New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-15
FRONT OF THE BUSBY RESIDENCE COVE LONG ISLAND
a. metrdhea

curious, TOO, That the watermelon should never
have been introduced in Europe. But it could
probably be grown only in the SOUTH and the
cost of transportation might bar it from the
northern countries. The melons which are
eaten In Europe generally good, but they are
high in price, and 1t seems curious again that
some of the many American varieties of musk
melons and canteloupes should not be cultivated.
The American never knows how good these
melons till he spends summer where he
cannot get them. Incidentally, il may be men
toned that the custom CT beginning a breakfast
with melon or other fruit is one Of the dis
tinctly excellent things which are purely Amer
ican
The difficulty OF getting good coffee in Europe
is perhaps the most surprising trouble of all.
On the Continent the decoction which bears the
name is an especially direful mess. Travelling
Americans have various theories among them
selves as to what German coffee is made of.
That 1t contains chicory there is no doubt, but
whether it is all or nearly all chicory whether
lnls is merely one OF many ingredients is the
subject of many animated discussions. Some
say that 1t is largely composed of dried and
ground figs. while yet others assert that there
Is some real coffee in II. This last statement has
never been proved Everybody has heard the
story of Bisrnarck's going to inn and insist
ing on having all the chcory in the house and
then calling for cup of coffee. What throws
doubt this story is the question why Bis
marck, being himself German should want
real coffee since the Germans think that their
coffee is the proper mixture, and drink almost
as much of it they do of beer.
a
high priced hotel in Italy told the writer this
summer that he need not expect to ge. good
coffee in any hotel in Italy, making excep-
ton of his own. The general of coffee in
France is almost as bad as in Italy Germany.
AS good coffee as any in the world Is to be had,
however, in the high priced cafes of Paris and
Vienna. An Englshman asserted in the hearing
of the writer that good coffee not to be had
in any hotel in England This is not absolutely
true. for il is certainly found in few English
hotels and restaurants. we'll in private
houses. The theory has been advanced that the
from extract of coffee, but this merely gives rise
to the new question, What is the extract of
One of the real and great services which
travelling americans have done for Europe is
the introduction OF Ice The subject has been so
much discussed that about all that is needed
the close OF each summer, when the travellers
return, is a report of progress. Europe is slow
In the adoption Of new ways. but the increase IN
the use Of ice in the last ten is noticeable
and gratifying. 1t has been slower in England
than in the more southern countries. for two
reasons England is usually slower at making
changes than the Continent, and, il is more
northerly, ice is less needed there Still the con-
sumption has grown, although American at
home often uses about as much ice in the course
of dinner as an English hotel keeper expects
to suffice for his whole dining room. In Italy,
the other hand. though the country is sup
posed to be SO sadly behind the age, you
have practically all the ice you want, although II
is not used so lavishy as here. 1t is noticeable.
too that in Italy the people of the country
1t to great extent while in England it is
avowedly kept for American visitors. Between
these two France occupies about the same mid
die ground that she does geographically. Ice in
summer X rightly used. is the means OF allay-
ing preventing vast amount OF needless
suffering and disease. and its increased use
In Europe is at all due to Americans, then
Europe should be grateful.
The smoke of Vesuv,us drifts fields of
American corn, growing above the still buried
parts of Pompeii. Every time +''ot the Ameri-
can returns to the Eastern Continent he finds 1t
more American than he left it. Often he sees
this with regret. He comes to see Europe, not
imitation OF America. IF the conservative
spirit which preserves old Europe for him In
wolves the shutting out of his favorite viands. he
may cheerfully go without them and have some
thing whereof TO be the more glad when he gets
home There are some persons who enjoy
strange foods and eat all foods. and these.
when they go from home are fortunate. There
are others who enjoy only what they are
used to- and these buy their European finishing
at high price. But for all Americans the beef
steak, the green corn. the watermelon, the cof-
fee and the ice of their native land are the sub
jects OF many a glad dream on the homeward
voyage.