Coffee Guide

Coffee does not exist in nature in the form that we normally buy it. Coffee is prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. These seeds are commonly known as ‘coffee beans,’ even though they are not precisely beans. The green ‘coffee beans’ that are collected from the coffee plantations are sent to places where they are roasted, ground and finely crushed to make coffee powder.

The following are a detail of all the processes that green coffee beans have to go through before they actually become coffee powder. First, they must be picked from plantations. Green coffee beans are most frequently picked by hand by laborers who get paid by the basketful. Since coffee beans are a type of drupe, with fruit flesh directly wrapping the coffee bean, after being gathered the flesh of the coffee bean must be promptly removed by soaking, scouring and mechanically rubbing the bean. The de-fruited coffee bean is then cleansed with water to remove sticking fruit and additional sugars before drying. The green coffee beans are then spread over a large concrete or rock plane, where they are dried by air and sunlight.

The next step in preparation is categorization of the beans by color and size. Discolored, decayed and damaged beans are removed at this point. The roasting process that follows is important in producing an aromatic cup of coffee. When roasted, the green coffee bean expands to nearly twice its initial size, changing in color and density. As the bean takes in heat, the color changes to yellow and then to a light ‘cinnamon’ brown. At this point in the roasting process, the coffee beans will start cracking, quite like popping popcorn. The final product can be crushed into savory coffee powder.

Thus, we see how all the coffee, as we know it today comes actually from green coffee beans.

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An espresso machine is used to yield the traditional Italian coffee brew called ‘espresso.’ A professional operator of an espresso machine is called a ‘barista.’ ‘Espresso’ is a savory coffee beverage prepared by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee. The familiarity necessary to make premium espresso is regarded as a skill similar to artisan baking.

The process of making espresso creates a creamy, almost syrupy, brew by removing and blending the oils in the ground coffee. A perfect double shot of espresso should take about 20-25 seconds to prepare, timed from when the machine’s pump is first turned on to when the drink falls in the cup. Changing the fineness of the grind, the amount of pressure used to compress the grinds, or the pump pressure itself can be used to bring the withdrawal time into this model zone. Many prefer to draw espresso shots directly into a pre-heated shot glass to preserve the ideal warmth of the espresso.

There are different types of espresso machines like the stovetop espresso maker, the steam espresso maker, the piston-driven espresso maker, the traditional pump-driven espresso machine, semi automatic espresso machine, automatic espresso machine and super automatic espresso machine. These different types of espresso machines are different only because of the processes and mechanisms they use to prepare the coffee. Of these, the oldest and most traditional machine is the stovetop espresso machine and the steam espresso machine that were invented in Italy, where the concept of espresso itself was born. These methods are rarely used to prepare espresso, except for in certain places in Italy. The most commonly and widely used espresso machines are the automatic and super automatic machines used by all the famous coffee houses like Starbucks.

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Jamaican coffee is one of the most expensive, classy and sought-after coffees in the entire world. It comes from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Jamaica blue mountain coffee is sheltered internationally as an officially recognized trademark implying that only coffee qualified by the ‘Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica’ can be branded as such. It comes from an established cultivating region in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, and its nurturing is supervised by the ‘Coffee Industry Board.’

To be called Jamaican coffee, the beans are required to grow above 2000 feet and normally, the Jamaican coffee plantations grow above 5000 feet all over the region. The higher the elevation of the plantation, the higher is the value, quality and demand of the coffee. The most preferred Jamaica coffee is roasted on an open fire in a pan.

Coffee connoisseurs describe Jamaican coffee as rich and savory, with low acidity, a tinge of sweetness and a bold aroma. A pound of this coffee in a coffee shop usually costs around $45. In Jamaica, it costs from $15 – $25 per pound. Other types of Jamaican coffee include High Mountain Supreme, Jamaica Prime and Jamaica Select. These are also as famous as the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Jamaican coffee is in a class all by itself in the world of coffee. While Italian coffee makes up most of the widely used types of coffee, Jamaican coffee is the most widely desired. Sadly, most coffee lovers can’t afford it.

The Jamaican Coffee has also done wonders to the Jamaican government by increasing exports in huge bounds. Many countries have attempted cultivating similar coffee plantations, but there is no comparison to the original Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica.

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You often see them in countless homes, offices, coffee shops and so many other places where people convene to sip good coffee. You guessed right! It is the old and trustworthy coffeemaker. What is the process involved in concocting those wonderful brews?

A coffeemaker is an electric appliance that makes brewed coffee automatically, consisting of a hotplate, a glass coffee pot, filter basket, and water reservoir. It is a low-maintenance, simple- to-operate and yet efficient piece of equipment.

The hotplate at the bottom of the coffeemaker is heated in a circular motion. The heating element is a hollow aluminum tube. Upon adding water on the reservoir, a small hole in the container?s bottom feeds a plastic hose attached to one end of the aluminum tube. When the coffeemaker is turned on, the heating element quickly gets hot. The heat sensors make sure that the temperature is kept at 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit (90-96 Celsius). This causes the water in the aluminum tube to boil, creating bubbles that go up the other side of the tube and travel upward to the exit hose so more water can enter the heating element.

Hot water inside these bubbles lifts a small stream of boiling water to the coffeemaker?s top, while the exit hose ends up on the drip plate, which in turn places the boiling water in an even amount. The water then exits to the coffee grounds below in the filter basket. The drip coffeemaker then fills the carafe with freshly-brewed coffee.

When buying whole coffee beans, you may use a coffee grinder for preparation prior to actual boiling. For coffee to taste better, it is advisable to grind the beans before brewing them. Finely ground coffee results in a refreshing espresso, which is made with an espresso machine and cannot be brewed in a coffeemaker.

A lot of coffeemakers allow for an automatic start through built-in timers. If you want freshly brewed coffee in the morning, you may turn on the timer at night. Coffee connoisseurs, however, frown on this practice since they do not want coffee beans to be ground in advance as they tend to lose freshness in the process. They believe that immediately after brewing, the coffeemaker should be detached from its hot plate since prolonged exposure to heat will make the coffee bitter.

A number of coffeemakers use either steel or paper filters. Steel filters allow more oils to pass through, creating a coffee that is headier and with more body. On the other hand, paper filters result in a lighter and cleaner coffee.

There are many ways to brew your coffee using the ever-reliable coffeemaker.

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Espresso, caff? normale and cappuccino are types of Italian coffee, and one might wonder if there are as many types of coffee in Italy as there are pastas. Quite surprisingly, there are and just like pasta, Italian coffee is also an art form linked to many customs and traditions. Be it a caff? corretto shot down like a drink, a cappuccino and brioche that would make a lovely snack, or a granita di caff? con panna to chill off from the hot noon sun, Italy has a coffee drink for every occasion and every mood.

The most famous of the Italian coffees are the cappuccinos — the caf? corretto and caf? latte. Cappuccino is prepared with espresso and milk. A cappuccino is commonly identified as 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 frothed milk. Cappuccino is preferably served in a ceramic coffee cup to retain the heat, instead of glass or paper that is a comparatively poorer heat retainer. Caf? corretto is a coffee corrected with a measure of grappa, cognac or any other alcoholic content. Latte is Italian for milk, and caf? latte refers to coffee prepared with a larger measure of hot milk in it rather than coffee.

There are many other styles of Italian coffee, and they have all become world famous. In fact, Italy is the coffee house of the world, and has contributed to the entire world many different styles of coffee that have so become a part of our culture and lives. Even espresso had its origins in Italy. It was from Italy that Starbucks got most of their coffee recipes and rose to fame quickly in the West. Despite all the progress and spread of the coffee culture, Italy still remains the coffee capital of the world.

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Coffee is a well-liked drink prepared from the roasted seeds, generally, but mistakenly known as coffee beans, of the coffee plant. It is typically served hot but can also be served cold. A standard 7 fluid ounce mug of coffee contains 80-140 milligrams of caffeine. Coffee, along with tea and water, is one of the most ingested beverages, amounting to about a third that of tap water. Coffee is the second most frequently traded product in the world calculated by financial volume. Trailing only unrefined oil and its products, as a resource of foreign trade to developing countries.

Coffee has its account as far back as the 9th century. It is believed to have originated in the moorland of Ethiopia and widened to the remainder of the world through Egypt and Europe. The word coffee is derived from the Arabic word Qah’wa over Ottoman Turkish Kahve, which initially meant wine or other intoxicating liquors. In part, because of the Islamic prohibition on consuming wine. Preparing and drinking coffee became a central social custom. The pick-me-up result of drinking coffee caused it to be prohibited amongst orthodox and conservative imams in Mecca in 1511 and in Cairo in 1532 by a theological court. In Egypt, coffeehouses and warehouses containing coffee cherries were sacked. But the product’s popularity, principally amongst intellectuals, led to the reversal of this verdict in 1524 by a command of the Ottoman Turkish Sultan Selim I. In the 15th century, Muslims introduced coffee in Persia, Egypt, northern Africa and Turkey, where the first cafeteria, Kiva Han, opened in 1475 in Constantinople.

From the Muslim world, coffee moved to Europe, where it became well liked in the 17th century. Dutch traders were the first to begin large-scale import of coffee into Europe. In 1538, L?onard Rauwolf, a German doctor, having returned from a ten-year journey in the Near East, was the first westerner to explain the drink: A beverage as black as ink, helpful against several illnesses, chiefly those of the stomach. Its consumers drink it in the morning, quite honestly, in a porcelain mug that is passed about and from which each one drinks a cupful. It is composed of water and the fruit from a bush called bunnu. These comments were noted by merchants, who were insightful to this type of information through knowledge in the trade of spices. English coffeehouses were centers of academic and business-related activity. Lloyds of London, the famed insurance company, was initially a coffeehouse.

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To relax and unwind after a hard day?s work, all one has to do is take a sip of her favorite gourmet coffee and feel the tension leave her tired body.

With countless gourmet coffees in the market, one needs not only a watchful eye but a discerning taste to spot the real gourmet from the fake. But where do gourmet coffees originate?

The Arabica coffee beans are the main source of gourmet coffees. The Robusta beans on the other hand, are known for their disease-resistance properties and are more popularly used in commercial blends. Gourmet coffees from Arabica coffee beans boast of a finer aroma, richer flavor, and more body than those made from Robusta beans. For commercial purposes, coffee merchants mix their Arabica gourmet coffees with Robusta beans to save on production costs.

Companies often use deception to confuse the coffee-drinking public as to the superior quality of their gourmet coffees. A typical abuse word is ?blend,? which manufacturers commonly use to describe the name of a particular brand or those from the same origin. Problems arise when, for instance, the Kona coffee blend contains only a small amount of Kona coffee beans and the rest is from other sources such as Robusta beans, thereby minimizing the coffee experience.

Considered as the best gourmet coffees are those from Central America, Jamaica, Hawaii, Columbia, Africa, and Sumatra. Those that originated from a single source are often blended with other sources to produce a distinctive taste. The volcanic regions create the most wonderful gourmet coffees, owing to their rich volcanic soil, which adds a deep and flavorful taste to the coffee. These areas are home to the best-tasting coffee ever produced.

Supermarkets are not a good place to look for excellent gourmet coffee since they normally carry generic brands and origins that are actually blends, matched with a not so affordable price. Since their market is the masses, groceries often do not carry high-quality fresh roasts or single-origin gourmet coffees. Gourmet coffee bean hoppers more often than not lose their freshness since they have been exposed to elements for weeks, thereby diluting flavor.

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Nothing perks up a lazy morning like coffee. What is this dark-colored substance made of and why can?t some people survive a day without having even just one sip of this stimulant?

Coffee, normally taken hot, is made from the coffee plant?s roasted seeds, called coffee beans. Considered the second-most traded commodity in the world, next to petroleum, it is hailed as modern man?s chief source of caffeine for that extra burst of energy. The perceived benefits and hazards of this potent drink remain the subject of debate among coffee drinkers worldwide.

How did the word ?coffee? come into being? The term ?coffee? is known by many names among various peoples of the world. It came to England in 1598, via the Italian ?caffe.? The Turkish term for it is ?kahveh,? while the Arabic word for it is ?qahwa.? Its origin is still unknown, although some believe that the drink possibly came from the Kaffa region in Ethopia, where the plant originally named ?bunna,? the precursor of coffee, came from.

Did you know that coffee drinking was outlawed in Mecca in 1511, and in Cairo in 1532? Due to coffee?s immense popularity, the law was made obsolete soon after. From then on, owing to the pioneering efforts of the British and Dutch East India companies, coffee found its way to Europe in the sixteenth century.

One of the two main species of the coffee plant is ?Coffea Arabica,? its name implying that its origin was the Arabian Peninsula, but it is indigenous in Ethiopia. Although Arabica is more prone to disease, coffee lovers consider it to be more flavorful than ?coffea canephora? (robusta), which holds twice as much caffeine. However, the later is proven to be a natural insecticide and stimulant, growing in places where the former cannot grow. Thus, it is used as an inexpensive substitute for Arabica in commercial coffee blends and in almost all instant coffee products.

Compared to Arabica, robusta is more bitter, with a burnt-rubber smell and taste. Robusta of finer quality are used in espresso blends for a foamy effect and for better affordability. In fact, Italian espresso blends are made from dark-roasted Robusta.

Some blend varieties are so popular and in demand that they command a higher price, examples of which are the Jamaican Blue Mountain and the Hawaiian Kona coffees. Often, these beans are mixed with other, less-expensive varieties and the term blend is added to the label, such as ?Blue Mountain Blend? or ?Kona Blend?.

So beat those morning blues with an adrenaline-pumping sip of this favorite drink among caffeine addicts worldwide.

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Many of us rely on coffee to get us going in the mornings, wake us up in the afternoons, and prepare us for that special business meeting. Go ahead, have a cup of coffee. It?s much healthier than you may be thinking right now.

Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world. No matter where you go, coffee is usually available. Yet, until recently there?s been very little research on the effects of coffee on our health. The researcher?s are waking up however. There have recently been studies completed on a variety of health benefits to drinking that simply delicious cup of coffee.

In a study in Italy, it was proven that that brewed coffee contains many antioxidants and consumption of antioxidant-rich brewed coffee may inhibit diseases caused by oxidative damages. When compared to other caffeine containing beverages like tea and cocoa, coffee proved to be the best in helping to prevent disease.

Caffeine in Coffee – Good or Bad?

The caffeine in coffee has often been a source of concern for many. Most people have problems sleeping when they drink coffee right before bedtime. Others will drink coffee to give them that boost of energy caffeine provides. Some even feel their heart rate increase if they drink too much coffee.

Did you know there are also benefits to the caffeine found in coffee? Coffee intake ( due to the caffeine) was associated with a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer?s Disease, independently of other possible confounding variables. These results, with future prospective studies, may have a major impact on the prevention of Alzheimer?s disease.

Another benefit of drinking coffee has been studied in China. Their research clinically proved the caffeine in coffee helps to prevent Parkinson?s disease. Many of us have been led to believe that caffeine is bad for us. True enough, large quantities may hurt us, but the evidence is strong for the benefits it provides.

Coffee ? Healthy Tonic for the Liver?

Studies completed in Japan indicated that people who drink more than a cup of coffee a day are less likely to develop liver cancer than those who do not, Japanese researchers say. Coffee also helped lower the risk of cirrhosis of the liver. Chlorogenic acid present in coffee beans has been proven in studies to also reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Harvard Medical School completed a study in 2004 that strongly suggest coffee has preventative qualities for Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. The authors found an inverse association between coffee intake and type 2 diabetes after adjustment for age, body mass index, and other risk factors. Total caffeine intake from coffee and other sources was associated with a statistically significantly lower risk for diabetes in both men and women. These data suggest that long-term coffee consumption is associated with a statistically significantly lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

Coffee and Physical Fitness

The amounts of water, carbohydrate and salt that athletes are advised to consume during exercise are based upon their effectiveness in preventing both fatigue as well as illness due to hyperthermia, dehydration or hyper hydration. The old issues concerning coffee and caffeine were that it acts as a diuretic, thus causing more fluid loss during activity. Studies have caused researchers to re think this point. These studies suggest that consuming caffeine does not have this effect and can even have beneficial effects on keeping the body fit.

Caffeine does not improve maximal oxygen capacity directly, but could permit the athlete to train at a greater power output and/or to train longer. It has also been shown to increase speed and/or power output in simulated race conditions. These effects have been found in activities that last as little as 60 seconds or as long as 2 hours. There is less information about the effects of caffeine on strength; however, recent work suggests no effect on maximal ability, but enhanced endurance or resistance to fatigue. There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion before exercise leads to dehydration, ion imbalance, or any other adverse effects.

What about the negative effects of coffee?

Coffee is enjoyed as a drink by millions of people worldwide. It contains caffeine, which is a mild stimulant, and in many people coffee enhances alertness, concentration and performance. Although it contains a wide variety of substances, it is generally accepted that caffeine is responsible for many of coffee’s physiological effects. Because caffeine influences the central nervous system in a number of ways and because a small number of people may be particularly sensitive to these effects, some people have attributed coffee to all sorts of health problems.

Caffeine is not recognized as a drug of abuse and there is no evidence for caffeine dependence. Some particularly sensitive people may suffer mild symptoms of withdrawal after sudden abstention from coffee drinking. A 150ml cup of instant coffee contains about 60mg caffeine, filtered coffee slightly more; for those who like coffee but are sensitive to caffeine, the decaffeinated beverage contains only 3mg per cup.

Coffee drinking can help asthma sufferers by improving ventilator function.

There is no evidence that coffee drinking is a risk for the development of cancer. For several types of cancer there is disagreement between studies but again, other aspects of lifestyle may be implicated. There is even a strong suggestion that coffee may have a protective effect against colon cancer. A possible explanation may lie in the many antioxidant substances present in coffee and which are currently subjects of active research.

In some sensitive individuals, ingestion of coffee after a period of abstinence may cause a temporary rise in blood pressure but there is no hypertensive effect in the long term. Coffee made by the Scandinavian method of boiling or by the cafetiere method may cause mild elevation of plasma cholesterol concentration in some people, but instant, filter coffee, and liquid coffee extract have no such effects. Overall there is no influence of coffee drinking on heart disease risk.

There is no sound scientific evidence that modest consumption of coffee has any effects on outcomes of pregnancy or on the wellbeing of the child. Bone health is not affected by coffee drinking. Adverse effects in some published studies have been attributed to aspects of lifestyle that are often shared by coffee drinkers, such as smoking and inactivity. Coffee drinking can help asthma sufferers by improving ventilator function.

There is no reason for people who are prone to ulcers to avoid coffee.

Research continues and must be subjected to critical scrutiny and re-evaluation. At the present time, there is no reason to forego the pleasurable experience of moderate coffee drinking for health reasons. Go ahead? Have a cup of delicious coffee!

Hilda Maria is a stay at home mother of five, who enjoys writing about coffee and giving custom coffee mugs and coffee cups as gifts!

For most harried career individuals, a visit to their coffee shops for a nightcap with friends and business associates is their idea of a relaxing evening. But have you ever wondered when the first coffee shop started?

The first coffee shop opened in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1554, while the first coffeehouse opened in Cornhill, London, in 1652. Boston welcomed its own version of this haven for coffee lovers in 1670, while Paris opened the doors of its first-ever coffee shop in 1671. It quickly grew in popularity, and by 1675, three thousand coffeehouses were born in England.

As the legend goes, the first coffeehouse was believed to have opened in Vienna in 1683, after the Battle of Vienna. The coffeehouse was started using supplies left behind by the losing Turks. A more credible version asserts that the first coffee shop opened in Krakow, in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, owing to its close trade ties with the Turks. The first coffee plantation in modern times was started in Brazil, in 1727, using slave laborers from Africa. Its success was akin to that of tobacco in seventeenth-century Europe.

The term ?Caf?? is synonymous with a place where coffee and meals are served together. The Dutch people associate the word with bars and thus relate it more to alcohol. In the Netherlands, the term coffee shop is used to refer to places where marijuana is sold, since one needs fewer permits to open a coffee shop. For the French, Spanish, and German people, a caf? is a place where a wide variety of beverages are served, ranging from different types of coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages.

In addition to those blended commercially, a lot of coffeehouses have their own signature house blends. What are you waiting for? Visit your favorite coffee shop and take your pick from among these wonderful concoctions, sure to warm your hearts and lift your spirits.

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