Excellent Breakfast Coffee

Modern cookery for private families · Acton, Eliza · 1845
Source
Modern cookery for private families
Yield
3.0 persons
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (13)
For strong and clear coffee
For strong coffee if nearly an additional half pint of water be added
For cheaper breakfast coffee (English mode)
For good breakfast coffee (for three persons)
Optional addition
Instructions (10)
  1. Put three ounces of coffee into a filter which will contain in the lower compartment two pints and a half.
  2. Shake the powder quite level and press it closely down.
  3. Remove the presser, put on the top strainer, and pour round and round, so as to wet the coffee equally, about the third part of a measured pint of fast boiling water.
  4. Let this drain quite through before more is added.
  5. Then pour in—still quite boiling—in the same manner as much more water, and when it has passed through, add the remainder.
  6. Let it drain entirely through, then remove the top of the filter, put the cover on the part which contains the coffee, and serve it immediately.
  7. Fill the breakfast cups two parts full of new boiling milk, and add as much of the infusion as will give it the degree of strength which is agreeable to those for whom it is prepared.
  8. When it is liked extremely strong, the proportion of milk must be diminished, or less water be poured to the coffee.
Variation for stronger coffee
  1. If nearly an additional half pint of water be added before the top of the percolator is taken off, it will still be very good, provided that the coffee used be really of first-rate quality.
For cheaper breakfast coffee (English mode)
  1. Follow the same process as above, but the proportion of water must be considerably increased: it should always, however, be added by slow degrees.
Original Text
EXCELLENT BREAKFAST COFFEE. A simple, well-made English filter, or percolator, as it is called, will answer perfectly for making coffee; but from amongst the many of more recent invention which are on sale, the reader who prefers one of ornamental appearance, and of novel construction, will easily be suited. The size of the filter must be adapted to the number of persons for whom the coffee is to be prepared; for if a large quantity of the powder be heaped into an insufficient space for it, there will not be room for it to swell, and the water will not pass through. Put three ounces of coffee into one which will contain in the lower compartment two pints and a half; shake the powder quite level and press it closely down; remove the presser, put on the top strainer, and pour round and round, so as to wet the coffee 591equally, about the third part of a measured pint of fast boiling water. Let this drain quite through before more is added; then pour in—still quite boiling—in the same manner as much more water, and when it has passed through, add the remainder; let it drain entirely through, then remove the top of the filter, put the cover on the part which contains the coffee, and serve it immediately. It will be very strong, and perfectly clear. Fill the breakfast cups two parts full of new boiling milk, and add as much of the infusion as will give it the degree of strength which is agreeable to those for whom it is prepared. When it is liked extremely strong, the proportion of milk must be diminished, or less water be poured to the coffee. If nearly an additional half pint of water be added before the top of the percolator is taken off, it will still be very good, provided that the coffee used be really of first-rate quality. To make cheaper breakfast coffee to be served in the usual English mode, the same process should be followed, but the proportion of water must be considerably increased: it should always, however, be added by slow degrees. Good breakfast coffee (for three persons). Best Mocha, in moderately fine powder, ground at the instant of using it, 3 oz.; boiling water added by degrees, 1 pint; (more at pleasure). Boiling milk served with it, 1-1/2 pint to 1 quart. Common English coffee: coffee-powder, 3 oz.; water, 1 quart, to be slowly filtered; hot milk, half to whole pint. Cream in addition to either of the above, at choice.
Notes