Fresh-drawn filtered water, just at the boiling point, is the first item needful when a cup of tea is desired; the second item is a clean, dry heated teapot, preferably of chinaware. Never leave the tea leaves and the liquid left over in the teapot for a cup of tea midway between meals. Never drink liquid that has stood longer than five or six minutes upon tea leaves. At the first bubbling of the water rinse the teapot, already clean, and let stand a moment on the hot stove to dry; put in the tea leaves and pour over the now furiously bubbling water; put on the cover and let stand five minutes on the hot range without boiling. If made at the table, cover the pot with the "cosey." After standing five minutes the flavor of the tea is impaired.

Proportions Of Tea

A teaspoonful of tea to a cup of water is considered a fair proportion; this gives too strong a cup for some and not strong enough for others. When strength is desired, secure it by adding tea, and not by longer steeping.

Accompaniments To Tea

If one be fond of the genuine flavor of tea nothing will be added to the infusion. The addition of cream and sugar is an English custom; that of slices of lemon, or lemon juice is a Russian usage, while candied cherries in tea is an American innovation.

Tea For Large Companies

Put the tea leaves, inclosed in a sheer muslin bag, into the clean and scalded pot and add boiling water to make a strong infusion. Let stand five minutes, then remove the bag. Dilute to taste with water at the boiling point.

Iced Tea

Make the tea of rather more strength than ordinary, that is, use a larger proportion of tea to water than when the tea is to be served hot; pour from the leaves, after standing the usual five minutes, directly upon the cracked ice in the glasses. Or, make the tea of the usual strength and turn from the leaves into a fruit jar and let stand on the ice until thoroughly chilled.

The Tea Ball

When tea is to be made for the afternoon caller a cup or two at a time, the silver tea ball, or the later teaspoon, which is used in the same manner as the "ball," is very convenient. The ball, or spoon, holding the tea is placed in the cup; freshly boiling water is poured in and the ball or spoon is removed when the color indicates that the infusion is sufficiently strong.

Delicious Cup Of Tea (Dr. Shepard, Pinehurst, S. C.)

Select a porcelain cup that is white inside, so as to show the color of the tea liquor. Warm the dry cup and saucer until rather uncomfortable to hold. Put in the cup a half to one teaspoonful (according to taste) of "Pinehurst" green tea, and cover it with a saucer and a cosey, if handy, for a few minutes. Having quickly brought freshly drawn water to boiling, fill the cup and cover it with the saucer and cosey for three minutes.

Then, without stirring or adding anything, drink only the upper half, or two thirds of the tea liquor.