Properly made, tea is one of the most fortifying and pleasant drinks in the world. The great secret is to have it as hot as possible. Bring fresh, cold water to the boil. Heat 2 tea pots by filling them with hot water. Empty one and put in a teaspoonful of tea for each cup, plus a teaspoonful "for the pot." Pour in the required cups of rapidly boiling water. Cover the pot (put a "cosy" around it if possible) and let it steep to the strength you like-not more than 5 minutes. Empty the second pot and strain the tea into it. Serve immediately.

   Iced tea should be made from a double-strength infusion, poured hot over ice cubes, and served at once. It may, however, be made, chilled in the refrigerator with lemon and/or orange juice or a lemon-mint infusion, and served when needed. Tea thus prepared is likely to be cloudy, but can be delicious. Mint leaves stuck in the tops of iced tea glasses add aroma and a cooling look.

wines

   In the United States we don't know much about wines and many of us maintain we don't care about them. I think we miss a great deal from lack of knowledge and a slight fear of serving the wrong one, that has been instilled in us by some of the "experts."

   One needn't be the slightest bit elegant or sophisticated to enjoy drinking and cooking with wine. One need only try wine, like it, and go on from there.

   Most of us at least know that there are "dry" (not sweet) wines and sweet, red and white wines. That's really enough to start on. In general, we serve dry wines with foods which are not sweet and sweet wines with foods which are sweet. We serve red wines with hearty foods (red meats, foods with rich gravies, etc.) and white wines with lighter foods (fish, chicken, and the like). The reason for these customs, which have been weighted down with myriad lesser "rules," is that most people seem to agree that that's the way these wines taste best. But there's no rule about it whatsoever. If you'd like to serve a sweet white wine with roast beef, you are welcome to do so, but you must know you are departing from popular taste before you impose this particular crotchet on your guests. Better not, on the whole.

   Should you buy imported or domestic wines? Whichever you like best and can afford. Neither question is necessarily answered by the source from which the wine comes. We make some very fine and some very poor wines in this country. The same is, of course, true of imported wines.