Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1891 — Strawberry Tea. [ARTICLE]

Strawberry Tea.

Not one American in a hundred knows that the Germans prepare an excellent substitute for tea from the leaves of the common strawberry plant When the leaves are about half grown they are picked from the plant by children, care being taken not to deprive any one plant of too many. The stems are pinched off and the leaves carried to a dry place under cover. When wilted they are rolled up by hand, this work being also done by children, and are then spread on boards to finish drying. Afte be. coming alino-t dry they are slightly toasted in closed pans, and are then put away in tigh boxes to be kept for :i e. When needed, the tea is made from them in the : ame way as from the Chinese pr duct, and the re-eml> ance in perfume and ,la''or is very striking. If 10 j»er cent of Chinese tea be mixed with the strawberry leaves, it is impossible for any one to discover that he is not drinking an extra quality of the best Chinese-made product