Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Life's Too Short for Bad Coffee

Life's Too Short for Bad Coffee The only relationships that I have been in that lasted longer than the one I share with my spouse are the ones with my family, two girlfriends and coffee. And coffee comes in ahead of one of those girlfriends. Gives you an idea how much I value this substance.

Bearing that in mind, I say with much confidence that starting my morning with something hot and strong isn't enough. If it were, all I'd need is my husband. Trust me on this, before I can thoroughly appreciate him, I must have my coffee. Thankfully, he's been aware of this since my mother warned him on my morning needs on our third date. Didn't scare him off in the least, he proposed on the fourth date anyway.

Speaking of my mom, she started me on this addiction-this one and crossword puzzles. As a mom myself, I realize everything is our fault, but she admits getting me hooked. Unfortunately mom is not a coffee snob. In fact for years she bragged that she fooled everyone by serving instant sanka in her percolator just so she didn't have to clean the grounds in the pot!

Okay, this was the late 1960's, when instant coffee was new and different. But even though I was 10, I knew this stuff was simply not worth drinking. I mean, come on the stuff smells of formaldehyde, EW! What made this time special was that I got to hang out with my mom and her friend and talk. I was a rather sickly kid so I was home from school a lot. I guess since I was sick, allergic to dairy products and home so much, my mom's thought was probably "hey, it's fluid, it's hot and it's decaffeinated-why not?" Besides, I really do not like tea.

I drank it. Then as I aged, I found "real" coffee, with a kick in it. This helped me stay awake through boring college lectures as well as while writing many a term paper. I also realized I was a much nicer person after the caffeine kicked in.

Then I had kids. Kids mean early mornings-at least that's what having mine meant. Bless them, they are still here because I had the good sense (and a mate who saw to it that we had a timer on our Black and Decker space saver)to make sure my coffee was brewed before they let out their first "howdy" squeal of the day.

After a while, coffee growers of the world saw a niche to provide the earth with "gourmet" beans. Some with custom roasts and then came the "flavors". Why didn't someone think of these last two earlier???? My favorite is chocolate raspberry!

Today, I have a fancy "brew machine" that grinds my fresh beans right before it makes my morning pot. Yes, my morning pot-with caffeine. I cut myself off at 11. Fortunately, my "day job" colleagues also love their morning jolt. I think that's one of the reasons we enjoy our co-existence.

Good coffee is similar to having a good romance: if you have a relationship that is hot, smells wonderful and understands your needs-what more could you possibly wish for in life?

Coffee is made from those little beans

Coffee is made from those little beans that wake us up on the mornings and get most of us through the day. There is nothing quite like a cozy cup of gourmet coffee after a rough day or celebrating a great day.

Starbucks have done their research and know the perfect cup of coffee starts with only the best beans. Finding the right gourmet coffee information has made Starbucks the best in the coffee industry. They are famous for their exceptionally high quality of gourmet coffees, gourmet coffee information, and expertise in coffee roast. Each coffee is selected with care to look for the best defining qualities that distinguish its origin and from other beans. This careful examination process shows why Starbucks passion for buying, roasting the world's best coffee and utilizing it’s gourmet coffee information to give the consumers the best coffee ever.

How does Starbucks roast their coffee

Starbucks takes pride in how they roast their coffee. The Starbucks Roast has a distinct color and brings out a very strong taste and aroma with maximum flavor. Starbucks uses its gourmet coffee information to roast the green coffee beans by heating them in a large rotating drum. It takes about seven minutes of intense heat before much of the moisture in the beans evaporates. The beans turn into a yellow color and smell similar to popcorn. The gourmet coffee information reveals that the beans will come out double in size and crackle as they expand. They are now light brown. After the first pop in the rotating drum, it is apparent that the coffee is almost roasted.

What happens to Starbucks coffee at harvest time

When it is time to harvest the coffee, Starbucks uses its gourmet coffee information to be able to identify that the coffee is ready to picked when it has a bright red color. The coffee is then picked and examined. The coffee skin looks very thick and has a bitter flavor. There is a type of fruitlike substance beneath the skin that is intensely sweet. Below the fruit is the parchment that is covered with mucilage. This mucilage serves as a protective cover for the seed, similar to that of an apple seed.

Starbucks coffee is the best in the world according to the annual sales that it reports. In addition to harvesting their own coffee, Starbuck’s gourmet coffee information allows them to evaluate thousands of samples each year to improve their stock. The coffee is examined by roasting small portions of coffee and doing a taste test. There is a small amount of these that get selected. Employees at Starbucks are hired to buy coffee and spend weeks on the road traveling to different countries and locations. These buyers don’t just travel to buy coffee. However, they do continue to learn more about gourmet coffee information to take back for production increase. They also continue to build relationships with growers and suppliers from around the world for the continued success of the company.

coffee becomes a world celebrity

This is the story of how the humble coffee becomes a world celebrity. It's not about the Labrador named Coffee Beans attached to the Sheriff's Department sniffing drugs and bombs. It's about "the" coffee beans we are familiar with. It's about the fragrant aroma that stimulates our senses in the morning. The tingling sensation we get when we take the first sip in the morning. How we manage to get an extra boost of energy whenever we feel tired and sleepy. Let us take some time to ponder the processes the coffee beans have to go through before it can be marketed.

Processing The Coffee Beans

After the coffee berries have been harvested, it needs to undergo a process where the flesh of the coffee berries is removed. The coffee berries are placed in special machines separating the flesh from the seed. This coffee seed is commonly called "coffee beans". The coffee beans will now undergo a fermentation process for a period of time. This process is done in order to remove the slimy mucilage coating the coffee beans.

After the coffee beans have undergone the mandatory fermentation, they are thoroughly flushed with clean water. This process is to remove the foul smelling residue due to the fermentation process and the waste water is a main cause of pollutant.

The coffee beans are then dried under the sun or by machines, until the moisture level is about 10% before they can be packed for storage.

Another method of getting to the coffee beans without undergoing the fermentation process is to dry the whole berry in the sun. It normally takes about 10 to 14 days to complete the process with constant raking of the coffee beans to prevent mildew from forming. This method is popular and widely used by coffee producers where water is scarce. The dried flesh is then physically removed leaving only the coffee beans.

The dried coffee beans is then sorted and graded before they can be stored or shipped to buyers. At this stage, the coffee bean is called green coffee beans.

Sometimes the coffee beans will undergo an additional aging process. The reason for this is because when coffee was first introduced into Europe, the coffee beans have undergone a journey of about six months. Europeans have already developed a preference for this taste and therefore to simulate the taste, the coffee beans are further aged.

Roasting The Coffee Beans

Roasting is the final process the coffee beans have to undergo before they are commercially marketed. It is also possible to purchase un-roasted coffee beans that you can personally roast them yourself.

When the coffee beans are subjected to heat, there's a chemical reaction happening within the coffee beans where the sugar and acid will begin to react releasing its aroma. The coffee beans will turn darker due to caramelized sucrose. When this happens, the coffee beans are quickly cooled to prevent damage to the coffee beans.

When roasting the green coffee beans, a lot of carbon dioxide is released as a by-product. The carbon dioxide helps to "seal" the coffee beans from loosing its flavor and aroma. Depending on how the coffee beans are stored, it may take some time before the optimum peak flavor. After reaching its peak, it will start loosing its flavor again.

If you are trying to roast your own coffee beans at home, be aware that you may not be successful during the first few times. You might over-burn your coffee beans during your first few tries. Never be discouraged, but try until you get the taste and flavor that appeals to you. Remember to process in small amounts to maintain freshness of your coffee.

Grinding The Coffee Beans

Before the roasted coffee beans can be used, you need to grind the coffee beans first. The coarseness of your coffee depends on your preference and the type of coffee-brewing method. It can range from coarse to very fine as in the Turkish grind. For example, if you're using a percolator, a course coffee powder is suitable but if you are using an Espresso machines, an extra fine coffee powder is required.

Conclusion

The coffee beans have to undergo a string of processes before it can be consumed. The final flavor of the coffee depends on the journey the coffee beans take in order to reach its final form. Different methods and different techniques will give rise to a varied coffee flavor. This is the reason why there are so many flavors to the simple coffee bean.

Coffee is one of the important commodities in the world

Coffee is one of the important commodities in the world. It is consumed by many people around the world and plays a major part in some economies of the world. It is traded through some major commodities board around the world, e.g. New York Board of Trade (NYBOT). Currently, Brazil is the worlds largest coffee producer which constitutes about 32% (year 2006) of the total world production.

Coffee is an "addictive" beverage made from grounded roasted coffee beans. The pleasant aroma and taste makes it irresistible to coffee lovers. There are many ways to consume this concoction. Some like it hot and some like it cold. It can be consumed with or without sweetener, cream, milk or any other combination you can think of. Its very versatile and creative people can create new taste and flavor. Many businesses have built an empire around coffee, like Starbucks.

The Origin Of Coffee

According to legend, coffee was first discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia during the 9th Century by a shepherd called Kaldi. While tending to his herd, he was intrigued by the strange behavior of his goat. They were happily dancing and leaping after eating strange red berries. He plucked those berries and brought them to a neighboring convent and relates his observation to the priests there. They decided to boil those berries and after drinking the brew, found an extra boost of energy. From there on, the beverage starts to spread to other areas in that region from Egypt to Yemen before reaching Turkey, Persia and some parts of Africa.

Coffee eventually reached Europe in 1690 when the Dutch managed to smuggle coffee plants out from the Arabian land. It was first introduced into Moka (Mauritius), Sri Lanka, India and finally the island of Java in Indonesia before finally brought home to Europe. It was later introduced to the French Caribbean colonies. The coffee plant eventually spreads throughout the American Latin and soon the coffee beans become a major export commodity of some countries here.

Major Coffee Species

There are two major species of coffee plants cultivated for consumption, namely Coffea Arabica Linnaeus (commonly referred to as Arabica) and Coffea canephora (commonly called Robusta). The Arabica variety has a better taste compare to Robusta which is much bitter but less aroma. Sometimes, Robusta is used in the coffee blend to reduce cost. There are also other species of coffee plant like Coffea liberica and Coffea esliaca which is indigenous to Liberia and Sudan respectively.

The Art Of Roasting Coffee

The coffee beans have to be roasted before it can be consumed. After the coffee berries are harvested, the berries are stripped off their flesh leaving only the seed or beans. It is left aside to ferment in order to remove the slimy layer present on the coffee bean. When this process is completed, the fermented coffee bean is washed to remove fermented residue before being dried and graded.

There are several ways to roast coffee, such as traditional roasting, 10 minute quick roast, 90 second flash roast and many others. Different methods will give rise to different taste and aroma. As heat is applied, the coffee beans will loose moisture and turn dark. This is due to the natural occurrence of caramelized sucrose. When there is no more water in the coffee beans, the sugar and acid will begin to release their aroma. This is called the Maillard reactions. The roasting process is then halted and beans cooled and stored. Grinding can be performed and stored in an air tight container to maintain freshness.

Conclusion

Coffee is a favorite beverage of many people. It is now available in convenient forms like instant coffee granules. Some creative coffee companies have introduced pre-mixed sachets so that coffee can be consumed at any time, any place. Just add hot water and your coffee is ready. Canned coffee has also started selling in parts of Asia especially Japan and South Korea.

wedding favors

At your wedding you want to give out some great wedding favors that your guests can appreciate when they use them in their own homes. Most people start their day of with a hot cup of coffee to wake them up and give them the energy that they need to get through their stressful day. Your guests will be really appreciative if you give them some great tasting coffee in attractive packages because you will be helping them out every day of their lives. Also, you can pick coffee sets that fit into your theme and enhance the overall meaning of your wedding celebration. This is such a special day, so it is very important that you do everything you can to make it the as unique and memorable as possible for both you and all your guests.

When your guests see some luscious coffee waiting for them to take home, they will certainly be enthusiastic about staying up late dancing at your party because they will have a great start to their day the next morning with a hot cup of coffee with their breakfast. Also, every time they use the coffee and the coffee accessories that you have given them they will remember your wedding fondly and tell everyone what a fantastic time they had celebrating with you and your new spouse.

Frangelico Flavored Coffee:

This delicious ground coffee comes in a two once block and has a delicious smell that will entice all your guests as they sit down and look around at the table and all the decorations. The bag has a very sophisticated look that you can use to enhance a traditionally themed wedding. You can even try putting ribbons, tags, and other personal touches on the bag so that you can give your guests a huge “thank you” that will be as warm as the coffee they are about to brew.

Perfect Blend Personalized Coffee Kit:

This kit is great because you can make it super personalized with your name and wedding date. The two ounce blocks of delicious coffee are packaged in bags that are decked out in a bride and groom motif. Another great feature about this item is that nit comes with a heart shaped spoon attached to each bag of coffee. The adorableness of these wedding favors will certainly capture the hearts of all your guests and show them your true love as soon as they lay eyes on their seats at the table.

Pink Personalized Coffee Packets:

The wonderful versatility that you get with the Pink Personalized Coffee Packets is unbelievable. You can welcome your out of town wedding guests with a special treat to simply say “Welcome” or you can use these Pink Personalized Coffee Packets to treat your wedding guests. Simply supply an elegant little cup and saucer set that shows your sense of style, and dress these little packets of 100% Columbian-blend coffee packets out for a wonderful wedding guest favor. Each packet is personalized with the first names of the Bride and Groom and their wedding date, and have a “Perfect Blend” motif and 6 pink and tan circles, some contain hearts, on each pack.

Wonderful aroma, coffee make great wedding favor gifts.

PLanning a trip to a gourmet coffee farm?

PLanning a trip to a gourmet coffee farm? Have to travel outside the US or to Hawaii.

* Today, coffee is enjoyed in every country in the world. In terms of trade, coffee is second only to oil in dollars traded.
* It is grown in more than 50 countries world wide with about 30 of those countries producing more than 5,000,000 tons of coffee each year. For many of these countries their economic success pivots on the success of their coffee crops.
* Brazil is by far the largest supplier of coffee today. Columbia is second with about 2/3rds of Brazil's production.
* Americans consume more than 1/3rd of the total coffee grown in the world. The green coffee beans come in to our country through New York, New Orleans and San Francisco and from there are shipped to coffee roasters around the 'States.
* Hawaii is the only place in the USA where coffee is grown.

*

Coffee trees produce their best beans when grown at high altitudes in a tropical climate where there is rich soil. Such conditions are found around the world in locations along the Equatorial zone, between latitudes 25 degrees North and 30 degrees South.

Besides location, other factors affect the quality and flavor of coffee. These include the variety of the plant, the chemistry of the soil in which it is grown, the weather, particularly the amount of rainfall and sunshine, and the precise altitude at which the coffee grows. Such variables -- combined with the way the cherries are processed after being picked -- contribute to the distinctions between coffees from countries, growing regions and plantations worldwide. The combination of factors is so complex, that even from a single plantation one finds variation in quality and taste.

Coffee is grown in more than 50 countries around the world. Here are just a few.

All coffee is grown between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. These names represent two imaginary "lines" that circle our globe approximately 23 degrees north and south of the equator. Here in the "middle of the world", the climate is warm and humid - necessary conditions for growing the sensitive coffee plant.

* Although there are more than 60 varieties of coffee that grow in the world, only two are commercially cultivated.
* These are Arabica and Robusta.
* Arabica coffee is a higher quality coffee. It is naturally lower in caffeine than Robusta and grows at elevations of 3000 to 6000 feet and above, where frost is rare. The Arabica tree is not as hardy as the Robusta, and a single Arabica tree typically yields only 1 - 1 Ѕ pounds of green coffee beans per season. Gourmet coffee companies purchase the highest grades of Arabica beans.
* Robusta coffee plants are more resistant to disease and drought than the Arabica and are grown from sea level up to 2000 feet. Robusta trees yield twice as many beans per tree per seasonPsychology Articles, but produce a coffee that is of lower quality. Most Robusta beans are blended with Arabica coffees and used by large commercial coffee companies for canned and instant coffees.

Jamaica, the renowned coffee from Jamaica is Blue Mountain

The growing and the drinking of coffee spread around the world rapidly. Coffee drinkers know how to drink a cup of coffee but how many of those know the details of coffee, sources or the formulations of each cup. These are the basic information about coffee.

History

In Europe, the coffee was first imported to Italy. The trading between Venice merchants and the other country merchants such as North African, Egyptian and Eastern. After the coffee was introduced to the Venetian, the coffee was widely used in Venice and the other countries in Europe. The coffee house was first opened in Italy in 1645.

In England, the coffee was available in the beginning of 16th century. The coffeehouse was first opened in St. Micheal’s Alley in Cornhill. In 1675, there were a lot of the coffeehouses spread widely around England. There were about 3,000 or more coffeehouses located.

In Asia, it was started at Malabar in India and spread to Indonesia. Now Indonesia is the 4th largest exporter in the world.

Coffee strains

The science name of coffee is ‘Coffea’. There are more than 6000 strains of coffees in the world but only 2 strains of coffees that used in the marketing. These are Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica has 44 chromosomes. The products of each garden are about 240 to 480 kilograms. The Arabica will have flowers after rainy season and the duration of Arabica to produce the fruits is about 6 to 9 months. The character of Arabica products is flat shape fruits with acidity taste. Each fruit has caffeine from 0.8 to 1.4 percentages. The suitable temperature for plant the Arabica is 15 to 25 Celsius.

Robusta has fewer chromosomes than Arabica, it has only 22 chromosomes. The fruits of Robusta are egg-shapes. The Robusta will have flowers in every season and take time from 8 to 11 months to produce the fruits. The products of each garden are about 360 to 480 kilograms. And contain caffeine inside the fruits about 1.7 to 4.0 percentages.

Sources of Coffee

Many countries produce the nice quality of coffees to the world markets. Coffee drinkers ought to have a special taste of coffees from the popular sources such as Columbia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala or Jamaica.

Columbia is a source of Arabica strain. The temperature and soil in Columbia can produce high quality of coffees. The renowned coffees are Medillin, Bogota and Suremo.

Brazil has the coffee trees more than 4000 millions and it is the biggest source of coffee in the world. The popular brand of coffee from Brazil is Brazilian Sandos.

Costa Rica is the one of high quality source of Arabica. If you go to visit Costa Rica, try to ask for the coffees named Tarrazu and Tres Rios.

Guatemala, the Atitlan mountain of Guatemala is the source of Arabica. The renowned coffees are Antigua and Coban.

Mexico, the prominent of coffee from Mexico is the organic coffees. The good taste of coffee in Mexico is Veracruz.

Jamaica, the renowned coffee from Jamaica is Blue Mountain. The Blue Mountain is the best strain of Arabica and about 90 percentages of Blue Mountain export to Japan. The brands of Blue Mountain in Japan are High Mountain Supreme and Prime Washed Lamaican.

After harvest the beans of coffee

How to buy the roasted coffee?

After harvest the beans of coffee. The next step is roasting the beans with high temperature about 220-260 Celsius. Grind them to small molecules. The taste and smelling of the roasted beans may be different in each time, up to many factors such as the size of coffee after grind, roasting time or coffee sources.

These are the tips for select the best roasted beans:

1. Buying amount of coffee as you need for only one week.

2. The smelling of the roasted beans should be nice and no smelling of contaminate objects inside.

3. Do not buy roasted beans from the store or supermarket that estate near by the strong smelling food shops. The roasted bean will absorb the scent of each food.

4. Remember the flavor and characteristic of each type of coffee.

5. Kept the roasted beans in vacuum or air tight for stable quality of coffee.

6. Mill the roasted beans for single used only.

Making coffee with coffee machines.

Whenever you drink a cup of coffee, you have to realize about the flavor and quality of each cup not only the volume of water in a cup.

Making a delicious cup of coffee is not easy. You have to learn and practice for a long time. Now a day, technology of coffee making machines such as Moka Express, Espresso pot and French Press make everything easier.

These are important points for making coffee with coffee machines:

1. Clean the coffee machine before and after usage.
2. The water for making a cup of coffee should be clean and without chlorine.
3. Use fresh milled roasted bean for every cup.
4. The amount of coffee should be follow to the each formulation.
5. Do not use boiling water for making coffee.
6. Coffee maker should know the ratio of ingredients and know how to convert the unit.

The coffee cups

The coffee cups are the important part of making coffee that you should be not remiss. Coffee makers have to know which cup for each type coffee.

Espresso: The Basic Information

Normally, Espresso is a cup of coffee that has golden milk foam bubbles on the top of the cup. The art of making Espresso such as milk foam bubbles, wipe cream adding, or liqueur adding makes the Espresso named in many reputes.

Espresso and Black coffee

Many coffee drinkers have miss understanding about Espresso and Black coffee. Truly, Espresso is not similar to short black coffee.

The different of Espresso and Black coffee:

1. Coffee cup; A cup of Espresso is not more than 2 ounce but a cup of black coffee is 4 to 6 ounce.

2. A cup of black coffee always serve with cream or sugar but Espresso serve without cream and sugar.

3. Espresso has golden milk foam bubbles on the top of the cup but the black coffee has nothing on the top of the cup.

4. The flavor of Espresso will stay on the tongue about 15-30 min. but no flavor stay on the tongue after drinking black coffee.

5. The way to drink black coffee is sip slowly until finish but the right way to drink Espresso is drink all in one time.

How to drink Espresso

Normally, Espresso always drink during day or dinner and the right step for drinking Espresso is necessary to approach the truly flavor of Espresso. If you are interesting, try to practice follow the steps and you will get the miracle taste of Espresso.

1. Before drinking, you have to smell the cup of Espresso.
2. Sip a little bit of Espresso with loud voice and keep in your mouth a moment.
3. Drink the rest all in one time and stay moment in the mouth.
4. Try to remember the taste of Espresso and compare with the next cup.

Kona District of Hawaii

Kona coffee is a marketing name for coffee that comes from the Kona District of Hawaii. Pure Kona coffee is highly sought after all round the world. It has a richer flavor than others due to the location and environment they are cultivated.

The land of Hawaii is rich with volcanic soil and is perfect for coffee growing. The afternoon clouds also provide a good cover for it to grow. These factors give Kona coffee its character, loved by many around the world.

A Peek At History

The first coffee plant was introduced to Kealakekua-Kona by Reverend Samuel Ruggles in 1828. It was not considered a viable agricultural commodity at that time until very much later. During the California gold rush era, demand for coffee from this region starts to pick up and farmers start planting their crops along the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mount Hualalai. Many of the large estates were leased to their Japanese workers during the world coffee market crash in 1899. There are now about 600 plantations all around the district and each of them having a size of not more than 5 acres.

Coffee Farming & Process

The coffee plants in Kona will start to bloom from February to March. Green berries will soon start to appear after the flowers have been pollinated. Majority of the berries will be harvested from August to December or early January. It is estimated that each tree can produce around 20 to 30 pounds of berries.

During peak harvesting period, most mills work round the clock. All the berries will be processed within 24 hour time frame to maintain quality. The berries will be tested for freshness and color before being sent to the pulper. The pulper will strip the flesh leaving the beans. The flesh is transported back to the farms to be used as fertilizer. The stripped beans will next undergo a fermentation process of around 8 to 18 hours in giant tanks. After completing the fermentation process, the beans are cleaned and dried on drying racks covered by hoshidanas. Depending on the weather, it might take about 10 to 14 days before the Kona coffee beans are ready for the next process.

It is essential to constantly rake the beans during the drying phase. This is to prevent mildew from forming and maintain consistent quality throughout the batch. The beans are then graded according to size, shape and weight.

Controversial Kona

There is a high demand for Kona coffee due to its unique taste and quality. Many large corporations and individuals have tarnished the name by selling coffee that is not truly Kona. These blends are normally made up of only 10% Kona coffee and the remaining 90% from cheaper imports from Colombia or Brazil. It hurts the industry in Kona and gives a false impression to the consumers about the quality of pure Kona coffee. The farmers have been fighting a loosing battle to trademark the name. Even though there are labeling laws in Hawaii, there is no corresponding Federal law to support it.

Conclusion

There is no denying in the quality of Kona coffee. Great care is taken to ensure quality from the many who toil in the farms and mills to deliver you that perfect cup of beverage possible. They are all committed to deliver you the true taste of Kona - Gold of Hawaii.