Beverage — the working drink
Strong Observatory Coffee
DrinkDocumented☕facile8 min
A robust coffee, brewed the old-fashioned way in a tin pot, served black and piping hot. The companion of late-night study and Cambridge winters.
Beverage — the working drink
A robust coffee, brewed the old-fashioned way in a tin pot, served black and piping hot. The companion of late-night study and Cambridge winters.
When the eye tires from counting the Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud, nothing revives the spirit like a cup of good black coffee. I wanted it strong — none of those pale brews that have only the name of coffee. It was let to rise slowly on the stove, and the infusion was clarified with a little cold water to settle the grounds. Drink it hot, and you will keep your records until the last plate, I assure you.
Ingredients
- •Freshly ground coffee, coarse grind — a heaping spoonful per cup (base)
- •Water — one cup per person (infusion)
- •Cold water — a splash (to settle grounds)
How it was made : Before paper filters, coffee was infused directly in water (the "boiled coffee" method) and clarified with a little cold water, sometimes an eggshell, to precipitate the grounds. Coffee was a precious imported commodity, reserved to sustain effort.
Sources : Fannie Farmer, The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, 1896