rt of boiling water over every three ounces of
coffee. I let it boil, or rather come to a boiling point a moment; then
let it stand to settle. Should it not do so rapidly enough, I pour a few
tablespoonfuls of cold water round the inside edge of the coffee-pot. It
is advisable to tie a thread to the bag, with which it may be drawn out
of the coffee, if desired.
Now, heat the coffee cup; fill it one third full of hot, but not boiled,
cream; then add the coffee, and serve.
One word as to eggs used in making coffee. I admit that a different
flavor is produced when they are used; but the albumen of the eggs
covers the coffee grains, and coagulates, preventing the escape of the
properties of the coffee, and compelling one to use nearly double the
quantity of coffee to produce the same result as when eggs are not used.
Pure Java, if of a high order, does not need other brands of coffee to
make it palatable; but, as a rule, most of the coffees sold at the
grocers' are improved by blending or mixing one third each of pure
Mocha, Java, and Maracaibo to make a rich cup of coffee, while a mixture
of two thirds Mandehling Java and one third "male berry" (so called)
Java produces excellent results. Mexico coffee is quite acceptable, but
the producers _must_ clean it properly if they expect to receive
patronage.
="After-dinner Coffee."=--Use three ounces of finely-ground coffee to a
pint of boiling water. Old Government Java does make a very satisfactory
cup of after-dinner coffee. The after-dinner coffee found at most of
the first-class restaurants in New York, such as the Brunswick, etc.,
contains chicory.
=Boiling Water= is a very important desideratum in the making of good
coffee. The water should be fresh from the main pipe, boiled two or
three minutes, and then added to the coffee. Servants frequently use
water drawn from the range boiler, or water that has stood long in the
tea-kettle; in either case the coffee will be insipid.
=Tea.=--The constituents of tea are very much the same as those of
coffee--theine (an aromatic oil), sugar and gum, and a form of tannic
acid. Green tea is more astringent than the other varieties, partly
because it contains more tannin, and partly because it is sophisticated
to adapt it to a peculiar taste.
Whatever variety of tea used, do not allow the beverage to boil; put the
tea in a black earthen tea-pot previously heated; pour boiling water
over it; let it draw for two minutes, and
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