CHAPTER XXX.

=Coffee, Chocolate, &c.= [Illustration] [Illustration] COFFEE. THERE is no beverage which is held in more universal esteem than good coffee, and none in this country at least, which is obtained with greater difficulty (unless indeed it be _pure_ wine). We hear constant and well-founded complaints both from foreigners and English people, of the wretched compounds so commonly served up here under its name, especially in many lodging houses, hotels, and railway refreshment rooms;[182] yet nothing can well be easier than to prepare it properly. Some elaborate and various fanciful modes of making it have been suggested at different times by writers fond of novelty, but they have in general nothing to recommend them beyond the more simple processes which follow, and of which we believe the result will seldom prove unsatisfactory to our readers, unless it be to such of them as may have been accustomed to the spiced or other peculiar Oriental preparations of the fragrant berry, or simply to the exquisite quality of it, which would appear to be obtainable only in the East; or which, at all events, is beyond the reach of the mass of English consumers, and of their near Continental neighbours. Footnote 182: At some of the principal stations on lines connected with the coast, by which an immense number of strangers pass and repass, the coffee is so bad, that great as the refreshment of it would be to them, particularly in night travelling, in very cold weather, they reject it as too nauseous to be swallowed. A little _national pride_ ought surely to prevent this, if no higher principle interfered to do so; for to exact the full price of a good commodity, and habitually to supply only trash for it, is a commercial disgrace. TO ROAST COFFEE. [Illustration] Persons who drink coffee habitually, and who are very particular about its flavour and quality, should purchase the best kind in a raw state, keep it for two or three years if they are not _certain_ that it has been so long harvested—as when new it is greatly inferior to that which has been kept—and have it roasted at home. This can be cheaply done in small quantities by means of the inexpensive apparatus shown above; the cost of it not exceeding seven or eight shillings, and the supply of charcoal needed for it being very trifling indeed; or, with that inserted below, which is larger and about double the price. The cylinder which contains the coffee should be only half filled, and it should be turned rather slowly over the fire, which should never be fierce, until a strong aromatic smell is emitted; the movement should then be quickened, as the grain is in that case quite heated, and it will become too highly coloured before it is roasted through, if slowly finished. When it is of a fine, _light_, equal brown, which must be ascertained, until some little experience has been acquired, by sliding back the door of the cylinder, and looking at it occasionally towards the end of the process, spread it quickly upon a large dish, and throw a thickly folded cloth over it. Let it remain thus until it is quite cold; then put it immediately into canisters or bottles, and exclude the air carefully from it. [Illustration: Patent Percolator, with Spirit Lamp. ] A FEW GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING COFFEE. When good coffee is desired, let it be procured if possible of a first-rate London house[183] which can be depended on; and we would recommend that it should be of the finest quality that can be obtained; for there is no real economy in using that which is nominally cheaper, as a larger quantity will be required to give the same amount of strength, and the flavour will be very inferior. It should always be _freshly roasted_; but when a constant and large demand for it exists, it will be easy to have it so. When it has been stored for any length of time it will be much freshened and improved by being gently heated through, either in the oven or in a stewpan held high above the fire. It should be often turned while it is warming, and ground as soon as it is cold again. _Never purchase it ready ground_ unless compelled to do so. When no proper mill for it is fitted up in the house, a small portable one, which may be had at a trifling expense, will answer tolerably well for grinding it, though it cannot be used with quite the same facility as those which are fastened firmly to a wall; but whatever form of mill may be used it should be arranged so as to reduce the berries to a moderately fine powder; for if it be too coarse the essence will be only partially extracted from it by filtering; and if it be extremely fine the water will not percolate through it, and it will not be clear. Footnote 183: We could indicate several houses where unadulterated coffee may be procured, but it is not always to be had from them so choice in quality as it might be; and it is in general too highly roasted. By far the finest we have ever tasted we had on two occasions, some years since, from Mr. Cobbett, of Pall Mall. The fragrance of it was too remarkable to be easily forgotten, and the flavour was exquisite; but it was apparently an accidental sample which he had met with in the market, for though very good, that with which we were supplied afterwards never equalled it. Messrs. Staniforth and Co., 138, Oxford-street, are deservedly noted for the excellence of their coffee. It is always ground at the instant of serving it to a customer; and they have the complaisance of roasting even so small a quantity as two pounds, to suit the taste of the purchaser: it may therefore be procured of them as pale-dried as it can be wished. The house of Messrs. Decastro and Peach, next door to Hatchett’s Hotel, Piccadilly, may likewise, we think, be quite depended on for supplying genuine coffee to the public; and they have an immense demand for it. We say nothing about mingling chicory with it. Our directions are for making _pure coffee_; which, when not taken in excess, is, we believe, a wholesome as well as a most agreeable beverage. The effect of chicory is, we believe, to impart a slight bitter flavour to the infusion, and to deepen its colour so much as to make it appear much stronger than it really is. True connoisseurs, however, do not attach any importance to the dark hue of coffee, the very choicest that can be tasted being sometimes of quite a pale tint. Always serve hot milk or cream, or hot milk and cold cream, if preferred, with breakfast coffee. In the evening, when milk is served at all with it, it should likewise be boiling. Do not, _in any way_, make use of the residue of one day’s coffee in preparing that of the next; you would but injure the purity of its flavour by doing so, and effect _next to nothing_ in the matter of economy.[184] Footnote 184: When the coffee has been filtered in a proper manner, water poured afterwards on the “grounds” as they are termed, will have scarcely any taste or colour; this is not the case when it has been boiled. EXCELLENT BREAKFAST COFFEE. A simple, well-made English filter, or _percolator_, as it is called, will answer perfectly for making coffee; but from amongst the many of more recent invention which are on sale, the reader who prefers one of ornamental appearance, and of novel construction, will easily be suited. The size of the filter must be adapted to the number of persons for whom the coffee is to be prepared; for if a large quantity of the powder be heaped into an insufficient space for it, there will not be room for it to swell, and the water will not pass through. Put three ounces of coffee into one which will contain in the lower compartment two pints and a half; shake the powder quite level and press it closely down; remove the presser, put on the top strainer, and pour round and round, so as to wet the coffee equally, about the third part of a measured pint of fast boiling water. Let this drain quite through before more is added; then pour in—still _quite boiling_—in the same manner as much more water, and when it has passed through, add the remainder; let it drain entirely through, then remove the top of the filter, put the cover on the part which contains the coffee, and serve it immediately. It will be very strong, and perfectly clear. Fill the breakfast cups two parts full of new boiling milk, and add as much of the infusion as will give it the degree of strength which is agreeable to those for whom it is prepared. When it is liked extremely strong, the proportion of milk must be diminished, or less water be poured to the coffee. If nearly an additional half pint of water be added before the top of the percolator is taken off, it will still be very good, provided that the coffee used be really of first-rate quality. To make cheaper breakfast coffee to be served in the usual English mode, the same process should be followed, but the proportion of water must be considerably increased: it should always, however, be added by _slow degrees_. Good breakfast coffee (for three persons). Best Mocha, in moderately fine powder, ground at the instant of using it, 3 oz.; boiling water added by degrees, 1 pint; (more at pleasure). Boiling milk served with it, 1-1/2 pint to 1 quart. Common English coffee: coffee-powder, 3 oz.; water, 1 quart, to be slowly filtered; hot milk, half to whole pint. Cream in addition to either of the above, at choice. TO BOIL COFFEE. To boil coffee and refine it, put the necessary quantity of water into a pot which it will not fill by some inches; when it boils stir in the coffee; for unless this be at once moistened, it will remain on the top and be liable to fly over. Give it one or two strong boils, then raise it from the fire, and simmer it for ten minutes only; pour out a large cupful twice, hold it high over the coffee pot and pour it in again, then set it on the stove where it will keep hot without simmering or moving in the least, for ten minutes longer. It will be perfectly clear, unless mismanaged, without any other fining. Should more, however, be deemed necessary, a _very_ small pinch of isinglass, or a clean egg-shell, with a little of the white adhering to it, is the best that can be used. _Never_ use mustard to fine coffee with. It is a barbarous custom of which we have heard foreigners who have been in England vehemently complain. Coffee, 2 oz.; water, 1 pint to 1 quart, according to the strength required. Boiled 10 minutes; left to clear 10 minutes. _Remark._—Filtering is, we should say, a far more economical, and in every way a superior mode of making coffee to boiling it; but as some persons still prefer the old method, we insert the receipt for it. CAFÉ NOIR. This is the very essence of coffee, and is served in nearly all French families, as well in those of many other countries, immediately after the rice-crust. About two-thirds of a small cupful—not more—sweetened almost to syrup with highly refined sugar in lumps, is usually taken by each person; in families of moderate rank, generally before they leave the table; in more refined life, it is served in the drawing-room the instant dinner is ended; commonly with liqueurs after it, but not invariably. To make it, proceed exactly as for the breakfast-coffee, but add only so much water as is required to make the strongest possible infusion. White sugar-candy in powder may be served with it in addition to the sugar in lumps. BURNT COFFEE, OR COFFEE À LA MILITAIRE. (_In France vulgarly called Gloria._) Make some coffee as strong and as clear as possible, sweeten it in the cup with white sugar almost to syrup, then pour the brandy on the top gently over a spoon, set fire to it with a lighted paper, and when the spirit is in part consumed, blow out the flame, and drink the _gloria_ quite hot. TO MAKE CHOCOLATE. [Illustration] An ounce of chocolate, if good, will be sufficient for one person. Rasp, and then boil it from five to ten minutes with about four tablespoonsful of water; when it is extremely smooth add nearly a pint of new milk, give it another boil, stir it well, or mill it, and serve it directly. For water-chocolate use three-quarters of a pint of water instead of the milk, and send rich hot cream to table with it. The taste must decide whether it shall be made thicker or thinner. Chocolate, 2 oz.; water, quarter-pint, or rather more; milk, 1-3/4: 1/2 minute. _Obs._—The general reader will understand the use of the chocolate-mill shown in the engraving with the pot; but to the uninitiated it may be as well to observe, that it is worked quickly round between both hands to give a fine froth to the chocolate. It also serves in lieu of a whisk for working creams, or jellies, to a froth or _whip_. A SPANISH RECIPE FOR MAKING AND SERVING CHOCOLATE. Take of the best chocolate an ounce for each person, and half a pint of cold water; rasp or break it small in a mortar, set it over a slow fire, and stir or mill it gently until it has become quite smooth like custard; pour it immediately into deep cups, and serve it with a glass of sugar and water, or with iced water only[185] to each cup; and with plates of very delicate dried toast cut in narrow strips, or with the cakes called “ladies’ fingers.” Should the chocolate appear too thick, a little water must be added. Milk is sometimes substituted for it altogether. Footnote 185: Sometimes with a water ice, which should be of an appropriate character. TO MAKE COCOA. Directions for making it are usually sold with the prepared, or best quality of cocoa, which is merely mixed with boiling water in the proportions indicated on the packets. That which is prepared from the nibs requires several hours’ boiling, and should be left until it is quite cold, that the oil which will be found on the surface may be cleared from it before it is again heated for table: this is particularly needful when it is to be served to persons in delicate health. ------------------------------------------------------------------------