Tea is valuable chiefly for its warming and comforting
qualities. Taken in moderation, it acts partly as a seda-
tive, partly as a stimulant, arresting the destruction of
tissue, and seeming to invigorate the whole nervous sys-
tem. The water in it, even if impure, is made whole-
some by boiling, and the milk and sugar give a certain
amount of real nourishment. Nervous headaches are
often cured by it, and it has, like coflTee, been used as an
antidote in opium-poisoning.
Pass beyond the point of moderation, and it becomes
an irritant, precisely in the same way that an overdose of
morphine will, instead of putting to sleep, for just so much
longer time prevent any sleep at all. The woman who
can not eat, and who braces her nerves with a cup of green
tea, — the most powerful form of the herb, — is doing a
deeper wrong than she ma}^ be able to believe. The im-
mediate eflfect is delightful. Lightness, exhilaration, and
sense of energy are all there ; but the re-action comes
surel}^, and only a stronger dose next time accomplishes
the end desired. Nervous headaches, hj^steria in its
thousand forms, palpitations, and the long train of nervous
symptoms, own inordinate tea and coffee drinking as their
parent. Taken in reasonable amounts, tea can not be said
to be hurtful ; and the medium qualities, carefully pre-
pared, often make a more wholesome tea than that of the
highest price, the harmful properties being strongest in
the best. If the water is soft, it should be used as soon
as boiled, boiling causing all the gases which give flavor
to water to escape. In hard water, boiling softens it. In
all cases the water must be fresh, and poured boihng upon
the proper portion of tea, — the teapot ha^ang first been
well scalded with boiling water. Never boil any tea but
CONDIMENTS AND BEVERAGES. 113
English-breakfast tea ; for all others, simple steeping gives
the drink in perfection.
A disregard of these rules gives one the rank, black,
unpleasant infusion too often offered as tea ; while, if
boiled in tin, it becomes a species of slow poison, — the
tannic acid in the tea acting upon the metal, and produ-
cing a chemical compound whose character it is hard
to determine. Various other plants possess the essential
principle of tea, and are used as such ; as in Paragua}^,
where the Brazihan holly is dried, and makes a tea very
exhilarating in quality, but much more astringent.
The use of Coffee dates back even farther than that of
tea. Of the many varieties. Mocha and Java are finest in
flavor, and a mixture of one-third Mocha with two-thirds
Java gives the drink at its best. As in tea, there are three
chief constituents: (1) A volatile oil, giving the aroma
it possesses, but less in amount than that in tea. (2)
Astringent matter, — a modification of tannin, but also
less than in tea. (3) CaflTeine, now found identical with
theine, but varying in amount in diflferent varieties of coflTee,
— being in some three or four per cent, in others less.
Page 56
Presented as published in 1881. 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
Tea is valuable chiefly for its warming and comforting qualities. Taken in moderation, it acts partly as a sedative, partly as a stimulant, arresting the destruction of tissue, and seeming to invigorate the whole nervous system. The water in it, even if impure, is made wholesome by boiling, and the milk and sugar give a certain amount of real nourishment. Nervous headaches are often cured by it, and it has, like coffee, been used as an antidote in opium-poisoning.
Pass beyond the point of moderation, and it becomes an irritant, precisely in the same way that an overdose of morphine will, instead of putting to sleep, for just so much longer time prevent any sleep at all. The woman who can not eat, and who braces her nerves with a cup of green tea, — the most powerful form of the herb, — is doing a deeper wrong than she may be able to believe. The immediate effect is delightful. Lightness, exhilaration, and sense of energy are all there ; but the re-action comes surely, and only a stronger dose next time accomplishes the end desired. Nervous headaches, hysteria in its thousand forms, palpitations, and the long train of nervous symptoms, own inordinate tea and coffee drinking as their parent. Taken in reasonable amounts, tea can not be said to be hurtful ; and the medium qualities, carefully prepared, often make a more wholesome tea than that of the highest price, the harmful properties being strongest in the best. If the water is soft, it should be used as soon as boiled, boiling causing all the gases which give flavor to water to escape. In hard water, boiling softens it. In all cases the water must be fresh, and poured boiling upon the proper portion of tea, — the teapot having first been well scalded with boiling water. Never boil any tea but
English-breakfast tea ; for all others, simple steeping gives the drink in perfection.
A disregard of these rules gives one the rank, black, unpleasant infusion too often offered as tea ; while, if boiled in tin, it becomes a species of slow poison, — the tannic acid in the tea acting upon the metal, and producing a chemical compound whose character it is hard to determine. Various other plants possess the essential principle of tea, and are used as such ; as in Paraguay, where the Brazihan holly is dried, and makes a tea very exhilarating in quality, but much more astringent.
The use of Coffee dates back even farther than that of tea. Of the many varieties. Mocha and Java are finest in flavor, and a mixture of one-third Mocha with two-thirds Java gives the drink at its best. As in tea, there are three chief constituents: (1) A volatile oil, giving the aroma it possesses, but less in amount than that in tea. (2) Astringent matter, — a modification of tannin, but also less than in tea. (3) Caffeine, now found identical with theine, but varying in amount in different varieties of coffee, — being in some three or four per cent, in others less.