Coffee. The coffee-tree is a much-branched tree of the cinchona family, not exceeding twenty feet in height, and much resembling a cherry-tree. Its pale green leaves are about six inches in length. The flowers are in clusters in the axils of the leaves, are white in color, resembling orange-tree flowers, and perfume the air. The fruit on ripening turns from green to red, and is about the size of a cherry or cranberry, each containing two seeds closely united by their flat sides. These being removed and separated, become the coffee of commerce.

“How to make good coffee” is the great problem of domestic life. Tastes naturally differ, and some prefer a quantity of chicory, while to others the very name of this most wholesome plant (but keep it out of coffee) will produce nausea.

Purchase coffee from large dealers who roast it daily. Have it ground moderately fine, and do not purchase large quantities at a time. At home keep the coffee in air-tight jars or cans when not in use.

The old-fashioned coffee-pot has much to recommend it, and the only possible objection to it is that it makes a cloudy beverage. Those who find this objectionable should use one of the many patented modern filters. When the coffee is finely ground these filter-pots are the best to use. Put three ounces of finely-ground coffee in the top compartment of the coffee-pot; pour a quart of boiling water over it; let it filter through; add half a pint more of boiling water; let it filter through, and pour it out into a hot measure, and pour it through the filter again. Let it stand a moment on the range, and you have coffee as clear as wine; but unless your pot, measure, and the water are very hot, the coffee will taste as though it had become cold and then “warmed over.” No eggs or other foreign substances are used to clear or settle the coffee.

As I do not object to a sediment in my cup, I use the old-fashioned coffee-pot. I first heat the pot, and put the coffee into a loose muslin bag, and pour a quart of boiling water over every three ounces of coffee. I let it boil, or rather come to a boiling point a moment; then let it stand to settle. Should it not do so rapidly enough, I pour a few tablespoonfuls of cold water round the inside edge of the coffee-pot. It is advisable to tie a thread to the bag, with which it may be drawn out of the coffee, if desired.

Now, heat the coffee cup; fill it one third full of hot, but not boiled, cream; then add the coffee, and serve.

One word as to eggs used in making coffee. I admit that a different flavor is produced when they are used; but the albumen of the eggs covers the coffee grains, and coagulates, preventing the escape of the properties of the coffee, and compelling one to use nearly double the quantity of coffee to produce the same result as when eggs are not used.

Pure Java, if of a high order, does not need other brands of coffee to make it palatable; but, as a rule, most of the coffees sold at the grocers’ are improved by blending or mixing one third each of pure Mocha, Java, and Maracaïbo to make a rich cup of coffee, while a mixture of two thirds Mandehling Java and one third “male berry” (so called) Java produces excellent results. Mexico coffee is quite acceptable, but the producers must clean it properly if they expect to receive patronage.

"After-dinner Coffee." Use three ounces of finely-ground coffee to a pint of boiling water. Old Government Java does make a very satisfactory cup of after-dinner coffee. The after-dinner coffee found at most of the first-class restaurants in New York, such as the Brunswick, etc., contains chicory.

Boiling Water is a very important desideratum in the making of good coffee. The water should be fresh from the main pipe, boiled two or three minutes, and then added to the coffee. Servants frequently use water drawn from the range boiler, or water that has stood long in the tea-kettle; in either case the coffee will be insipid.

Tea. The constituents of tea are very much the same as those of coffee theine (an aromatic oil), sugar and gum, and a form of tannic acid. Green tea is more astringent than the other varieties, partly because it contains more tannin, and partly because it is sophisticated to adapt it to a peculiar taste.

Whatever variety of tea used, do not allow the beverage to boil; put the tea in a black earthen tea-pot previously heated; pour boiling water over it; let it draw for two minutes, and the process is at an end. Charitable institutions would find it advantageous to grind tea to powder; in this way one half the quantity of tea ordinarily used is saved.

Cocoa and Chocolate are obtained from the seeds of Theobroma cacao. The active principle is theobromine, a substance which resembles the alkaloids of coffee and tea, except that it contains more nitrogen than theine and caffeine. Another important difference between cacao (not cocoa) and coffee or tea is the large amount of fat or cacao-butter contained in the bean.

The seed receptacle resembles a large black cucumber, containing from ten to thirty leaves, which are roasted like coffee. The husks are then taken off, and are called cacao shells. The best cacao is made from the bean after the husks are removed.

Chocolate is the finely-ground powder from the kernels mixed to a paste, with or without sugar. The product of this seed, being rich in fatty matters, is more difficult to digest, and many dyspeptics cannot use it unless the fats have been removed, which is now done by manufacturers. Nearly all brands of cacao and chocolate are recommended to be prepared at table; but it is much better to prepare them before the meal, and allow it to boil at least once before serving.