Good And Bad Coffee

Chance to Assist Planters

Letter to the Editor.

THE quotations for “Islands Produce,” in “The Pacific Islands Monthly” in clude Papuan and New Guinea coffee. At our house we use Papuan coffee every morning for breakfast, and find it good pure, of course, without chicory. A friend of ours grows coffee in New Guinea.

This brings up the question of why Australians and New Zealanders, also English people, persist in drinking the coffee concoction they make and serve during the day. The coffee of England and Australia has been the subject of many humorous remarks by American writers and actors, based on their experi ence. (Until recently, I was 21 years in the United States; originally a New Zea lander, and 12 years in Western Aus tralia.) Although some pure coffee is served in Australian homes and public eating

places, the average drink is atrocious. It also is on British vessels. Why is chicory added to coffee and why is coffee essence used? The latter may be classed as synthetic stuff, and, like syrup of figs, which is said to contain no fig material contains little coffee. Chicory is not coffee, and bears no relation to it, and lacks the most important constituent of coffee—caffein. It is the root of the cichorium intybus, which is similar in ap pearance to the root artichoke. Coffee is from the tree coffea arabica, and other species.

Coffee, as a drink, probably served without sugar and milk or cream, was introduced into London in 1652. Coffee houses were popular meeting places. No chicory was used. The first use of chicory, with coffee, is not available.

However, a well-known coffee retailer in Sydney informed me that chicory is added to cheapen coffee. Pure coffee costs up to 3/- a pound, an average being 2/6. A coffee-chicory mixture costs 2/-.

The pure food law permits up to 45 per cent, chicory as an adulterant. The re tailer mentioned will, on request, prepare three coffee-chicory blends, but states that as Australians become accustomed to coffee, they buy the pure, freshly roasted and ground product.

After all, the difference between 2/- for coffee plus chicory, and 2/6 or 2/9 for coffee is not much, and this will be more than balanced by the lesser amount of pure coffee needed in preparing the drink; and, what is of most importance, pure coffee is palatable, the other stuff isn't.

But, Australians are not coffee drinkers, they are naturally tea-drinkers —although strong tea diluted with water, to which a lot of sugar and milk is added, is not tea, in my opinion. Good brands of coffee, including Papuan and New Guinea, are on sale by many retail merchants through out Australia, New Zealand, and England.

Of course, the secret of well-made coffee, provided that one has a good brand, is in the making. For public eat ing-places and for homes the percolator is the thing; those for the former may hold several gallons, whereas those for the home hold a pint to a gallon, or two to a dozen breakfast cups. The latter, up to about quart size, of aluminium, are on sale in the department stores of the big towns. The percolator is filled with water to just below the basket or con tainer that holds the coffee. A level tea spoonful of coffee, not too coarsely ground, to a cup, is about right. Placed on a gas jet or electric plate, the water soon boils, and percolation should continue for five minutes or more, a period that can be judged after a little experience. The coffee can be served black, or with a little sugar and cream, not milk. Failing a supply of cream, or milk if used, con densed milk is good. If a percolator is not available, an ordinary coffee-pot or any saucepan may be placed on the gas jet, electric plate, or camp fire, and as soon as the water boils, the measured amount of coffee is added; but it is taken off the fire at once, not allowed to boil, or stew, further. The coffee grounds soon settle and a good infusion results. In effect, this method is similar to the infu sion of tea.

A campaign for the use of pure coffee, and against a tasteless (as far as coffee is concerned) adulterant like chicory, should be taken up by coffee growers and merchants, and so assist the industry in the Islands.

I am, etc.,

M. W. Von Bernewitz.

Sydney.