Sir Henry Thompson says, “Many of us might with “advantage avoid the sugar and the cream, which at afternoon “ tea interfere with the stomach far more than does the infusion “itself, and add in their place a delicate slice of lemon neither “thicker nor larger than a half-crown, the flavour of which “ fragrant peel and a hint of acid combines with the aroma of “ good tea without in the least disguising or flattening it as the “ conventional additions do. It would he almost as rational to “ add cream and sugar to wine as to fine and delicately flavoured “tea! Occasionally tea is served with lemon in this country, “ but it is mostly added in excess. A very slight shaving, which “ contains both peel and pulp, is ample for an ordinary cup.” [Food and Feeding, page 143.] Cold Tea. — This is most refreshing on a long railway journey, and is greatly appreciated by gentlemen out shooting. But it must be most carefully made. It is of no use to make an extra quantity of tea at breakfast and to fill bottles with what remains. Cream and sugar disguise the flat taste in carelessly - made hot tea, but cold tea, if drunk unsweetened as it should be, requires the greatest attention to avoid any such flavour. The Russian Caravan Tea, to be procured from the Russian Stores, Queen’s Road, Bayswater, should be used. It costs three-and- sixpence a pound, but it is far more refreshing and restorative than cheaper Tea. Have freshly-boiling water, allow a tumblerful to each teaspoonful of Russian Tea, let it stand for four minutes only, and then strain it into the bottles through a fine tin strainer. The wide-mouthed glass “ Climax ” bottles, with screw-tops, sold for jam are very convenient for cold tea, as they are strong and do not require corks. They are to be had from Sanderson and Young, 21 Red Lion Square, and should be kept for cold Tea. If old wine-bottles are used the flavour of the Tea will not be so good. Put a couple of lemons and a sharp clasp- knife in the basket with the Tea, and if sugar is insisted on put a few lumps in one of the little metal boxes sold for Tea baskets✪ Russian Tea. COFFEE 545 Coffee. — The water used in making Coffee must be freshly boiling, and Coffee to be good must be freshly roasted, freshly ground, and freshly made. Mocha Coffee has by far the finest flavour, but, as coffee-dealers say, it has not much “ body,” and requires to be “ fortified ” with the stronger Plantation Coffee. A good proportion is three parts Mocha to one part Plantation, or half and half may be used. The two kinds must be roasted separately, as the berries are not the same size. Most English people dislike the French method of mixing chicory with Coffee in cafe au lait, although it is considered to make both the Coffee and the milk more wholesome. If chicory is used buy the best French ground chicory, and allow one teaspoonful of it to six tea- spoonfuls of Coffee and a pint of boiling water. The Demon invention mentioned on page 339 roasts Coffee admirably. In damp weather the berries should be warmed and dried a little in the oven before grinding them. The coffee-mill should be care- fully cleaned after using it, as even a very little stale ground Coffee left in it will make the next day’s Coffee flat and tasteless.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Sir Henry Thompson says, "Many of us might with advantage avoid the sugar and the cream, which at afternoon tea interfere with the stomach far more than does the infusion itself, and add in their place a delicate slice of lemon neither thicker nor larger than a half-crown, the flavour of which fragrant peel and a hint of acid combines with the aroma of good tea without in the least disguising or flattening it as the conventional additions do. It would be almost as rational to add cream and sugar to wine as to fine and delicately flavoured tea! Occasionally tea is served with lemon in this country, but it is mostly added in excess. A very slight shaving, which contains both peel and pulp, is ample for an ordinary cup."” [Food and Feeding, page 143.] Cold Tea. — This is most refreshing on a long railway journey, and is greatly appreciated by gentlemen out shooting. But it must be most carefully made. It is of no use to make an extra quantity of tea at breakfast and to fill bottles with what remains. Cream and sugar disguise the flat taste in carelessly - made hot tea, but cold tea, if drunk unsweetened as it should be, requires the greatest attention to avoid any such flavour. The Russian Caravan Tea, to be procured from the Russian Stores, Queen’s Road, Bayswater, should be used. It costs three-andsixpence a pound, but it is far more refreshing and restorative than cheaper Tea. Have freshly-boiling water, allow a tumblerful to each teaspoonful of Russian Tea, let it stand for four minutes only, and then strain it into the bottles through a fine tin strainer. The wide-mouthed glass “ Climax ” bottles, with screw-tops, sold for jam are very convenient for cold tea, as they are strong and do not require corks. They are to be had from Sanderson and Young, 21 Red Lion Square, and should be kept for cold Tea. If old wine-bottles are used the flavour of the Tea will not be so good. Put a couple of lemons and a sharp claspknife in the basket with the Tea, and if sugar is insisted on put a few lumps in one of the little metal boxes sold for Tea baskets. COFFEE Coffee. — The water used in making Coffee must be freshly boiling, and Coffee to be good must be freshly roasted, freshly ground, and freshly made. Mocha Coffee has by far the finest flavour, but, as coffee-dealers say, it has not much “ body,” and requires to be “ fortified ” with the stronger Plantation Coffee. A good proportion is three parts Mocha to one part Plantation, or half and half may be used. The two kinds must be roasted separately, as the berries are not the same size. Most English people dislike the French method of mixing chicory with Coffee in cafe au lait, although it is considered to make both the Coffee and the milk more wholesome. If chicory is used buy the best French ground chicory, and allow one teaspoonful of it to six teaspoonfuls of Coffee and a pint of boiling water. The Demon invention mentioned on page 339 roasts Coffee admirably. In damp weather the berries should be warmed and dried a little in the oven before grinding them. The coffee-mill should be carefully cleaned after using it, as even a very little stale ground Coffee left in it will make the next day’s Coffee flat and tasteless.

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Russian Tea

Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book