Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-11-18
FOR COFFEE-DRiNkERS.
The Different Varieties OF Coffee
How tho Beverage Should BIO
Prepared.

According to a recent statement,
writes ply stefan to The Washington
Star, there are over six hundred grades
of coffee on the market, which might
lead many to believe that there are as
many different species of the plant,
which is not true, however, for there
are but few of these and one only.
e., the coflGa arabica-from which the
genuine article is obtained consequent
| ly the grading must be arbitrary or de-
pendent unpon individual caprice. The
true grading and price of the commod-
| ity result from the treatment the coffee
berries receive after they have been
CLEANED. which varies according to the
locality of growth. In Brazil and the
West Indies, as fast as the fruit ripens,
it is gathered, placed on mats Or floors
adapted to the purpose, exposed to the
sun and frequently st rred to expedite
the drying process. When dry enough
the berries are passed through heavy
rollers, which remove the tough out
side membrane and pulp that inclosed
the beans. The latter are then care
fully winnowed, sorted. put into bags,
| and are ready for the market. The va
rieties of coffee chiefly distinguished
in commerce are the Mocha, from Ara
bia, esteemed the best on account of
its being richest in caffeine, the aka
loid to which coffee owes its popularity.
The Mocha grains are easily recogniz-
ed by their comparative smallness, gray
inclining to greenish color. The Java,
or East India coffee has large yellow
beans. Jamaica coffee beans are of q
greeniSh cast, smaller than the Java,
but larger than the Mocha. Surinam
has the largest size bean of all, while
the Bourbon has mcdium-size pale
yellowish, inclined to whitish, beans.
l. IBERIA, Laguayra, and other kinds
have no particular distingushable fea-
lures to entitle them to special notice
here.
The fruit of the coffee-tree is red
berry resembling cherry, having a
pale, ms pid, glutinous pulp inclosing
two hard, oval seeds, which we term
grains" Each of these is about the
size of an ordinary bean, and covered
W tn tough cartilagious membrane
called the parchment"
Orientals do not prepare coffee for
drinking purposes as we do. Arabs
make it from the unroasted beans.
The sultan of Turkey, formerly if not
now, had 4 beverage made out of the
dried pulp and pericarp for his own
use, while some of his subjects prepare
a decoction from the dried leaves of the
coffee-tree. For tn purpose the leaves
are prepared 10y process similar to
that for tea leaves, and great many
suppose that the leaves so treated con-
tain larger proportion of caffeine than
the beans.
The average composition of unroast-
ed coffee beans in 100 parts is stated to
be as follows: Caffeine, OS; legumin,
1870; gum and sugar, 1916; caffeo-tan-
mic and catfeic, acids. so; fat and vol
atile oils. 1870; woody fiber, $40; ash,
6.7; water, 1910.
Roasted to areddish-brown color cof-
fee losses Is per cent. by weight and
gains in bulk 80 per cent. If the pro-
cess of roasting is continued until the
coffee assumes a chestnut brown, 90
per cent by weight is lost, and so per
cent. in bulk gained. Roasted to
dark brown ii loses 25 per cent. by
weight and increases so per cent. in
bulk. The roasting of coffee in this
manner develops n volatile oil in the
grain to the extent of about one part
in fifty that is not present in the raw
state, to which it owes its delightful
aroma. If the roasting is protracted
beyond light-brown color this delicious
odor is jeopardized, if not entirely de-
stroyed. Coffee keeps best in the green
state; the older and drier the grain I'M
roasted the better, it is said, is the
coffee when roasted.
Fortunately for mankind, coffee is
wholesome and harmless beverage and
rarely leaves any unpleasant effects be-
hind, even when INDUCED in to excess.
1t is eminently the cup that cheers, but
does not inebriate.
Therapeutically. coffee is a great
conservator of the tissues; it prevents
waste of the body, allays thirst, hun
ger, and, rs above intimated, cheers
the mind, but does not intoxicate the
brain, while the aromatic oil it con-
tains has gentle aperent effect upon
the bowels. For this last purpose it is
better taken soon after rising in the
morning, about the strength of two ia
blespoonfuls of finely ground coffee to
pint of boiling water, drank five min
utes after making.
But regarding the toxic properties
$50 called) OF coffee little need be said.
Only lower animals have exhibited any
great senstiveness in this respect, and
then not until after very large doses of
the alkaloid, caffeine, had been admin
istcred to them, which, when given to
man in the same quantities, caused but
little temporary nervous disturbance.
Its effects, like med cines generally,
depend very much upon the constitu-
ton, temperament, and idiosyncrasy of
the individual using it.
The methods of preparing coffee for
dOmcst C use some of which have hepn
already alluded to, vary in different
places. To get the full aromatic flavor
of the decoction it should be drank i'm
mediately after it was made. When
too long boiled the aroma is driven of,
leaving the astringent property only of
the grain in solution, that, interfering
with the functions of the liver, causes
the sallow complexion of some free
csffee-drinkers. In the east many
esteem the grounds for their nutritive