THE IDEAL BREW OF TEA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 219, 10 June 1919, Page 2

THE IDEAL BREW OF TEA

ACCORDING' TO A CHINESE POET. | For the .proper production of lea, the Chinese poet, Lnwah, maintained that only three ingredients are necessarytea, water, find salt—but cach should be chosen with fastidious care:— "The leaves of the tea-plant must have creases like the leathern boot of a Tartar horseman, curl like the dewlap of a mighty bullock, unfold liko a. mist rising out of a ravine, gleam like a lake touched by a zephyr, and be wet and soft liko fine earth newly swept, by rain." Ho dwells al6o on the serious qvestion of the choice of water and the degree of boiling it. In his opinion, the mountain spring is the best, with river rater and ordinary spring water next ill order of excellence:— "Thero are three stages of lioiiing: the first boil is when the little bubbles lik§ the eye of fishes swim on the surface; tho second boil is wlien the bubbles are liko crystal beads Tolling in iv fountain; the third is when the billows sv.i ge wildly in tho kettle." Salt in put in the first boil, tj.e tea in the second. At the third boil, a dipperful ot cold water is poured into tho kettlo to settlo the tea and revive ■■ "the youth of tho water," after which the beverage is poured into cups and drunk. How different from the crudo and hasty brews to which we Western barbarians have 60 ofter. to submit.