Tea
Substitutes
CHARLESTON
MERCURY, August 2, 1861, p. 4, c. 3
Yopon Tea.--In view of the probable scarcity of tea and coffee during the
war, we see the papers are recommending the use of the leaves and twigs of the
Yopon, an evergreen which grows spontaneously on our coast.
The Yopon is a common drink on the Banks, and is highly esteemed by many.
We have heard it said, that when it is well cured, it is greatly improved
when the milk and molasses are boiled with it.
It is rather vulgar to use sugar for sweetening with Yopon.
Molasses is the thing. A
venerable lady who lived to a considerable age on the Banks, once speaking of
the healthiness of Yopon as a drink, said, "Bless the Lord, Yopon has kept
me out of Heaven these twenty years."--Raleigh Register.
BELLVILLE
[TX] COUNTRYMAN, October 16, 1861, p. 1, c. 4
Yopon Tea.—In view of the probable scarcity of tea and coffee during
the war, we see the papers are recommending the use of the leaves and twigs of
the yopon, an evergreen which grows spontaneously on our coast.
The yopon is a common drink on the banks, and is highly esteemed by many.
We have heard it said that when it is well cured, it is greatly improved
when the milk and molasses are boiled with it.
It is rather vulgar to use sugar for sweetening yopon.
Molasses is the thing. A
venerable lady, who lived to a considerable age on the banks, once speaking of
the healthiness of yopon as a drink, said:
"Bless the Lord, yopon has kept me out of heaven these twenty
years."—Raleigh Standard.
CHARLESTON
MERCURY, October 29, 1861, p. 1, c. 5
Substitute for Tea.--In some of our North Carolina exchanges we have seen
notices of Yopon as a substitute for tea. A
writer in the Houston (Texas) Telegraph, says:
"Yopon is excellent. But
let me say that the wild thorned leaf holly is the best tea I have ever used.
It would take the best of judges to tell it from the best of black tea.
Fall is the time to gather the leaves.
Make as black tea."
CHARLESTON
MERCURY, January 16, 1862, p. 1, c. 1
Richmond, January 13.
. . . Rye is the coffee now in general use at the boarding houses, and the
substitute for tea is believed, by the best judges, to be hay.
Hermes.
SOUTHERN
CONFEDERACY [ATLANTA, GA], January 18, 1862, p. 2, c. 3
--A soldier's food should be well cooked; (no tainted meat) his meals at regular
hours; no violent exercise after eating; a hearty breakfast, and at least one
meal of animal food a day, with plenty of vegetables, as carrots, onions, rice,
etc., ripe fruit, and after exposure or fatigue, good hot soup, cleanliness
observed, and the feet kept dry if possible.
He should have coffee once or twice a day, but if not to be got, the
substitutes are, acorns stripped and roasted, ground sassafras nuts [sic?],
grated crust of bread, rye or wheat, parched with butter, beech root, horse
beans, etc. The substitutes for tea
are--the yopon [sic], rosemary, strawberry leaves.
But the best home tea is made of good, well made meadow hay (infusion).
While on the subject, I'll say that starch can be made of frosted
potatoes, and the tops make good potash when burnt; and the myrtle, glycerine
[sic], etc., will furnish the other component of soap.
SAVANNAH
[GA] REPUBLICAN, June 26, 1862, p. 1, c. 2
Domestic Tea.—Our esteemed friend, J. B. to whom the readers of the
Courier have been often indebted for acceptable and useful communications and
contributions, and especially in the department of Botany, sends us specimens of
a tea of home growth, which is thus described:
"Ceonothus Americanus, New Jersey tea—called by the country people
Yellow Root—grows abundantly in every district of the State.
Dry the leaves in the shade and use a little more than half of the green
tea. I have used this tea for the
last two months. It is the best
substitute for black tea that I have ever met with."
The
specimens thus presented and avouched were gathered by David Riker.
It will be a favor to many readers if any Botanical friend can furnish a
full description and materials for identifying this plant.
We shall be pleased also, to receive reports of other cases of its trial
and use, and of any applications of our own Flora to any household purposes, or
to new uses.—[Charleston Courier.
SOUTHERN
CONFEDERACY [ATLANTA, GA], July 16, 1862, p. 1, c. 3
For the Confederacy.
Tea.
Atlanta, Ga., July 14, 1862.
Messrs. Editors: I see that Green
Tea is selling at $8 per pound. We,
in the Confederate States, have a superior article--one that surpasses the best
quality of Green Tea. The common
Blackberry leaves dried in the shade and made into tea, make a better, stronger
and sweeter flavored tea than the best quality of green.
Please give this to the public and oblige
Thomas G. W. Crussell.
SOUTHERN
CONFEDERACY [ATLANTA, GA], October 16, 1862, p. 3, c. 1
For the Confederacy.
Delicious Tea!
Ladies gather your Raspberry leaves, and you will have the finest
substitute for Hyson Tea in the world--and when you can't get Raspberries--take
the Blackberry--it will do. I have
tried it. You have yet several days before frost to gather them--see to
it!--Tea is $12 a pound--save your money!
R.
MEMPHIS
DAILY APPEAL [GRENADA, MS], October 21, 1862, p. 1, c. 7
Blackberry Tea.--A friend from Russell county, Alabama, presented to us,
a few days since, a handful of blackberry leaves dried in the shade for the
purpose of making tea. He
represented its resemblance in taste to the tea of China to be so close as to
make it difficult to distinguish one from the other.
We have tried these leaves, and find the similarity in taste, smell and
color to be as he represented. We
do not, honestly, believe that we could have told the difference between it and
China green tea, had we not known it to be an extract of blackberry leaves.
Now is a very good time to gather and dry these leaves and we recommend a
trial to our readers. Possibly this
tea may be too stringent for persons of costive habits, though we could not
perceive any effect of that sort, and it would be prudent for them to observe
its effect.--Columbus Enquirer.
MEMPHIS
DAILY APPEAL [GRENADA, MS], October 23, 1862, p. 2, c. 6
A Substitute for Hyson Tea.--We find the following communication in the
Atlanta Confederacy:
Delicious Tea.--Ladies, gather your raspberry leaves, and you will have
the finest substitute for hyson tea in the world--and when you can't get
raspberries--take the blackberry--it will do.
I have tried it. You have yet several days before frost to gather them--see to
it! Tea is $12 a pound--save your
money.
R.
SAVANNAH
[GA] REPUBLICAN, April 8, 1863, p. 2, c, 1
Sassafras Blossom a Substitute for Green or Black Tea.—If the blossom
of the sassafras (which will now soon be in full bloom,) be gathered and dried
in the shade, be used in making tea, instead of the root, it will be found an
excellent substitute for tea, which now sells at from twelve to fifteen dollars
a pound. By many who have tried it, it is pronounced to be a most
delicious and palatable beverage. Why
should not some of our country friends try it and send some to this place, as
well as the large quantity of the root, which finds a ready sale at remunerating
prices, it might be found to be a useful article in the Hospitals, as also in
the army and would, consequently, command ready sale. It will cost but little time and labor to try it.—Examiner.
SOUTHERN
WATCHMAN [ATHENS, GA], April 22, 1863, p. 1, c. 6
Sassafras Blossom as Substitute for Green or Black Tea.--If the blossom of the
sassafras--which will now soon be in full bloom--be gathered and dried in the
shade, be used in making tea, instead of the root, it will be found an excellent
substitute for tea, which now sells at from twelve to fifteen dollars a pound.
By many who have tried it, it is pronounced to be a most delicious and
palatable beverage.