The Chemistry of Cookery

are the results of the analyses of two samples of cocoa by Payen: Cacao butter 48 50 Albumen, fibrin, and other nitrogenous matter 21 20 Theobromine 4 2 Starch, with traces of sugar 11 10 Cellulose 3 2 Colouring matter, aromatic essence traces Mineral matter 3 4 Water 10 12 --- --- 100 100 The very large proportion of fat shows that the Italians are right in their mode of using their breakfast cup of chocolate. They cut their roll into ‘fingers,’ and dip it in the ‘aurora’ instead of spreading butter on it. Vegetable food generally contains an excess of cellulose and a deficiency of fat; therefore cocoa, with its excess of fat and deficiency of cellulose, is theoretically indicated as a very desirable adjunct to an ordinary vegetarian dietary. The few experiments I have made by perpetrating the culinary heresy of adding cocoa to oatmeal-porridge and other _purées_, to mashed potatoes, turnips, carrots, boiled rice, sago, tapioca, &c., prove that vegetarians have much to learn in the cookery of cocoa. During two months’ sojourn in Milan my daily breakfast consisted of bread, grapes, and powdered chocolate. Each grape was bitten across, one-half eaten pure and simple, then the cut and pulpy face of the other half was dipped in the chocolate powder, and eaten with as much as adhered to it. I have never been better fed. FOOTNOTE: [18] Ordinary tea contains about 2 per cent. of this. It may easily be obtained by making a strong infusion and _slowly_ evaporating it to dryness, then placing this dried extract on a watch-glass or evaporating-dish, covering it with an inverted wineglass, tumbler, or conical cap of paper. A white fume rises and condenses on the cool cover in the form of minute colourless crystals. The tea itself may be used in the same manner as the dried extract, but the quantity of crystals will be less. CHAPTER XVI. THE COOKERY OF WINE. IN an unguarded moment I promised to include the above in this work, and will do the best I can to fulfil the rash promise; but the