Coco ou Cocoa. Cacao.

No. 515. - Cocoa is the fruit of the Cocoa tree, which grows in abundance in South America. The tree is about the size of a chestnut tree, and produces ribbed pods, which contain from 25 to 50 seeds, which resemble ground almonds, and are covered with a dry pelicule. They have a bitter taste. There are several different varieties, namely, those of Caracas, of Ceylon, of Berbiche, of Saint Madelaine, and of Saint Domingo islands. They all differ in size and flavor. The best are those from Caracas, being lightly flattened and resembling our broad beans. The next best are those from St. Madelaine and Berbiche. It is less flattened than the Caracas variety, and its pelicule is covered with a fine, ash-colored powder. The other varieties are much more bitter and oily, and are mostly 8 used to make the Cocoa Butter. The germ of the Cocoa is always at the thick end, while in our almonds it is at the small end. The Cocoa of Caracas, St. Madelaine and Berbiche, mixed in equal quantities, makes the best quality of chocolate. This mixture gives an unctuous, oleaginous matter which chocolate should always possess. If chocolate is made simply from the Caracas Cocoa it will be too dry, while that made from the others alone would be too oily and bitter. Hence, the combination mentioned is necessary. After the Caracas beans are picked they are buried in the ground for four or six weeks, which causes them to lose some of their bitter taste. Care must be taken or they will have an exceedingly moisty flavor. The Caracas Cocoa, mixed with the others, always makes the best chocolate.

The cocoa, broma and chocolate we drink are made from Cocoa. When made into chocolate, it is ground into a paste and mixed with sugar, etc. There are several grades, some for eating, some for candies and creams, and some for beverages. Cocoa and broma are more healthful as a breakfast beverage than chocolate, as the latter is too rich.

Ground Cocoa

No. 516. - Dilute two table-spoonfuls of ground Cocoa, with two spoonfuls of water. Then put it in a small saucepan and moisten it with three cupfuls of boiling milk or water. Stir it well and let it boil five minutes. Then sweeten it to taste.

Shell Cocoa

No. 517. - Put two ounces of half-broken Cocoa in a saucepan with one quart of boiling water. Let it boil slowly for half an hour, or until half of the moisture is reduced. Add a little milk if desired and sweeten to taste. This is preferred by people whose stomachs are dedicate.

Broma

No. 518. - This is made the same as Cocoa.

Choca

No. 519. - Take a cup of chocolate, a cup of coffee and a cup of cream, and mix them well together. This makes a delicious beverage.

Plain Chocolate

No. 520. - Scrape or break two ounces of Chocolate in small pieces. Put it in a saucepan with two table-spoonfuls of boiling water, stirring it until it is melted. Then add two cupfuls of hot boiled milk. Sweeten to taste. As soon as it commences to boil, take it off of the fire and serve.

Pot Chocolate

No. 521. - The best Chocolate is made in a pot expressly made for this purpose, in which there is a silver whisk. Put four cup-fuls of milk or water in a chocolate pot. (Or put one ounce of Chocolate to one cup of milk.) When the milk boils add the fine grated Chocolate. When the Chocolate is melted and well mixed, set it on the side of the fire for ten minutes to keep warm. Then take the whisk between the palms of both hands and make it revolve backwards and forwards briskly until the Chocolate is whipped to a froth. Then serve.

Chocolate, With Eggs Or Cream

No. 522. - Grate four ounces of Chocolate, and put it in a saucepan with four soup-spoonfuls of boiling water, and stir it until it is melted. While stirring it, add in slowly five cupfuls of boiling milk. Let it boil up once, then sweeten it to taste, and set it on the side of the fire to keep warm. Have ready the whites of four eggs, whipped to a stiff froth. Add half of this quantity to the Chocolate, mixing it well. Sweeten the remaining half of the eggs with powdered sugar. Serve the Chocolate in cups, with a spoonful of the sweetened egg froth on top.

Note. - Chocolate can be made as above, with cream instead of eggs. Add the cream when the Chocolate is ready to serve, having it whipped to a froth and flavored with vanilla.

Stir it well when you put it in, so the hot Chocolate will warm it, without letting it boil.

Note. - Chocolate can be made with water or milk, or with both, mixed in equal quantities. This is merely a matter of taste, as some prefer it with water and others with milk or cream. When sweetened Chocolate is used, no sugar, or very little, should be added, as the delicate flavor is destroyed when too sweet. Sweeten plain Chocolate to taste. Never keep Chocolate on the fire boiling.

Adulterated Chocolate

No. 523. - Chocolate is often adulterated by unprincipled manufacturers, which makes it a most vile compound instead of the nutritious beverage intended. They use small, common Cocoa, first extracting the Cocoa butter, and then mix with the remaining Cocoa a quantity of grilled sweet almonds. They also use the refuse of coarse brown sugar in place of pure sugar, and as a substitute for vanilla they use common storax, which is the sawdust of the Tonqua tree; but persons experienced in flavor will detect the difference immediately. Impure Chocolate is also adulterated with butter, potato flour, starch, and other heterogeneous substances.