable difficulty in their cooker)', and that is scarcity of fuel. How can those who have very little coal, and perhaps no oven into the bargain, prepare their food properly ? It is very easy for us who have every needful appliance and utensil to say what others should do ; yet very likely if we were in the place of these poor creatures we should not do nearly so well as they do. Let us, therefore, while trying to help our poorer brothers and sisters, be very charitable in our judgment of them, and remember who it was who said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
HOW TO MAKE TEA AND COFFEE.
TEA can be made rightly nowhere but in the British Islands. Perfectly — it can be made in no house but mine, and by no person but myself.
This is the opinion held by a great many modern British housewives. They do not express it in so many words, but they hold it most tenaciously. You may tell them that the Chinese and the Russians imagine that they also can make the beverage in question, but the ladies will regard this as a sign of ignorance in the poor deluded foreigners which has been foolishly pandered to by travellers. You may deal out a side stroke, and inform them that though they make tea, they cannot make coffee. This point they will yield, and admit that if those who profess to know speak truly, the French can make coffee better than they; but what is coffee.? It is on tea that they stake their reputation ; and they judge of the intellectual and moral qualities of every visitor who comes to the house by the extent of his or her appreciation of their children and their tea.
If these ladies are made happy — and, above all, if they are led to maintain their present high standard of excellence by this inner consciousness of skill — I cannot say that I see any harm in it. They can make a good cup of tea. There is no doubt of that. I make fun of them here, but I assure you I should not do so if I were in their presence. I should accept their tea with gratitude ; and I should be most effusive in my expression of appreciation of it. I should also inquire with profound humility by what process this wondrous result had been attained. As the process was described, 1 should note carefully whether it differed from my own in any particular. If it did, I should remark to myself, with deep satisfaction, that my friend did not know everything : she had to learn one or two things yet.
How to Make Tea and Coffee.
For now I will confess it — I also am a British matron. I really do know how to make tea. Let those, therefore, who wish to learn the one perfect way in which tea should be made listen to me.