Cambric tea is a weak tea made with sugar, hot water, warmed milk or cream, and sometimes a dash of tea. It was developed as an alternative to stronger teas for children, invalids, and the elderly. Its popularity was due to the availability of its basic ingredients. The recipe can be varied, but the basic ingredients remain constant.
Cambric tea is a “baby tea” made primarily from sugar, hot water, warmed milk or cream, and perhaps a dash of strongly brewed tea. This weak tea generally serves as a drink of choice at a child’s tea party or becomes the introduction to stronger drinks such as regular tea or coffee.
Cambric tea gets its name from a resemblance to cambric cloth, a very thin white fabric often used to make light garments. The French are believed to have been the first to develop this tea, most likely as an alternative to the strong teas generally reserved for healthy adults. Cambric tea was thought to be suitable for young children, invalids and the elderly, as it did not contain caffeine or other disturbing ingredients.
The popularity of cambric tea during the 18th and 19th centuries was largely due to the availability of its basic ingredients. While adults often packed coffee and tea on their long westward journeys, these drinks were considered too harsh for children. Fresh milk or cream, however, could be obtained from dairy cows on many farms, and loaf sugar could be purchased from roadside merchant shops. Therefore, cambric tea has become a popular drink among pioneer children such as Laura Ingalls Wilder.
There are a number of variations on the basic cambric tea recipe, although the basic ingredients generally remain constant. A small amount of sugar is placed in a cup, followed by hot water or heated milk. This mixture is stirred until the sugar has dissolved and the cup is filled to the top with hot water or heated milk. If brewed tea is used, it is added at the last minute and thoroughly mixed. If desired, heated cream can also be used as a richer substitute for heated milk.
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