FoodNet

Six little cooks

1910

Page 16 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Jane, "but I'm afraid I shan't be able to put Rhoda's judgment into the receipt-book. The reason why so many people make poor coffee is that they never find out just how much coffee to put to just how much water, nor ex- actly how long to boil it. Another thing that you are almost sure to find where the coffee is bad, is that the coffee-pot is not thoroughly emptied, washed and scalded after each using. I have known cooks who never even threw out the grounds of the day before until they wanted to use the coffee-pot again for breakfast! Now look at the inside of Rhoda's. You see it has not only been emptied and washed, but wiped perfectly dry, so there will be no old, stale taste to mingle with the fresh one. I will give you my recipe, which means the same as Rhoda's." No. 31 — To MAKE COFFEE. One quart boiling water, half a pint ground coffee, one egg, half a pint cold waterTo Make Coffee; mix the coffee first with the egg, ( which should not be beaten,) then with the cold water very thoroughly; put it in the coffee boiler, pour on the boiling water and let it boil fifteen or twenty min- utes, then set it where it will not boil, and throw in one- 50 SIX LITTLE OOOKS. half gill of cold water. After standing a moment it will be ready to serve. This makes very rich coffee. If it is desired less strong, take less coffee, and cold water in proportion. "How much is a gill, mamma?" asked Amy. "A gill is a quarter of a pint; half a tumblerful, or about two small wine-glassfuls," said her mother. " A half gill may be measured by putting four even table- spoonfuls of water into a cup and noticing how high they come up. Then you will always have your measure at hand." uls that all we are going to have for breakfast?" in- quired Grace, a You will think it is quite enough when you have done cooking it, Gracie. It is rather an elaborate break- fast. ISTow if two of you will run and slip on your cook- ing aprons, we will begin our preparations to-night. We should have to get up almost too early if we should try to do it all in the morning." Grace and Amy were ready in a twinkling, and while one chopped the cold potatoes left from dinner, the other prepared the veal, and cut it into small lumps ready for mincing. When the potatoes were done, the veal took AUNT JANE'S COOKING CLASS. 51 their place in the chopping- bowl, and after being minced was mixed with a little salt and pepper, and set away in the ice-box for the night. Bright and early the next morning, the fonr conspira- tors, (as Grace called them, because their movements were so secret,) repaired softly to the kitchen, where Khoda had a good clear fire. Grace set about the Johnny, cake, while Amy ground the coffee, and Mabel beat up the eggs for an omelette. " You see, Rhoda keeps her roasted coffee in a glass jar," said Aunt Jane. " That is an improvement on the old way of shutting it up in tin canisters, which are much more apt to acquire a stale odor." " Do the glass jars come on purpose? " asked Amy. " No, they are meant for preserves, but the reason they are so good for this purpose is that they can be closed up tightly from the air. You see this one can't be opened without the wrench."