COFFEE. 109 



much : as soon as it lias acquired a deep cinnamon colour, it should 

 be taken from the lire, and cooled ; otherwise much of its aro- 

 matic flavour will be dissipated, and its taste will become disagree- 

 ably bitter. 



" In some parts of Italy, coffee is roasted in a thin Florence flask 

 slightly 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 makes its appearance within the flask, the colour of the coffee 

 may be distinctly seen through the glass, and the proper moment 

 seized for removing the coffee from the fire. 



" I have endeavoured to improve this Italian method, by using 

 a thin globular glass vessel with a long narrow cylindrical neck. 

 This globular vessel is six inches in diameter, and its cylindrical 

 neck is one inch in diameter, and eighteen inches long. It is 

 laid down horizontally, and supported in such a manner on a wooden 

 stand as to be easily turned round its axis. The globular vessel 

 projects beyond the stand, and is placed, at a proper height, im- 

 mediately over a chafing dish of live coals. When this globular 

 vessel is blown insufficiently thin : and when care is taken to. keep 

 it constantly turning round, when it is overdue fire, 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 coftee may be perfectly good, and very high 

 flavoured, not more than half a pound of the grain should be roast- 

 ed at once; for, when the quantity is greater, it becomes impossi- 

 ble to regulate the heat in such a manner as to be quite certain of a 

 good result. 



The end of the cylindrical neck of the globular vessel should 

 be closed by a fit cork, having a small slit in one side of it to per- 

 mit the escape of the vapour out of the vessel. This cork should 

 project about an inch beyond the extremity of the neck of the ves- 

 sel, in order that it may be used as a handle in turning the vessel 

 round its axis, towards 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 certainty, not only by the changes which 

 take place in the colour of the grain, but also by the peculiar fra- 

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

 roasted enough. This fragrance is certainly owing to the escape of 

 a volatile, aromatic substance, which did not originally exist, as 



