234 PREPARING FOR USE. 



In preparing it they use two kettles, boiling the water in 

 one and pouring it on the coffee which has been pre- 

 viously placed in the other ; the water is then poured 

 back and forth several times, a little cold water being 

 finally added to settle the grounds just before serving. 



In Mexico the coffee is roasted, ground and prepared 

 at the same time; the beans are roasted as required and 

 pounded fine in a bag or coarse cloth, and immediately 

 transferred to the pot, boiling water is then poured on 

 and milk added to it, after which it is allowed to simmer 

 or boil slowly for about three minutes. But in some 

 instances the milk is added as served, a third of a cup of 

 coffee, or less, and the balance in hot milk being the 

 customary proportions. 



In Cuba, where the most delicious coffee obtainable 

 anywhere is to be found, the beverage is prepared by 

 first half filling a coarse flannel bag with finely pulverized 

 roasted coffee and suspending it from a nail or hook over 

 the pot or other vessel. Cold water is next poured on 

 the bag at intervals until the entire mass is well saturated, 

 when the first drippings which have fallen into the re- 

 ceptacle are poured again over the bag until the liquid 

 becomes almost thick and very black. One teaspoonful 

 of this novel extracted liquid placed in a cup of boiling 

 milk will yield a draught of coffee that is simply delicious- 

 ness itselfa nectar fit for the gods. In Cuba this flannel 

 bag hangs day and night on the wall, the process of 

 pouring on the cold water and allowing it to drip being 

 almost ceaseless in its operation, all classes, ages and 

 conditions offering and drinking coffee there as freely as 

 the Chinese do tea or as we do water. 



