The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-01-25
aarituIturul mn Dumestit.
Coffee And Tea.

I am not about TO enter into the merits Of
the great tea-and Office controversy, or say
whether these substances are not Wholesome
/ treat Of them a. actual exlstencs, ana
speak only Of the modes OF making the
most Of them. The French coffee Is repu-
ted the hest in the world; and thousand
voices have asked, What i II about the
French Coffee In the first place. then the
French coffee. is coffee, and not chicOry. or
rye. or beans. or peas. In the second
place. it is freshly roasted, wheneyermalc
roasted with great care and evenness in
n little revolving cylinder which makes part
OF the furniture Of every kitchen, and when
keeDs ia the aroma Of the berry. j. j. new
er Over-dOne. so as % destroy the coffee
flavor. which r. in nine cases out Of ten the
fault Of the coffee we meet with. Then &c
il ground, and placed in a coffee pot with
a filter through which it percOlates in clear
drops, the cOfiee-pO standing on heated
stove % maintain the temperature The
nose Of the coffee pot Is stOpei up 10 pra-
vent the escape Of the aroma during this
process. The extract thus obtained is q
perfectly clear. dar6 fluid, known a. cafe
NOR or black coffee. II is black only be-
cause Of its strength, being in fact almost
the very essential oil Of CJilee. a table
spoonful Of this IN boiled milk would make
what is ordinarily called good cup o.
coffee. The boiled milk is prepared with
no less care. Il must be fresh and new,
not merely warmed or even brought 70 me
boiling point. but slowly simmered till II
attains a thick creamy-richness. The col
fee mixed with this, and sweetened with
that sparkling beet-r0Ot sugar, which Orna-
ments French table, IS the celebrated
cafe-an-Ldse, the name Of which has gone
round the world.
As We look 10 France for the best coffee,
so We must look % England for the perlec
ton Of tea. The te4-kettle is as much al
English institution as aristOcracy or the
Prayer-bOOk; aud when one wants 10 know
exactly how tea should be- made, one has
only 10 ask how line old English house
keeper makes IL. The first article Of Lcr
faith is that the water must not merely be-
hot not merely hire JO,iefi a few moments
Sit &C. but g actually boiling az the mo-
ment il touches The tea. Hence. though
Servants in gland are vastly better fained
than with u-, tAe delicate uIl -tcry is seldom
LETT 10 their hands. Tca-mdkiu- belongs
10 the drawing-rO0m, aud hIgh born laAee
preside d" al the DubJliug and loud Kissing
urn and see that all due rites and solemn
tiles are properly periOrmed-tlst The cups
are not and that the Infused tea waits the
exact time before the iiDatiOns commence.
Oh We dear old English tea-tables, resorts
OF the kindest hearted hospitality in Che
world. we will cherish your memory, even
though You do not say pleasant things oi
Us there. One OF these days YOU SAL think
better OF Us. OF late. the introduction of
English breakiast-tea has raised new sect
among the tea drinkers. reversing some OF
the Old canOns. Bredkia-t-tea must be
boiled. Unlike the delicate article of Oiden
time. which required only a mOmentary in
fusion ~ tcs elOp It's rlcnue-s THIS requires
O longer and severer treatment 10 bring
out its strength thus confusing all the
established usages. and throwing the work
into the hands Of the cook in the kitchen.
The faults OF tea "a too commonly found
at our hotels aud bOarding-L Ousc.. are that
ii is made in every way the reverse OF what
II should be. The wafer is hot. perhaps
but not boiling; the tea has a general nat
stale smoky taste, devoid of life or spirit
and il is served, usually, with thin milk
instead OF cream. We could wish that the
English fashion might generally prevail. of
giving the traveller his own kettle of boiling
water and his own tea-chest, and letting
him make tea for himself At all events,
he would then be sure OF one merit in his
tea-it would be not, a very simple and
obvious virtue. but one very seldom oh |
Beecher StO,ce.