The Modern Housewife or, Ménagère. Soyer Alexis
you the way we make it in England.”
“Yes, I know what you mean, Madame,” replied she; “I used to make it that way before, but no one liked it, that is, to boil it one hour in a copper-pan over a charcoal fire.” Upon which I retired, making a most comical grimace, to refrain from laughing at her still more ridiculous fashion.
You must, however, observe that this occurred nearly twelve years ago, and I have no doubt but a reform has taken place since then by the continual traffic of the English through that part of the country. I must say, with respect to ourselves, we do not make quite such a blunder respecting coffee, but still our middle classes very seldom enjoy the aroma of that delicious beverage, which should be made as follows:
Choose the coffee of a very nice brown color, but not black (which would denote that it was burnt, and impart a bitter flavor); grind it at home if possible, as you may then depend upon the quality; if ground in any quantity, keep it in a jar hermetically sealed. To make a pint, put two ounces into a stewpan, or small iron or tin saucepan, which set dry upon a moderate fire, stirring the coffee round with a wooden spoon continually until it is quite hot through, but not in the least burnt; should the fire be very fierce, warm it by degrees, taking it off every now and then until hot (which would not be more than two minutes), when pour over a pint of boiling water, cover close, and let it stand by the side of the fire (but not to boil) for five minutes, when strain it through a cloth or a piece of thick gauze, rinse out the stewpan, pour the coffee (which will be quite clear) back into it, place it upon the fire, and, when nearly boiling, serve with hot milk if for breakfast, but with a drop of cold milk or cream if for dinner.
To prove the simplicity of this mode of making coffee, I shall here give a repetition of the receipt as it actually is:
38. Put two ounces of ground coffee into a stewpan, which set upon the fire, stirring the powder round with a spoon until quite hot, when pour over a pint of boiling water; cover over closely for five minutes, when pass it through a cloth, warm again, and serve.[1]
The foregoing proportions would make coffee good enough for any person, but more or less coffee could be used, if required; the cloth through which it is passed should be immediately washed and put by for the next occasion. A hundred cups of coffee could be made as here directed in half an hour, by procuring a pan sufficiently large, and using the proper proportions of coffee and water, passing it afterwards through a large cloth or jelly-bag.
39. Coffee, French fashion.—To a pint of coffee, made as before directed, add a pint of boiling milk, warm both together until nearly boiling, and serve. The French never use it any other way for breakfast.
40. White Coffee, a new style.—Put two ounces of unground coffee, slightly roasted, into a clean stewpan, which set upon a moderate fire, slowly warming the coffee through, shaking the stewpan round every half-minute; when very hot, which you will perceive by the smoke arising from it, pour over half a pint of boiling water, cover the stewpan well, and let it infuse by the side of the fire for fifteen minutes, then add half a pint of boiling-hot milk, pass the coffee through a small fine sieve into the coffee-pot or jug, and serve with white sugar-candy or crystallized sugar; it is, as you will perceive, a great novelty, and an agreeable change; but if by neglect you let the coffee get black, or the least burnt, do not attempt to make use of it; it should only be sufficiently charred to break easily in a mortar if required.
41. Coffee, made with a filter.—To make a quart; first put a pint of boiling water through the filter to warm it, which again pour away, then put a quarter of a pound of ground coffee upon the filter, upon which put the presser lightly, and the grating, pour over half a pint of boiling water, let it drain three or four minutes, then pour over a pint and a half more boiling water; when well passed through, pour it into a clean stewpan, which set at the corner of the fire until a light scum arises, but not boiling; pour it again through the filter, and when well drained through, pour into the coffee-pot, and serve with hot milk, or a little cream, separately.
42. Another way, more economical.—Proceed as in the last, but draining the coffee through once only, and serve, after which pour another quart of boiling water over the coffee-grounds, which, when drained through, reserve, and boil up for the next coffee you make, using it instead of water, and an ounce less coffee.
TEA is, without doubt, one of the most useful herbs ever introduced into England, which was in the year of the fire of London, 1666: it has replaced an unwholesome and heavy drink (ale) which used to be partaken of previously, and has created habits of sobriety. It is indigenous to China, Japan, and Siam, and consists of many varieties, the proper mixing of which constitutes the great art of a tea-dealer. It is exceedingly useful in many cases of sickness, and particularly after having partaken of any liquor to excess, or after extraordinary fatigue. When new, it is a narcotic; but when old it has a different effect,[2] and in its native country is never partaken of until a year old, and not then, unless exceedingly desiccated. I cannot recommend you any one in particular, as that depends on taste; but this I advise, that when you have a kind to your liking, to keep to it.
And now, my dear friend, without wishing in the least to offend you, or attempting to aggravate your good nature, I must beg to contradict your assertion made at the commencement of our undertaking, where you say, respecting tea, of course I know how to make it; you made it whilst staying at our house occasionally, and Mr. B. found there was a great difference between it and mine. But to tell you the truth respecting tea, I have a little secret of my own, being a discovery which I made a short time ago by accident. Whilst in the act of making tea, I had just put the dry tea in the pot, when I heard a fearful scream up-stairs in the drawing-room; rushing there, I found my little girl had had a severe fall in reaching something from the chimney-piece, the stool upon which she stood having upset: twenty minutes at least had elapsed before I returned to my tea (which, being alone, I was in no particular hurry for), when I found that the servant, thinking there was water in the pot, and fearing the tea would be spoiled, put it into the oven, which was rather hot; when she brought it to me, I was rather annoyed, when all at once it struck me that the leaves being hot through, the tea would not require so long to draw; I then filled the teapot with boiling water, and in a minute afterwards had a most delicious cup of tea, since which I have adopted the system upon all occasions, and am now having made a small spirit-lamp to warm the pot and leaves, as the oven is not always hot: it may, however, be made hot in front of the fire, but not too close of course. I gave the receipt to one of our neighbors, who actually laughed at the idea, but never tried it, saying, “We cannot teach anything to our grandmothers, and that what did for them would do for us.” Now what could you say to such people? why nothing, but let them alone, as I shall do for the future. But you, my dear, I know have better sense; proceed as I have directed, and you will find it a great improvement. Put your tea in the pot a quarter of an hour before ready for it, warming both tea and pot, fill with boiling water, and leave it from three to five minutes to draw, when it is quite ready.
CACAO was first known in Europe after the discovery of America, and it retains its Indian name; of course, it was first used in Spain, and did not come into use in England until much later; and we find that there was imported into England, in the year 1694, about 13,000 lbs. weight of it; at the present day there was, in 1848, 410,000 lbs. It is a long fruit, about five to eight inches, and three or four thick, which contains about thirty nuts: the tree grows to only a few feet in height.
In the course of my experiments, I have found that the shell is almost as nutritious as the kernel, with less oily particles in it, which, to many, are unpleasant.
43. Chocolate.—Scrape two ounces of the cake, which put into a stew or saucepan, with a gill of water, upon the fire, keeping it stirred with a wooden spoon until rather thick, when work it quickly with the spoon, stirring in half a pint of boiling milk by degrees; serve very hot, with sugar separate.
44. Chocolate made in the Italian method.—Procure a regular chocolate-pot with a muller, the handle of which comes through the lid, one might be procured at any brazier’s, put in two ounces of chocolate (scraped), over which by degrees pour a pint of boiling milk, put on the lid, with the muller inside, which keep well moving, setting the pot upon the fire, and when very hot and frothy, serve.
45.