Author Topic: Cowboy Coffee  (Read 8740 times)

Offline deucedaddyj

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Cowboy Coffee
« on: December 25, 2005, 09:52:46 PM »
Recently I bought a percolator to make coffee with and I'm pretty sure cowboys didn't use these to make coffee. My grandpa told he never used a coffee maker or percolater in his life. I was wondering if anybody knew how coffee was usually brewed in the old west? Maybe tea too?

Offline Delmonico

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2005, 11:21:46 PM »
Well of course I do, question is do you want good coffee or lousy coffee?

First of all, the perculator was invented in the US in the 1820's, so perk away if you like lousy coffee.  also many just put coffee in a boiler and boil away, sometimes putting an egg in it to settle the grounds.  You also end up with lousy coffee and a poached egg. :P  Most coffee was brewed this way minus the egg.  eggs were to valuble in most cases to waste.

Now since my perrsona is mosty Co-Owner of "Delmoico's West;  The finest Hell on Wheels Resteraunt in the West" I do not serve lousy coffee. 

Start with a clean boiler and good cold clean water.  Place it on or near the fire, minus the coffee and bring it to a boil.  Boiling is not needed but it makes questionable water safer.

While this is heating, lets talk coffee.  Don't buy any pre-ground canned coffee.  Most is ground too fine for our use.  Arbuckles was a common brand and can still be bought.  But many bought green coffee and roasted it or the store did.  Arbuckles used egg whites and sugar to coat their pre-roasted beans to keep them from going rancid.  So go to your favorite place that sells whole bean and buy it.  If you grind it in the store or have them grind it, use the coarsest grind.  I buy it that way when I am dealing with large groups.  (We went through 8 pounds at the GAF Muster)

I also have a cast iron hand grinder, I always carry some whole to deomonstrate the grinder.  Don't use a blade type, it grinds it too fine.

Now our water should be boiling, remove it from the heat and let it set a couple minutes to reduce the heat below the boiling point.  Boiling water increases the bitter tannic acid that dissolves into the coffee, that's why perculators make somewhat bitter coffee.  A modern drip machine uses water below the boiling pont.

Now add the desired amount, if you want real stong coffee always use a dark roast, it will not be as bitter.  Place the pot close enough to the fire to let it stay warm, but do not let it boil.  In about 5 minutes, tap the side and pour, you'll not get a lot of grounds in it and they won't hurt ou any way.

If now grounds in your coffee is important, just take unbleached 100% cotton muslin and wash ehr sizing out of it and rinse it twice to remove all traces of the soap.  Cut a square and put coffee in the square and tie it with cotton string and use it like a tea bag.  Make sure you leave enough room for the coffee to expand.

Tea bags came out about 1900, before that they used loose leaf, just boil you water, pour over the leaves after it is below boing because tea also has tannic acid.  If the leaves bother you, just brew it in a pot and us a tea strainer to remove the leaves.



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Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

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Offline Marshal Will Wingam

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2005, 11:46:50 PM »
many just put coffee in a boiler and boil away, sometimes putting an egg in it to settle the grounds.  You also end up with lousy coffee and a poached egg. :P
This is how my father used to make it. Yep, it was lousy. The boiled egg sucked, too.

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #3 on: Today at 08:25:43 AM »

Offline deucedaddyj

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2005, 12:02:47 AM »
Hey, that sounds good. The perker didn't make the coffee as strong as I usually like it, so I thought I'd try it this way. My Grandpa said that he use to pour cold water in sometimes to settle the grounds. I'll buy some good coffee (someone took it upon themselves to buy Starbucks..... >:() and try that tommorow night.

Offline Camille Eonich

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2005, 03:28:23 PM »
Hey Del why the coarse grind instead of something more fine?  How does it affect the flavor?
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Offline Marshal harpoluke

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #5 on: December 26, 2005, 03:53:38 PM »
Well of course I do, question is do you want good coffee or lousy coffee?

First of all, the perculator was invented in the US in the 1820's, so perk away if you likelousy coffee.  also many just put coffee in a boiler and boil away, sometimes putting an egg in it to settle the grounds.  You also end up with lousy coffee and a poached egg. :P  Most coffee was brewed this way minus the egg.  eggs were to valuble in most cases to waste.

Now since my perrsona is mosty Co-Owner of "Delmoico's West;  The finest Hell on Wheels Resteraunt in the West" I do not serve lousy coffee. 

Start with a clean boiler and good cold clean water.  Place it on or near the fire, minus the coffee and bring it to a boil.  Boiling is not needed but it makes questionable water safer.

While this is heating, lets talk coffee.  Don't buy any pre-ground canned coffee.  Most is ground too fine for our use.  Arbuckles was a common brand and can still be bought.  But many bought green coffee and roasted it or the store did.  Arbuckles used egg whites and sugar to coat their pre-roasted beans to keep them from going rancid.  So go to your favorite place that sells whole bean and buy it.  If you grind it in the store or have them grind it, use the coarsest grind.  I buy it that way when I am dealing with large groups.  (We went through 8 pounds at the GAF Muster)

I also have a cast iron hand grinder, I always carry some whole to deomonstrate the grinder.  Don't use a blade type, it grinds it too fine.

Now our water should be boiling, remove it from the heat and let it set a couple minutes to reduce the heat below the boiling point.  Boiling water increases the bitter tannic acid that dissolves into the coffee, that's why perculators make somewhat bitter coffee.  A modern drip machine uses water below the boiling pont.

Now add the desired amount, if you want real stong coffee always use a dark roast, it will not be as bitter.  Place the pot close enough to the fire to let it stay warm, but do not let it boil.  In about 5 minutes, tap the side and pour, you'll not get a lot of grounds in it and they won't hurt ou any way.

If now grounds in your coffee is important, just take unbleached 100% cotton muslin and wash ehr sizing out of it and rinse it twice to remove all traces of the soap.  Cut a square and put coffee in the square and tie it with cotton string and use it like a tea bag.  Make sure you leave enough room for the coffee to expand.

Tea bags came out about 1900, before that they used loose leaf, just boil you water, pour over the leaves after it is below boing because tea also has tannic acid.  If the leaves bother you, just brew it in a pot and us a tea strainer to remove the leaves.





Good Cowboy coffee is easy,  use clean cold water, a large granitware pot, good coffee, fresh ground if possible--store bought is ok too.  Ya don't need a percolator, just bring the water to boil N throw the coffee in stirr n egg with wooden spoon, N some clean gravel from stream--take off fire.  Most of our cowboys drank their coffee with cream--usually canned milk n a little sugar.

One thing that is very important is to put the milk or cream in the cup first, it affects the flavor--this is especially true for tea.

Tea is very easy, good clean water brought to a boil, warm the pot by porring in hot water n porring it out; the the loose tea, pour boiling water over tea--let steep, decant carefully, if you want milk or cream--put the milk or cream in the cup first, then pour the tea.  Never ever stir tea or searve in meatal other than silver, it will ruin the flavor.  Real men don't worry bout grouns or tea leaves.  If you want there are strainers and 'slops trays' to handle tea leaves.

Personaly I use over 50 varities of tea--used to have more.  Good coffee beans are easy to discern, roast em, chew em--thats what the flavor will be.

 ;D

 8)


You can use Honey or sugar to sweeten if ya want.
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Offline Delmonico

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #6 on: December 26, 2005, 08:59:54 PM »
Cammy the course ground don't settle well, and then you'll have to put an egg in it to settle the grounds.

Accually putting the egg in it is "NOT" something that would have been done on the range in the 19th century.  A egg if you had one was a precious thing to be used in a manner to make a special item of dessert or sometrhing like that.  The same with the sugar or the canned milk.  To expensive and supplies were limited on a chuckwagon.  The 19th century trailhand drank their coffee hot, strong and black and if that didn't suit you well, tough.

A resteraunt would most likely offer cream or sugar for your coffee.  A homesteader would have milk or cream if in season.  The canned milk and sugar being used in coffee by the 19th century trail hands is mostly Hollywood.

I have read several dozen accounts written by cowboys of the time and they all seem to agree, your coffee was hot, strong and black.

Since I portray several types of cooks I can make it to suit my perrsona of need.  I would not due for me to serve fancy folks coffee with grounds in it.  As for the silver, well I doubt many cosies on the trail carried silver serving sets.  As for the silver rumor that goes deep, but common enemalware will not reack like a pewter one might if the pewter had a high lead content.  BTW that where that "story" came from.
Mongrel Historian


Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline Delmonico

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2005, 11:43:37 PM »
One interesting thing about coffee in the United States revoles around a story we all know, go back to your grade scholl history book for this one:

"The english king George the III and parlemnt put a tax on tea, so in Dec of 1773 in boston along with several other ports Patriots dressed up as Indians and dump the tea into the harbors, then we all started drinking coffee."

The tax and the dumping of the tea are true, but the Patriots and many Loyalists went right back to buying and drinking tea that had been smugglend in by the Dutch, untaxed of course.  Besides the tax, the Dutch tea was cheaper because the tea broght in by the english had to go through England first, it could not be direct shipped.  Also coffee was harder to brew since all coffee at this time was sold green and had to be both roasted and ground, tea could just be brewed.

Coffee was far more expensive than tea till around 1820 when the large tea plantations in Brazil started producing large amounts closer to home.  The famous Arbuckles Ariosa coffee was from Brazil and the Ariosa stood for "Arbuckles Rio South America."  Another famous Arbuckles coffe was the Yule tide Blend or as they labled it YUBAN.

Also the military ration of rum or whiskey was replaced about the same time and replaced with coffee.

Also the US dropped the rum and whiskey ration for soldiers and sailors about the same time this introduced more people to coffee especially after the Mexican and Civil War.

An interesting side note is that at least some of the Northerner's were anti-slave, but the coffee used by the Union Army was produced by slave labor.

Most of the tea used, or at least what we most often think of as tea, the leaves from the shrub Thea (camellia) sinesnsis, was of the green variety.  This was cheaper to produce.  Black teas became more common after 1904 when many folks were introduced to "iced tea" at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.  Iced tea was sometimes served before that, but was not well known.  The famous Delmonico's Resteraunt in New York served it as a summer drink and many give them credit for coming up with the idea.
Mongrel Historian


Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline Marshal harpoluke

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2005, 12:53:01 AM »
Cammy the course ground don't settle well, and then you'll have to put an egg in it to settle the grounds.

Accually putting the egg in it is "NOT" something that would have been done on the range in the 19th century.  A egg if you had one was a precious thing to be used in a manner to make a special item of dessert or sometrhing like that.  The same with the sugar or the canned milk.  To expensive and supplies were limited on a chuckwagon.  The 19th century trailhand drank their coffee hot, strong and black and if that didn't suit you well, tough.

a resteraunt would most likely offer cream or sugar for your coffee.  A homesteader would have milk or cream if in season.  The canned milk and sugar being used in coffee by the 19th century trail hands is mostly Hollywood.

I have read several dozen accounts written by cowboys of the time and they all seem to agree, your coffee was hot, strong and black.

Since I portray several types of cooks I can make it to suit my perrsona of need.  I would not due for me to serve fancy folks coffee with grounds in it.  As for the silver, well I doubt many cosies on the trail carried silver serving sets.  As for the silver rumor that goes deep, but common enemal ware will not reack like a pewter on might if the pewter had a high lead content.  BTW that where that "story" came from.

 :(

I'm glad you have written accounts by cowboys, but not this one, I come from a working cattle ranch--still working today--my mother grew up on that ranch, her mother was the camp cook, her mother was the Matriarc of the ranch.  There is a saying bout cowboy history,' if you must choose between the truth and the legond, print the legond'.  I have no use for Holyweird accounts of how ranches worked.  I can't and wont speak for other cattlemen(and women) but this is my account as an eyewitness. there are many regonal variations of how coffee was made and served.  We worked from a large 27section ranch a successful ranch the descendants are still working it today.  Its estate is now sevarl smaller ranches, but most are stil going.  On the ranch we had more than 18cowhands one large bunkhouse and at least two line shacks and a high mountain camp.  Durring the heyday  my greatgrandfather had a Chineze cook, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, and other assorted barnyard critters.  Did I mention that this was a large ranch?  third largest in California.  One of the 'perks' for the cowboys was a monthly ration of coffee(ground),small can of milk, sugar, hard candy, pepermint sticks, a box of shells for his rifle--etc.  Thats the way it was done on our ranch, others may vary.  Did I mention we were succsesful and had very loyale cowpokes?  When I move to Arizona territory last year got to meet with and share coffee with some of the local pards, their way of doing coffee is the same as mine.  The Old Timers still like their coffee that way.  Maybe the midwest or plains, or NEW YORK CITY!, like it black, but not here.  Black coffee did not become popular in American culture till the 1940'sn 50's., Till then most liked it with cream N sugar.

Now I admit coffee is not my specialty, Tea is, still have the silver tea set of my great grandmother, but we mostly used the ceramic pots or granitware coffee pots.

We allways had canned milk, bought it by the case., sugar usually brown, and  honey.  Sea island or C &H white sugar used, the used cloth bags for home made jerky n other goodies.

By the way I had my coffee today in one of the origanal earthenware mugs from the ranch.

My $.002, I'mm sticken to my guns. ??? >:(     :D

 :)

 8)



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Offline Delmonico

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2005, 03:26:24 AM »
MH, unless you are much older than I imagine you are talking about 20th century experiences, not 19th century.  What went one when you were on the ranch reflects the changes of time.  The price of a can of milk in the 1870-1880's was about $0.25 a can at the rail point, more out at a distance, that firgure came from studing price lists on micro-films of grocery ads in old newspapers. 

At that price in that time of $1 a day wages it would not be wasted on coffee for the commn hired hands.  My research on foods and drink of the 19th century involves perhaps thousands of hours of research with much more work to be done.  When I cook for groups I offer canned milk with the coffee because many want it and at todays prices I can afford it, but this does not always reflect what was done in the 19th century.  Sticking to your guns based on your life experiences in the  does not change the facts that can be gathered by serious reserch of the 19th century.

Earlier I mentions that Brazil was the source of the majority of the coffee used in the US in the 19th century.  Columbia was not well developed as a coffee groing region at this time, Columbia today as most of us know is where the majority of the inexpensive coffee imported in the US comes from.

A lot of coffee of a higher grade came into the US from the West Indies during the 19th Century, the majority came from Jamaica and Cuba.  More expensive coffee, not always of higher quality came from the East Indies, most from Java but some from Sumatra.

The best coffee of the time was imported from what is now Yeman, from around the Mocha region, today this is almost impossible for us to find.  The Java coffee grown from trees from the Mocha stock, called Mocha Java is as close as most of us will be able to get.

Coffee was as now, grown in the Hawiian Islands, the known as the Sandwich Islands, but the coffee plantations were smaller than today and very little was exported.

till the 1890's very little coffee in this country was sold as blends although there is no doubt that more expensive coffee was cut with cheaper grades to add to the profits.

As I said before, green tea was the vast majority of tea used in this country and is often just listed as tea in grocery lists.  Oolong that partly fermented tea was imported and most folks of the time if they had it to drink would have had it in one of the "All You Can Eat for One Price" Chinese Resteraunts that were becoming popular in larger towns of the time.  these developed in the gold mining regions of California in the 1850's when the Chinese were forbiden or heavly taxed on their minging claims.  Many of these resteraunt owners made far more money than the majority of the miners.

Black or fermented teas are listed seperate from the more common green teas in these aforemention grocery lists and in menus.  One of the earliest black teas in common use was that wonderful smokey, tarry flavored tea Lap Sang Souchong, the flavor of it derives from a smoking process that cures the leaves, it seems to have been imported into this country in some quanity in colonial times.  The other two black teas that show up on these lists get somewhat common by the middle 1880's Darjeeling and Earl Grey with it's flavors of bergamont.

 
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Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline Delmonico

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2005, 03:42:12 AM »
Many who read my posts know I am a lover of that wonderful elixer, Espressoo, this is a problem in one of my period camps since that wonderful device, the espressoo machine was invented in the 1920's.  More of my ever continuing research has led me to a period substitute, Turkish Coffee, a drink not common, but not unknow in this country, a exotic taste of the Middle East for those who were adventrous.

The post will tell how I came upon this substance, I make it a lot in camps, just for fun and to mystify my guests. ;)

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,5402.0.html

Also I was doing a little research tonight to see if I could find the patent date on the perculator, I didn't find it, but ran accross this tidbit that had slipped my mind.

The drip cofffee maker was patented in 1819 in France.  Not something you would see in the chuckwagon, but a finer resteraunt could have one.  Now I have another kitchen gadget to add to my collection. 
Mongrel Historian


Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline Marshal Will Wingam

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2005, 11:40:23 AM »
I'll vouch for Del's Turkish Coffee. It's possibly the best coffee I've had. I will be making much more of it.

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Offline Marshal harpoluke

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2005, 01:18:53 PM »
MH, unless you are much older than I imagine you are talking about 20th century experiences, not 19th century.  What went one when you were on the ranch reflects the changes of time.  The price of a can of milk in the 1870-1880's was about $0.25 a can at the rail point, more out at a distance, that firgure came from studing price lists on micro-films of grocery ads in old newspapers. 

At that price in that time of $1 a day wages it would not be wasted on coffee for the commn hired hands.  My research on foods and drink of the 19th century involves perhaps thousands of hours of research with much more work to be done.  When I cook for groups I offer canned milk with the coffee because many want it and at todays prices I can afford it, but this does not always reflect what was done in the 19th century.  Sticking to your guns based on your life experiences in the  does not change the facts that can be gathered by serious reserch of the 19th century.

Earlier I mentions that Brazil was the source of the majority of the coffee used in the US in the 19th century.  Columbia was not well developed as a coffee groing region at this time, Columbia today as most of us know is where the majority of the inexpensive coffee imported in the US comes from.

A lot of coffee of a higher grade came into the US from the West Indies during the 19th Century, the majority came from Jamaica and Cuba.  More expensive coffee, not always of higher quality came from the East Indies, most from Java but some from Sumatra.

The best coffee of the time was imported from what is now Yeman, from around the Mocha region, today this is almost impossible for us to find.  The Java coffee grown from trees from the Mocha stock, called Mocha Java is as close as most of us will be able to get.

Coffee was as now, grown in the Hawiian Islands, the known as the Sandwich Islands, but the coffee plantations were smaller than today and very little was exported.

till the 1890's very little coffee in this country was sold as blends although there is no doubt that more expensive coffee was cut with cheaper grades to add to the profits.

As I said before, green tea was the vast majority of tea used in this country and is often just listed as tea in grocery lists.  Oolong that partly fermented tea was imported and most folks of the time if they had it to drink would have had it in one of the "All You Can Eat for One Price" Chinese Resteraunts that were becoming popular in larger towns of the time.  these developed in the gold mining regions of California in the 1850's when the Chinese were forbiden or heavly taxed on their minging claims.  Many of these resteraunt owners made far more money than the majority of the miners.

Black or fermented teas are listed seperate from the more common green teas in these aforemention grocery lists and in menus.  One of the earliest black teas in common use was that wonderful smokey, tarry flavored tea Lap Sang Souchong, the flavor of it derives from a smoking process that cures the leaves, it seems to have been imported into this country in some quanity in colonial times.  The other two black teas that show up on these lists get somewhat common by the middle 1880's Darjeeling and Earl Grey with it's flavors of bergamont.

 
Yes canned good of any type were expensive at the railhead.  We always bought in case lots which were much cheaper, remember we were a large ranch and not poor.  the ranch was founded by the Engle family in 1849, bought by Greatgrandady a genaration later, and parts of it are still working today.  I was born in 1948, My mother in 1921, My
Grandmother in 1884, and her Mother in the 1840's.  My Mother is still alive and lucid, if You like we could arrange a meeting she could tell you more about the ranch.  My experence is as a boy growing up on the ranch.  I learned from my parents and grandparents, i believe their accounts to be accurate.

Your recipie for Turkish coffee is very good, the same as mine.  Lap Sang Sounchong is  one of my favorat teas, it also has healing properties--it is good for fevers.  It Truely has a smokey tarry flavor, perfectly suited for us Soot Lords. ;D

If you haven't already, Ya mite invest in a copy of Noah Websters 1828 dictionary.  It has a lot of information of early Amaricana.  It has an interesting defination of both Coffee and tea.

Your comments on tea are very good as far as they go--tea was once more valuble than gold.  Our ranch was wealth enough to well support our hands.  Labor was the least of costs.
Our cowboys had free room N board, supplies n ammunition.  The wages started a $20 a month and went to well over $40/mo for experienced hands, many had lifetime carriers on the ranch.

Different ranches and locals did things differently, thats life.  Every one of the Stockton family was able to put their children through college--no small accomplishment.

How did it get to be from Engle to Stockton--its a long story.
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Offline Mogorilla

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2006, 07:19:59 AM »
Where do the "brick teas" come in?   I had read they date back to the colonial times but not sure on that source.  I also read that people would hang a brick as decoration, it let people know they were well off.   

http://www.silkroadtea.com/teaequipage/blackteas/black_brick_tea.html

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2006, 08:27:54 AM »
I went to a cowboy breakfast at Palo Duro Canyon a few years ago and the cook said one of the best ways was to use a sock to put the grounds in. I wondered where the sock came from and if it affected the flavor as to what kind of leather the boot was made from. ;D

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2006, 08:34:54 AM »
Well, my family used to camp a lot and my dad did not do well without  coffee (the apple did not fall far from the tree).   They did the perculator for a while, but it truly is not a friend to coffee.   My mom made linen "socks".   Linen tubes, open at each end.  knot one end, put coffee in, knot other end and toss in the water.   I did this when I did my last cowboy camp.   It does ensure little grounds in drink.

Offline Delmonico

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2006, 01:40:13 PM »
The brick teas date way back, they took up less space in shipping.  They seem to have died out somewhere around the Civil War and loose tea became more popular.  I've seen the brick tea from time to time, I'd try the local coffee house, the often have unusual items.

I must confess, I don't keep much tea in camp unless it is cooler weather like the GAF Muster, there is no demand for it.  I cheated at the muster and took tea bags of several varieties including all the strange herbals that were around the house, along with some instant hot chock-olate.  Because of my work load it made it easy to provide hot drinks for those who needed it that way.  Coffee was the big demand, went through 8 pounds in 3 days.

I've not studied the teas as well as other items, not enough time to do everything.  Perhaps Marshall Harpaluke could add some more on the history that I touched on lightly.

One note I found in one of my cowboy memiors, not sure who with out some deep digging was a comment on tea and coffee on the trail drives.  Not an exact quote but close.   

"The cook upon stocking up for the drive bought a case of Arbuckles, 100 one pound bags, coffee was in great demand.  He also bought a pound of tea, the tea was used as a liniment for burns and scrapes, none of us ever thought about drinking linement." ;D
Mongrel Historian


Always get the water for the coffee upstream from the herd.

Ab Ovo Usque ad Mala

The time has passed so quick, the years all run together now.

Offline deucedaddyj

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Re: Cowboy Coffee
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2006, 02:07:05 PM »
I'm pretty sure they sell brick tea at http://www.jas-townsend.com/ They have a lot of strange things there. They sell a nice old fashioned pocket knife on there to!

 

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