Tea urn

“ A fluted edge is a most uncomfortable finish for a drinking vessel. The wafer-basket may be silver, china or cut glass.
For the winter months many hostesses have introduced a variety on the menu of the five o’clock tea table. Tea is a doubtful beverage in many hands, and is wholly abjured by many women as injurious to the complexion, hence a big, egg-shaped urn, beneath which a tiny alcohol jet burns, is set up in the corner of the drawing-room. The urn is filled with chicken bouillon, served piping hot in small silver cups, and with an invigorating dash of sherry for those who prefer it so. ”

“ The first article of her faith is, that the water must not merely be hot, not merely have boiled a few moments since, but be actually boiling at the moment it touches the tea. Hence, though servants in England are vastly better trained than with us, this delicate mystery is seldom left to their hands. Tea-making belongs to the drawing-room, and high-born ladies preside at "the bubbling and loud hissing urn," and see that all due rites and solemnities are properly performed—that the cups are hot, and that the infused tea waits the exact time before the libations commence. ”

“ Gold stripes meant nothing to me now; shrapnel helmets were as high above me as the stars; the only hero was the man who didn't want change. Often in the early part I thought the queue was coming to an end; it was always [Pg 18] the sign for a fresh influx; and when the National Anthem came thumping from the cinema, the original Ark might have sunk under such a boarding-party of thirsty tea-drinkers as we had still to receive. I noted that they called it tea regardless of the contents of the urn, which changed first to coffee and then to cocoa as the night wore on: tea was the generic term. ”

“ Beside the tea gardens, on the road of approach, just outside the gardens, there were every species of hucksters' refreshments—all kinds of buns, cakes, fruits, &c., in little booths and stands of those who vended them, for the refreshment of little family parties, or individuals who had come from London here to pass the day. Hot waffles were baked and sold at two pence each, as fast as the vender could turn his hand to it; an uncertain sort of coffee at two pence a cup, and tea ditto, were served out by a vender from a portable urn kept hot by a spirit lamp beneath it ”

“ Then when the mid-day gong sounds, work ceases for the nonce, when these pretty, black-eyed, dark-haired damsels squat in groups among the bushes, while they partake of their frugal meal of rice, moistened by44 copious draughts of hot weak Tea. Immense care is necessary in order to protect the delicate young leaf from injury. As a rule, the girls employed undergo a species of training to prepare them for their work. Not only so, but while engaged in plucking the flowery Pekoe they wear gloves of perfumed leather. Every leaf has to be plucked separately. ”

“ The one wanting quality is the strength, sometimes, by-the-bye, the flavour is a little different. It may have the greenish, greyish blackish leaf (though generally the green leaves are distinct from black ones, the Tea thus being composed of greyish blackish leaves with a few green ones intermixed) , always has the pale liquor, generally the greenish infused leaf; but sometimes it is sadly intermingled with black leaves, as it is a Tea whose flavour is frequently burnt out, though its weakness and green appearance are no doubt often caused by deficient firing. ”

“ The latest works on botany, also, make Thea a distinct genus—Thea Sinensis—divided into two species—Thea Viridis and Thea Bohea—these botanical terms having no specific relation to the varieties known to commerce as Green and Black teas. It having also been proven that there is but one species comprehending both varieties, the difference in color and character being due to a variation in the soil, climate, as well as to different methods of cultivation and curing, from either or both of which Green or Black tea may be prepared at will according to the process of manufacture. ”

“ Oranges were changed into pots of marmalade, and given away to the boys, and a chest of tea was converted into a tray carrying a steaming teapot, sugar, milk, cups of tea, and handed by the attendants to the ladies in the reserved seats only—such is the blighting influence of cash, which caused the one-shilling people to be neglected and the eighteenpenny-reserved-seat folks to have their teas. ”

“ In the center of this is a tall vase holding a miscellaneous bouquet, and at the corners of the centerpiece are small vases of similar design holding similar bouquets. All edibles are on the table at once, there is no removing of courses. The teacups, silver teapot with satin cosey, silver or china hot water pitcher and sugar and cream are placed in front of the hostess. The hostess asks the taste of the guest as to sugar and cream and fixes the tea herself. The maid passes the tea and then retires, and the service becomes informal, the guests assisting. ”

“ Again, as to how much liquor an equal quantity of the former will yield in comparison with a similar weight of the latter, is another mooted question. As far as quantity, color and body are concerned, it must be admitted that India and Ceylon teas are once and a half greater. But in flavor and aroma, the essential qualities that constitute and are most appreciated in tea, China and Japan teas far excel them. ”

“ The great strength of the leaf enables the manufacturer to fire the leaves longer; the longer they are fired the longer they will keep, the third crop, or “Autumn teas,” that have been well-fired improving with time after exposure to the air, the action of the atmosphere bringing out the fragrance of the tea, the toasty flavor at the same time disappearing. ”

“ How can we insure the least loss, taking into consideration the fact that the weights of both the gross and tare, because of the wood drying and lightening in transit, can never come out the same at the Custom House in London as they were on the garden.
We can do it thus: the Tea if well packed in a chest in no way alters in weight during transit. If dry, when put up, it cannot become lighter; if the leaden covering is air-tight, it can absorb no moisture, which would of course [276] make it heavier. I therefore beg the question that it is a fixed quantity, for it must be so if well packed. ”

“ To sum up, India and Ceylon may produce stronger 123and more powerful teas if that can be called a recommendation, but for smoothness of liquor, richness and delicacy of flavor, such as are essential to every-day, universal consumption, the China tea-leaf and French grape stand and will continue to stand unrivalled. India and Ceylon may claim to be the teas of to-day, but it remains to be seen whether that day be long or short, as in my humble opinion, without laying any claim to the prophetic, the teas of the future as in the past will be China and Japan teas. ”

“ Palms, ferns, mignonette, mosses and clusters of leaves lend themselves to the nicest effects against the whites of the table-cloth and china. If color is preferred, there are tulips and daffodils of gorgeous beauty, and good for a week's wear.
Nothing but white damask is used by gentlewomen. The woman who gives a tea never pours it. There are other things she can do to please her callers. Tea is usually served with candlelight, and to be a success [Pg 51] need cost next to nothing, for nothing need be served that is substantial enough to dislocate the appetite for dinner. ”

“ The leaves are smooth, shining, of a dark green color, and with notched edges; those of the Thea Bohea, the black tea, being curled and oblong,—while those of the Thea viridis, the green tea, are broader in proportion to their length, but not so thick, and curled at the apex. The plant flowers early in the spring, remaining in bloom about a month; and its seeds ripen in December and January. According to Chinese authority, tea is grown in nearly every province of the empire; but the greater part of it is produced in four or five provinces, affording all that is shipped from Canton. ”

“ Infusions of fine bohea Teas do not differ a great deal in colour from those of green. To spirit they equally impart a fine deep green colour.
[46] I am informed by intelligent persons, who have resided some time at Canton, that the Tea about that city affords very little smell whilst growing. The same is observed of the Tea plants in England; and also of the dried specimens from China. We are not hence to conclude, that art alone conveys to Teas when cured the smell peculiar to each kind; for our vegetables, grasses for instance, have little or no smell till dried, and made into hay. ”

“ He also brought a pair of gold chopsticks. They both knelt on the floor in front of Her Majesty and held the trays up so that she could reach them. She took the golden cover off of the cup containing tea and took some of the honeysuckle flowers and placed them in the tea. While she was doing this and sipping the tea, she was telling how fond she was of flowers and what a delicate flavor they gave to the tea. Then she said: "I will let you taste some of my tea and see if you like it," and ordered one of the eunuchs to bring us some tea, the same as she was drinking. ”

“ No artificial colouring of the leaves is ever resorted to. Qualities vary, of course, according to the localities in which the tea is grown, just as is the case with wine. The best tea is that grown on a tree which grows in the garden of a monastery which is situated on the Ou-I mountain, in the interior of the province of Fou-Kien. The priests do not sell [188] it, but keep it for the use of distinguished visitors. They give you about ten leaves in a cup not much bigger than an egg-cup, and pour on it water taken from an excellent spring which is situated near the monastery. ”

“ Broken Leaf—India and Ceylon Broken-leaf Teas are composed of the old, broken and mutilated leaves of the other sorts which are separated in sifting, and bear the same relation to these varieties that Twankay does to China Green Teas and Nibs to the Japan sorts. They vary in color from brown to black, their strength being seldom great, though the flavor of the finer grades is in general good, drawing and drinking in proportion to the grades from which they are separated, while that of the commoner kinds is poor, thin and coarse in liquor and flavor. ”

“ The English fashion of drinking tea would be laughed to scorn by the educated Chinaman or the accomplished Russian. Indeed, it is surprising in how few houses a good cup of tea can be obtained now that it has become unfashionable for the mistress of the establishment, not only to preside over her own tea-table, but to have complete sway over that most necessary article, a kettle of boiling water. The Chinese never dream of stewing their tea, as we too often do in England. ”

“ This form of adulteration, however, is trivial when compared with the former one, but, nevertheless, the expert and analyst are frequently called upon to deal with it to a much greater extent than most people imagine.
Such foreign leaves in tea may be best detected by their botanical character or by the absence of the special structural marks which distinguish the genuine tea-leaf from that of all other leaves in the vegetable kingdom, for while the true leaf bears a strong resemblance to that of the willow, ash and plum, it varies, however, in size form and structure. ”

“ From the mountains the road drops to a rich tea country, where every hill-side is green with the thick-set little bushes. At harvest-time cart-loads of basket-fired, or country-dried, tea fill the road to the ports, to be toasted finally in iron pans, and coated with indigo and gypsum to satisfy the taste of American tea-drinkers. In every town farmers may be seen dickering with the merchants over the tough paper sacks of tea that they bring in, and within the houses groups sitting at low tables sort the leaves into grades with swift fingers. ”

“ Just inside of the gate, at a little table, sits a man who keeps count of the coolies, as they enter with chests of tea, and sees that they do not carry any out except for good reasons. Looking down the length of the hong, a busy scene presents itself. It is crammed with big square chests just from the tea regions, and piled up to the roof. Presently a string of coolies, stretching out like a flock of wild geese, come past, and set down chests enough on the floor to cover half an acre. These half-naked fellows are nimble workmen, and will unload a boat full of tea in an incredibly short time. ”

“ As a first step towards the formation of an opinion in this matter, it will be quite worth any interested person’s while to satisfy himself by a very easy experiment that there is something in tea, which careless notice and common use would never discover. Let him simply rub a teaspoonful of dry tea leaves to powder, and place it in a flat watch-glass, standing on the hot hob of a fire-place, a piece of stiff white paper being twisted up into the form of a sugar-loaf, and covered over the watch-glass and powdered tea. ”

“ Thea viridis.—This is the China tea plant, whose native country is undetermined. All kinds and grades of the teas of commerce are made from this species, although probably it has some varieties. Black and green teas are the result of different modes of preparation; very much of the green, however, is artificially colored to suit the foreign trade. The finest teas do not reach this country; they will not bear a sea voyage, and are used only by the wealthy classes in China and Russia. The active principles of the leaves are theine and a volatile oil, to which latter the flavor and odor are due. ”