Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-27
COFFEE PLANTATION.
BEAUTIFUL AS A PEACH ORCHARD N
FULL BLOOM IN MAY.
The Only Good Boiled Coffcc-Parisian
Coffee Esscncc--A Sure Tcst for
Adulteratcd Coffee.
Correspondence Of the Dispatch.)


Observation-Disclosures In Esperanto
March s.-The coffee plantations in the de-
partment OF Matagalpa, on tire table lands
OF Central Nicaragua, are year by year
nearing perfection and give great promise
of profit Any one visiting the haciendas
OF the american colony will al NIT that a
wcll-kept coffee plantation In full flower
is as beautiful a sight as peach orchard
IN blossom.
The coffee-trees naturally grow twenty
or thirty feet high. hut are generally Kept
trimmed down TO twelve feet 80 mat 'he
crop may he conveniently gathered. The
leaves are oblong in shape dark ana
Glossy. and form a beautiful background
for the dainty white blossoms. The cohee
first resembles the cranberry, but wheh
fully ripe il is somewhat darker colored'
IT is at the time of picking juicy and
pleasantly acid
The first step toward preparing cohee
for market is TO remove the pulp OF the
fruit generally by machinery. although
II can be done simply by soaking the ber-
ries IN water for several hours ana wash
ing them until the seeds. the cofee-beans'
are free.
r,ch berry contains two seeds. each In
closed I'm a light. papery shell. Under
nth this is another shell gossamer ana
t,esuo.like This second shell has 10 DE
removed with great care for II the
slightest bit remains the coffee Will nave
a bitter, unpleasant flavor.
by MACHINERY.
Tho sorting and grading is done by ma
oNirerv allie TO separate the berries accu-
,,tolv into classes uniform In size ana
,,.rfaction. After a little experience IL Is
easy TO determine In what lOcahty coIlee
a. crown. simply by the appearance OF the
bean. coffee from Java Is OF medlunl siZe'
rather light in color The Mocha Is ue-
cidedly smaller and Of "A dark -oIuish green
no has a distinctive size and shape. The
coffee grown in Central America Is Vi
hirhcr grade than the Brazilian. and In
nI,4t, bas been pronounced by New York
irnporters to be equal to the best IN the
,y,rld II is somewhat smaller than the
LAVA. but larger than the Mocha peah'
which it is like in color.
Native Nicaraguans do not make lhe
most Of the possibilities WITHIN reaoh'
for there is coffee. coffee everywhere
"a not a drop to drink. because oil 'he
lad way in which it is prepared. IL Is
generally roasted until IL IS fairy Dlach'
At that stage IL has parted with All ne
and favor. 1t is then ground into -four
and put on ine stove TO boil and ste"
iud,Gnitely In this. however. the MICA
ra.,lans differ but little from the ma
tiycs IN other coffee growing countries
The. Turks and Arabians think thlck'
muddy paste IS the best form OF coHee'
Whenever they have an opportumt! 10
try the clear amber nectar which Eu-
ropcaus and Americans delight IN they
invariably declare for their bitter paste.
There rs a point IN regard 10 coffee
which should be- known and acted upon
il is easily injured IN flavor 10y It's ten
daucy TO absorb surrounding doors. 1t
f. AS srsccutibic as either butter or milk.
Though this effect may be partially coun-
trracf-d by the process Of roasting, YET
enough OF any unpleasant odOr dDsOfDeu
I,ntrdlly remains 70 destroy the natural
uavor o. tine volatile oil or caffeine. FOr
this re- son coffee when roasted should
never De- put in wooden box or chest.
\ tin CaI ster is better but best OF an
is an airtigh; glass or ea'then Jar Nor
raoud freshly roasted coffee be LETT eH-
posed - Tie air while cooling Tor the
cafeic acid, which affords the greater
portion of the flavor and peculiar proper
iies of coffee Is set free by the heat.
and If the coffee is placed At once IN a
closed jar mach of the aromatic Napor
wall be- TcahsOrbcd.
THE ADVOCATES.
Most discussion on the best way OF
making coffr- are between the advocates
Of decoction and infusion.
The truth Is That it depends eh'reIy upon
o.. roasting and erindinS whether coHee
should De boiled or not.
Wh,n IL is roasted until II is very
dark color. and is then Ground into a fine
powder IL should never be allowed 10
bcn. even though one takes The piecau-
ton OF putting it il muslin tag.
l.. on H.. other hand the roasting and
grinding are not carried 10 the extreme
point boiling becomes really necessary.
The drip" coGee-pots although in great
favor. have never been able TO entirely
dispacc the oid-fashion"d kind. which,
however. all should understand, were never
intended for the finely pulveriz"d coffee
which is NV in large demand.
For the co1ea-pOt of our fathers allow
for each person heaping teaspOonful OF
coffee roasted until 1t is a rich chestnut
brown-not blacil-and ground only mode
rately me. Add another SPOONFUL fol
good measure.
Put this amount in a bowl and breal
into II an egg, adding enough cold water
10 thoroughly molsten the grounds, anC
then heat with a fork until the miXtun
becomes creamy.