The household cook book

Coffee loses 20 to 30% in roasting, but the roasting accomplishes several things. It makes it brittle and easily ground; the aromatic properties are developed as previously explained; the tannin and other properties are rendered partly soluble in water, and its sugar is all converted into caramel; this gives color and part of the flavor to the coffee. The color and flavor may be increased by mixing a little caramel with the ground coffee, a fact which many people do not understand. Mixing Coffee. — Coffee can be mixed to obtain different flavors. Rio and Santas are strong, while Java, Mocha, and Maracaibo are mild coffees. A rich, delicate flavored coffee is obtained by using Vg Java and % Mocha, and that is probably the most popular mixture. Some mix them half and half. For a strong coffee use Rio alone, or temper it as desired by mixing some of the milder brands with it. Some people like equal parts of Rio, Mocha and Java. Keeping Coffee. — Green coffee, that is the unroasted bean, not only does riot lose its flavor but actually improves, by keeping for 2 or 3 years. It can advantageously be bought by the sack when the market is favorable, and it should be of a yellowish or brownish shade and well seasoned. Store it in a dry, cool place. As coffee readily absorbs bad odors nothing strongly odorous should be stored near it; much coffee has thus been ruined. Chicory. — This is prepared by cutting the roots of the chicory plant {Cichorium intybus}) into small pieces and roasting them, much as coffee is roasted. It was first mixed with coffee by the Dutch, but is now used in all countries. While it is properly an adulteration, it is not deleterious. It does not possess any trace of the alkaloid caffeine, which is one of the peculiar properties of coffee, but it does possess an aromatic oil, starch, sugar (which will turn to caramel in roasting) nitrogenous substances and salts. It is used by some people as an independent beverage. It will give body, color and bitterness to coffee, and possibly modify its stimulant effect by acting as a diuretic, sedative and tonic. Some housekeepers add chicory to their coffee, using 1 to 4 oz. of chicory to a pound of coffee. Unfortunately, chicory is often adulterated, as well as coffee. CHOCOLATE. Whipped Cream is best to serve with chocolate. It can be whipped with a Dover egg beater, and |- pint is enough for a dozen cups. TO MAKE CHOCOLATE.— Put the grated chocolate in a saucepan and dissolve it in a very little boiling water; then add the desired amount of cold milk, bring it slowly to a boil, and it is ready to serve. CHICORY. BEVERAGES 563 The Spaniards mix chocolate so thick that a spoon can stand up in it. Chocolate is, much improved by frosting, but to do this properly a French or Italian chocolatière is required, with a whisk passed through the lid so that it can be whisked while coming to the boil. CHOCOLATE "MAILLARD'S STYLE."— Put into a saucepan f cup of sugar, a tablespoon of salt, 1 cup grated chocolate aud 1 cup boiling water and stir until smooth; then add 1 cup boiling water and 2 cups boiling milk and boil 1 minute only. In ^ cup of cold milk dissolve 1 level teaspoon of cornstarch; stir it in, boil 1 minute more, take from the fire, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla flavor, and serve. The salt,cornstarch and vanilla add to its richness and flavor.