Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume V Part 30

WHISKY is an alcoholic beverage obtained by distilling fermented grain several times until it has a strength of 40 to 50 per cent. of alcohol.

Then it is flavored and stored in charred casks to ripen and become mellow, after which it has a characteristic color. As can readily be understood, distilled liquors contain the highest percentage of alcohol.

STIMULATING BEVERAGES

NATURE OF STIMULATING BEVERAGES

12. STIMULATING BEVERAGES are those which contain a drug that stimulates the nervous and the circulatory system; that is, one that acts on the nerves and the circulation in such a way as to make them active and alert. Common examples of these beverages are coffee, tea, and cocoa or chocolate. If the nerves are in need of rest, it is dangerous to stimulate them with such beverages, for, as the nervous system indirectly affects all the organs of the body, the effects of this stimulation are far-reaching. The immediate effect of the stimulant in these beverages is to keep the drinker awake, thus causing sleeplessness, or temporary insomnia. If tea and coffee are used habitually and excessively, headaches, dull brains, and many nervous troubles are liable to result.

13. The stimulant that is found in the leaves of tea is known as _theine_; that found in coffee beans, _caffeine_; and that found in cacao beans, from which cocoa and chocolate are made, _theobromine_.

Each of these stimulants is extracted by the hot liquid that is always used to make the beverage. It is taken up by the liquid so quickly that the method used to prepare the beverage makes little difference as to the amount obtained. In other words, tea made by pouring water through the leaves will contain nearly as much of the stimulant as tea made by boiling the leaves.

14. In addition to the stimulant, tea and coffee contain _tannin_, or _tannic acid_, an acid that is also obtained from the bark of certain trees and used in the tanning of animal hides in the preparation of leather. Tannin is not taken so quickly from tea and coffee by the hot liquid used in preparing the beverage as is the stimulant, so that the longer tea leaves and coffee grounds remain in the liquid, the more tannic acid will be drawn out. This fact can be detected by the bitter flavor and the puckery feeling in the mouth after drinking tea that has been allowed to remain on the leaves or coffee that has stood for some time on the grounds. Tannic acid has a decidedly bad effect on the digestion in the stomach, so that if improperly prepared tea or coffee is indulged in habitually, it may cause stomach disorders.

TABLE I

STIMULANT AND TANNIC ACID PRESENT IN STIMULATING BEVERAGES

------------------------------------------------------------- Quant.i.ty of Quant.i.ty of Beverage Stimulant Stimulant Tannic Acid Grains Grains ------------------------------------------------------------- Coffee Caffeine 2 to 3 1 to 2 Tea Theine 1 to 2 1 to 4 Cocoa or chocolate Theobromine 1 to 1-1/2 1/2 to 1 -------------------------------------------------------------

15. The quant.i.ty of stimulant and tannic acid contained in an ordinary cup of tea, coffee, and cocoa or chocolate is given in Table I. As this table shows, the quant.i.ty, which is given in grains, does not vary considerably in the different beverages and is not present in such quant.i.ty as to be harmful, unless these beverages are indulged in to excess.

To reduce the quant.i.ty of caffeine contained in coffee has been the aim of many coffee producers. As a result, there are on the market a number of brands of coffee that have been put through a process that removes practically all the caffeine. The beverage made from coffee so treated is less harmful than that made from ordinary coffee, and so far as the flavor is concerned this loss of caffeine does not change it.

16. Neither tea nor coffee possesses any food value. Unless sugar or cream is added, these beverages contain nothing except water, flavor, stimulant, and tannic acid. Chocolate and cocoa, however, are rich in fat, and as they are usually made with milk and sugar they have the advantage of conveying food to the system. Because of their nature, tea and coffee should never be given to children. Cocoa and chocolate provide enough food value to warrant their use in the diet of young persons, but they should not be taken in too great quant.i.ty because of the large amount of fat they contain. Any of these beverages used in excessive amounts produces the same effect as a mild drug habit.

Consequently, when a person feels that it is impossible to get along without tea or coffee, it is time to stop the use of that beverage.

COFFEE

HISTORY AND PRODUCTION

17. COFFEE is the seed of the coffee tree, which in its wild state grows to a height of 20 feet, but in cultivation is kept down to about 10 or 12 feet for convenience in gathering the fruit. Coffee originated in Abyssinia, where it has been used as a beverage from time immemorial. At the beginning of the 15th century, it found its way into Arabia, where it was used by the religious leaders for preventing drowsiness, so that they could perform religious ceremonies at night. About 100 years later it came into favor in Turkey, but it was not until the middle of the 17th century that it was introduced into England. Its use gradually increased among common people after much controversy as to whether it was right to drink it or not. It is now extensively grown in India, Ceylon, Java, the West Indies, Central America, Mexico, and Brazil. The last-named country, Brazil, furnishes about 75 per cent. of the coffee used in the United States and about 60 per cent. of the world's supply.

18. Coffee is a universal drink, but it finds more favor in some countries than others. The hospitality of a Turkish home is never thought to be complete without the serving of coffee to its guests; however, the coffee made by the Turks is not pleasant except to those who are accustomed to drinking it. As prepared in Turkey and the East, a small amount of boiling water is poured over the coffee, which is powdered and mixed with sugar, and the resulting beverage, which is very thick, is served in a small cup without cream. The French make a concoction known as _cafe an lait_, which, as explained in _Essentials of Cookery_, Part 2, is a combination of coffee and milk. These two ingredients are heated separately in equal proportions and then mixed before serving. This is a very satisfactory way in which to serve coffee if cream cannot be obtained.

19. OBTAINING THE COFFEE SEEDS.--The seeds of the coffee tree are enclosed in pairs, with their flat surfaces toward each other, in dark, cherry-like berries. The pulp of the berry is softened by fermentation and then removed, leaving the seeds enclosed in a husk. They are then separated from the husks by being either sun-dried and rolled or reduced to a soft ma.s.s in water with the aid of a pulping machine. With the husks removed, the seeds are packed into coa.r.s.e cloth bags and distributed.

20. ROASTING THE COFFEE BEANS.--The next step in the preparation of coffee for use is the roasting of the coffee beans. After being separated from the husks, the beans have a greenish-yellow color, but during the roasting process, when they are subjected to high temperature and must be turned constantly to prevent uneven roasting, they turn to a dark brown. As the roasting also develops the flavor, it must be done carefully. Some persons prefer to buy unroasted coffee and roast it at home in an oven, but it is more economical to purchase coffee already roasted. In addition, the improved methods of roasting produce coffee of a better flavor, for they accomplish this by machinery especially devised for the purpose.

21. GRINDING THE COFFEE BEANS.--During the roasting process there is developed an aromatic volatile oil, called _caffeol_, to which the flavor of the coffee is due. This oil is very strong, but upon being exposed to the air it pa.s.ses off and thus causes a loss of flavor in the coffee. For this reason, roasted coffee should be kept in air-tight cans, boxes, or jars. Before it is used, however, it must be ground.

The grinding of the coffee beans exposes more surface and hence the flavor is more quickly lost from ground than unground coffee. Because of this fact and because ground coffee can be adulterated very easily, it is not wise to buy coffee already ground. If only a small quant.i.ty is bought at a time and it can be used up at once, the grinding may be done by the grocer, but even in such a case the better plan is to grind it immediately before using it.

22. The method by which the coffee is to be prepared for drinking will determine to a large extent the way in which the coffee beans must be ground. When coffee is to be made by a method in which the grounds are not left in the water for any length of time, the beans must be ground very fine, in fact, pulverized, for the flavor must be extracted quickly. For other purposes, such as when it is to be made in a percolator, the beans need not be ground quite so fine, and when it is to be made in an ordinary coffee pot they may be ground very coa.r.s.e.

23. For use in the home, simple coffee mills that will grind coffee as coa.r.s.e or as fine as may be desired are to be had. Fig. 1 shows two of the common types of home coffee mills.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 1]

The one shown in (_a_) is fastened to a board so that it can be attached to the wall. The coffee to be ground is put in the chamber _a_, from which it is fed to the grinding rolls, and the ground coffee drops into the chamber _b_. The grinding rolls are adjusted to the desired fineness by the notched arrangement on the end of the shaft.

The coffee mill shown in (_b_) may be placed on a table top or some other flat surface, but it operates on the same principle as the other.

The coffee beans are placed in the chamber at the top, and the ground coffee drops into the drawer _a_ at the bottom. The adjustment of the grinding rolls is regulated by the notched head at the end of the vertical shaft.

24. ADULTERATION OF COFFEE.--As in the case of numerous other foods, attempts are often made to adulterate coffee. Since the Pure Food Laws have been enforced, there is not so much danger of adulteration in a product of this kind; still, every housewife should be familiar with the ways in which this beverage may be reduced in strength or quality, so that she may be able to tell whether she is getting a good or an inferior product for her money.

Coffee may be adulterated in a number of ways. Ground coffee is especially easy to adulterate with bread crumbs, bran, and similar materials that have been thoroughly browned. Many of the cheaper coffees are adulterated with chicory, a root that has a flavor similar to that of coffee and gives the beverages with which it is used a reddish-brown color. Chicory is not harmful; in fact, its flavor is sought by some people, particularly the French. The objection to it, as well as to other adulterants, is that it is much cheaper than coffee and the use of it therefore increases the profits of the dealer. The presence of chicory in coffee can be detected by putting a small amount of the ground coffee in a gla.s.s of water. If chicory is present, the water will become tinged with red and the chicory will settle to the bottom more quickly than the coffee.

PREPARATION OF COFFEE

25. SELECTION OF COFFEE.--Many varieties of coffee are to be had, but Mocha, Java, and Rio are the ones most used. A single variety, however, is seldom sold alone, because a much better flavor can be obtained from _blend coffee_, by which is meant two or more kinds of coffee mixed together.

It is usually advisable to buy as good a quality of coffee as can be afforded. The more expensive coffees have better flavor and greater strength than the cheaper grades and consequently need not be used in such great quant.i.ty. It is far better to serve this beverage seldom and to have what is served the very best than to serve it so often that a cheap grade must be purchased. For instance, some persons think that they must have coffee for at least two out of three daily meals, but it is usually sufficient if coffee is served once a day, and then for the morning or midday meal rather than for the evening meal.

After deciding on the variety of coffee that is desired, it is well to buy unground beans that are packed in air-tight packages. Upon receiving the coffee in the home, it should be poured into a jar or a can and kept tightly covered.

26. NECESSARY UTENSILS.--Very few utensils are required for coffee making, but they should be of the best material that can be afforded in order that good results may be had. A coffee pot, a coffee percolator, and a drip pot, or coffee biggin, are the utensils most frequently used for the preparation of this beverage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 2]

27. If a COFFEE POT is preferred, it should be one made of material that will withstand the heat of a direct flame. The cheapest coffee pots are made of tin, but they are the least desirable and should be avoided, for the tin, upon coming in contact with the tannic acid contained in coffee, sometimes changes the flavor. Coffee pots made of enamelware are the next highest in price. Then come nickel-plated ones, and, finally, the highest-priced ones, which are made of aluminum. The usual form of plain coffee pot is shown in Fig. 2.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 3]

28. PERCOLATORS are very desirable for the making of coffee, for they produce excellent results and at the same time make the preparation of coffee easy. Those having an electric attachment are especially convenient. One form of percolator is shown in Fig. 3. In this percolator, the ground coffee is put in the filter cup _a_ and the water in the lower part of the pot _b_. The water immediately pa.s.ses into the chamber _c_, as shown by the arrows. In this chamber, which is small, it heats rapidly and then rises through the vertical tube _d_. At the top _e_, it comes out in the form of a spray, strikes the gla.s.s top, and falls back on a perforated metal plate _f_, called the spreader. It then pa.s.ses through this plate into the filter cup containing the grounds, through which it percolates and drops into the main chamber. The circulation of the water continues as long as sufficient heat is applied, and the rate of circulation depends on the degree of heat.

29. The DRIP POT, or _coffee biggin_, as it is sometimes called, one type of which is shown in Fig. 4, is sometimes preferred for the making of coffee. This utensil is made of metal or earthenware and operates on the same principle as a percolator. The ground coffee is suspended above the liquid in a cloth bag or a perforated receptacle and the water percolates through it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 4]

30. In case a more complicated utensil than any of those mentioned is used for the making of coffee, the directions that accompany it will have to be followed. But no matter what kind of utensil is selected for the preparation of coffee, it should be thoroughly cleaned each time it is used. To clean it, first empty any coffee it contains and then wash every part carefully and scald and dry it. If the utensil is not clean, the flavor of the coffee made in it will be spoiled.

31. METHODS OF MAKING COFFEE.--Several methods are followed in the making of coffee, the one to select depending on the result desired and the kind of utensil to be used. The most common of these methods are: _boiling_, which produces a decoction; _infusion_, or _filtration_, which consists in pouring boiling water over very finely ground coffee in order to extract its properties; and _percolating_, in which boiling water percolates, or pa.s.ses through, finely ground coffee and extracts its flavor. For any of these methods, soft water is better than water that contains a great deal of lime. Many times persons cannot understand why coffee that is excellent in one locality is poor in another. In the majority of cases, this variation is due to the difference in the water and not to the coffee. From 1 to 2 tablespoonfuls of coffee to 1 cupful of water is the usual proportion followed in making coffee.

32. BOILED COFFEE.--Without doubt, coffee is more often boiled in its preparation than treated in any other way. Usually, an ordinary coffee pot is all that is required in this method of preparation. The amount of ground coffee used may be varied to obtain the desired strength.

BOILED COFFEE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 c. cold water 1/2 c. ground coffee 3 c. boiling water

After scalding the coffee pot, put 1/2 cupful of the cold water and the ground coffee into it. Stir well and then add the boiling water. Allow it to come to the boiling point and boil for 3 minutes. Pour a little of the coffee into a cup to clear the spout of grounds, add the remaining cupful of cold water, and put back on the stove to reheat, but not to boil. When hot, serve at once. Never allow the liquid to stand on the grounds for any length of time, for the longer it stands the more tannic acid will be drawn out.

33. As coffee made by boiling is usually somewhat cloudy, it may be cleared in one way or another. The last cold water is added for this purpose, for as it is heavier than the warm liquid it sinks to the bottom and carries the grounds with it. Coffee may also be cleared by stirring a small quant.i.ty of beaten raw egg, either the white or the yolk, or both, into the grounds before the cold water is added to them.

One egg will clear two or three potfuls of coffee if care is exercised in its use. What remains of the egg after the first potful has been cleared should be placed in a small dish and set away for future use. A little cold water poured over it will a.s.sist in preserving it. If the egg sh.e.l.ls are washed before the egg is broken, they may be crushed and added to the grounds also, for they will help to clear the coffee. The explanation of the use of egg for this purpose is that it coagulates as the coffee heats and carries the particles of coffee down with it as it sinks.

34. Another very satisfactory way in which to make boiled coffee is to tie the ground coffee loosely into a piece of cheesecloth, pour the boiling water over it, and then let it boil for a few minutes longer than in the method just given. Coffee prepared in this manner will be found to be clear and therefore need not be treated in any of the ways mentioned.