Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-08
I IOUSE=
HOLD
lINTS

to stand high in the cooks good graces:
When she has done well tell her SO. There
isn't a woman living who does not appre
ciate commendation of her culinary efforts.
"A word of adverse criticism, a pushing
back of the plate with a frown.' says
woman who is noted for her good cooking,
makes me feel that 1 never want to cook
for that person again. But after a word of
intelligent appreciation l feel like going on
from strength to strength
Not so bad, and yet reprehensible for his
sins of omission, instead of commission, is
the man who goes on to "gobble'' his food
without any apparent notice of what he is
eating. 1t is all right to say that the proof
Of the pudding is in the eating" but for the
woman who had cudgeled her brains and
scorched her face over the fire to concoct
some dainty dish the eating does not
suffice. She is watching you out of the
corner of her eye to see If you aren't going
to tell her that you like it, and that she can
cook Ito beat the band" Even If you have
to stretch point, occasionally commend
the effort Then. if you possess modicum
OF tact, you can suggest where there might
possibly be a slight Improvement" and
she will take it all right.
Here then are some culinary suggestions
that, If followed, ought to be unanimously
approved. And first the perfect cup of cof-
fee
There are several points in the making of
good coffee that must be borne in mind
the coffee itself must be a good article and
freshly roasted
The pot in which it is made must be per-
fectly, Immediately clean. The water
should be freshly boiled the sparkle still
in it. The coffee must not be boiled longer
than five minutes and is still better to be
kept just below the boiling point. If allow
ed to stand and boil the aroma is lost and
the bitter fannie acid that spoils the taste
and lrrltateS the stomach iS
ly, the coffee must be well-scented and al
ways served-excepting for after dinner
with cream or at least hot not boiling milk
In buying coffee one is largely dependent
upon the dealer, there is often no choice.
Most people prefer the proportion of one
third Mocha to two-thirds Java, but the
Mocha does not always come from Arabia,
nor the Java from the island of that name.
The best coffee is fermented. The berry is
surrounded by pulp like a cherry or cram
berry. When fermented a white film is
formed which no machine can take off.
Coffee may be roasted and ground at
nome, If preferred: but 1t IS now usually
quite as well to buy the coffee already
roasted, and to grind it as needed.
There are several ways of making coffee,
but the most common method is boiling.
Allow one heaping tablespoonful of cof-
fee to each cup of boiling water Scald out
the coffee pot with boiling water. Put in
the amount of coffee needed, mixing it wit
little cold water and the white of an egg,
or square inch of isinglass. When eggs.
are high an egg shell crushed will answer
in place of the white of egg. Shake to-
gether thoroughly, then pour on the fresh
boiling water. Cover the spout with a lit
tie twist of paper, to prevent the escape of
the aroma, and boil five minutes. Stir well
and push the pot on the back of the stove,
where it will keep hot, but not boil. Add a
few spoonfuls of cold water, pour out a
little of the coffee in a cup and back into
the pot again. to clear the spout Of the
grounds, and let ii stand undisturbed for
five or ten minutes to settle. Then serve as
quickly as possible, as it deteriorates if left
standing.
Drip or filtered coffee is made in any
double coffee pot fitted with one more
strainers. Allow one cupful of coffee,
ground very fine, to quart of water. Meas
ure out the coffee and heat it in a sauce
This brings out the flavor. Then place the
coffee in the strainer, pour the boiling water
in and allow 1t to drip slowly through the
coffee. Repeat this process a second time
Then bring the coffee to the boiling point
and serve. Some claim that cold water
filtered two or three times through the cof-
fee and then brought to the boiling point
gives the strongest and best flavor, but this
of necessity takes much time and attention.
A coffee pot must never be washed with
soap. Wash in hot water and wipe dry in
side and out The brown stains inside can
be removed with soda, but the pot must
then be rinsed with boiling water.
After-dinner or black coffee is made by
either filtering or boiling, using double the
proportion of coffee. 1t should be strong
and perfectly clear, and served without
cream milk.
Vienna coffee is simply ordinary coffee to
which whipped cream has been added
Cafe au lait is filtered coffee, added to an
equal portion of hot milk
Steamed coffee for invalids is made by
putting one heaping tablespoonful of ground
coffee into the top of a double boiler and
pouring over it one cupful freshly boiling
water Let this stand and steam over the
lower part of the double boiler, which is
filled with hot water, for twenty minutes
Then pour off from the grounds into hot
coffee pot.