Coffee

Making a superb gourmet coffee all starts with beans. Gourmet coffee beans are mostly Arabica because of their supreme robust flavor and smooth texture. Arabica beans are considered the premium bean in the coffee industry and the demand is high which makes it much pricier than other beans. Arabica coffee beans are the most prominently grown and provide approximately 60% of world coffee production. One reason the beans are so expensive is that the Arabica plant is very sensitive to unfavorable conditions such as frost, pests and disease. What leads people to wait in long, long lines for a cup of gourmet-brewed coffee beverage? Just what are espresso, cappuccino and macchiato?

Espresso: Surprisingly enough, espresso coffee is already one of the most popular coffee drinks in the world. It is also the basis for specialty drinks like Cappuccino. Espresso coffee is regular coffee, brewed and consumed at very concentrated brewing and drinking ratios. It is brewed much faster than regular drip coffee. Since the hot water is quickly forced through the fine grounds it usually only takes between 25 and 30 seconds to brew a cup of espresso.

Cappuccino is a delicious, luxurious coffee beverage that is enjoyed by coffee lovers the world over, combining creamy, frothy texture with distinctive espresso flavor and aroma. Cappuccino is named for the resemblance of its color to the robes of the monks of the Capuchin order. Cappuccino is a cup of espresso coffee with fresh milk and milk foam bubbles burst on the top of cup. The milk foam bubbles burst acts as the insulator and keep the heat of the coffee for a longer time.

A latte is basically a diluted cappuccino with almost entirely steamed milk and a dollop of foam on top. Cafe latte is simply the Italian words for “coffee and milk”. The drink was made using a “moka” (a stovetop coffee machine which makes double-strength coffee, not espresso).

A Mochaccino is simply equal parts cappuccino and chocolate syrup. Some of the finer coffee houses prefer the term Cafe Mocha, using a powdered cocoa mixed with diluted cappuccino and topped with a whipped cream dollop. This is a very popular alternative to a traditional hot chocolate drink, neither as thick nor as sweet.

A Cafe Americano, similar to a long black common in Australia, is a style of coffee made by pulling a double-shot of espresso over hot water . A long black is similar to an which is made by adding hot water to espresso shots, but it retains the texture and is less voluminous, therefore more strongly flavored.

In addition to the hot drinks, there are a wide variety of delicious gourmet iced coffee drinks as well. If you’re looking for one of those milkshake looking drinks, you might want to try a mocha frappuccino, which is basically a cold mochaccino with more calories.

Knowing how to prepare gourmet coffee drinks is a fine art. A barista is someone who makes espresso drinks for a living, and is usually highly trained and has a thorough understanding of how to work with coffee. Similar to a bartender, a barista specializes in making drinks from almost any incarnation of the coffee bean.

Michael Stadneck deems himself to be a self-proclaimed expert when it comes to specialty coffee. As an Italian immigrant, he grew up drinking espresso and cappuccino on a daily basis. If you are contemplating a coffee franchise you have come across a great place to start your research.

Author: Michael Stadneck
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee. The word invokes numerous feelings, tastes and sensations. As I wake up in the morning, I anticipate the aroma and that first taste of my coffee. What a feeling, the expectation and excitement. With no rush, coffee grinder in action, coffee extracted and milk frothed to my liking, thick and creamy, I sit down and drink my coffee peacefully. I actually make it very hot so that I can savour the taste for longer!!

Anyway, the merits and effects of coffee can keep me enthusing ad infinitum, so let me share with you one of the many uses of ground coffee. It happened purely by chance that I came across this use for ground coffee. We had managed to have a field mouse die in our car. Suffice it to say, we do not need to go into detail of how it got in, that in itself is a story of its own!

We tried to locate the mouse, to no avail. We sent the car in for a service. The mechanics stripped the car, pulled out the dashboard, seats etc. and $600 later, we were told that they could not locate this poor mouse. They spring cleaned, deodorized and said the car was ready to be picked up. On opening the car doors, the stench was overpowering. We took to driving with all our car windows down, holding our breath and sticking our heads out every now and again, for a breath of fresh air.

We tried deodorizers, vinegar and the like to no avail. The mechanics told us, not to worry, as the smell would clear up in about….six weeks! Anyway, a few days later, I was delivering some coffee beans to a customer. So I get to the car, open all the car windows and take a deep breath. The coffee beans were placed in the car.

So, I continue with the hold breath, stick head out of the window, take a deep breath and hold again technique. I happened to sneeze and expecting to be overcome by the stench, bracing myself, I smell coffee. Strong, smoky sweet aromatic coffee. What a pleasure. Well, I had a pleasant, in fact a joyous ride thereafter!!

When I got home, out came the coffee grinder, ground some of my favourite coffee, placed them in zip lock bags and in the car. We have not had to hold our breath since! The effect of the ground coffee was incredible. If we happened to take the bags out, the smell would be noticeable within a few minutes. The ground coffee was replaced and refreshed every ten days or so.

Fazila I., passionate coffee lover and supplier. Go to http//:[http://www.TheHome4Coffee.com.au] for all your coffee supplies, delivered Australia wide

Author: Fazila Ismail
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A DeLonghi coffee maker can be found anywhere where there’s a list of the top coffee makers in the coffee industry. And for years, it has been DeLonghi’s sole purpose to provide great coffee to anyone who needs it. From office workers to businessmen to students cramming for exams, DeLonghi has answered to their needs with the help of a Delonghi coffee maker.

Many years of coffee lovers have benefited by not having to go out of their houses just to have their much-needed cups of coffee. With the help of excellent coffee makers from this widely trusted brand, people have found the solution to their coffee cravings in their own homes.

And homemakers, tasked with the responsibility to find a good coffee maker for their households, are delighted with Delonghi products. Who wouldn’t be? DeLonghi coffee maker can give you great coffee that you’ve been craving for with an appliance quality that has been tried and tested for many years.

The DeLonghi Promise

With more than 100 years of great quality products on its portfolio, the DeLonghi company is one of the most well-known providers of various home appliances in the world. They are also the company behind the outstanding coffee makers on the market can surely meet your coffee making needs perfectly.
DeLonghi is based in Australia, and their aim is to provide top-class appliances for the home kitchen.

Ever since the company was started in 1902 and up until now, they managed to stay consistently on top of the roster of home appliance manufacturers, which include coffee makers, blenders, juicers, toasters, irons, ovens, and a lot more. DeLonghi also believes in the importance of variety, and they have a wide array of coffee makers that work in different ways to innovatively meet the coffee making needs of everyone.

There are DeLonghi drip coffee makers and percolators, as well as additional products such as espresso makers. These products come in a wide variety of prices that can accommodate any budget. And for reasonable prices, the coffee makers can provide excellent coffee and a long-lasting performance that won’t let you down for a long time. And instead of getting outdated given its 100 years of existence, the DeLonghi coffee makers just keep on getting better and better as years pass.

Now, they offer a lot of modern designs for their coffee makers. These designs can appeal to any homemaker’s preference and can fit into any room theme. With all the options that a DeLonghi coffee maker offers consumers, coffee lovers recognize the brand as one of the best coffee maker manufacturers in the world.

DeLonghi’s Best Offers

Through the years and banking on the company’s expertise, they have produced varied innovations in the world of kitchen appliances. Among all its innovations throughout the years, DeLonghi prides itself for its Flavor Savor innovation. This concept is applied to a lot of their products. Using this concept, the ground coffee used to make coffee is saturated completely with water to retain the aroma of the coffee while it is being brewed. That’s why coffee produced using a DeLonghi coffee maker offers the additional advantage of being wonderfully aromatic.

But aside from this concept, DeLonghi coffee makers also have a myriad of other features including an automatic off, filter holders, water filters, thermal pots, and removable water pots. With these features, brewing coffee has never been this easy, and the result is not just great-tasting coffee, but great-tasting and wonderfully fragrant coffee. If you need any other proof of the quality of DeLonghi coffee maker, you have a hundred years to search through. What more proof do you need? You will surely have lots of wonderful mornings and energy-filled days, thanks to a DeLonghi coffee maker.

To find more about the Delonghi Coffee Maker check our Best Coffee Makers website.

Copyright 2008 Coffee-maker-guide.com, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.Mark is the editor Coffee-maker-guide.com which Provides you with the best coffee maker reviews and ratings.

Author: Mark Van Tuel
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee is grown in many parts of the world. Each of these origin coffees will have the unique characteristics based on climate, soil, agriculture and processing. The Indonesian countries that produce coffee are: Sumatra, Sulawesi, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Java. Indonesia is the third largest coffee producing region in the world. However, these regions only cultivate a small portion of arabica beans and are highly sought after.

Sumatra is probably the best known of the Indonesian coffees. Coffee has been produced in Sumatra since the 1700s. There is little regional distinction between coffees produced in different areas of Sumatra, so coffees sold as Estate coffees (from a particular farm) are rare. These are mostly wet processed coffees, which means the fresh fruit pulp is washed from the outside of the coffee bean, rather than allowed to dry and then be removed. Sumatran coffees can be roasted medium-dark to dark. Medium-dark will reveal the best flavors from the beans, although dark roast is more commonly seen. This coffee has a rich flavor, full body and wonderful aroma with spicy undertones. In medium-dark roasts, a nutty aroma and flavor comes through.

Sulawesi beans, which are sometimes referred to by the Colonial name “Celebes”, are very similar to Sumatra beans. They have very earthy notes and low acidity. Sulawesi coffees are also prized for their syrupy notes. There are some Sulawesi beans which are held as green beans for a very long time and marketed as “aged Sulawesi”. These unusual coffees have a stronger earth note to them, with an underlying muskiness.

East Timor is a small island located between Sulawesi and Australia. Coffee production is the most important economy of East Timor, especially since the country gained independence in 1999. Many of the coffees from this island are organic coffees and most are processed by the wet method. This coffee has the familiar Indonesian earthy, rich flavor. Spicy notes of sweet cinnamon and mild acidity make this a fine coffee.

Papua New Guinea is on the eastern half of Indonesia. Coffees from Papua New Guinea are different than others in Indonesia. They are often called a ‘wild coffee’. They have fewer of the distinctive earthy tones found in many Indonesian coffees. Papua New Guinea coffees are processed by the wet method. There are also many estate coffees from Papua New Guinea and each have their own special characteristics. Common threads in these coffees are: fruity tones, lower acidity and well-rounded body. Many coffees from Papua New Guinea are also organically grown.

Java is located east of Jakarta. The government of Java actually controls about 80% of the coffee grown in East Java and is its own Estate coffee. It is a wet processed coffee. Java is usually blended with another coffee to make Mocha Java, which isn’t chocolate like the name implies, but the region (Mokka) where the other bean comes from. Java beans have a cleaner flavor than either the Sumatra or Sulawesi. They have a lighter body and slightly more acidity than other Indonesians.

If you haven’t tried an Indonesian coffee, find a local roaster who offers any of these origins mentioned here and you won’t be disappointed!

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coffee [http://coffee-guides.com]

Author: Michael Russell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The history of coffee has a rich and fascinating tradition, resulting in gourmet coffee available to you in your kitchen or at your favorite coffee house.

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Today, a good cup of coffee ties our world together in ways that are truly amazing through the years.

The Origin of Coffee

No one knows how coffee was discovered. One popular legend says coffee was discovered by an Arabian shepherd named Kaldi who found his goats prancing around a shrub bearing bright red fruit. He tasted the fruit and experienced the same energy.

Kaldi shared his discovery with the local monks, and they used the fruit to stay awake during long hours of prayer. The “mysterious red fruit” spread to monasteries all over the world, starting the relationship between the church and coffee that has lasted for centuries.

Coffee is mentioned in writings as early as the 10th century, and historians since then have followed coffee’s history and use throughout the world.

In 1471, not long before Columbus left to discover America, the first coffee house opened in Constantinople. The merchant trade of Venice brought coffee to Italy, where the first European coffee shop opened in 1645. Coffee houses spread throughout Europe and England and later to America. By 1675, there were over 3,000 coffee houses in England, demonstrating coffee’s tremendous appeal so many years ago.

As coffee production started around the world in different tropical regions, the growing conditions produced new and distinctive flavors. Various cultures invented new ways of enjoying coffee, and starting new traditions.

Coffee Making Through the Years

How we roast, grind and brew coffee has changed tremendously over the years. At first, coffee was boiled after being crushed by a mortar and pestle, as it still done with Turkish coffee.

Drip brewing started around 1800 in France, about the same time as percolators were invented also. Vacuum coffee makers were invented in 1840 to brew coffee that was clear and without sediment. By the end of the 19th century, espresso machines were developed for brewing coffee through the pressure method. Paper filters were invented by Melitta Benz in 1908. She and her husband patented them and started the Melitta family coffee business, which their grandchildren continue to this day.

Drip coffee makers for home use in the United States became popular after the Mr. Coffee coffee maker was introduced in 1972. Prior to that time, most coffee at home was made with a percolator, either electric or on the stove top.

The rise of the corner gourmet coffee house in America is an even more recent event. Founded in 1971, Starbucks popularized dark, gourmet coffee and expanded on a massive scale in the 1990′s. Now there are 16,000 stores worldwide, including 11,000 in the United States and 1,000 in Canada. This rise in gourmet coffee houses has brought a new coffee lifestyle to American society, greatly increasing expectations for coffee quality.

Growing Coffee Around the World

From coffee’s start in the Arabian peninsula, coffee has become one of the largest commercial crops grown around the world.  Coffees are grown in tropical and subtropical areas, including some of the most impoverished areas of the world. The traditional coffee production areas in are in South America (with Brazil and Columbia as the two largest coffee producers in the world), Africa (primarily East Africa) and Indonesia. Other areas grow coffees that have become prized, including Jamaica, Hawaii, Australia, India, and Costa Rica, winning the hearts of coffee aficionados worldwide.

Gourmet Coffee Today

In general, the coffee beans from from Central and South America are known for their mild yet potent flavor. East African and Arabian coffee beans are known for their intense flavor and bright acidity.  Indonesian coffee beans produce smooth, rich and low acid flavors.

Coffee has brought amazing changes to our society and our world in the past 1,100 years. Coffee continues to span the globe, connecting us with people far away. The coffee in your cup came from beans grown in an exotic location far away and transported around the world to you.

What will be next for coffee? Who knows, so enjoy your cup of gourmet coffee and the rich tradition that goes with it!

DJ Toman is a lawyer and coffee enthusiast living in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is the author of http://www.CoffeeDaydreams.com, a site dedicated to gourmet coffee and choosing the best coffee makers. Even beginners get helpful tips about how to brew and enjoy the coffee of their dreams.

Author: DJ Toman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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