,38 MAKtNG OF COFFEE. 



which will first begin to be diffused by it when it is nearly 

 roasted enough. 

 S nrdHm $t ' ^ coffee in powder be not defended from the air,it soon loses 

 mediately after its flavour and becomes of little value j and the liquor is never 

 roasting. i n suc h high perfection as when the coffee is made immediately 



after the grain is roasted. This fact is well known to those who 

 are accustomed to coffee in countries where the use of it is not 

 controlled by the laws ; and if a government be seriously dis- 

 posed to encourage the use of coffee, the Count considers it as 

 indispensable that individuals should be permitted to roast it in 

 _., , their own houses. But as the. roasting and grinding of coffee 



coffee must be ta ^ es "p considerable time, the author describes a contrivance 

 carefully pre- of a canister to keep it in, which has a double cover. This 



St I VCQ . 



vessel is a cylinder of tin, having a sliding piston within, of the 

 same material, formed like the cover of a box, but having 

 several slits in its sides, by which they are sprung outwards and 

 cause it to retain its place in the cylinder with considerable 

 force. The piston, being pressed down upon the coffee retains 

 it and defends it from the air, while the same object is more 

 completely secured by a common well fitted cover at top. It 

 may be here remarked — that this kind of canister has the advan- 

 tage of confining the article without including any air in the 

 same space, except what may be diffused between the particles - r 

 —but that, with this exception, a well-corked bottle or other fit 

 vessel may answer the same purpose. 

 Preparation of After giving instructions for roasting the coffee and keeping 

 the beverage j t f or use wnen ground, the preparation of the liquor constitutes 

 the next subject of inquiry. Why this should be so uncertain 

 can only be explained by reference to the circumstances on 

 which those qualities depend which are most esteemed in 

 coffee. 

 A peculiar Boiiing hot water extracts from coffee which has been pro- 



aromatic sub- perly roasted and ground, an aromatic substance of an exquisite 



stance extract- 



ed by boiling flavour, together with a considerable quantity of astringent 



water, matter of a bitter, but very agreeable {aste • but this aro- 



matic substance, which is supposed to be an oil, is extremely 

 volatile ; and is so feebly united to the water that it escapes 

 into the air with great facility. 



W *i' Ch l * d ^ a CU P °^ ^ ie ver y k est co ^ ee prepared in the highest per- 



son fliea off. fectioh, and boiling hot, be placed on a table in the middle of a 



room, 



