Besides the food substances actually needed for the maintenance of the health of the body, we have other foods which are added to give variety to our meals. These all fall in the class of luxuries and cannot be afforded by the poor. Tea and coffee are the exceptions to this statement, for though they properly belong in the class of luxuries, they give so much comfort that they are considered essential in the diet by the very poorest. They are not, however, foods, although they take away the sense of fatigue. They lessen the feeling of hunger but tend to increase the waste of tissue, for they contain substances which are stimulants to the central nervous system. They also tend to retard the digestion of food in the stomach, and tea in particular has a harmful action on the mucous lining of the stomach which prevents the desire for the proper amount of food needed by the body.

These two beverages, together with cocoa, contain as an active constituent a substance belonging to the chemical group of alkaloids. This is similar to quinine, cocaine, nicotine, morphine, and strychnine. Although this substance is small in quantity in tea when properly made, enough is present to be harmful when the tea is drunk after the teapot is allowed to stand indefinitely on the back of the stove. When cocoa is made with milk, the food value is, of course, greatly increased, but it must not be forgotten that it still contains one of the alkaloids and should be given to children in very weak form.

Place of tea and coffee

Tea was first introduced into England in 1610 by the Dutch East India Company. It is an evergreen shrub grown chiefly in Japan, China, and some parts of India. The delicate leaves and buds at the ends of the sprays are picked during the spring and summer. Different grades of teas are made from the different leaves. The buds make the finest pekoe teas, and the other leaves are graded in descending scale according to their size. Oolongs come from Formosa while the scented Orange Pekoe is from the Canton district. Chinese teas as a whole have the most delicate flavor but lack body. Indian teas, on the other hand, have the greatest degree of body and astringency and are therefore suitable for blending. Ceylon tea has a rich and peculiar flavor. The difference between a green and a black tea lies in the curing. For a green tea the leaves are steamed, rolled, and dried immediately, while for a black tea the leaves are dried from twelve to twenty-four hours, rolled, and then allowed to ferment before drying. Most black teas are blends while green teas come largely from northern China and Japan.

To make tea properly, water should be freshly drawn and used as soon as it boils. It should then be poured on the tea leaves in an earthernware pot and allowed to stand three to five minutes. It should then be poured off the leaves, as a longer steeping extracts more of the harmful constituents. If tea is made for a large number of people, as for a reception, it can be done very simply before the reception by pouring a small amount of boiling water (about ten teaspoonfuls of tea to a pint of water) on the tea-leaves, letting it stand for four minutes, then pouring it off. This strong decoction may then be served from the teapot by adding only about a tablespoonful in the cup and filling it up with boiling water. In this way every cup of tea served during the afternoon is equally fresh and good.

Tea - kinds

How to make tea

A retired Smyrna merchant introduced the use of coffee into England in 1652, and his Greek servant started the first coffee-house in London, The plant is a native of Arabia but is now grown in many tropical countries. The coffee bean which is used for making the concoction corresponds to the stone in a fruit similar to a cherry. The pulp of the fruit is softened by fermentation and the beans dried in the air. The husk is removed by rolling and the beans are then separated and sorted according to size. They are shipped raw but are roasted before being ground, in order to develop the flavor. There are several varieties on the market, those from Mocha and Java having the best flavor. The ones from Mexico and Brazil are not so expensive and are constantly growing in popularity.

Since both tea and coffee are stimulants to the nervous system and not foods, they should never be given to children. They take away the sense of fatigue which is the reason for their popularity, especially at lunch, but they should not be used to take the place of food. A cup of coffee alone does not make a suitable lunch for anybody. A cup of tea at four o'clock in the afternoon when the vitality is at a low point is a good stimulant, especially when taken with bread and butter or toast to provide the food the body needs and to prevent any irritating effect the tea may have on the stomach.

Coffee

Cocoa is a native of Mexico and was introduced into Europe by Columbus. It is obtained from the bean-like seeds of the fruit of the cacao tree. Both cocoa and chocolate are prepared from these seeds. In order to get the best chocolate, the seeds are dried, fermented in heaps, and roasted. This develops the flavor and frees the seeds from their husks. The inner portion thus obtained is broken up and ground. When the fat is expressed from this and the remainder pulverized, we have cocoa. Pure cocoa is generally mixed with starch or sugar to keep it from lumping. For this reason, cocoa to be well made should be boiled; but since it is not wise to boil milk, the best way to make cocoa is to mix the powdered cocoa and sugar together with some water and boil this for four or five minutes. The milk may then be added and the whole heated, preferably in a double boiler. The addition of a little salt greatly improves the flavor of the cocoa.

With the coming of prohibition the popularity of fruit drinks has notably increased. These are of wide variety and may be made with a basis of tea or ginger ale. Since fruit is such a wholesome article of diet, the use of lemonade, orangeade, grape juice and other fruit juices should be cultivated, especially for young people. Their attractiveness may be increased by using different combinations of fruits.

Other food accessories used to give flavor to the diet contain chemical substances known as essential oils and ethereal salts. These are found in herbs, fruits, and spices. The expert cook should be familiar with these and should understand that the best results are obtained by a judicious mixture of flavors. For instance, the much-despised chocolate cornstarch pudding as it is usually served in a restaurant may be greatly improved by the addition of a little coffee, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon, or even orange and sometimes rose.

Cocoa