18th Century Coffee
Coffee as it might have been served at an 18th century English coffee house, or penny university
City/Region: England
Time Period: 1723
Nowadays we go to coffee shops to get a little work done or meet friends, but in 18th century England, there was a lot more going on. They were dubbed “penny universities” due to the amount of intellectual discussion that went on, and many men (women weren’t allowed) did all of their business at the coffee shop. Some even used the coffee house as their address because they spent so much time there.
These coffee houses weren’t serving up lattes or cappuccinos, but deep saucers of black coffee for a penny (hence the nickname). This simple method of making coffee results in a cup that isn’t as strong as most coffee you get today, and it’s oilier than if you use a drip machine. Not incredibly different from now, but you’ll be able to make a cup if you find yourself without a machine.
“To Make Coffee: Another better Way
Take running, or River-water, put your Coffee in cold; mix it well with the Water, set them over the Fire, and let them warm, heat and scald, and boil together, till the Coffee sinks; then take it off, let it settle and drink it.”
Ingredients:
- 1 quart (1 L) water
- 2 ounces (60 g) coffee beans
Instructions:
- Coarsely grind the coffee beans.
- Combine the coffee and water in a kettle or pot. Heat it to boiling and boil for 40 seconds. Take the coffee off the heat and let it steep while the grounds settle to the bottom.
- Serve it forth in a deep saucer for extra authenticity.