MANY others have mentioned the Fruit to be of a Citron Colour, and of a Greyish White: but it appears plain to me, they have never seen it in its Prosperity, as I have done; of which my Reader may be satisfied, when he compares such Accounts with the Description I shall give of it.
Dr. COMELIN, Botanick Professor at Amsterdam, in his Lectures on Plants, places this Tree among the Jessamines, and compares the Leaf to that of our common Chesnut; but as that Gentleman has not yet printed any Account of it, I shall not therefore attempt to publish the Name at large, which he has given it. He is undoubtedly in the right to class it with the Jessamines; but I rather join in Opinion with my learned Friend Mr. Petiver, that the Leaf is more like to that of the Laurus Vulgaris, or common Bay, but larger.
THUS having given a View of what has been mentioned by the several Authors concerning the Name and Description of this Tree, I shall proceed to describe it from the Knowledge I have of it.
IN the Physick-Garden of Amsterdam are two Coffee-Trees above seventeen foot high, which have been for some time in a bearing State, and have, at most Seasons, Fruit upon them; from one of these Trees I design’d the Figure prefix’d to this Treatise, which in every Point resembles the Branch I took it from, except only the Size, which ought to be one third part bigger to make it equal with the Life.
THE Tree is of very quick Growth, and naturally inclinable to shoot upright; ’tis reported, that in its native Country it generally attains to the height of forty or fifty foot, although the Stem, in the thickest part, does not exceed five Inches in Diameter. The Leaves are Bi-composite (or set in cross Pairs at the Joints) and not unlike those of the common Bay, but curl’d at the Edges, and inclinable to hang down. The Flowers put forth in Clusters at the Joints, towards the Extremities of the Branches; they make their first Appearance in July, and are in Figure, Size, and Colour the same with those of the common Jessamine, with the Addition only of five yellow Apices, which hang loosely on the Top of the Flower, and a Style which projects near half an Inch above it: their Smell is faint, and little worth our Notice.
ABOUT October these Trees have done blowing, and then the Green Fruit appear, which hang on them till the July following before they are ripe; they resemble at that time the Berries of the Lauro-Cerasus, or Bay-Cherry, and are much of the same Shape and Colour (i.e. of a dark Red) but instead of a single Stone, these have two Kernels, which split in the middle like the Bay-berries of the Shops.
THE Fruit being come to its Perfection, is gathered and prepared either for making Drink, or for propagating other Plants. For the first of these Uses they are spread on Mats, in the open Sun, to dry and harden, which requires some time to accomplish; they are afterwards rolled to and fro in rough Baskets to get off the Husks, and then tost in an airy Place to clean them. Being thus ordered, they are ready for the Roaster, who fits them for our Use.
MONSIEUR BERNIER tells us, that in the roasting of the Berries chiefly depends the Goodness of the Liquor; and affirms, that at Grand Cairo, (where there were above a thousand Coffee-Houses) there was but two Persons who rightly understood that Art.
I HAVE taken some pains to experience the best Method of roasting it, and find none so good as by an Iron Vessel made to turn on a Spit, and it may be roasted before a clear Fire, or over a Charcoal Fire: and here every Berry has an equal share of Heat; and I like it roasted in a middle way, not overburnt. I would recommend therefore the roasting of it to every particular Family in England, they being then most secure from having any damaged Berries, or any Art used to increase the Weight, which is very injurious to the Drinkers of Coffee. Most Persons of Distinction in Holland roast their own Berries.
MONSIEUR DU FOUR, a Merchant of Lyons, in his Treatise of this Liquor, recommends to us, that the Decoction be prepared in Earthen or Stone Vessels, as preferable to those of Tin, Copper, or any other Metal; which (says he) take from it much of its Flavour and Goodness. And an ingenious Friend of mine observes, that Boiling of it evaporates too much the fine Spirits; for which reason he advises us to pour boiling Water upon the Powder, and let it stand to infuse four or five Minutes before the Fire: and this Method, in my Judgment, much exceeds the common way of preparing it.