The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-06-02
COFFEE AT SANTOS
BraziI's National Beverage and
the Way 1t Is BreWed.
A DRAFT OF LIQUID LIFE.
Thick as Thin Maple Sirup, Amber
Bright and Crystal Clear, the Sedue-
tive Drink Stimulates the Brain,
While It Sets the Nerves on Edge.

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
at the exquisite flavor of the coffee
served In the public cafes of Brazil. ]
called this apparent anomaly to the at
tentlon of an old AnglO-Brazillan with
whom | dned 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 ana
| inaugurate for my benefit the. cere-
mony of preparing a fresh tank OF
| coffee.
The chef desired 1t particularly ex-
planned that coffee as generally used
| In Brazil was not roasted to the crisp
ness of that treated In the United
| States This insures against any but
| the most delicate Of the tiavoring es-
/ sence being extracted In the boiling
| and thus lmparts smoothness to the
| beverage. He also called attention to
| the fact that the bean is not ground
fine. Each grain Ii 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 not
boiling water In a shallow copper pan
Here he allowed it to soak for five
minutes before turning on the burn
ers, quickly bringing the water to a
boil so violent that pieces Of the coffee
were thrown out on the stove.
This agitation was followed by fen
minutes cooling on a side table, at the
end of which time the chef added II
half dozen drops Of puhgent liquid
from slender green vial, the nature
of which he refused TO divulGe, but
which my friend told me was some
kind Of a neutraliZing agent to elm
mate a certain rawness, impalpable to
other than trained palates. Almost i'm
mediately n nickel siphon was intro
duced lust under the surface of the
liquid. and about six liters Of 1t was
drawn Off from the pan into boiler.
Nothing now remained but the boil
ing down. which took hnlf an hour and
reduced the liquid TO volume of three
llters and the consistency Of thin ma
ple sirup In the boiler 1t was inky
black. but when poured showed n
stream which was amber bright and
crystal clear. Thus the four liters of
coffee beans made only three-quhrters
of that quantity of liquid coffee
IL you are not of nature impervious
to the appeals OF the appetite your first
cup of coffee In Santos cafe will be
an experience You enter ana seat
yourself Mt one of the tables scattered
In refreshing ainlessness over the coo
marble pavement Hidden In a tanglG
OF shrubbcry an orchestra is playing
something with a catch and sob IL
1t that you are sure you have heard
in another incarnation, while an elcc
trio fan placed In pnlm tree sets d
frond aquiver Just above your head,
Even the rattle OF the street sinks
to heavy hum and comes to your eaI
all peacefulness Lulled by veritablt
lotus eaters spell of content, you art
; about to drowse away and loose you'
! fancy on search for the origlna
source OF the familiar but elusive melo
dy that is still pulsing in the jungle IL
the patio when somehow you become
: aware that the mozo has set a llttl,
cup before YOU, which from the pleas
ant odor and the thin curl OF smoke
above IL, might be fun Of fragrant
incense.
You lift 1t to your lips and feel tina
strange stir of anticipation. that mys
terous foretHste, carad by sentimental
lists the soul OF the drink" whlcl
steals over you preliminary to sippin,
a rare and pungent liquor Now
touches your tongue, and you are will
ling TO swear that the capsule OF liqui'
life is dlssolving in your mouth. In
moment more the fumes have risen T.
your brain. thrill OF energy goes tin
Cling through your nerves, and yol
straighten mp with the feeling that yo
are able to 60 out and build railroad
single handed II you can go to slee
In the next twenty-four hours you dc
serve q gold medal.-Ne York Sun.