Coffee

A historical beverage from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). The page provides extensive advice about water preparation: boiling water is very important for good coffee or tea, but don't boil water more than three or four minutes as longer boiling ruins the water by allowing natural properties to escape by evaporation. Water left in the tea-kettle overnight must never be used for preparing breakfast coffee, as it will ruin even excellent coffee or tea when water has been boiled more than once.