The general idea is that the cereals — grains and grain
products of all kinds — can be cooked in from ten to
thirty minutes, and most of them are served after they
have been cooked about that length of time. All
cereals, however, are much finer flavored and more
digestible when thoroughly cooked — in fact, thorough
cooking is the main point to be observed in the prepa-
ration of cereals for the table — and this necessitates cook-
ing them slowly, in a proper quantity of liquid, for a
considerable length of time. If liquid has to be added
during the process of cooking, or has to be drained off,
after the grain is thoroughly cooked, some of the fine
flavor is lost, and the result of such improper methods is
generally an insipid mess, instead of a savory and appe-
tizing dish. It is, therefore, very important that the
same cup or vessel used for measuring the grain should
be used for measuring the liquid in which the grain is to
be cooked, so that the quantity of liquid be just sufficient
to make the mush or porridge the proper consistency,
and to perfectly develop the flavor of the cereal.
The amount of liquid necessary, and the length of
time required for cooking cereals properly, depend
greatly on the nature of the cereals and the manner in
which they have been milled or prepared, and cannot be
given with accuracy without knowing the special brand
of the cereal to be cooked. The following will, how-
ever, be found approximately correct as regards the
proportions of grain and liquid to be used, and the
Boiling. 77
length of time required to cook the grain and grain
products mentioned :
Farina. — Six cups of Hquid to each cup of farina.
Cook half an hour.
Coarse hominy. — Six cups of liquid to each cup of
hominy. Cook from six to ten hours.
Cracked wheat. — Five cups of liquid to each cup of
wheat. Cook from three to six hours.
Fine hominy. — Four cups of liquid to each cup of
hominy. Cook from three to six hours.
Coarse oatmeal. — Four cups of liquid to each cup of
oatmeal. Cook from three to six hours.
Rolled wheat, barley, or oats. — Three cups of liquid
to each cup of grain. Cook an hour.
BEVERAGES.
To Make Coffee, No. i. — Any variety of coffee preferred
may be used for making the beverage, but a mixture of
one third Mocha and two thirds Java and two table-
spoonfuls, or about an ounce, of ground coffee to each
pint of water makes coffee that suits the average taste.
It may be made stronger or weaker if desired, but it is
always better to make coffee too strong than too weak.
If it is made too strong it is easy to weaken it by the
addition of water or milk, but if made too weak it is a
difficult matter to strengthen it.
When a pot with a cloth bag or other strainer is used
in making coffee it is only necessary to put the desired
quantity of finely ground coffee into the strainer, pour
slowly over it one third the quantity of boiling water to
be used in making the coffee, cover the pot closely, and
78 The Art of Cookery.
let stand until the water has trickled through the strainer,
then pour on another third, and when that has trickled
through add the remaining third, and in a minute the
coffee will be ready to serve. ✪ To Make Coffee, No. 1
Page 32 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1899. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The general idea is that the cereals — grains and grain products of all kinds — can be cooked in from ten to thirty minutes, and most of them are served after they have been cooked about that length of time. All cereals, however, are much finer flavored and more digestible when thoroughly cooked — in fact, thorough cooking is the main point to be observed in the preparation of cereals for the table — and this necessitates cooking them slowly, in a proper quantity of liquid, for a considerable length of time. If liquid has to be added during the process of cooking, or has to be drained off, after the grain is thoroughly cooked, some of the fine flavor is lost, and the result of such improper methods is generally an insipid mess, instead of a savory and appetizing dish. It is, therefore, very important that the same cup or vessel used for measuring the grain should be used for measuring the liquid in which the grain is to be cooked, so that the quantity of liquid be just sufficient to make the mush or porridge the proper consistency, and to perfectly develop the flavor of the cereal.
The amount of liquid necessary, and the length of time required for cooking cereals properly, depend greatly on the nature of the cereals and the manner in which they have been milled or prepared, and cannot be given with accuracy without knowing the special brand of the cereal to be cooked. The following will, however, be found approximately correct as regards the proportions of grain and liquid to be used, and the
Boiling. 77
length of time required to cook the grain and grain products mentioned :
Farina. — Six cups of Hquid to each cup of farina. Cook half an hour.
Coarse hominy. — Six cups of liquid to each cup of hominy. Cook from six to ten hours.
Cracked wheat. — Five cups of liquid to each cup of wheat. Cook from three to six hours.
Fine hominy. — Four cups of liquid to each cup of hominy. Cook from three to six hours.
Coarse oatmeal. — Four cups of liquid to each cup of oatmeal. Cook from three to six hours.
Rolled wheat, barley, or oats. — Three cups of liquid to each cup of grain. Cook an hour.
BEVERAGES.
To Make Coffee, No. i. — Any variety of coffee preferred may be used for making the beverage, but a mixture of one third Mocha and two thirds Java and two tablespoonfuls, or about an ounce, of ground coffee to each pint of water makes coffee that suits the average taste. It may be made stronger or weaker if desired, but it is always better to make coffee too strong than too weak. If it is made too strong it is easy to weaken it by the addition of water or milk, but if made too weak it is a difficult matter to strengthen it.
When a pot with a cloth bag or other strainer is used in making coffee it is only necessary to put the desired quantity of finely ground coffee into the strainer, pour slowly over it one third the quantity of boiling water to be used in making the coffee, cover the pot closely, and
78 The Art of Cookery.
let stand until the water has trickled through the strainer, then pour on another third, and when that has trickled through add the remaining third, and in a minute the coffee will be ready to serve.
Records on this page
To Make Coffee, No. 1