METHODS OF MAKING COFFEE. 71 



The fondness for coffee in Turkey is shown by the constant 

 use of the beverage on all occasions, and its exhilarating qual- 

 ities are nowhere more highly appreciated. 



The great luxury of the Turkish bath now no longer an ex- 

 clusive Oriental custom, since its general introduction in this 

 country and Europe has one feature in the Orient that has not 

 elsewhere been fully introduced. There the bather, after the 

 fatigues of the bath, is conducted into a luxurious apartment, 

 where comfortable divans and soft pillows invite him to tarry, 

 and enjoy the " rest after toil," the dolcefar niente, the " sweet 

 do nothing." Presently attendants enter bearing fragrant cof- 

 fee served in delicate little china cups, which further adds 

 to the rest and repose from all care, and at once fills the recip- 

 ient with delight. We need but to introduce this Eastern cus- 

 tom after bathing, for coffee, as already stated, is a stimulant 

 which, unlike wine, does not enervate or excite the system. 



The Turks drink their coffee very hot and strong, and without 

 sugar. They occasionally use spices with it, such as bruised 

 cloves, or aniseed, or a drop of the essence of amber. But after 

 either method, the process recommended by M. Soyer may be 

 advantageously adopted ; namely, " Put two ounces of ground 

 coffee into a stew-pan, which set upon the fire, stirring the 

 coffee round with a spoon until quite hot, then pour over a pint 

 of boiling water; cover over closely for five minutes, pass it 

 through a cloth, warm again, and serve." The chemist La- 

 place explained to Napoleon the results of various methods of 

 manipulation. " How is it, sir," said the Emperor, " that a glass 

 of water in which I melt a lump of sugar always appears to me 

 to be superior in taste to one in which I put the same quantity 

 of powdered sugar \ " " Sire," said the sage, " there exist 

 three substances 'whose elements are precisely the same ; name- 

 ly, sugar, gum, and starch. They only differ under certain 

 conditions, the secret of which Nature has reserved to herself ; " 



