able, not to say certain, that the instinct
of man, feeling certain blanks, certain wants of the intensified
life of our times, which cannot be satisfied or filled up by
mere quantity, has discovered, in these products of vegetable
life the true means of giving to his food the desired and
necessary quality.

CAFE NOIR.

1813. This is usually handed round after dinner, and should be drunk
well sweetened, with the addition of a little brandy or liqueurs, which
may be added or not at pleasure. The coffee should be made very strong,
and served in very small cups, but never mixed with milk or cream. Cafe
noir may be made of the essence of coffee No. 1808, by pouring a
tablespoonful into each cup, and filling it up with boiling water. This
is a very simple and expeditious manner of preparing coffee for a large
party, but the essence for it must be made very good, and kept well
corked until required for use.

TO MAKE TEA.

1814. There is very little art in making good tea; if the water is
boiling, and there is no sparing of the fragrant leaf, the beverage will
almost invariably be good. The old-fashioned plan of allowing a
teaspoonful to each person, and one over, is still practised. Warm the
teapot with boiling water; let it remain for two or three minutes for
the vessel to become thoroughly hot, then pour it away. Put in the tea,
pour in from 1/2 to 3/4 pint of boiling water, close the lid, and let it
stand for the tea to draw from 5 to 10 minutes; then fill up the pot
with water. The tea will be quite spoiled unless made with water that is
actually 'boiling', as the leaves will not open, and the flavour not be
extracted from them; the beverage will consequently be colourless and
tasteless,--in fact, nothing but tepid water. Where there is a very
large party to make tea for, it is a good plan to have two teapots
instead of putting a large quantity of tea into one pot; the tea,
besides, will go farther. When the infusion has been once completed, the
addition of fresh tea adds very little to the strength; so, when more is
required, have the pot emptied of the old leaves, scalded, and fresh tea
made in the usual manner. Economists say that a few grains of carbonate
of soda, added before the boiling water is poured on the tea, assist to
draw out the goodness: if the water is very hard, perhaps it is a good
plan, as the soda softens it; but care must be taken to use this
ingredient sparingly, as it is l