Modern cookery, in all its branches

Rub a quarter of a pound of sugar upon the rinds of two fine China oranges, put it into an enamelled stewpan, and pour on it a pint of water ; let these boil gently for two or three minutes, then pour in half a pint of China orange-juice mixed with that of one lemon, and previously strained through muslin ; the moment this begins to boil, pour it into a hot jug, and stir to it half a pint of the best Cognac brandy. Serve it immediately. When preferred cold, prepare the syrup with the juice of the fruit, cover it down in the jug, set it into ice, or into a very cool place, and add the spirit only just before the cup is wanted for table. Should the fruit be very acid, increase the proportion of sugar. A few slight strips of the [illustration: CHAP. XXIX.] rind of a Seville orange cut very thin, would to many tastes be an agreeable addition to the beverage ; which should be made always with fresh sound fruit. Sugar, 4 oz. ( 6 if needed) rasped rinds of China oranges, 2 ; water, 1 pint : 3 minutes. Strained juice of China oranges mixed with that of 1 large lemon, £ pint, best Cognac brandy, \ pint. Obs. — For a large cup these proportions must be doubled. Sherry or Madeira substituted for the brandy, will make a pleasant cool cup of this kind ; and equal parts of well made lemonade, and of any good light white wine, thoroughly cooled down, will give another agreeable beverage for warm weather; but a much smaller proportion of wine would better adapt it to many tastes. [illustration: CHAP. XXX.] CHAPTER XXX. Cof fee, fa. 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 ;* yet nothing can well be easier than to pre* pare it properly. Some elaborate and various fanciful modes * 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 he swallowed. A little national pride ought surely to prevent this, if no higher principle interfered tc do go ; for to exact the full price of a good commodity, and habitually to supply c nly t’ ash for it, is a commercial disgrace. [illustration: CHAP. XXX.] 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. TO ROAST COFFEE.