Tea for Two and Pseudo coffee

Peter Stines

Sergeant
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Location
Gulf Coast of Texas
What was the common tea in 1860s? And what about coffee substitutes? I'm really more interested in the home grown types like dandelion. People had to be pretty ingenious back then. I've read about "Scotch" coffee (scortching crackers and scraping it into hot water) The Galveston Daily News is providing some answers. Thought this might be a fun for all discussion.
 
I read about 'essence of coffee' which gets compared to axle grease so often it's no wonder it didn't catch on. Making coffee from okra sounds desperate. I prefer okra with tomato and shrimp over a mound of rice. CajunCreole Ice Cream
 
Was this the Bohea tea ? You can get gunpowder tea but I've never tried it
It might have been. According to my tea supplier, it was especially popular during the colonial period. It was a blend of broken pieces of pekoe, lapsang and oolong. I believe that it included lapsang sochuong (IMO the only thing worse than lutefisk). Gunpowder, I think, is more of a process of shaping the tea than it is a type of tea; it can be black tea or green tea.
 
It might have been. According to my tea supplier, it was especially popular during the colonial period. It was a blend of broken pieces of pekoe, lapsang and oolong. I believe that it included lapsang sochuong (IMO the only thing worse than lutefisk). Gunpowder, I think, is more of a process of shaping the tea than it is a type of tea; it can be black tea or green tea.
Yep, coarse and granular like gunpowder. FWIW in colonial times any food or seasoning that was coarse and granular was dubbed corn. Trade or tax purposes? A lot of folks will ask 'Why is it called corned beef and cabbage, there is no corn in it? Seasoned with coarse salt. For corn as we know it; INDIAN CORN was the word of the day. I had read that corn could be used to make a coffee sub. I'll stick with Adams Ale 😝
 
Yep, coarse and granular like gunpowder. FWIW in colonial times any food or seasoning that was coarse and granular was dubbed corn. Trade or tax purposes? A lot of folks will ask 'Why is it called corned beef and cabbage, there is no corn in it? Seasoned with coarse salt. For corn as we know it; INDIAN CORN was the word of the day. I had read that corn could be used to make a coffee sub. I'll stick with Adams Ale 😝
I didn't know that about corned beef. Thank you!
 
It might have been. According to my tea supplier, it was especially popular during the colonial period. It was a blend of broken pieces of pekoe, lapsang and oolong. I believe that it included lapsang sochuong (IMO the only thing worse than lutefisk). Gunpowder, I think, is more of a process of shaping the tea than it is a type of tea; it can be black tea or green tea.
There used to be a coffee/tea importer off the Strand in Galveston back in 1980s. Don't know if its still there but it smelled heavenly when you walked in. From around the world they had it. Roast and grind while you wait by the pkg to the crate.
 
Coffee sub - Chicory
(has no caffeine)

 
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Add what was the favorite tea at time. Tea been liked since Colonial times in America. Also tea punches became very popular.
After the Boston Tea Party those fish must have been on a caffeine rush that lasted for months! I can see a school of cod or even lobsters storming the shore screaming "You want a piece of me?" Do ya' punk? Bring on your melted butter I'll take you ALL ON!"
 
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