Where a quant.i.ty of tea is to be used, as at receptions, it is well to put the tea into a swiss muslin bag, using enough to make a very strong infusion. Place the bag in the scalded pot; add the boiling water; after five minutes remove the bag. Keep a kettle of water boiling over an alcohol flame, and use it to dilute the tea as needed. The tea will then be as good as though freshly made. If, however, the leaves are allowed to remain in the pot the tea will not be fit to use after a short time, and no matter how much it may be diluted, it will still have an astringent taste.

[Sidenote: The tea-ball.]

Silver b.a.l.l.s are convenient to use where one or two cups at a time only are to be made for the friend who drops in for the afternoon cup of tea. The ball holding the tea is placed in the cup, water from the boiling kettle poured over it, and the ball removed when the water has attained the right color.

[Sidenote: Russian tea.]

[Sidenote: Tea punch.]

[Sidenote: Iced tea.]

Various preparations of tea are made by adding flavorings.

The so-called Russian tea is made by adding sugar and a thin slice of lemon to each cup; tea punch by soaking the sugar first in rum or brandy. These, however, as well as milk, destroy the flavor of tea and change the character of the drink. Iced tea is a very refreshing drink in summer. It is served in gla.s.ses, with plenty of cracked ice, and should not be made very strong, or it will become clouded when the ice is added. Iced tea is improved by adding lemon. One tablespoonful of lemon-juice to a gla.s.s of tea is a good proportion.

COFFEE

CARE OF THE COFFEE-BEAN

It is generally understood that tea becomes air-drawn if not kept closely covered. It is also desirable to keep coffee in the same way.

COFFEE MIXTURES AND BRANDS

[Sidenote: 2/3 Java, 1/3 Mocha.]

Mandhaling coffee, which is grown by the Dutch government on the island of Sumatra, is considered the finest coffee in the world. The finest Mocha which comes to this market contains twenty per cent. of "Long Bean." The best-known mark of this coffee in New York is H. L. O. G. A favorite mixture is two thirds Mandhaling to one third Mocha. The ordinary mixture of two thirds Java to one third Mocha is misleading, as there are an indefinite number of inferior qualities of both "Mocha"

and "Java." The best Java comes from the port of Padang in Sumatra, and the only true Mocha comes from Aden in Arabia.

The finest grades of Mexican, Maracaibo, Bogota, and Jamaica coffees are highly esteemed. High grades of "Washed Rio" are also richly flavored coffees. These high-cla.s.s coffees are difficult to get unadulterated. Another difficulty in buying coffee is that each variety has many grades, so the only a.s.surance one can have of the quality received is the good faith of the grocer with whom one deals. A practice among grocers is to make mixtures which they sell under their own trademark.

=TO MAKE COFFEE=

To have the coffee right is one of the difficulties of the housekeeper.

The making of coffee is a very simple operation, but the nicety and care with which it is prepared mark the difference between the good and bad decoction. The best quality of coffee carelessly made is not as acceptable as that well made from an inferior bean. Coffee readily absorbs foreign flavors. If the pot is wiped out with a soiled cloth, or if the coffee is strained through a flannel not perfectly sweet, the coffee betrays it. If the spout is allowed to collect a film of stale coffee, it will ruin all the fresh coffee put into the pot. To have perfect coffee, use an earthen or china pot, and have the water boiling when turned onto the coffee. Like tea, the results will not be right if the water is allowed to fall below the boiling-point before it is used.

Have the coffee ground to a fine powder in order to get its full flavor as well as strength. There is great waste in having coffee ground coa.r.s.e. A pound will go three times as far in the former as in the latter case, therefore a good coffee-mill is an economy in a household.

Like tea, it should also be freshly made. It seems to lose its fine flavor if kept hot for any considerable time. Black coffee is usually made by dripping. Any coffee is better made in that way, using less coffee if less strength is desired, but a strong infusion diluted with hot milk makes a better drink than weak coffee flavored with milk.

=DRIP COFFEE=

One heaping tablespoonful of coffee to a cupful, or half pint, of water will make black coffee. Put the coffee powder into a felt bag, or on a thick flannel laid on a strainer and pour the boiling water over it. The flannel must be thick, and close enough to prevent the fine powder straining through. If enough coffee is used to make it of much depth in the strainer, the water will pa.s.s through very slowly and the coffee will be cold, therefore have the pot hot before beginning, and stand it in a pan of hot water while it is dripping. Coffee will not be right unless the water is violently boiling when poured on the grounds. Serve the coffee at once.

=BOILED COFFEE=

Put the ground coffee into the pot, pour over it boiling water; let it come to the boiling-point; remove, and stir into it the slightly beaten white of an egg and the crushed sh.e.l.l; replace it on the fire and let it boil one minute. This is to clear the coffee of the fine particles held in suspension. Pour a tablespoonful of cold water down the spout and place it on the side of the range where it will be perfectly still for five minutes, then pour off carefully the liquid coffee. Do not let the coffee boil three minutes altogether. The aroma of the coffee is the escaped volatile oils--all that is lost detracts just so much from the flavor of the drink.

=ICED CAFe AU LAIT=

Add enough cold black coffee to milk to give it the desired strength and flavor. Sweeten to taste and let it stand on ice until ready to serve.

Serve it in gla.s.ses instead of cups. Any coffee left from breakfast prepared in this way makes a refreshing and acceptable drink for luncheon in summer.

=CHOCOLATE=

Maillard"s chocolate is excellent; his receipt is given below. For each cup of chocolate use one cupful of milk and one bar of chocolate. With Maillard"s chocolate this is nearly one and a quarter ounces. Put the cold milk into a porcelain-lined saucepan, break the chocolate into small pieces, and add them to the milk. Place the saucepan on the fire, and with a wooden spoon stir constantly and rapidly until the chocolate is dissolved and the milk has boiled up once. Beat it vigorously to make it smooth, and serve at once. More milk may be added if this is too rich. Chocolate should not be kept standing.[553-*]

FOOTNOTES:

[553-*] Huyler"s, Baker"s, and other brands of chocolate may be prepared in the same way, the proportions being regulated by the richness desired.--M. R.

=COCOA=

Dissolve a teaspoonful of cocoa in half a cupful of boiling water; then add a half cupful of boiling milk and boil it for one minute, stirring vigorously all the time. Sweeten to taste.

Brioche or Bath buns are good to serve with chocolate or cocoa for a light lunch.

=LEMONADE=

Squeeze the lemons, allowing two lemons for every three gla.s.ses of lemonade; remove any seeds that may have fallen in, or strain the juice if the lemonade is wanted clear. Sweeten the juice with sugar, or, better, with sugar syrup. When ready to use, add the necessary amount of water and a large piece of ice if served in a bowl, or put cracked ice into the gla.s.ses if only a few gla.s.sfuls are made. Put a thin slice of lemon or a few shavings of lemon-zest into each gla.s.s.

=ORANGEADE=

To two and one half cupfuls of orange-juice, the juice of two lemons, and the grated rind of one orange, add two cupfuls of syrup at 32 (see page 513), or sweeten to taste; add enough water to bring it to 11 on the syrup gauge, or to taste; strain and place it on ice until ready to use.

=COBBLERS=

Put a claret-gla.s.sful of claret into a tumbler; add a teaspoonful of sugar, or sweeten to taste; fill the gla.s.s with ice cracked fine, and add a little water if desired. Place a shaker over the gla.s.s and mix it well; add a strawberry, raspberry, bit of pineapple, orange, or any fruit convenient; add, also, two straws. Cobblers may be made of sherry, Catawba, or any wine, using a quant.i.ty in proportion to the strength desired. They are meant as light cooling drinks, and should not be strong of wine.

=CLARET CUP No. 1=

1 pint of claret.

1 pint of soda.

Juice of 1 lemon.

1 sherry-gla.s.sful of liqueur.

1 slice of cuc.u.mber rind.

1 orange.

Grapes.

Bunch of mint.