Coffee Guide

When you enter a coffee house, you have a multitude of drink choices like latt?, cappuccino, straight shot and caff? mocha just to name a few.

Sometimes knowing what to order can be overwhelming unless you know what you are getting. After all, who wants to pay an outrageous amount of money for a mystery drink that you may not even like?

So PerfectCoffees.Com has come to the rescue, and after you read this, you’ll have a basic understanding of how the most popular coffee drinks are made and what they are made of.

Most coffee drinks start with espresso and espresso is just coffee that is brewed a certain way. It is finely ground to almost a powder then very hot water is forced through the grounds under intense pressure.

The brewing process is timed so that the flavorful and aromatic oils are extracted from the coffee and not the bitter components. This produces a strong flavored, but not bitter, concentrated shot of coffee.

Straight Shot

The straight shot refers to espresso coffee and the secret to good espresso is the extraction time, volume, and golden crema which is a thick light brown layer of frothed coffee oils that float on top of a properly extracted espresso.

The short shot or ristretto is extracted to a volume of three-quarters of an ounce. The shorter restricted pour magnifies the essence of the coffee and the chance of any bitter elements being extracted is minimized. If you have ever ordered an espresso shot in Europe they usually serve the ristretto.

The long shot or lungo is extracted to a volume of one and one-half ounces.

The double shot is a 2 ounce shot using twice as much coffee in the portafilter.

The correct way to serve a straight shot is to extract it directly into a warmed demitasse cup. The warm demitasse cup will keep the straight shot warm and prolong the crema. A straight shot is best enjoyed immediately after brewing.

It is rare to see people drinking straight shots of espresso in the US. Most people here drink variations using steamed milk mixed with the shots to make the different coffee drinks listed here.

Espresso Macchiato

The Espresso Macchiato starts with a shot of espresso and then a small amount of foamed milk is spooned over the shot. Macchiato in Italian means marked, as the espresso is marked with foam.

Espresso Con Panna

This is an Espresso Macchiato using whipped cream in place of the foamed milk. The drink gets its name Con Panna which means with cream.

Caff? Americano

The Caff? Americano is a drink similar to American brewed coffee. It is made with a single or double shot of espresso combined with 6 to 8 ounces of hot water out of an espresso machine. The result is a very smooth cup of coffee that is much hotter than brewed coffee.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is made with a fluffy, wet foam, mixed with espresso coffee upon the pour to create a blend of the two flavors. Cold milk is essential, as is expertise in the foaming process. Cappuccino has a large volume of foam making it a light weight drink and less filling.

Caff? Latt?

Caff? Latt? is similar to the cappuccino but with much less foam and more steamed milk. A latt? is made by holding back the foam with a spoon while pouring the frothed milk from the steaming pitcher. The caff? latt? is completed by being topped with a small amount of the held back foam.

Caff? latt? gets its name from the addition of coffee to milk. For an iced latt?, cold milk is combined with the espresso and then the ice is added.

Caff? Mocha

A caff? mocha is made by adding powdered or chocolate syrup to a hot shot of espresso and blended. Steamed milk is then be added to the espresso-chocolate mixture and usually it is topped with whipped cream.

Iced mochas are made with cold milk and the ice added after the coffee and chocolate have been blended.

Flavored Coffee Drinks

Some popular coffee flavors are: vanilla, Irish creme, almond, hazelnut, caramel and fruit flavors such as orange and raspberry. These drinks usually start with a flavored syrup that is mixed with hot espresso and stirred. Then steamed milk is stirred in like in a latt?.

An iced version of these flavored coffees made with cold milk instead of steamed makes a delicious cold drink in the summer months.

So now that you know what’s in the basic coffee drinks, try one you haven’t tasted yet. Who knows, you might find a new favorite.

Copyright ? 2004 PerfectCoffees.com – All Rights Reserved.

This article may be re-published as is (unedited) as long as the author’s bio paragraph (resource box) and copyright information is included. The URLs in the resource box should be set as hyperlinks if used on a web page.

About The Author

Gary Gresham is the webmaster for www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase quality coffee, tea, cups & mugs, coffee gifts and delicious desserts online. He offers a free monthly coffee newsletter at www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html.

Gary@perfectcoffees.com

It is said that change is good, but not for everyone. I like my coffee fresh, hot, and black. Many people are sick of the same old routine, and want to try something different. I want to introduce you to my Coffee Tips & TEAzers. These are a few tips and recipes given to me by various people over the years. I hope you are able to enjoy them as much as I have.

Coffee Tip #1

The only thing that beats a hot cup of coffee in the morning is a FRESH cup of hot coffee. The only way to guarantee fresh Coffee & Tea every time is to vacuum pack your beans, grounds, tea bags, or loose-leaf teas. This prevents the air from making your coffee and teas stale. It will keep your coffee & teas fresher longer.

Coffee Tip #2

If you are board with the traditional way coffee is presented then I have some ideas that will give your coffee some pizzazz. Try flavored syrups there are many different flavors to choose from and you can combine the flavors to make something unique. Try adding some chocolate syrup to your coffee. Then add a splash of half & half creamer. Stir completely until your coffee is a tan color. Then add whip cream and chocolate sprinkles. Presto! You have a hot cup of chocolate mocha!

Coffee Tip #3

This is a unique recipe Cafe Speciale

?4 teaspoons chocolate syrup
?1/2 cup heavy cream
?3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
?1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
?1 tablespoon sugar
? 1-1/2 cups extra-strength hot coffee

Put 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup into each of 4 small cups. Combine cream. 1/4-teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Whip. Stir remaining 1/2-teaspoon cinnamon into hot coffee. Pour coffee into cups. Stir to blend with syrup. Top with whipped cream. Makes 4 servings.

TEAser#1
The problem with tea bags is that you really don’t know how fresh the tea is. With loose-leaf teas you can feel the texture and see the tea more clearly. The smell alone can be deceiving. Some companies have been known to spray their teas with scents that make them smell fresh, but are they really?

TEAser#2
Mango Tea (By The Pitcher)
Fill Pitcher with Ice
Add 5 oz. Monin Mango Tea
Fill with 50 oz. Water
Stir Well

Raspberry Tea (By The Glass)
Fill 12 oz. Glass with Ice
Add 1 oz. Monin Raspberry Tea
Top off with 10 oz. Water
Stir Well

Minted Mango Tea
1 cup chopped refrigerated mango slices
1-cup pineapple juice
8 green tea bags
2 4-inch mint sprigs
4 cups boiling water
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
Ice cubes

Directions

1.In a medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Add tea bags, anise, and cinnamon stick. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and cinnamon stick. Stir in nectar, honey, and lemon juice. Heat through.

2. Pour tea mixture into four heatproof cups, floating a star anise on top of each. Makes 4 servings.

Don is the owner of several free information websites and the sole proprietor of Java Jakes Gourmet Coffee Co.

Visit http://www.megainfosource.com
http://www.egolfplace.com
http://www.javajakes.com Visit these sites today and become informed.

If you aren’t familiar with coffeehouses and the many different varieties of coffees and flavors to choose from, you may be overwhelmed when you go into a caf? and try to make your choice. Coffeehouses may feature dozens of different coffee flavors and mixings at their shops. In addition to the many coffee flavors, there are cappuccinos and espressos and other selections of coffee breeds. So if you?d like to order coffee from these establishments, it has become quite important to have a decent knowledge of coffeehouse lingo.

Coffee flavors vary from one bean to another, and how coffee is prepared may sway quite a bit from your ordinary cup you make at home. In order to enjoy some of the various coffee preparations, it?s necessary to be able to translate a little of these strange and exotic-sounding names coffees are given.

What follows then, are a few of the basic coffeehouse words and phrases, to help better make you a better coffee connoisseur.

When I was in high school our principal, Mr. Watkins was an avid coffee drinker. And when I say avid, I mean nobody stood in between Mr. Watkins and his pot of coffee. Mr. Watkins day wouldn?t start unless he had at least a pot and a half of coffee in his belly. He was a bit high-strung, which the teachers that worked directly ender him blamed his constant one cup right after the other coffee drinking mentality. One day the teachers decided to secretly change his regular coffee to decaf in an effort to calm him down. It didn?t work. They didn?t take into consideration that he had just quit smoking weeks earlier. It wasn?t the coffee that made him that way, it was his nervous withdrawals from quitting smoking.

The truth is coffee has very little effects on heavy coffee drinkers like Mr. Watkins. For Individuals who regularly consume coffee/caffeine has no effect on blood pressure. For people who have not consumed caffeine for a certain period of time, drinking coffee can lead to a small, short-lived increase in blood pressure. In fact, if your a coffee drinker with high blood pressure, it wasn?t the coffee that made you that way. My research shows that stopping coffee consumption is of no benefit to people with mild hypertension. There is no evidence to suggest that continued consumption of coffee father compounds hypertension in any diagnosed patients. Actually, regular coffee drinkers don’t even have comparatively higher blood pressure than non coffee drinkers. As the body quickly becomes tolerant to caffeine?s effects on blood pressure.

You may ask, well, there’s no effect on blood pressure, but what about other conditions like cholesterol or palpitations, what about increased risk for certain types of cancers like ovarian cancer or bladder cancer? No, no, no. In general, people who drink coffee do not have higher cholesterol levels than people who obtain from coffee drinking. Heart palpitations? No. Research shows that individuals may experience palpitations(irregular heartbeats). Irrespective of whether they are consuming coffee or not. Ovarian cancer? No conclusive evidence that coffee/caffeine consumption increases the risk of ovarian cancer. Bladder cancer? In 1990, The International Agency For Research On Cancer evaluated coffee, caffeine, tea, and latte’, after assessing the research, gave coffee the classification 2B which is possibly carcinogenic to the human urinary bladder. Coffee was cleared in all other areas.

Honestly folks, I’ve done an awful lot of research on the effects of coffee and caffeine and I haven?t found anything to raise any suspicion or worry. My conclusion is Mr. Watkins had the right idea all along. So, drink up folks, it isn?t bad for you. And like the title says,? That?s a good excuse to drink more coffee

As always, I hope this article was both informative and entertaining. Thank you for reading and may GOD bless you always, and in always.

Larry Ford runs a website providing information for coffee. You can find it at http://www.eecoffee.com/

It seems odd that Brazil produces one third of the worlds coffee production. But the weird thing is that most of the coffee connoisseurs shun Brazilian coffee.

To most people, when you mention Mocha they think of a blend of coffee and chocolate. Really though, Mocha is very expensive and it has nothing to do with it because Mocha beans are hard to find and cost a lot of money. When coffee beans were first offered for sale they were sold by pharmacists, of all people. Later on Coffee houses started selling them.

A lot of folks are surprised when you tell them that the primary places where coffee is grown is Central and South America, Africa, and Indonesia. A smaller amount of coffee is grown in Hawaii and around the Red Sea in the middle east.

Kenya produces a coffee that is widely known as African coffee. They also produce many other types of fine coffee. Even though Columbia has tried and tried, they have not been able to come up with a coffee that is highly desirable. The controversy over whether or not coffee is good for you or not still rages on today. There seems to be new information, both pro and con, about coffee coming out every week or so.

Oddly enough, coffee grown in Yemen is grown with wild flowers, which coffee lovers adore. The coffee that is grown here is known as a true Mocha, which is named after a Yemeni shipping port.

Steve McArthur

Visit the authors Know Your Coffee Beans site to read more.

http://shalinacoffee.com

One look at a line at the local Starbucks in the morning and you don?t need to be convinced of the huge amount of coffee consumption in the U.S. The National Coffee Association found in 2000 that 54% of the U.S. adult population drinks coffee daily. Guess there?s nothing like the first double espresso in the morning to clear the cobwebs from our heads so we can face the day.

But what are the effects relating to fitness? If that grande-no-foam-double-whipped-extra-shot-no-fat latte gives us the get-up-and-go to start our day at work, will it do the same if we?re headed to the gym?

Physiological Effects

The main ingredient in coffee that gives us that jolt is caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant. Caffeine is found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, and chocolate, and is a popular added ingredient in carbonated beverages and some over-the-counter medications such as cold remedies, diuretics, aspirin, and weight control aids. It is estimated that in the U.S., 75% of caffeine intake comes from coffee.

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system by blocking adenosine, a neurotransmitter that normally causes a calming effect in the body. The resulting neural stimulation due to this blockage causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone. Your heart rate increases, your pupils dilate, your muscles tighten up, and glucose is released into your blood stream for extra energy. Voila? you now have the caffeine buzz.

But wait?we?re not done yet. Caffeine also increases dopamine. Dopamine activates the pleasure in parts of the brain. It has been suspected that this also contributes to caffeine addiction.

Physiologically, caffeine makes us you feel alert, pumps adrenaline to give you energy and changes dopamine production to make you feel good. Another espresso, anyone?

Ergogenic Effects of Caffeine to Performance

In addition to various psychological and physiological benefits, numerous studies have documented caffeine?s ergogenic effect on athletic performance, particularly in regard to endurance. Studies show that caffeine ingestion prior to exercising extended endurance in moderately strenuous aerobic activity. Other studies researching caffeine consumption on elite distance runners and distance swimmers show increased performance times following caffeine consumption.

Despite effects on endurance, caffeine produced no effect on maximal muscular force in a study measuring voluntary and electrically stimulated muscle actions. However, the same study did show findings that suggest caffeine has an ergogenic effect on muscle during repetitive, low frequency stimulation.

Caffeine?s positive performance-enhancing effects have been well documented. So much so that the International Olympic Committee placed a ban leading to disqualification for an athlete with urinary limits exceeding 12 mg/mL. Roughly 600 to 800mg of caffeine, or 4 to 7 cups of coffee, consumed over a 30-minute period would be enough to exceed this level and cause disqualification. The National Collegiate Athletic Association has a similar limit, set at 15 mg/mL.

Coffee: A Pre-Workout Drink?

Before you make Starbucks part of your pre-workout warm-up in order to harness the effects of caffeine, be aware that simply downing a grande may not give you similar benefits found in these studies. A recent Canadian study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology compared the effect of coffee and caffeine on run time to exhaustion. A group of nine men took part in five trials. Sixty minutes before each run, the men took one of the following:

• A placebo

• Caffeine capsules

• De-caffeinated coffee with caffeine added

• Regular coffee

Performance times were up to 10 times longer in subjects using the caffeine capsules, with no differences in times among the other trials. Since the level of caffeine absorption was similar during the caffeine trials, researchers concluded something in the coffee itself that interferes with caffeine?s performance-enhancing effects. This makes sense considering that there are literally hundreds of compounds dissolved when coffee beans are roasted, ground and extracted. Results of this research suggest that if benefits of caffeine on endurance times are desired, caffeine capsules work better than coffee.

Caffeine and Creatine Supplementation

Although caffeine has been shown to increase endurance time, further research shows it may actually blunt the effect of creatine, a popular and well-researched compound known for its consistent ergogenic effects. In a study evaluating the effect of pre-exercise caffeine ingestion on both creatine stores and high-intensity exercise performance, caffeine totally counteracted any effects of creatine supplementation. It was suggested that individuals who creatine load should refrain from caffeine-containing foods and beverages if positive effects are desired.

The Downside of Caffeine

Despite coffee/caffeine?s positive effects on psychological states and performance, there are numerous documented risks that must considered when consuming caffeine, whether for performance-enhancing effects or simply as a part of daily dietary consumption.

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can produce restlessness, headaches, and irritability. Caffeine also elevates your heart rate and blood pressure. Over the long-term as your body gets used to caffeine, it requires higher amounts to get the same effects. Certainly, having your body in a state of hormonal emergency all day long isn?t very healthy.

Caffeine is also a diuretic and causes a loss of fluid, which then leads to a dehydrating effect. This is obviously not conducive to fitness activities such as resistance training, as fluid is needed for the transfer of nutrients to facilitate muscular growth. It is also important when considering the further loss of fluid while exercising in hot environments.

Perhaps the most important long-term problem is the effect of caffeine on sleep. The half-life of caffeine in the body is about 6 hours. If you drink a big cup of coffee with 200 mg of caffeine at 4PM, at 10PM you still have about 100mg in your body. By 4AM, you still have 50mg floating in your system. Even though you may be able to sleep, you may not be able to obtain the restful benefits of deep sleep. What?s worse, the cycle continues as you may use more and more caffeine in hopes of counteracting this deficit.

Caffeinated Conclusions?

Though caffeine has some benefits in relation to exercise performance, risks have been documented. Most problems seem evident with very high consumption. The American Heart Association says that moderate coffee drinking (one or two cups per day) does not seem to be harmful for most people. As with everything else, moderation is the key to healthy caffeine consumption. Further research is needed to clearly determine whether the performance-enhancing benefits of caffeine outweigh the potential risks.

About The Author

Jon Gestl, CSCS, is a Chicago personal trainer and fitness instructor who specializes in helping people get in shape in the privacy and convenience of their home or office. He is a United States National Aerobic Champion silver and bronze medalist and world-ranked sportaerobic competitor and editor of the fitness ezine Inspired Informed and Inshape. He can be contacted through his website at http://www.jongestl.com.

jongestl@jongestl.com

One of the things people think of with Italy is it’s coffee. In fact Italian roast coffee is perfect for bringing a touch of Europe to your home. Can 50 million plus Italians all be wrong? Well, with Italian roast you can’t go wrong either.

Generally speaking, Italian Roast coffee is darker in colour than most roasted blends of coffee and consequently develops an intense, full-bodied flavour from the blend of Pacific and Latin American origins. It seems to be richer and fuller and has a bit of a bite to it. The aroma is balanced and complex.

Why the name Italian Roast when coffee comes from Brazil?

As is known, most of the coffee we drink today originates from Latin America or the Pacific, so where does the name Italian Roast come from?

Well, the name Italian Roast derives from the dark roasted blend style that is commonly used in Italy. And do the Italians know a thing or two about their coffee? I think they do. Naturally it goes without saying, if you grind your own, Italian roast coffee is perfect for making authentic espresso. If served in Illy Collection cups, for instance, you cant go wrong.

There is espresso coffee and espresso coffee, but with an Italian roast blend the difference is clear

In fact, most of today’s household names, such as Gaggia, Lavazza and Illy are Italian family companies that have conquered the world with their particular blends of coffee, targeted marketing and wonderful coffee making machines. Gaggia, for instance started business in the 1940’s, not so long ago, but they are recognised as a well respected coffee-company in most of the world.

Similar with Lavazza, started in Turin, not only famous for its coffee, but also a prestigious calendar, similar to that of Pirelli. And what espresso lover isn’t familiar with the Illy Collection; neat espresso cups with exclusive designs produced in limited numbers.

Do you think all this could have been possible without a deep knowledge and respect for coffee? Italian roast must deserve some of the success of these companies.

Nicholas Webb is a successful author and publisher of http://www.allabout-coffee-beans.com Coffee is a passion to be shared. Info from coffee beans to coffee making machines can be found by clicking over to this great resource site.

I really can?t believe it. I now drink coffee. I never pictured myself as a part of the coffee generation. I still love my soda, but now in the morning I find myself having a cup of coffee before I leave for work and one to two cups while at work. This has just taken place in the past year or so. As I look back, I think it may have had something to do with having a toddler in the house and also just beginning to build a website.

Building a website from scratch is quite an undertaking and there are many hours accumulated hovering over the computer. In order to find a few more hours in the day I started getting up at about 5:00 am before work and also on the weekends. This not being my normal routine, I guess I found myself in need of some additional wake up help to be able to get up that early in the morning. Along came coffee!

Long ago, I never really cared for the mocha flavor of coffee at all, even in sweets or baked goods. I think it all started when my husband and I were on a particularly cold motorcycle ride with quite a few more miles to go before home. We had stopped at a gas station for fuel and I thought I might be able to get a cup of hot chocolate. The only thing available was flavored cappuccino. I gave it a try because I was really cold and was surprised by how good it really was. (Now I know all of you coffee experts out there are probably chuckling at the quality of gas station cappuccino, but I guess we all start somewhere.)

Anyway?at some point I started buying the cappuccino mix at the grocery store and then graduated to General Foods International Coffees. My husband drinks regular coffee at home, but I never touched it, at least not then.

Then at work we moved our offices and now, with a coffeemaker nearby, I have started drinking coffee at work. Just recently did I learn how to make a decent pot of coffee. Talk about feeling out of touch! I am not sure if I make the coffee too strong or too weak, but no one has complained yet. I have even learned that it is pretty easy to make coffee in a large party percolator pot, a task that was completely foreign to me before.

I still add a flavored creamer to the coffee, but I am really starting to like the mocha flavor on its own. My favorite flavor creamer is hazelnut. I have also tried a type of hazelnut flavored coffee concentrate syrup that can be used in baking and with ice cream and I am really starting to develop a taste for it as well.

My husband says it is only a matter of time before I start drinking coffee straight up black, with nothing added. I am not so sure, but not so long ago I wouldn?t have thought of myself as a coffee drinker. Go figure. Time will tell.

Laura Warnke is owner of an online gourmet retail store, The Topping Shoppe, LLC. Here you will find a great selection of dessert sauces and ice cream sundae toppings to purchase. If you want to know more about how to use different types of dessert sauces in your recipes please visit my website at http://All-About-Dessert-Sauces.com

About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd and his flock came across a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual berry. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner. Not only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be extremely hyperactive. Now being a little weary and extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and see if the end results would be the same for him as they had been for his flock. To his pleasant surprise the shepherd began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. After a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who, after being informed of the plants amazing qualities proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon his journey but not before he had added a little something to his backpack and supplies.

When the monk reached his monastery his fellow holy men also decided to try this new and enchanting beverage. Soon the endless hours of prayer no longer seemed so wearisome, in fact they became easy to endure with the help of this exciting new drink. Coffee, had now well and truly arrived and the news began to spread! Its widespread consumption first commenced in the wilds of the Ethiopian outlands before then moving on to the heart of Arabia . Here it was to be held as a holy delicacy but was eventually to be unlawfully exported by a trader by the name of Baba Budan. In no time at all word of its qualities began to spread and coffee was to evolve into one of the most valued drinks ever known to the human civilisation. Its hard to believe that each year we consume a staggering four billion cups and there are many among us who would not contemplate starting their day without it.

Although coffee is usually thought of as a sleep suppressant there are many who think that it also has many health benefits. It is said that folk who suffer from the complaint of asthma and drink coffee have an average of at least 25% less symptoms due to a substance in the coffee named theophylline. This is known to be a bronchodilator which helps those who suffer with the disease to breathe a little more easily. Drinking coffee on a daily basis is also thought to help lower your chances of developing colon cancer. This is also by a figure in the region of about twenty five percent.

Its curious that the vast majority of folk have no idea of the different tastes and delights that this king of all drinks has to offer us. One of the swiftest growing trends of the last few years has to be the rising popularity of buying coffee via the internet. Never before have we been able to so easily get hold of such a large and voluptuous variety of blends, tastes and tantalising aromas from all over the world. With the aid of the wonderful web, trekking around the local neighbourhood to try and find some new exciting coffee blends has became a thing of the past. Sitting at home I can now search out an almost infinite variety of coffees from all over the world and order them at the click of a mouse. I tend to place numerous orders via the web and I always make a point of recording blend, country, and from exactly whom I purchased.

Now you know the history of this magical bean I hope that if in the days to come you are thinking of visiting your local coffee shop you recall the information you have read on this website and make the most of this wonderful drink. Go on and try some new varieties. Not only will you impress your friends, your tastebuds will be thrilled as well.

Latte or Cappuccino?

Valerie Shapero is the owner of Fuzzy Coffee, Inc. which is a premier source of information about coffee. For more information, go to: http://fuzzycoffee.com

Ahhhhh, coffee… a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up in the morning. For some of us, it keeps us up during the day, or for late night study sessions. We drink it out of habit, we drink it from addiction, we drink it for flavor; whatever the reason, it is surely a popular beverage. So where did this famed drink come from?

Coffee, for Americans, is three hundred years old. In the East it was widespread at every level of society, since the earlier era. The most notable dates point to around 800b.c. However, Homer, and according to Arabian tales speak of a mysterious bitter black beverage with powers of stimulation that could have been this drink.

About the year 1000, coffee was being used for medicinal purposes. In 1400 a Yemeni goat herder observed his flock eating reddish berries, then becoming excited and restless. After relating his observations to a monk, they boiled the berries and made a beverage that could disperse sleep and weariness. No matter how it actually was created, the fact remains that the coffee plant started in Africa, in an Ethiopian region known as Kaffa. From there it spread to Egypt, Yemen, and Arabia, where it became a part of daily life.

In the late 1500s coffee was a commodity, being sold in Europe. However, due to an increasing demand for the new beverage, and high taxes on shipping, there was experimentation with growing the crops in various other countries. Much later, around 1727 coffee growing started in Northern Brazil. By the 20th century, various forms of coffee were developed for the public.

Decaffeinated coffee was first founded in 1903 when Ludwig Roselius, a German coffee importer, gave a batch of damaged coffee beans to researchers. They developed the process of taking the caffeine out of the beans without losing any flavor. This was marketed in the 1920s.

Instant coffee was first mass produced from the invention of George Constant Washington, an English chemist living in Guatemala. While waiting for his wife one day to join him outside for coffee, he observed on the spout of the silver coffee urn, a fine powder, which looked to be the condensation of the coffee vapors. This excited him and led to his founding of soluble coffee.

In 1906 he started experiments and put his invention, Red E Coffee, in the markets in 1909. Nestle’, in 1938, trying to aid Brazil with their coffee surpluses created freeze-dried coffee. Nescafe was started and first introduced into Switzerland. Instant coffee became a fad after 1956 when commercial television was the new craze.

And now in the US alone, 400 billion cups of coffee a year are consumed. Coffee is one of the world’s largest commodities, second only to oil. From a remote area in Africa, to millions of shelves and homes worldwide, coffee has became a fixture everywhere.

The author has been a passionate coffee drinker for many years. She has tasted coffees from all over the world, and believes in serving and entertaining her guests with only the best.

She has catered hundreds of events and affairs and is known for her attention to details, especially regarding picking the perfect coffee.

Irene D. Hope is founder of All Special Coffee an excellent resource site dedicated to information about coffee.