The encyclopædia of practical cookery

state they have a very peculiar taste. The produce of a good tree would be from 141b. to 21b. of berries. Rhind observes that the appearance of a Coffee plantation during flowering is very peculiar, the flowers maturing so rapidly that the trees which were previously apparently bare of flowers become almost in a night a mass of snowy white. The peculiar feature of the Coffee-bean is that it is not ready for use until roasted, that process bringing out flavours that would be otherwise unknown. There are various methods of roasting Coffee, the follow- ’ ing being strongly recommended. A small Coffee-roaster should be used, and the berries carefully selected. New beans will not roast well, as they contain a large proportion of clammy juice, which Fig. 498. Mocha Coffee Beans. requires careful and thorough drying. Small beans are the best, and those of Mocha (nearly all Arabian Coffee is styled Mocha) are nearly round (see Fig. 498). Roasting Coffee Beans. — Put the beans in the roaster, set this before a moderate fire, and turn slowly until the Coffee takes a good brown colour ; for this it should require about twenty-five minutes. Open the cover to see when it is done. If browned, transfer it to an earthen jar, cover it tightly, and use when needed. Or a more simple plan, and even more effectual, is to take a tin baking-dish, butter well the bottom, put the Coffee in it, and set it in a moderate oven until the beans take a strong golden colour, twenty minutes sufficing for this. Toss them frequently with a wooden spoon as they are cooking. Another plan is to put in a small frying-pan lib. of raw Coffee-beans and set the pan on the fire, stirring and shaking occasionally till the beans are yellow ; then cover the fryingpan and shake the Coffee about till it is a dark brown. Move the pan off the fire, keep the cover on, and when the beans are a little cool, break an egg over them and stir them until they are all well coated with the egg. Then store the Coffee in tins or jars with tight-fitting lids, and grind it as wanted for use. Coffee should always be bought in the bean and ground as required, otherwise it is liable to extensive adulteration with chicory (or succory) ; some persons like the addition, but the epicure who is really fond of Coffee would not admit of its introduction. The following receipts for making Coffee are those practised by the first cooks in the country : Breakfast Coffee. — Allow 1 table-spoonful of Coffee to each person. The Coffee when ground should be measured, put into the Coffee-pot, and boiling water poured over it in the proportion of f pint to each table-spoonful of Coffee, and the pot put on the fire ; the instant it boils, take the pot off, uncover it, and let it stand a minute or two ; then cover it again, put it back on the fire, and let it boil up again. Take it from the fire and let it stand for five minutes to settle. It is then ready to pour out. Cafe au Bait. — (1) Put 2qts. of milk in an earthenware pot on the hot range and let it heat until nearly boiling ; then immediately add 2£oz. of finely-ground Coffee. Shuffle the pot in contrary directions whilst the milk comes to a boil, theti let it rest for three minutes. Strain through a clean napkin into a hot Coffee-pot, and serve with six small cups.