All
About Coffee - By: Lars Jensen
Where does coffee come from?
Coffee beans
come from evergreen coffee trees which typically grow in subtropical climates
such as in Ethiopia where coffee trees originated. In the wild, these trees
can grow to be 10 meters high. Many people think that coffee beans come
from a bush, because the trees are trimmed and pruned. This is done so
the beans are easier to harvest. Cream-colored or white Jasmine
aroma flowers which are star shaped
grow rather closely together and directly on the trees' stems. The flowers
are well protected by the trees' long leathery leaves. Polinization is
carried out
by wind and insects. When the trees
are four years old, they bloom and bear fruit. After flowering, the trees
produce red fruits. After about six months, the red fruits are ready to
be
picked. Trees which are about 20-25
years old are at their optimal ages and most productive.
The coffee berry is actually a stone
fruit the size of a little cherry. In each berry lie two coffee beans with
the flat sides facing each other. The color of these raw beans can vary
from green, blue-green, yellow-green and light brown depending on the type
of tree and its geographic location.
Coffee Types
Coffee beans can be found in large
varieties and qualities but come from either Coffee Arabica or Coffee Robusta.
Each type has its own special taste and characteristic depending on the
type,
climate, farming soil, storing,
sorting, etc.
Coffee Arabica is the most widely
used type of coffee in many countries and is also the oldest. It has a
mild flavor and tastes very good on its own in an unblended form.
Coffee Robusta is a rather hardy
type which can grow in many different regions. This type has a stronger
taste and is almost undrinkable in its pure form. It is best suited when
mixed with
Arabica coffee.
From Raw to Roasted
After harvesting, the beans are extracted
from the hulls. This is done through either the "dry" or the "wet" methods.
The original and natural method is the dry method which is used
mostly where the access to water
may prove too difficult or where the quality of the coffee beans are inferior.
For the better coffee the wet method is used and is referred to as "washed
coffee". These raw coffee beans are harder, gray-green and have no aroma
before they are roasted. During roasting they dry out, become dark, crisp
and 25 % larger. The darker the coffee bean, the longer it has been roasted.
Harshly roasted beans give a bitter and burnt taste. Weak roasting, produces
coffee with neither a developed taste nor an aroma.
Coffee
Varieties
Brazilian coffee is in most
cases of the Arabica type. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer.
This coffee has a mild but full flavor.
Columbian coffee is only of
the Arabica type. Because of the climate, height and volcanic earth, the
best coffee from this region is produced on the slopes of Andes mountains.
This coffee has a full-bodied and strong taste and can be described as
a little acidic.
Java coffee belongs to the
Arabica coffee category and grown in the Indonesian islands. The volcanic
earth and favorable climatic conditions contribute to the coffees' special
flavor.
African coffees are predominantly
from east Africa, particularly Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania as well as
Central Africa such as Burundi. These countries produce an abundance of
fine tasting coffees. Zaire in the West African region produces primarily
Robusta coffee.
Mocca coffee is Arabica coffee
which comes from Yemen and is named after the port of Mocca. This coffee
is acidic and spicy. The names Mocca and Java are used to define a particular
taste rather a specific coffee.
Caffeine free coffee is developed
for people who cannot tolerate caffeine because it disturbs their sleep
if they drink coffee in the evening. Therefore, a caffeine-free coffee
has been developed. This is a process through which the caffeine has been
"removed" from the beans before they are roasted and processed.
Max Havelaar coffee is a coffee
that has an elephant logo on the package. The elephant logo guarantees
that the coffee has been bought directly from the coffee bean producers
which assures the buyer of lower prices. Some of these coffees are organic.
Organiccoffees are mostly
grown in Middle and South America. The production and harvesting of these
coffee beans are monitored by international organizations. Packages follow
a unique marking and numbering system.
Coffee with added taste is increasingly
popularity in America; about 7 percent of all retailed coffee has added
flavors. These coffees have exotic flavors added to them, among others
chocolate, mint, and orange flavors. In Europe some of the more popular
flavorable additions are vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, and fruits.
Article by: http://www.eclecticcooking.com/.
Do you know how to cook a juicy salmon? How to avoid crying when cutting
onions? How to prevent avocados from turning black? Visit The Eclectic
Cooking Ezine, portal to cooking and nutrition featuring freelance writers,
doctors, and authors. Free weekly newsletter subscription: update@eclecticcooking.com
How
to Make Cappuccino By Michelle Peterson
Really, it's all in the wrist...
and the ear... read about foaming
milk to see what I mean. With enough practice, you develop the discerning
ear that tells you it's time to start pulling the espresso shot, based
on the sound your milk pitcher makes as the steam hisses through the foaming
milk at high speed. You'll be able to stop the brew at precisely the right
instant, before the crema turns light, and pour the frothy milk on top
of it before the milk separates into layers of dry foam and hot milk.
For cappuccino, start with a small
cup... even a teacup works, but it should be warm, not cold. Get your espresso
ready to brew and start steaming your milk. Build up lots of foam, and
start brewing your espresso before the milk is too hot. Stop the espresso
brew at about an ounce per shot, and don't let any white foamy water brew
out (that's bad stuff).
Immediately pour the milk into the
cup... right after steaming, it is a homogenous concoction of light froth,
and pouring it immediately means you'll get a wonderful, even head of foam
on top as the heavier milk settles to the bottom.
Michelle Peterson writes for
MuggaJava
under the alias of Sassy the cow, and for other online publications. You
may enjoy these additional resources on brewing and enjoying coffee:
Coffee
Recipes and Brew Tips
Coffee
Fun Zone, Clip Art, Quotes and Games
On
Espresso - By Michelle Peterson
Espresso.... mmm.... the breakfast of
seasoned coffee snobs and my favorite comfort food.... oops, sorry for
the drool!
My first encounter with espresso
(that left an impact on me, anyway) was many, many years ago at Batdorf
& Bronsen coffee roasters in Olympia, Washington. They served me a
tiny cup with a puddle of chocolaty-looking syrup at the bottom, not even
an ounce.
I looked at it askance, not sure
what to do with it. There was a tiny spoon on the saucer holding the tiny
cup, with a piece of lemon zest clinging to it.
"How do I drink this?" I asked, still
being used to dumping cream in my coffee and thinking if I did, the small
quantity of espresso in the cup would be stone-cold.
The helpful Barista suggested I put
some sugar in it, if I was used to drinking my coffee sweet. I did, and
stirred it up with the little spoon with the lemon zest on it. I took a
sip, and as the rich, sweet, perfectly-brewed espresso washed over my tongue,
my life was changed forever...
Ever since then, I've been a dedicated
snob unwilling to settle for badly-brewed espresso. I can tell you what
it should be (and unfortunately I rarely see it done right):
It should be thick, with a brownish
crema on top.
Bigger is not better. The fashion of
overbrewing is a constant thorn in my flesh.
White foamy stuff brewing into your
cup is bad, bad, bad.
If you like weaker espresso, don't
overbrew. Add a shot of hot water if you have to have a full two ounces.
Michelle Peterson writes for
MuggaJava
under the alias of Sassy the cow, and for other online publications. You
may enjoy these additional resources on brewing and enjoying coffee:
Coffee
Recipes and Brew Tips
Coffee
Fun Zone, Clip Art, Quotes and Games
Trouble
Brewing
To protest how little their coffee
is worth, farmers in Mexico recently crushed 8 million pounds of coffee
into fertilizer. There are new growers flooding the market which is causing
the price of coffee to drop. There are approximately 25 million coffee
growers world wide. Unlike other commodities such as oil, the coffee supply
cannot be shut down at will. Coffee growers are regulated to a great extent
by the seasons, rains and soil quality. Beans can be stored only so long
before they go bad. Farmers need to make enough profit to carry them through
bad seasons.
Presently there are four roasters
that dominate international coffee purchases, namely, Sara Lee, Procter
& Gamble, Kraft and Nestle. These companies have devised ways to improve
the taste of blends ground from robusta beans, (the inferior of the two
types of beans). Flavor coffee is increasing in popularity. Flavors like
hazelnut or vanilla hide the gritty taste of robusta beans. The big companies
have been buying more cheap robusta from big growers from countries like
Vietnam; they are buying less of the superior Arabica beans from Latin
America.
Brazil is the dominant grower; the
country will produce about 50 million bags (60 kilos each bag) this year.
After 1986, Vietnamese production increased from about 1 million to 13
million bags per year. It is the world’s second largest producer. Farmers
in Vietnam call robusta coffee plants, “a miracle plant”. Growing coffee
has transformed the lives of many Vietnamese. The big four roasters have
robusta buyers in Vietnam. A group called the Noble Group has set up the
first international coffee trading system in Vietnam. The Noble Group has
a tasting room where it is creating new flavors, among them one labeled
“slightly moldy”.
It will be interesting to watch the
coffee market to see what is happening. Will coffee prices drop further?
Will supply be affected? Will there be more flavored coffees to choose
from in the future? Many more questions will be posed while the market
is snuffling and shifting. In the meantime, enjoy your coffee and test
your knowledge of coffee-related questions below.
Questions:
1) Where was the first coffee plant
discovered?
2) How were coffee beans first used?
3) How many cups of coffee did the
philosopher, Voltaire, reportedly drink?
4) Which of the two species of coffee
has better flavor, Arabica or Robusta?
5) As a global commodity, how high
does coffee rank?
6) What does the term “French roast”
mean?
7) Where is the best place to store
your coffee beans?
8) How many cups of coffee are consumed
in the U.S. each year?
9) As the coffee plant develops
its blossoms, what percentage of the flowers produce coffee berries?
10) What percentage of the world’s
coffee do Brazil and Columbia produce?
11) Which contains more caffeine
- dark or light roasted coffee? 12) What can cause a bitter coffee flavor?
Answers:
1. The first coffee plant was found
growing wild in Ethiopia.
2) Before coffee beans were roasted
and used to brew coffee, the berries were fermented in water. This liquid
was then used as medicine.
3) Voltaire reportedly drank more
than 50 cups of coffee each day.
4) Arabica beans have superior flavor
characteristics.
5) Coffee is the number 2 commodity
in the world. It is second to petroleum.
6) The term “French roast” relates
to the degree of intensity to which the beans are roasted.
7) It is best to purchase your coffee
fresh each week and store it in a cool, dry place. Do not store your coffee
in the refrigerator, as coffee is porous and can absorb unwanted flavors.
8) The U.S. consumes ca. 1/3 of
the world’s coffee production. It is estimated that there are 400 billion
cups of coffee drunk world wide.
9) Approximately 25 percent of the
blossoms of the coffee plant mature into harvestable coffee berries.
10) Nearly 50 percent of the world’s
coffee is grown in Brazil and Columbia.
11) The darker the roast, the less
caffeine and acidity a coffee will have. Much of the caffeine disappears
during the roasting process.
12) Grinding your coffee too fine
or over extracting it (brewing) in too long a brew cycle may produce a
harsh, bitter flavor.
Article by: http://www.eclecticcooking.com/.
Do you know how to cook a juicy salmon? How to avoid crying when cutting
onions? How to prevent avocados from turning black? Visit The Eclectic
Cooking Ezine, portal to cooking and nutrition featuring freelance writers,
doctors, and authors. Free weekly newsletter subscription: update@eclecticcooking.com
5
Ways to Make Any Restaurant Meal Romantic
by Paris
Permenter & John Bigley
Is "romantic meal" synonymous with
"Valentine's Day" or "expensive" in your book? Think again! Any meal can
turn into a romantic outing, whether you're out for a night of fast food,
visiting your favorite local eatery, or enjoying a meal on a romantic vacation.
Here are some tips to turn your next
restaurant meal into a romantic escape, regardless of your budget:
*Play footsies through the meal.
*Share a dessert--with one fork.
*Spend the whole meal only talking
about what you like about each other.
*Toast each other, recalling the
best part of the day.
*Ask for champagne flutes or wine
glasses -- for your iced tea or soft drinks.
Husband and wife team Paris Permenter
and John Bigley have authored over 20 guidebooks and also edit the FREE
Lovetripper.com
<A
HREF="http://www.lovetripper.com/">, a romantic
travel magazine featuring worldwide destinations.
Copyright Paris Permenter and
John Bigley
