Coffee Storage Tips

Did you know that coffee storage can make a difference in the way your coffee tastes?

These are a few tips for storing coffee beans and ground coffee to keep your coffee tasting as fresh as possible. For roasted whole bean coffee storage use an airtight ceramic canister that blocks light. The ceramic canister should have a rubber seal around the lid so air can not get inside. Fill the ceramic canister all the way to the top with whole bean coffee to keep the air inside down to a minimum. Roasted whole bean coffee will stay fresh one to two weeks, when stored this way at room temperature.

Do not use plastic or metal containers because your coffee can absorb a plastic or metal flavor that will ruin the taste. If you use a clear glass canister,keep the light away by storing it in a dark pantry.

Ground coffee will only store for a few days before going stale once you open it. But at least keep the air out by using an airtight ceramic canister with a rubber seal and one that blocks light.
That is the reason why grinding your own beans is well worth the effort and it's also really easy. Keeping ground coffee fresh is almost impossible.

Some people think freezing whole bean or ground coffee is a way of keeping it fresh. Here is the reason why that is a bad idea. Water molecules not only attach to coffee beans and ground coffee but also to the packaging. When the water comes into contact with the surface of a coffee bean, ice forms around it. Roasted coffee beans are porous, so when the ice melts, it deteriorates the taste and quality of the coffee.

So what about coffee storage in the refrigerator? This is even a bigger no-no. The round-the-clock cold mist in the refrigerator attaches to the whole bean or ground coffee and water is coffee's worst enemy during coffee storage.
These coffee storage tips work very well for coffee that you will use within one to two weeks of purchase if these elements can be eliminated.

Water - Light - Oxygen - Heat

If you want your coffee to taste as fresh as possible, buy whole bean coffee and grind it just before you make a new pot. Buy only the amount of coffee you can use up within one to two weeks. It's easy to always have your coffee as fresh as possible if you follow these few proper coffee storage tips.

(from bestcoffeemakeronline.com)

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Coffee Tips - Serving and Enjoy

# If you or your guests like chocolate, try serving your coffee with a square of chocolate on the saucer which can either be eaten separately or added to the coffee.

# If you want your coffee to stay hot longer, heat your coffee cup or mug with hot water and remove the water just before pouring in your coffee. This will keep your coffee much hotter a lot longer.

# The best way to clean everything from your brewer to your cups is with a mixture of baking soda and water. Be sure to rinse, rinse, and rinse again so no residue is left behind to spoil the coffee flavor.

# If you make a dessert that calls for coffee, you might consider using decaf. Desserts are usually eaten later in the day and those requiring coffee may contain a considerable amount of caffeine for the late afternoon or evening eater.

# When mixing desserts and coffees, the more plain the dessert, the lighter the roast of the coffee you may want to accompany it. Espresso goes well with richer desserts and lighter roasted coffees with less rich desserts.

# Freshly ground coffee makes a wonderful potpourri. The smell of coffee will mask the "foulest" of odors. So now you can replace those aromatherapy scents with something that a true coffee lover appreciates, that wonderful smell of freshly ground coffee.

# Since heat intensifies the sweetness of sugar, use less sugar or syrup in a hot espresso drink than a cold one.

# If you enjoy iced coffee at home, pour coffee into ice trays and freeze them to use in your iced coffee drinks. This will prevent your iced coffee beverage from getting watered down as the ice melts.

# If you are wondering what to do with those leftover coffee grounds, try using them as compost in your garden or sprinkle them around your plants.

# Serving your coffee is as important as the brewing. Clean everything from your brewer to your cups with a mixture of baking soda and water.

# If you are going to drink coffee from a Styrofoam cup, be sure to rinse it before you use it to remove any loose particles that might affect the taste of your coffee.

# A good test for freshness of a coffee bean is to actually bite into the bean. If it has a crisp bite and a strong, full-flavored aftertaste, it is fresh. However, if it is chewy or bitter, it is not.

# Syrups and sweeteners are best dissolved if poured into the cup before the espresso.

(from perfectcoffees.com)

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Coffee,Caffeine and Asthma

Two large cross-sectional studies have examined the relationship between the intake of coffee and tea and the prevalence of asthma. A study of 72,284 Italians showed that there was an inverse association between intake of coffee and prevalence of asthma. Risk of asthma fell by 28% when three or more cups of coffee were drunk every day. The Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) studied 20,322 Americans and found that risk of current asthma fell significantly by 29% and risk of wheeze fell insignificantly by 13% when regular coffee drinkers were compared with non-coffee drinkers.

There was also a significant dose response relationship with current asthma. Intervention trials of effects of caffeine intake on asthma have recently been critically reviewed. Nine intervention trials of effects of caffeine on pulmonary function were identified although three of them were excluded from the analysis due to a variety of design faults. A randomised controlled trial on 7 adult asthmatics was unable to show any difference between 6 mg caffeine/kg body weight and placebo on airway responsiveness to methacholine. By contrast, a double-blind randomised crossover study of 9 adult asthmatics using four doses of caffeine up to 7.2 mg/kg body weight showed a dose response effect of caffeine on forced expiratory volume (FEV), forced expiratory flow (FEF) and specific airway conductance (Gaw/VL).

This suggests that caffeine is an effective bronchodilator. The effect of caffeine on FEV was confirmed in a second trial on 8 adult asthmatics using a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight. However, in 10 mild asthmatics 5 mg caffeine/kg body weight had little if any effect on histamine provoked bronchoconstriction. By contrast, the higher of two doses of caffeine (3.5 and 7 mg/kg body weight) prevented exercise- induced bronchoconstriction in 10 asthmatics. In a subsequent double-blind, placebo controlled randomised crossover trial, it was shown that 10 but not 5 mg caffeine/kg body weight reduced bronchoconstriction induced by eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation in 11 asthmatics.

The beneficial effects of caffeine on asthma have been appreciated for over 100 years. In Scotland, caffeine has been used to treat asthma since at least 1859. Marcel Proust, an asthmatic, wrote in A l’Ombre de Jeunes Filles en Fleur that he used caffeine as a child which “was prescribed to help me breathe”. He was born in 1871. As reviewed above, modern research has confirmed that caffeine and hence caffeine-containing beverages have a role to play in the management of asthma.

(article from cosic.org)

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Coffee Nation: Central and South America

Central + South America

Their light body, simplicity and sharp acidity distinguish the coffees produced in this growing region. They are typically thought of as having bright flavors with a clean, crisp finish.

Brazil
Brazil grows approximately 35% of the world's coffee, but only Santos is considered important by the specialty coffee industry. Another coffee, Rio, is also well known for it's medicinal taste, and is often used in New Orleans coffee with the addition of chicory. Bourbon Santos is Brazil's finest grade of coffee, and the beans from the Arabica trees that produce this coffee are small and curly for the first three or four years of production. During this time, the coffee is called Bourbon Santos. As the trees age, the beans become larger and lose quality. They are then referred to as flat bean Santos. Bandeirante is a popular estate grown Brazilian coffee that is often found in the United States. Brazilian coffee is generally produced using the dry-process.

Colombia
Colombia produces 12% of the world's coffee supply, and is second only to Brazil. The bulk of Colombian coffee is of high quality, and the country has done an excellent job marketing its product through the visage of Juan Valdez. Peasants grow the coffee at high altitudes, and it is processed using the wet method. Three mountain ranges, called cordilleras, trisect Colombia from north to south. The central and eastern cordilleras produce the best coffee. The most famous coffees in the central cordillera are: Medellin, Armenia, and Manizales, named for cities where they are marketed. Medellin is the most famous, and has heavy body, rich flavor and balanced acidity. Armenia and Manizales have less body and acidity. In the US all three coffees may be marketed together as MAM. In the eastern cordillera, Bogota and Bucaramanga are the most famous coffees. Bogota is considered one of Colombia's finest coffees, and contains less acid than Medellin, but is equally rich and flavorful. Bucaramanga has a low level of acid, but is rich in body and flavor.

Costa Rica
Costa Rican coffee is grown primarily around the capital city of San Jose. The most famous of these coffees are San Marcos di Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Heredia, and Alajuela. These coffees are wet-processed, and are full bodied and sweet, with a hearty richness and lively acidity. In Costa Rica coffee grown above 3,900 is call strictly hard bean, while coffee grown at an altitude between 3,300 and 3,900 is called good hard bean. Costa Rican coffees are usually identified by the estate, cooperative, or facility where they are processed. One of the most famous of these estate coffees is La Minita.

Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba + Puerto Rico
Coffees from these countries are grown at moderate altitudes and are full-bodied with moderate acidity and uncomplicated flavors. These wet-processed coffees are best suited for dark-roasted espresso blends. Cibao, Bani, Ocoa, and Barahona are the four main market names for coffees from the Dominican Republic.

El Salvador
The flavor of Salvadorian coffee is mild, with good balance, medium body, sharp acidity and a hint of sweetness. The best grade of Salvadorian coffee is called strictly high grown. El Salvador produces an excellent certified organic coffee under the brand name of Pipil. All coffees are produced using the wet-process.

Ecuador
Ecuador produces a large amount of coffee, but it is rarely seen in the United States. These coffees are undistinguished, with light to medium body and mild acidity

Guatemala
Some of the world's greatest coffee is produced in the central Highlands of Guatemala. The most famous regional marketing names are: Antigua, Coban and Huehuetenango. High quality Guatemalan coffees are produced using the wet-process and are of high acidity and medium body, with smoky, spicy and chocolate flavors. Guatemalan coffee is often marketed by grade, with the highest grade being strictly hard bean, which indicates coffees grown at 4,500 feet or above. A secondary grade is hard bean, designating coffees grown between 4,000 and 4,500 feet.

Honduras
Honduran coffee is wet-processed and mainly used as a cheap blending coffee. Some excellent coffees are grown here, but they are often blended with inferior beans before they are exported and are difficult to find.

Jamaica
Jamaica is the home of Jamaican Blue Mountain, one of the world's most controversial coffees. Once a superb coffee characterized by a nutty aroma, bright acidity and a unique beef-bouillon like flavor, recent overproduction, lack of attention to quality and profiteering have led to a mediocre, over-priced product. Some confusion exists about where the boundaries for growing this coffee actually lie, and often coffees of lesser quality are packaged under its name. Jamaican High Mountain is a term that applies to coffees of lesser quality that are grown at a lower altitude than Jamaican Blue Mountain. Both coffees are produced using the wet-process.

Mexico
Mexico produces large quantities of unremarkable coffee that is often used for dark roasts and blending. The state of Vera Cruz produces many of these average coffees in its low laying regions, but in its mountains near the city of Coatepec an excellent coffee called Altura Coatepec is produced. These high grown, or altura, coffees are light bodied, nutty, with a chocolate tang and acidic snap. Altura Orizaba and Altura Huatusco are other fine coffees produced in Vera Cruz. The state of Oaxaca in the central mountains also produces some good coffees, referred to as either Oaxaca or Oaxaca Pluma. Chiapas, near the Guatemalan border, produces coffee under the market name Tapachula, and is also gaining a reputation for its above average organic coffees. Coffees are produced using the wet-process.

Nicaragua
The best-known Nicaraguan coffees are produced by the wet-process in the Jinotega and Matagalpa regions and are light to medium bodied and fairly acidic. Nicaraguan coffee trees produce large beans that contain salty acidity and heavy body when brewed.

Panama
Coffee produced in Panama is sweet, bright and balanced, and similar to coffee from the Tres Rios region of Costa Rica. This wet-processed coffee is often used for blending, but is excellent served as a breakfast brew.

Peru
Because of its mild character, Peruvian coffee is used for blending, French roasts, and as a flavored-coffee base. Some good coffee can be found high in the Andes in the Chanchamayo and Urubamba Valleys, and northern Peru is developing a reputation as a producer of good quality, certified organic coffees.

Venezuela
The highest quality Venezuelan coffee is grown in the western part of the country near the Colombian border. Maraciabos, as this coffee is known, refers to the port from which the coffee is shipped. The most famous Maraciabos are Cucuta, Merida, Trujillo and Tachira. Coffee grown in the eastern mountains is called Caracas, after the capital city. Venezuelan coffees differ from other coffees grown in the region in that they are much lower in acidity.

(article from coffeeuniverse.com)

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Coffee Nation: Africa and Arabian Peninsula

Africa + the Arabian Peninsula

Coffees from this growing region are the most distinctive in the world, characterized by dry, winy acidity, chocolate and fruit undertones, rustic flavors and intense aromas. Ethiopia is the native land of coffee, and it was in Yemen that coffee was first cultivated and prepared.

Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the birthplace of the Arabica tree, and wild berries are still harvested by tribes’ people in its mountains. In Eastern Ethiopia, coffee trees are grown between 5,000 and 6,000 feet on small peasant plots and farms. These coffees may be called longberry Harrar [large bean], shortberry Harrar [smaller bean] or Mocha Harrar [peaberry or single bean]. They are all cultivated simply, processed by the traditional dry method, and are no doubt organic. Ethiopian Harrar is characterized by winy and blueberry undertones, with good body and high acid. Eastern Ethiopia produces a washed coffee called Ghimbi or Gimbi, that has the winy undertones of Harrar, but can be richer, more balanced, and have a heavier body and longer finish.

Southern Ethiopia produces washed coffees with fruity acidity and intense aromas. These coffees are known by the names of the districts in which they are produced, such as Sidamo, or by terms like Ethiopian Fancies or Ethiopian Estate Grown. The most famous of these coffees is Yirgacheffe, which has an unparalled fruity aroma, light and elegant body, and an almost menthol taste. Many U.S. consumers seek this coffee out.

India
Coffees produced in India have more in common with Indonesian coffees than with coffees from Africa or the Arabian Peninsula. Good Indian coffees are grown in the states of Karnatka [formerly Mysore], Kerala, and Tamilnadu [formerly Madras]. In good years these coffees can contain acidity typical of Guatemalan coffee, and the full body of a good Javanese coffee. In addition, these coffees incorporate the unique spicy flavors of nutmeg, clove, cardamom, and pepper.

India also produces monsoon coffees, in which the green beans have been exposed to the monsoon winds blowing through open warehouses during India's rainy season. This process reduces acidity and enhances sweetness, making them similar to Indonesian aged coffees.

Kenya
Kenya works diligently to assure quality in all beans that are exported. The coffee is cultivated on small farms, and the growers are rewarded with high prices for quality beans. The main growing region in Kenya extends south of 17,000-foot Mt. Kenya to near the capital of Nairobi. Kenyan coffee is wet-processed and sold by the size of the bean, with AA signifying the largest beans, followed by A and B. The best Kenyan coffee, called Estate Kenya, can cost twice as much as regular AA's, but is worth the price. The tremendous body, astounding winy acidity and black-current flavor and aroma make Estate Kenya one of the finest coffees in the world.

Tanzania
Most Tanzanian coffees are grown near the border of Kenya on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and are sometimes referred to as Kilimanjaro, Moshi or Arusha. Other coffees are grown further south between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa, and are usually called Mbeya, after one of the region's cities or Pare, a market name. All coffees are wet-processed and graded by bean size, with the highest grade being AA, then A and B. Tanzanian coffees are characterized by a winy acidity, medium to full body, and deep richness. Peaberries are often separated from flat beans and sold at a premium for the enhanced flavor characteristics they possess.

Uganda
Most of the coffee produced in Uganda is Robusta, and is used for instant coffee. Uganda does produce one fine Arabica called either Bugishu or Bugisu, and it is grown on the western slopes of Mt. Elgon on the Kenyan border. This coffee is winy in its acidity, and similar to Kenyan coffee in flavor, though lighter in body.

Yemen
Arabian Mocha, grown in the northern mountains of Yemen, is one of the oldest and most traditional of the world's coffees. It is also one of the finest. This coffee has been cultivated and processed in the same way for centuries, grown on mountain terraces and naturally dried. No chemicals are used in its production, and it is no doubt organic. Mocha is a balanced coffee with medium to full body, good acidity and chocolate undertones. Two famous market names for this coffee are Mattari and Sanani. Sanani mochas have a wild, fruity acidity, while Mattari mochas are known for their full body and chocolate undertones.

Zimbabwe
Coffee is grown on medium-sized farms and is a less potent version of Kenyan coffee, containing less acid and less body. The best come from the Chipinga region.

(article from coffeuniverse.com)

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Coffee Nation: Indonesia and New Guinea

Indonesia + New Guinea
Indonesia is the world's third largest producer of coffee. However, only 10% of the crop is Arabica, and the number of quality beans available for the specialty coffee industry is limited. Even though they are a small percentage of total production, arabica coffees from this region are considered some of the best in the world, and are prized for their richness, full body, long finish, earthiness and gentle acidity.

Celebes or Sulawesi
Once known as Celebes, the island of Sulawesi in the Indonesian archipelago produces some of the world's finest coffee. Celebes Toraja, grown in the mountainous area near the center of the island, is one of the most famous. Coffees from Sulawesi are processed using the dry method and possess an intriguing combination of sweetness and earthiness. They are low in acidity with a deep body resembling maple syrup. These coffees are more expensive than Sumatran coffees because of small yields and the fierce demand for this coffee in Japan.

Hawaii
Hawaiian coffee is grown primarily on the the islands of Hawaii and Kauai, with the coffees of the Kona region of the island of Hawaii being the most highly prized. Kona possesses the perfect environment for growing Arabicas. The best estates grow beautiful, large, flat beans, which produce a medium-bodied brew, with buttery, spicy characteristics. Consumers should beware that many coffees being sold as Kona blends may contain only 10% Hawaiian coffee, typically blended with Latin American coffees. Kona coffees demand a premium price, and the flavor characteristics of many lower priced Latin American coffees are considered superior.

Java
Early Dutch explorers brought Arabica trees to Java, which became the world's leading producer of coffee until rust wiped out the industry. The acreage was replanted with disease-resistant and less desirable Robusta stock. With the support of the Indonesian government, Arabica is once again being grown on some of the original Dutch estates. Estate Java is a wet-processed coffee that is more acidic, lighter in body and quicker to finish than other coffees in the region. Smoke and spice are flavors often associated with this coffee's acidity.

Some Javanese coffee is stored in warehouses for two or three years and is referred to as Old Java. This aging process causes the coffee to lose acidity and gain body and sweetness.

New Guinea
Papua New Guinea, which occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, is usually where coffee labeled New Guinea is grown. Coffee is cultivated by peasants on small plantations in the mountain highlands, and processed using the wet method. Two of New Guinea's most famous coffees are Sigri and Arona. These coffees are less acidic and aromatic than the best coffees of Sulawesi and less full-bodied than the best Sumatrans, but nonetheless they are well balanced with a fruity aroma and earthy body.

Sumatra
Two of the world's best and most famous coffees come from Sumatra: Mandheling and Ankola. Both are dry-processed coffees grown in west-central Sumatra near the port of Pandang at altitudes of 2,500 to 5,000 feet. Mandheling is known for its herbal aroma, full body, low acidity and rich and smooth flavor. Though these coffees are difficult to find, they remain moderate in price.

(article and picture from coffeeuniverse.com)

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Coffee and Alzheimer's Disease

Interest in the possibility that the consumption of coffee or caffeine might protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease is growing.

A retrospective Portuguese study of 54 cases of Alzheimer’s disease and 54 controls recently demonstrated that caffeine intake over the preceding 20 years was inversely and significantly associated with risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

A prospective Canadian cohort study of 4,615 elderly subjects diagnosed 194 cases of Alzheimer’s disease and showed that coffee consumption was inversely associated with disease risk. In 2007 researchers reviewed all observational studies that evaluated the association between Alzheimer’s disease risk and coffee consumption. Four studies were identified: two case-control studies and two cohorts.

These studies were carried out between 1990 and 2002. There was an obvious protective effect of coffee consumption in the pooled estimate. The authors concluded that ‘Although our pooled estimates show that coffee consumption is inversely associated with the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the four studies had heterogenous methodologies and results.

Whilst research has continued into this area, further prospective studies evaluating the association between coffee consumption and Alzheimer’s disease are needed before any firm conclusions can be arrived at.

(from cosic.org)

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How to Making Coffee

ROASTING

The green coffee beans have no flavour or aroma and are just a pale green shadow of their future dark brown selves. All of the flavour and aroma that we enjoy in coffee is created by roasting the beans.

Green coffee beans are heated to between 180ºC and 240ºC for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on the degree of roast required. The longer the coffee is roasted the darker it becomes. During the roasting process moisture is lost and the bean "pops" audibly rather like popcorn. A chemical reaction takes place: starches are converted into sugar, proteins are broken down and the whole cellular structure of the bean is altered. The heating process precipitates the release of coffee oil, or what is called "caffeol", which is the essence of coffee. This essence of coffee is what we enjoy in the cup. It is also volatile and water soluble, so once the coffee beans have been roasted until dark, the flavour can be damaged by moisture, light and especially by oxygen.

Roasting is one part art, one part science, and several parts judgment. It is a skill. Too much heat and the beans are roasted too dark and too much caffeol is burnt; not enough and the caffeol is not precipitated. In industrial quantities, the process is carefully controlled, but in smaller quantities, judgement is all. The higher the roast, the more uniform the resulting flavour.

The different kinds of roast include light or low, medium and dark or high, while various other terns, such as European, are used in the USA. Some beans are more appropriate for certain roasts. A light Ethiopian bean would lose its character if it was high roasted, while some Mexican beans can benefit from a high roast.

MAKING COFFEE
There is no single best way to make coffee; each of us prefers one method to the rest. Coffee is an everyday part of our lives and it must above all fit our lifestyles and our pockets. Making coffee is both a ritual and a practical part of life. Unlike tea or cocoa, coffee lends itself readily to many different ways of making the infusion. All these methods share the basic principle which is to use hot water, to extract from the ground beans the natural essential oils, the caffeol, that give coffee its wonderful aroma and flavour. The resulting brew, or liquor, is a coffee infusion.

ARAB OR TURKISH COFFEE
Although the coffee bean spread from Arabia to the rest of the world, the Arab method of making coffee did not. There is a fundamental difference between the Arab and other methods: the Arabs boil their coffee, traditionally, three times. Boiling coffee boils away the most delicate flavours, but it is a romantic way to make strong-tasting coffee. Arab coffee is made in an ibriq, a small copper pot with a long handle. Two teaspoons of finely-ground coffee plus one of sugar are added to a cup of water and the mixture is brought to the boil. The ibriq is taken off the heat as it comes to the boil, usually three times, and then it is poured out and drunk. A cardamom seed can also be added for flavour.

THE FILTER METHOD
The drip or filter method is possibly the most widely used method today. Finely-ground coffee is placed in a paper or reusable cone-shaped unit and nearly boiling water poured on top. For best results, a small quantity of water should be poured on first to wet the grounds and speed up the release of caffeol. The resulting brew filters through the unit into a pot or mug and is ready to drink. The coffee grounds remain in the cone. There are electric versions which automate this process, including heating the water, and in general make a better or more consistent cup of coffee than the manual version. The filter method is used especially in Germany and the USA.

THE PLUNGER/CAFETIERE
The plunger method, said to have been invented in 1933, extracts the most flavour from the ground beans. The pot is warmed, coarsely ground coffee is placed in the bottom, hot water is added to the grounds and stirred, then it is allowed to steep for three to five minutes, before the plunger is pushed down to separate the coffee grounds from the coffee infusion. This method is only slightly less convenient than the filter method and is today one of the two fastest growing ways to make fresh ground coffee. Cheaper pot models have nylon rather than stainless steel mesh to separate the grounds from the infusion, but they do not last as long.

THE JUG
The jug method of making coffee is the simplest of all. The coffee should be quite coarsely ground and then the hot water added. It is somewhat like the cafetiere method, but without the convenience of the cafetiere's plunger to separate the coffee grounds from the infusion. The jug is not now widely used, although it is always a serviceable stop-gap method.

ESPRESSO AND CAPPUCCINO
Today, espresso and cappuccino, which were invented in Italy, are the fastest growing methods of making coffee. All the other methods involve a 'natural' form of infusion, and for a small cost you can have a system that will make acceptable coffee. But not with espresso. Espresso machines force the hot water through very finely and compacted coffee and then into the cups below. Good espresso is expensive to make because in order to extract the greatest amount of flavour from the coffee, a high level of pressure is required and thus a high specification machine. Yet when making espresso, it is important not to over-extract the coffee, which means the machine should be switched off sooner, rather than later. While the coffee is still coming out as a golden brown liquid, it is perfect.
This liquid is the 'crema', which lies on top of the black coffee underneath. The crema will dissipate a few minutes after the coffee is made, but in those few minutes it will tell you everything about the quality of the espresso. Too light, or too thick or too thin: all mean that the espresso is sub standard. Espresso can become like a religion to some people. And there certainly is a big difference between a really good espresso and a not so good one. How much we spend in terms of money or energy in seeking out the best is one of those lifestyle choices we all make for ourselves.

Espresso is the foundation of cappuccino; it is the coffee upon which a luxuriant structure of frothed and foamed milk is ladled and poured. A good espresso is less obvious under its head of frothed milk, but the quality of the coffee underneath is still an important factor. The milk, ideally semi-skimmed, is poured into a jug, into which a steam spout is placed. The steam control should not be turned on until the nozzle of the steam spout is under the surface of the milk. Once the steam is gurgling and bubbling under the milk, the jug should be moved around, or the milk will spoil.
The aim is to aerate the milk and give it the consistency of whipped cream without burning it. It is essential that the cups are warm when the milk is poured in or the froth will deflate. They are normally stored upsidedown on top of the espresso machine. The combination of frothed and steamed milk is then poured and ladled onto the coffee in the cup, gently as though folding it in. The small amount of remaining milk is poured in also. And there we have the perfect cappuccino.

THE MOKA-NAPOLETANA
No Italian home is without one or more mocha jugs of varying sizes, and no matter what you think of the coffee, their visual appeal is undeniable. Wonderfully designed double beaded stove-top pots, they combine the characteristics of espresso and percolator coffee. They force the water, which has come to the boil in the lower chamber, up through a tube and then down through the finely-ground coffee. Handled expertly they can satisfy coffee cravings and produce an adequate 'espresso type' coffee in under a minute.

THE PERCOLATOR
The coffee percolator was a civilising influence in the American wild west; it was certainly widely used throughout the USA, where, until the recent coffee 'revolution', it was a standard piece of equipment in most homes. The percolator heats the coarsely ground coffee and cold water so that it boils and bubbles up into the top of the unit. It is an excellent way to have the relaxing sound of the coffee liquid burbling and gurgling, and to waft the aroma of coffee through the home, as all the volatile wonderful flavours go out of the percolator and into the air! There is possibly no worse way to make fresh coffee than this.

SOLUBLE, OR INSTANT COFFEE
The first soluble "instant" coffee was invented in 1901 by Japanese-American chemist Satori Kato of Chicago. It was not marketed commercially until the launch of Nescafe in 1938. The quality and diversity of instant coffee have grown dramatically over the years, and we can make a good cup of coffee from today's products. Instant coffee has a number of advantages over fresh brewed coffee, including ease and convenience. It stays fresher longer, it is hard to damage the flavour, however hard you try, and most of all it is fast, cheap and clean. Instant coffee is manufactured, just like any other coffee, from ground beans. The first stage involves the preparation of a coffee concentrate from which the water is removed, either by heat, known as spray dried, or by freezing, to produce a soluble powder or granules. During the process of dehydration, the coffee essences may be lost, but these are captured and returned to the processed coffee.

FLAVOURED COFFEES
An interesting and fast growing area of the market is flavoured coffees. Today there are over 100 different flavoured varieties available. While coffee connoisseurs may turn up their noses at the idea of spoiling the flavour of their sacred brew, there are definitely moments when a chocolate or cinnamon flavoured coffee is just right. Coffee is a wonderful taste itself, but also acts very well as the platform for many other flavours. Flavouring coffee is actually an old trick. In the Middle East it is traditional to add cardamom to coffee, while the practice of adding cinnamon has been widespread in Mexico for many years. The growth in popularity of flavoured coffee is proof of coffee's versatility and strength.
The flavours are added directly to the beans by roasting them, then spraying them with a carrier oil and then the particular flavouring. Another way to make a cup of flavoured coffee is to add a syrup to hot brewed coffee. This makes an ideal summer coffee drink, which can be served cold, as can iced coffee: pre-made coffee which has been chilled with either ice cubes or crushed ice added. By far the most important flavouring added to coffee over the world is milk. Although milk is not added to Arabian coffee, and coffee purists tend not to add milk, most people find coffee more palatable with its addition.

(from ico.org)

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Coffee Contents

CAFFEINE CONTENTS ON COFFEE

The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee can vary greatly, depending on its origin or the composition of the blend, the method of brewing and the strength of the brew. Instant, or soluble, coffee generally contains less caffeine than roast and ground coffee, but may be consumed in greater volume. Robusta coffees have about twice as much caffeine as arabicas. A 'cup' is usually understood to contain 150 ml (5 oz in the United States) but an espresso may be as small as 40 ml.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives the following ranges for caffeine contents:
(mg per 5 oz cup)

Roast and ground
-drip method, range 60-180 average 115
-percolator, range 40-170 average 80

Instant coffee,range 30-120 average 65

Consumer surveys
An interesting survey of caffeine contents in cups of coffee was conducted in Canada (Stavric et al, reference below). Whether the coffee was prepared by housewives at home, for sale in commercial outlets, or by individuals at work, the mean caffeine content was about 80 mg per cup (about 350 mcg per ml). The means for roast and ground coffee, both drip and percolator brewed, were below 85 mg; for instant coffee 71 mg. However, the range of measurements was so wide that, for most individuals, it would be inaccurate to use these figures as a basis for calculating the exact amount of caffeine consumed in a day. The size of the cup/serving varied from 25 ml (Greek coffee) to 330 ml at home and from 130 ml to 280 ml in the out-of-home situation.

DECAFFEINATED COFFEE
Whatever method of decaffeination is used, the decaffeinated green coffee must contain less than 0.1 % caffeine (dry weight basis) to comply with EC regulations. This corresponds to about 3mg caffeine in a cup of decaffeinated coffee.

OTHER BEVERAGES
Tea contains more caffeine than coffee weight for weight, but less weight is used, in general, to brew a cup of tea. In the Canadian study referred to above, both the type of tea used and the steeping time affected the caffeine concentration of samples prepared in the laboratory as follows:

(mean, mcg per ml)
Tea-bag 2 minutes;238---5 minutes;402
Loose tea 2 minute;189---5 minutes;295

The average caffeine concentration of samples of tea prepared at home was lower, at 159 mcg per ml, but with a wide variation. The caffeine content of a cup of tea is usually less than 60 mg, but a strong cup of tea may contain more caffeine than a weak cup of regular coffee.

Cocoa and chocolate drinks contribute 4-Smg caffeine per cup to the diet, dark chocolate and cooking chocolate 20-26mg per ounce (0.7-0.9mg per gram). Many soft drinks, including colas and "peppers", contain caffeine, which as well as being present in cola nuts is often added as a flavour ingredient. A 12-ounce serving may contain 30-60mg caffeine. The major brands of cola on sale in the UK contain about 120mg caffeine per litre.

DRUGS
Caffeine is present in many prescription and non-prescription (over-the-counter) drugs, including some taken for headache, pain relief, appetite control, staying awake, colds, asthma and fluid retention. The caffeine contents of drugs varies from 7mg to 200mg per tablet.

LEVELS OF CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION
Caffeine is generally consumed in amounts less than 300mg per day, roughly equivalent to:

3-4 cups of roast and ground coffee
5 cups of instant coffee
5 cups of tea
6 servings of some colas or
10 tablets of some painkillers

It has been suggested that the British consume more caffeine on average than Americans, but there are no large scale studies to support the observation. The nine, normal subjects recruited by Dr M.S. Bruce and his colleagues, as habitual caffeine users, for a study in London (reference below) were found to consume on average 428mg caffeine a day, with a range from 230mg to 670mg.

Customary caffeine consumption has been classified as follows:
Low caffeine users: less than 200mg per day
Moderate caffeine users: 200-400mg per day
High caffeine users: more than 400mg per day

(from international coffee organisation ico.org)

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Coffee Bean

Coffee is the seed of a cherry from a tree, which grows from sea level to approximately 6,000 feet, in a narrow subtropical belt around the world.Coffee trees are an evergreen and grow to heights of 20 feet. To simplify harvesting, the trees are pruned to 8 to 10 feet. Coffee cherries ripen at different times, so they are predominantly picked by hand. It takes approximately 2,000 Arabica cherries to produce just one pound of roasted coffee. Since each cherry contains two beans, your one-pound of coffee is derived from 4,000 coffee beans.

The average coffee tree only produces one to two pounds of roasted coffee per year, and takes four to five years to produce its first crop. The coffee plant first produces delicate clusters of white blossoms, resembling jasmine in shape and scent. These blossoms last only a few days. Small green coffee cherries then begin to appear and ripen to yellow...red...and finally almost black,within six to nine months.

How to processing the bean?
Once the coffee cherries are picked, they are transported for processing. The fruit is then removed from the seed by one of two methods. The natural or dry process, where the cherries are dried in the sun or in dryers, and the fruit is then separated from the bean by processing them through a mechanical husker. Or, by a superior soaking method know as the wet process, which produces beans, which are referred to as washed coffees.

The green beans are then dried, sized, sorted, graded and selected, usually all by hand. The beans are then bagged and are ready for shipment to local roasters around the world. Few products we use require so much in terms of human effort.

What are differents between Coffea Arabica + Coffea Robusta
The two commercially significant species of coffee beans are: coffea Arabica, and coffea Robusta.

Arabica beans grow best at altitudes over 3,000 feet. This species produces superior quality coffees, which possess the greatest flavor and aromatic characteristics. They typically contain half the caffeine of the Robusta beans. Arabica production represents 80% of the world's coffee trade, however, only 10% of this meets specialty coffee standards.

Robusta beans are usually grown at lower elevations. Robusta trees are easier to grow, produce higher yields, and are more disease resistant than the Arabica species. Robusta beans usually possess a woody, astringent flavor. They are used when a lower price or additional caffeine is desired. A small percentage is typically added to many Italian espresso blends for the additional crema and complexity they contribute.

In addition to the species of the coffee, many other factors contribute to the overall quality of the green beans. Seed stock, plantation location, soil composition, altitude, weather conditions, fertilization, cultivation, harvesting, and processing methods, will all have a dramatic influence on the finished product.

from coffeeuniverse.com

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Coffee History

The story of how coffee growing and drinking spread around the world is one of the greatest and most romantic in history. It starts in the Horn of Africa, in Ethiopia, where the coffee tree probably originated in the province of Kaffa. There are various fanciful but unlikely stories surrounding the discovery of the properties of roasted coffee beans. One story has it that an Ethiopian goatherd was amazed at the lively behaviour of his goats after chewing red coffee berries. What we know with more certainty is that the succulent outer cherry flesh was eaten by slaves taken from present day Sudan into Yemen and Arabia, through the great port of its day, Mocha, now synonymous with coffee. Coffee was certainly being cultivated in Yemen by the 15th century and probably much earlier than that.

Mocha was also the main port for the one sea route to Mecca, and was the busiest place in the world at the time. But the Arabs had a strict policy not to export any fertile beans, so that coffee could not be cultivated anywhere else. The coffee bean is the seed of the coffee tree, but when stripped of its outer layers it becomes infertile. The race to make off with some live coffee trees or beans was eventually won by the Dutch in 1616, who brought some back to Holland where they were grown in greenhouses.

Initially, the authorities in Yemen actively encouraged coffee drinking as it was considered preferable to the extreme side effects of Kat, a shrub whose buds and leaves were chewed as a stimulant. The first coffeehouses were opened in Mecca and were called 'kaveh kanes'. They quickly spread throughout the Arab world and became successful places where chess was played, gossip was exchanged, and singing, dancing and music were enjoyed. They were luxuriously decorated and each had an individual character. Nothing quite like the coffeehouse had existed before: a place where society and business could be conducted in comfortable surroundings and where anyone could go, for the price of coffee.

The Arabian coffeehouses soon became centres of political activity and were suppressed. Coffee and coffeehouses were subsequently banned several times over the next few decades, but they kept reappearing. Eventually a solution was found when coffeehouses and coffee were taxed.

COFFEE COMES TO ASIA
The Dutch were also growing coffee at Malabar in India, and in 1699 took some to Batavia in Java, in what is now Indonesia. Within a few years the Dutch colonies had become the main suppliers of coffee to Europe. Today Indonesia is the fourth largest exporter of coffee in the world.

COFFEE COMES TO EUROPA
Venetian traders first brought coffee to Europe in 1615. This was a period when the two other great hot beverages also appeared in Europe. Hot chocolate was the first, brought by the Spanish from the Americas to Spain in 1528; and tea, which was first sold in Europe in 1610.
At first coffee was mainly sold by lemonade vendors and was believed to have medicinal qualities. The first European coffeehouse opened in Venice in 1683, with the most famous, Caffe Florian in Piazza San Marco, opening in 1720. It is still open for business today.
The largest insurance market in the world, Lloyd's of London, began life as a coffeehouse. It was started in 1688 by Edward Lloyd, who prepared lists of the ships that his customers had insured.

COFFEE COMES TO THE AMERICAS
The first reference to coffee being drunk in North America is from 1668 and, soon after, coffee houses were established in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and other towns. The Boston Tea Party Of 1773 was planned in a coffee house, the Green Dragon. Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Bank of New York started in coffeehouses, in what is today the financial district known as Wall Street.

It was in the 1720s that coffee first came to be cultivated in the Americas, through what is perhaps the most fascinating and romantic story in the history of coffee.
Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu was a French naval officer serving in Martinique who in 1720, went to Paris on leave. With assistance and no little personal charm he acquired a coffee tree which he took with him on the ship back. The plant was kept in a glass case on deck to keep it warm and prevent damage from salt water. The journey was eventful, or at least Mr. Mathieu de Clieu's journal of the voyage was. Pirates from Tunis threatened the ship, there was a violent storm and the plant had to be tied down. Our hero faced an enemy on board who was jealous and tried to sabotage the plant. There was a violent struggle in which a branch was torn off, but the plant survived this horror. Then the ship was becalmed and drinking water was rationed. De Clieu had his priorities right and gave most of his allowance of precious water to the coffee plant. It survived, as did he.

Finally, the ship arrived in Martinique and the coffee tree was re-planted at Preebear, where it was surrounded by a thorn hedge and watched over by slaves. It grew, and multiplied, and by 1726 the first harvest was ready. It is recorded that by 1777, there were between 18 and 19 million coffee trees on Martinique, and the model for a new cash crop that could be grown in the New World was in place.

But it was the Dutch who first started the spread of the coffee plant in Central and South America, where today it reigns supreme as the main continental cash crop. Coffee first arrived in the Dutch colony of Surinam in 1718, to be followed by plantations in French Guyana and the first of many in Brazil at Para. In 1730 the British introduced coffee to Jamaica, where today the most famous and expensive coffee in the world is grown in the Blue Mountains. By 1825, South and Central America were on track towards their coffee destiny. That date is also important as it was when coffee was first planted in Hawaii which produces the only US coffee, and one of the finest.

COFFEE TODAY
For North Americans, the world's largest consumers, Seattle is the new spiritual home of coffee. The wettest major city in the USA gave birth in the 1970s to a café or 'Latte' culture which swept the USA and has dramatically improved the general quality of the coffee Americans drink. Today, any public place in the USA will have one or more coffee carts, serving a variety of coffees, drinks and snacks.

This new found 'coffee culture' has started to spread to the rest of the world. To those countries with great coffee traditions of their own, such as Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia, added new converts to the pleasures of good coffee. Today it is possible to find good coffee in every major city of the world, from London to Sydney to Tokyo; tomorrow the world will drink more and more importantly, better coffee.

COFFEE IS A GLOBAL COMMODITY
The importance of coffee in the world economy cannot be overstated. It is one of the most valuable primary products in world trade, in many years second in value only to oil as a source of foreign exchange to developing countries. Its cultivation, processing, trading, transportation and marketing provide employment for millions of people worldwide. Coffee is crucial to the economies and politics of many developing countries; for many of the world's Least Developed Countries, exports of coffee account for a substantial part of their foreign exchange earnings in some cases over 80%. Coffee is a traded commodity on major futures and commodity exchanges, most importantly in London and New York.

(from international coffee organisation ico.org)

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