TESTING, BLENDING AND PREPARING. 193 



plain biscuit served hot. Another preparation, known as 

 "churned tea," made in a similar manner, but afterwards 

 regularly churned like milk, is highly prized among them, 

 being used exclusively for entertaining visitors. And there 

 is no doubt that the Cashmere ladies talk scandal, vent 

 their grievances and discuss their bonnets and their 

 babies over this peculiar beverage in the same manner as 

 do their more civilized sisters in America at their " five 



o'clock teas." 



* * * * 



Vumah cha or " Cream tea " is the favorite form in 

 Turkestan in the preparation of which only Black tea is 

 used, but is a much stronger decoction than that ordi- 

 narily made. The leaves are boiled in a copper pot and 

 the color heightened by lifting spoonfuls up and letting 

 them fall back again into the vessel while boiling, cream 

 being added to it meantime and bread soaked in it, after 

 which it is eaten. Another preparation termed Seen cha 

 or " bitter tea " is made from Green tea infused in the 

 regular way, but drawn for a shorter time, as the lighter 

 the color the higher it is valued. 



* * * * 



The Persians boil the leaves in a pot or kettle until the 

 water assumes a blackish color and bitter taste, after 

 which they add fennel, anise-seed, cloves and sugar to it, 

 while the Hindoos and Cingalese simply put the leaves 

 in seething water and use the liquor only without the 

 addition of any other ingredient. In Chinese-Tartary 

 tea is prepared in the customary manner as with us, but 

 the liquor and leaves are swallowed together. The Mon- 

 gols generally add milk, but make a much stronger decoc- 

 tion and use only the infusion, while the Bokharis use 

 only Black tea mixed with camel's milk or suet, break- 

 ing up their bread in it, always carrying a bag of it with 



