PREPARING FOR USE. 227 



coffees are mixed, except corn or beans, but it must be 

 borne in mind that only the best grade of coffee must be 

 used in the blend, as what may otherwise be a good com- 

 bination may be utterly spoiled by the introduction of a 

 tainted, stained, damaged or hidey coffee. 



But the best and safest of all substances for mixing or 

 blending with coffee with the object of reducing its cost 

 is chicory and rye, containing as they do a large percent- 

 age of saccharine, which in the process of roasting becomes 

 carameled, thus imparting to the compound the flavor of 

 coffee to a much greater extent than any other substitute 

 known and for which reason it lends itself to the purpose 

 more readily than any other vegetable substance. Again, 

 it is not injurious to health, while at the same time it 

 gives up its extractive matter easily, thus improving the 

 extract yielded by poor coffee and imparting a dark color 

 to the decoction such as can only be produced by three 

 times the weight of pure coffee. It has one great defect, 

 however, that of easily absorbing moisture, becoming 

 hard and lumpy on exposure to the atmosphere, more 

 particularly when ground fine. 



The methods of preparing for the table are almost as 

 numerous as the countries in which it is grown, and as 

 much of the beneficial influence which it undoubtedly 

 exerts depends in a great measure on its proper prepara- 

 tion. This question has given rise to such a maze of 

 psuedo chemical subtleties and mechanical devices that it 

 is difficult to arrive at any fundamental common-sense 

 rule for its most perfect production in the cup. The two 

 principal objects to be sought for in the proper prepara- 

 tion of coffee as a beverage are : ( i ) To obtain the greatest 

 amount of strength and aroma, without extracting any 



