Page:Repository of Arts, Series 1, Volume 01, 1809, January-June.djvu/30

18 prevented a perfect agreement as to the mode of doing it, yet all parties seemed to unite in opinion, that the planters were entitled to as much relief as could be extended to them, without doing injustice to interests of equal, if not of more importance. Without adverting to the assertion industriously propagated at the period to which we allude, that a sacrifice had been made of the landed interest, by permitting the distillery of sugar, we shall at present merely advert to that portion of relief which the reduction of the duties upon coffee was intended to afford them. This reduction has naturally led to a very great increase in the consumption of that article; and we are inclined to think, that if the mode of preparing it were rendered more simple for the lower classes, it would tend to lessen the enormous importation of thirty million pounds of tea, for the purchase of the greater part of which specie is now sent out of the kingdom. We feel much obliged by the following letter.

To the Editor of the Repository, &c.

,

All travellers who have visited the different parts of the Continent agree, that the Germans prepare coffee in the best manner, but few have troubled themselves to enquire how they prepare it. The writer of this (a native of that country) has, ever since her residence in England, continued to drink coffee as good as she used to do in Germany, by following the simple method practised by her countrywomen. Having been requested by several of her English friends to communicate the German mode of preparing coffee, she requests the editor of the Repository of Arts, &c., to insert the following information upon this subject.

The first, and in fact the chief object is, to procure the best coffee, and to roast it at home in small quantities at a time. This operation is best performed in a roaster of the annexed construction (Fig. 1.), it being easily turned, opened, and shut: whatever size the roaster may be, it never should be more than half filled, otherwise the coffee, which swells in the roasting, cannot be properly turned and shook, in which case a considerable part of it will remain raw, whilst the remainder will be burnt. The roaster should be enveloped in the fire, which should be as lively as possible: if the coal does not burn very brisk, chips of wood should now and then be thrown into it. The time necessary for roasting it cannot accurately be stated, as much depends upon the fire, and the quantity, and even the quality of the coffee. The roaster should be turned slowly at the beginning, and quicker as the operation proceeds, taking it often from the fire and shaking it: when some of the beans begin to crackle, the roaster must be opened, to examine if the coffee has acquired a light chesnut colour; if not, a few more turns over the fire will be necessary. When it has acquired this colour it should be thrown out into a clean coarse napkin, and shook in it till the coffee is almost cold; after this, it may be kept in clean glass bottles, or in seasoned canisters well closed. The sweating of coffee after the roasting ought to be prevented, as it gets damp, which renders it tough, and the grinding a few days after more dif-