Of Coffee, and the Art of preparing it. \09 



ramon colour, it shnulcl be taken from the fire, and cooled; 

 otherwise much of its aromatic flavour will be dissipaledj 

 and its laste will become disagreeably bitter. 



" In some part? ot Italv, coffee is roasted in a thin Flo- 

 rence flask sliglitlv closed by means of a loose cork. This 

 is held over a clear fire of burning coals, and continually 

 agitated. As no visible vapour ever ujakc'* its appearance 

 within the flask, the colour of the coflee may be distinctly 

 seen ihroujih the glass, and the proper moment seized for 

 removing the coflce from the fire. 



" I have endeavoured to improve this Italian method, by 

 using a thin globular glass vessel v\ith a long narrow cy- 

 lindrical neck. This globular vessel is six inches in dia- 

 meter, and its cylindrical neck is one inch in diameter and 

 18 inches long. It is laid down horizontal'y, and Mipported 

 in such a manner on a wooden stand as to be easily turned 

 round its axis. The ijlnbular vessel projects beyond the 

 stand, and is placed, at a proper height, immediately over 

 a chafinu-dish of live coals. When this globular vessel is 

 blown sufficientlv thin ; and when care is taken to keep it 

 constanlly turning round, when it is over the (ire, there is 

 not the smallest danger of its being injured by the heat, 

 however near it may be to the burning coals. 



" In order that coffee may be perfectly good, and very 

 high flavoured, not more than half a pound of the grain 

 should he roasted at once; for, when the q^lantlty is 

 greater, it becinnes impossiole to regulate the heat in such 

 a manner as to he quite certain of a good result. 



" The end of the cylindrical neck of lh<- globular vessel 

 should be closed bv a fit cork, having a small slit in one 

 side of it to permii th • escape of the vapour out of the 

 vessel. This cork should project about an inch beyond the 

 extremity of the neck of the vessel, in order that it may be 

 need as a handle in turning the vessel round its axis, to- 

 wards the end of the process, when the neck of the vessel 

 becomes very hot. The progress of the operation, and the 

 moment most proper to put an end to it, may be judged 

 and determined with great certainly, not only by the 

 changes which take place in the colour of ihe grain, but 

 also by the peculiar fragrance which will first begin to be 

 diffused by it when it is nearly roasted enough. This 

 fragrance is ccriainlv owing to the escape of a volatile, 

 aromatic substance, which did not originally exist, as 

 inch, in the grain, but which is formed in the process of 

 roasting it. By keeping the neck of the globular vessel 

 coldj by means of wet cloths, I found means to condense 



this 



