Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1651

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Method.—A cup of really good coffee is the exception rather than the rule, and yet the process of making it is so simple that it is not easy to understand why, granted the coffee is of good quality and unsparingly used, the beverage is so inferior to that prepared abroad. Hard water makes better coffee than soft water, because the latter extracts certain strong and bitter principles which overpower the delicate aroma and flavour of the coffee. Coffee quickly loses its flavour when ground, therefore it is better to buy the berries and grind them as required. When this is not practicable, it is advisable to buy pure coffee and chicory separately, and mix them in proportions palatable to those for whom the beverage is intended. When expense is not a point to be considered, coffee alone should be used, and from 2 to 2½ teaspoonfuls allowed for each breakfastcupful of water. Recent years have introduced numerous patent coffee apparatus, but nothing further is needed than a fireproof jug and a piece of muslin or flannel. The water added to the coffee, or to which the coffee is added, should be quite boiling; and much of the strength is wasted if the coffee is not brought just to boiling point, although strength will be gained at the sacrifice of flavour and aroma if the coffee be allowed to boil even for a short time.

Ingredients.—Allow 1 good tablespoonful of freshly ground coffee to each ½ pint of water.

Method.—Place the coffee in the coffee chamber of a cafétiere, and pour the boiling water through the distributor on to the coffee. When the boiling water has percolated through the fine strainer with which the coffee pot is provided, and has been allowed to stand for a few minutes, it will be found to be quite clear and ready to serve. Coffee may be allowed to just come to the boil, but boiling it, even for a short time, quite destroys its flavour and aroma.

Ingredients.—Allow 2 good teaspoonfuls of freshly ground coffee to each ½ pint of water.

Method.—Make hot an ordinary china jug, put in the coffee, pour on to it the boiling water, and stir vigorously. Allow the jug to stand for 5 minutes, closely covered, where the contents will remain just below boiling point, then pour out a cup of coffee, and at once pour it back into the jug. Repeat this carefully 2 or 3 times, cover, let the coffee stand five minutes longer to settle, then pour, without disturbing the grounds, into a hot coffee pot or jug, and serve as hot as possible.