Coffee is a highly stimulating and most refreshing beverage ; and there is no doubt that if only it could be well made, it would furnish an excellent and agreeable substitute for alcoholic drinks. As I feel what a benefit this would be to the community, perhaps I may be allowed (after describing all these elaborate ways of making coffee) to conclude by saying that when other utensils are wanting, very good coffee may be made in a plain jug, especially if that Jug has a cover ; and this is how it should be done. Heat the jug by filling it with boiling water and draining it. Put in the coffee (a heaped tablespoonful for a pint of water), pour on boiling water, stir the infusion thoroughly with a spoon, then let it stand in a hot place for four or five minutes. Strain it through a hot flannel bag into another heated jug, and serve with an equal quantity of scalded milk. I think it was Pope who said that “ coffee makes a politician wise.” Not politicians alone, but other workers L 146 The Girl’s Own Cookery Book. would show their wisdom if, when wearied and exhausted, they would seek refreshment in a cup of coffee thus simply made, rather than trust to the “ invisible spirit of wine.” XXII. BREAKFAST DISHES. NEVER feel uneasy about the health of a friend who can eat a thoroughly good breakfast. Unfor- tunately, however, there are comparatively few people nowadays who are able to do this. The majority of folks nibble a little bread-and-butter or toast, get through a small rasher of bacon, or break an egg, and discover that it is either stale, too hard, or too soft ; swallow a cup of coffee, and then declare they have breakfasted. Indeed, I have known gentlemen who made their breakfasts chiefly off their newspapers. | We know that habits of this kind are exceedingly injurious, but I am very much inclined to think that the housekeepers are the persons who are to blame in the matter. People do not have good breakfasts, because for a long time they have not had good breakfasts set before them, and have therefore got into the way of doing without them. If we could transport one or two of these gentlemen who break their morning fast on political speeches, into a bright-looking room, where the breakfast-table was liberally provided, and a variety of dishes were temptingly spread before them, they would eat breakfast and enjoy it as much as any one, and would feel stronger and better- tempered all day long in consequence thereof. Every one who has had anything to do with preparing breakfast for a family knows quite well the difficulty to be contended with. If people, maids and mistresses both, enjoyed getting up early on dark, cold mornings, and going down into fireless kitchens or rooms, the thing could be easily managed. Unfortunately, however, there is not Breakfast Dishes. 147 a universal passion for early rising. People lie in bed later than they should do, and, consequently, breakfast is too often got ready in a scramble, and sometimes it is eaten in a scramble also; and we cannot wonder if, under these circumstances, it is not always cooked appetisingly, and is not enjoyed.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Coffee is a highly stimulating and most refreshing beverage ; and there is no doubt that if only it could be well made, it would furnish an excellent and agreeable substitute for alcoholic drinks. As I feel what a benefit this would be to the community, perhaps I may be allowed (after describing all these elaborate ways of making coffee) to conclude by saying that when other utensils are wanting, very good coffee may be made in a plain jug, especially if that Jug has a cover ; and this is how it should be done. Heat the jug by filling it with boiling water and draining it. Put in the coffee (a heaped tablespoonful for a pint of water), pour on boiling water, stir the infusion thoroughly with a spoon, then let it stand in a hot place for four or five minutes. Strain it through a hot flannel bag into another heated jug, and serve with an equal quantity of scalded milk. I think it was Pope who said that “ coffee makes a politician wise.” Not politicians alone, but other workers The Girl’s Own Cookery Book. would show their wisdom if, when wearied and exhausted, they would seek refreshment in a cup of coffee thus simply made, rather than trust to the “ invisible spirit of wine.” BREAKFAST DISHES. NEVER feel uneasy about the health of a friend who can eat a thoroughly good breakfast. Unfortunately, however, there are comparatively few people nowadays who are able to do this. The majority of folks nibble a little bread-and-butter or toast, get through a small rasher of bacon, or break an egg, and discover that it is either stale, too hard, or too soft ; swallow a cup of coffee, and then declare they have breakfasted. Indeed, I have known gentlemen who made their breakfasts chiefly off their newspapers. | We know that habits of this kind are exceedingly injurious, but I am very much inclined to think that the housekeepers are the persons who are to blame in the matter. People do not have good breakfasts, because for a long time they have not had good breakfasts set before them, and have therefore got into the way of doing without them. If we could transport one or two of these gentlemen who break their morning fast on political speeches, into a bright-looking room, where the breakfast-table was liberally provided, and a variety of dishes were temptingly spread before them, they would eat breakfast and enjoy it as much as any one, and would feel stronger and better tempered all day long in consequence thereof. Every one who has had anything to do with preparing breakfast for a family knows quite well the difficulty to be contended with. If people, maids and mistresses both, enjoyed getting up early on dark, cold mornings, and going down into fireless kitchens or rooms, the thing could be easily managed. Unfortunately, however, there is not Breakfast Dishes. a universal passion for early rising. People lie in bed later than they should do, and, consequently, breakfast is too often got ready in a scramble, and sometimes it is eaten in a scramble also; and we cannot wonder if, under these circumstances, it is not always cooked appetisingly, and is not enjoyed.

The girl's own cookery book