Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-11-05
COFFEE At SANTOS
Brazlrs National Beverage and
the Way Il Is Brewed.
A DRAFT OF LIQUID LIFE.

4
tive Drink Stimulates the Brain,
While II Sets the Nerves on Edge.
The coffee of Brazil is the lowest
priced In the worlds market. Know
Ing this fact, was the more surprised
ut the exquisite flavor Of the coffee
served in the public cafes Of Brazil. !
called this apparent anomaly TO the at
tention OF an old Anglo-Brazilian with
whom | dlned In Santos one evening,
and he advanced the opinion that the
Americans, Germans and French. the
principal coffee drinkers, did not know
how to make the beverage.
"You are all too free with water
and too sparing with coffee" he said.
"You spare your coffee and, ] suppose
-um-well. yes, possibly your nerves.
Then he summoned the head waiter.
held a short conversation with him In
Portuguese and finally induced him to
escort us to the kitchen in the rear and
inaugurate for my benefit the ceTe.
mony Of preparing fresh tank OF
coffee.
The chef desired It particularly ex'
planned that coffee as generally used
in Brazil was not roasted to the crisp.
ness of that treated In the URited
States. This insures against anl but
the most delicate Of the havorinS es-
sence being extracted in the boiling
and thus lmparts sm0othness " the
beverage. He also called attention 10
the fact that the bean is not ground
fine. Each grain is cracked Into not
more than six or eight pieces by being
run through a wide set mill and then
carefully blown and sifted to get rid OF
the dust and smaller Fragments
But the main divergence from our
procedure lies in the quantity OF coffee
used. An extract Of meat advertise
ment defines Its product as "a bull In
a teacup." With no more exaggeration
might the modern Brazilian nectar be
styled "a plantation in coffee cup"
The chef took four liter measures OF
the cracked coffee and added 1t to just
twice that quantity Of warm but moi
boiling water in a shallow copper pan
Here he allowed 1t to soak for 1--WE
minutes before turning on the burn
ers. quickly bringing the water to
boil so violent that pieces Of the coffee
were thrown out on the stove.
This agitation was followed by ten
minutes cooling on side table at the
end of which time the chef added q
half dozen drops Of pungent liquid
from a slender green vial, the nature
of which he refused to divulge. but
which my friend told me was some
kind OF neutralizing agent to elm
mate a certain rawness. impalpable to
other than trained palates. Almost i'm
metIlately nickel siphOn was intro
d,sced tist under the surface or the
LIQUID. ana about six liters OF 1t was
dra WIN on from the pan into a boiler.
Nothing now remained bat the boil
ting down. which took half an hour and
reduced the liquid to a volume OF three
Hters and the consistency Of thin ma
nile Sirup In the boiler It was inky
black. but when poured showed a
strewm which was amber bright and
CRYSTAL clear. Thus the four liters OF
coffee beans made only three quarters
OF that quantity Of liquid coffee.
mr. you are not OF naaure impervi0us
to,the appeals OF the appetite your first
cup of coffee In Santos cafe will be
an experience. You enter and seat
yourself at one Of the tables scattered
IN refreshing aimlessness over the cool
marble pavement. Ridden in tangle
of shrubbeSy ar orchestra Is playing
something with a catch and a sob In
1T that you are sure you have heard
in another incarnation. while an cleo
trio fan placed In palm tree sets
frond aquiver just above your head.
Even the rattle OF the street sinks
to heavy hum ard comes to your ear
all peacefuIness Lu1led by a veritable
lotus eaters spell Of content. yOu are
about to browse away and loose yOnr
fancy on q search for the original
source Of the familiar but elusive melo
dy that In still puising In the jungle 10
the patio when somehow you become
aware TINT the mOEO has set little
cup before you. which. from the pleas
ant odor and the Trim curl Of smoke
above 1t. might be full Of a fragrant
incense.
You lift 1t to your TIPS and feel that
strnnge stir Of anticipation. that mys
eerious foretaSte. caned by sentimental
lists '@the soul of the drink" which |
steals over you preliminary to sippina
Q rare and pungent liquor. Now II
touches your tongue. and yOu are vii
ling to swear that the. capsule Of liquid
life Is dissolying in your mouth. In
moment more the fumes tave risen to
yOaf brain. thrill Of energy goes TIN
cling through your nerves. and you
,In with the fanlfUR that Won