Tea

Cooking Instructions

Place tea leaves in a preheated pot.

Proceed as indicated above, permitting the leaves to steep not less than 3 and not more than 5 minutes. Serve the tea promptly, stirring, for the ultimate touch, with a small bamboo whisk, as shown at the chapter head. Strain. Sugar or lemon? Yes, if you wish-the earliest tea-makers, curiously enough, added salt! On a chilly afternoon we sometimes like to put a small decanter of rum or brandy on the tea tray for the cup that cheers. But we draw the line at tea bags and cream. The bag container or the fat in the cream will adulterate the flavor of this subtle beverage. Milk is frequently added in England. Never steep tea leaves more than once.