Coffee

A large percentage of the population loves to drink both gourmet coffee and espresso drinks. We are all aware of the fact that coffee and espresso provide a boost of energy and they also warm your body up on those cold winter days. Most, however, are not familiar with the history of the coffee and espresso machines, themselves. Without these machines, we probably wouldn’t see such a large population that can easily and affordably prepare these common drinks.

Where did the coffee maker come from?

Since the days of the early Egyptians, coffee has been a staple beverage for most people. Though the Coffee bean originated in Africa, it quickly spread to neighboring countries, like Arabia and Egypt. The first method of bean preparation was to roast the beans on an open fire and then added to boiling water for consumption.

It is believed that coffee was probably considered a type of wine and used to barter and trade. Fermented in much the same as grapes, coffee was a source of energy and warmth for most, but some drank it because they loved the taste, too.

A man by the name of Mr. Laurens came up with the first coffee-making machine in 1818. The machine was constantly modified by coffee drinkers. The coffee machine was actually a product that had just as many patents by women as men, that was practically unheard of at that time!

Through the years, the coffee machine has become a reliable, dependable and easy to use product. In the 1960′s, the first filter machines were invented and the modifications have improved even more since then. Coffee making machines began as crude looking inventions, but have evolved into many different styles, making it possible for a Governor and a Harley biker to own the same style! Found in just about every home, the coffee machine is made by many manufacturers, including: Braun, Senseo, Kitchenaid, Krups and Pod.

Where did the espresso machine come from?

Discovered by a goat herder and developed by a tired, hungry traveler, the espresso drink has provided many with the extra energy they may need. The goat herder noticed the goats acting like they had an extreme boost of energy. As he searched for his heard, he noticed they were snacking on a red berry growing from shrubs. Curious, he ate a berry and felt as if he had suddenly gained more energy as a result. At the same time, a tired, hungry traveler witnesses the occurrences and jumped at the chance to try it for himself. Having the same reactions as the herder and goats, he knew that they were on to something. He took some berries and began to add them to drinks for those in his hometown, as the drink seemed to be a good source of energy. The idea took off from there!

The first espresso maker is said to have originated in Italy in 1901, by Italian manufacturing company owner, Lugia Bezzer. He was simply looking for a way to help speed up his employee’s coffee breaks. He figured out that if pressure was applied in the brewing process, the drink could be made in a lot less time. Nicknamed “The fast coffee machine”, the espresso machine patent was sold in 1905. The new owner, Desidero Pavoni developed an espresso machine that used a piston pump to force water through a tube and into the coffee.

Modifications on the espresso machine were halted by the onset of WWII. Production picked up after the war and in 1946, the commercial espresso machine was invented. Since that time, the espresso maker has been produced by many name brand companies, including: Juda, Mr.Coffee, Kitchenaid and Braun. Offering various features, styles, colors and prices, the espresso machine has come a long way!

C V is a freelance writer, providing articles and information on where to buy Bunn coffee makers, coffee roasters, Saeco espresso machines, coffee grinders, and more.

Author: Chris Vorelli
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you buy coffee at a cafe every day, you might be surprised how much money you could save by making it at home. You can even have a better cup of coffee if you make it yourself. You know it’s fresh, and you can choose your favourite coffee bean. Coffee makers don’t have to be expensive. If you want to learn how to choose a perfect cheap coffee maker, just consider your needs and shop around. You can find an inexpensive way to make coffee at home that brews a cup of java at least as good as what you’d pay two or more dollars for outside!

The simplest, and least expensive coffee maker is the single-cup cone filter. You simply place the unit over your cup, place a filter in the plastic cone, put in some ground coffee and pour hot water over it. You can, of course, make more than one cup. If you have company, the coffee can easily make two or three cups of coffee. You can add as much or little coffee as you want, depending on how strong you like it or how many cups you are making.

Another kind of inexpensive coffee maker you can get is the kind that brews fresh coffee into a travel mug. These models often come with permanent filters, so you don’t have to buy the disposable paper ones. This is a good coffee maker to take with you to work if you want good fresh coffee instead of what they happen to be brewing at the office coffee pot (if there even is one!).

You can also get a coffee press type machine, where you add fresh ground coffee, pour hot water over it and press. These coffee makers are fairly inexpensive, and can also create a very fresh tasting cup of coffee.

No matter what method you use, much will depend on two things. First, the coffee bean itself. Second, the grinding process. You should use a good quality grinder, and determine how fine or coarse you want it to be.

If you want to know how to choose a perfect cheap coffee maker, consider whether you want to be able to make a single cup at a time, or a larger number of cups. If you want to be able to brew a whole pot of coffee at a time, you are better off getting a good but inexpensive traditional coffee brewing machine. You can find all of these choices in retail stores as well as online.

Mary Smith is a coffee lover, who likes nothing more than spotting and sharing a bargain. She keeps her eye on the best buys for coffee lovers at Cheap Coffee Makers, a site to visit if you want a quality coffee machine at a good price. Check out the expert reviews, including the highly regarded Delonghi EN680 Single ServeEspresso Maker.

Author: Mary Carper Smith
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee aficionados, all around the world, can agree that the type of coffee bean you use to brew is the determining factor on the quality of the coffee brewed. Whether you are a coffee snob or not, it’s important to educate yourself on what’s available on the market today.

Exotic locations and blends are well advertised because of the quality each possesses in the bean and oils. Places like Hawaii, Sumatra, Tanzania and Kenya are often seen on packaging, that boasts rich smooth flavor. But no one can argue that Kona Coffee is labeled one of the best varieties of coffee beans in the world.

What makes this coffee bean so special? Kona Coffee is harvested on the windy mountains of Hawaii. Mostly from the Hualalai and Mauna Loa mountains, these coffee beans are hailed to be the best tasting coffee world round. This is the only place where Kona Coffee is grown. They are harvested and processed into 100-pound bundle sacks and flown to places all around the globe.

These shiny green beans are left unroasted. This enables the bean to keep its flavor and aroma for the duration of the delivery. Often times, the Kona Coffee bean is blended with other lesser beans to enhance the overall flavor. This combination is known to be Kona Blend. Still delicious in flavor and texture, this Coffee Kona blend is only about 10% pure Kona bean. Although some coffee purists may cry out in vain, most people don’t mind the taste of this blend. In fact, most people seem to not care but just enjoy the coffee nonetheless. Only those who are willing to pay the premium for a 100% cup of Kona Coffee can enjoy it in all its glory. It will cost a fortune.

The Secret to Kona Coffee

But in all honestly, how does the Kona Coffee Bean set itself apart from the rest of the coffee on the market? Surely, there are other rival beans? Mainly due to the tropical climate and rich volcanic soil can the Kona Bean have its distinct richness, unmatched by any other bean?

The body of the Kona Coffee is full with flavor and has minute subtle cues of win and spices. Amongst all the Kona Coffee Bean Types, Peaberry is the most wanted variety. However, the Peabody variety didn’t originate from Hawaii. Reverend Samuel Ruggles brought it over there back in the early 1800, during his missionary working in the area. As time went on, coffee production was a way of income for the people. Despite the rise and fall of coffee through the years, Kona is still ranked and coveted by coffee lovers worldwide.

However, coffee buffs also know that the roasting plays just as important a role in the quality of the coffee made. It goes hand in hand with in the quest of the perfect cup of Kona coffee. Roasting is considered an art form. It can transform the bean into the embodiment of pure enjoyment for the taster. Growing the perfect coffee bean requires the same care and expertise as the roaster. Weather conditions and soil lay the foundation for it. This is the reason why the Kona Bean is seen as unmatched due to the ideal climate and fertile soil it’s farmed in.

Now you can understand why Kona is so praised by coffee lovers all around the world. If you haven’t considered enjoying a cup of Kona Coffee, why not start today? There are many delicious blends available at your local coffee shop and grocery store. You won’t regret it.

Want Starbucks flavor at home? Check out my blog for Breville Espresso Reviews and other Breville Espresso Machines. Timothy Schwartz, The Coffee Brewster, reviews and puts his taste buds and wallet on the line.

Author: Timothy Schwartz
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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To those who may not be aware, caffeine content in coffee acts as s stimulant and it increases our alertness and keeps us awake when consumed in substantial quantities. For those who wish to enjoy good coffee but want to avoid consuming caffeine, decaf of decaffeinated coffee is the obvious choice. Bear in mind that decaf coffee is by no means less flavorful or inferior in quality to the normal coffee. With certain flavor additives, decaf flavored coffee can be extremely delicious.

It is possible to extract caffeine from the bean without affecting its flavor, aroma and taste. But using chemical solvents for this purpose can create health problems over a period of time for coffee drinkers. Instead it is safer to remove the compound is by immersing the coffee beans in hot water.

But different companies adopt different methods and it is necessary for you to find out the method used to ensure that you are getting correctly processed coffee beans. Proper infusion of flavors and appropriate methods of removal of caffeine will make decaf coffee as a healthy and refreshing beverage to drink.

There are four major process methods used to remove caffeine from coffee -

o Conventional decaffeination.
o Natural decaffeination using chemical Ethyl Acetate.
o Water decaffeination.
o Carbon Dioxide decaffeination.

Each of these methods removes the caffeine from coffee but there are significant differences in the taste of the decaffeinated coffee.

Conventional decaffeination uses the chemical Methylene Chloride – Although Methylene Chloride levels in the coffee bean are reduced to residual levels that are legally safe, many health-conscious consumers still consider these residues unacceptable. Many connoisseurs of coffee complain that the flavor of coffee decaffeinated by Methylene Chloride method is somewhat insipid.

Ethyl Acetate decaffeinated coffee is generally referred to as Naturally Decaffeinated coffee because Ethyl Acetate occurs naturally in orange rinds and other fruits. Ethyl Acetate used in decaffeination is a man-made chemical. The decaffeination process is essentially the same as in conventional Methylene Chloride decaffeination, except Ethyl Acetate replaces Methylene Chloride as the solvent. The practice to label the beans naturally decaffeinated makes it a powerful marketing tool.

The advantage of the water decaffeination over conventional methods is that no chemicals are used. Most people seem to agree that the water process produces a slightly more flavorful cup of coffee – though water process coffee is more expensive. Water decaffeination is specially favored by those who are sensitive to health and environmental issues.

CO2 decaffeination produces the most flavorful decaffeinated coffee. There are no harmful chemicals or by-products of the process. But the fact is the setting up of a CO2 decaffeination plant is quite high and as such this process is primarily used to decaffeinate large volumes of commercial grade coffee. In view of the growing market for a safe and flavorful decaffeinated product, CO2 decaffeinated specialty grade coffees are popular and widely available.

In order to retain maximum flavor during the decaffeination process, it is necessary to use green coffee beans. This may mean paying more for the coffee, but the extra cost is worth it. It is a fact that there are many shelf brands of decaffeinated coffee available but genuine coffee lovers will find more satisfaction in the beans that have been carefully processed exclusively for decaf lovers.

Samehta is a Copywriter of Flavored coffee, flavored tea.She written many articles in various topics such as decaffeinated flavored coffee. For more information visit: http://capellaflavordrops.com.

Author: Samehtas S Capellas
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Gourmet coffee is the latest craze, and if you have ever sipped a premium gourmet cup of Joe, then I am sure that you know why. Gourmet coffee is primarily made of Arabica coffee beans, which are the higher-quality choice in coffee beans on the market. Gourmet coffee is also often called specialty coffee, and you will find it crafted by a variety of roasters, including artisan roasters and micro-roasters.

To find out more about how gourmet coffee is made, it is important to note the roasting process. The longer that your coffee beans are roasted, the darker they will become in color. The long roasting process will also cause a higher shrink rate, meaning that it will take more of the coffee beans to make 1 pound. This does vary depending on whether or not it is a light or dark roast.

A light roast is roasted for a shorter period of time, so it will not be as dark, and it will not shrink as much. A darker roast will be roasted for a longer period of time to develop smokier and deeper flavors, so the beans will shrink more as a result. Therefore, if you have a dark roasted gourmet coffee, then it will take more coffee beans to make a pound. When gourmet coffee is roasted, it will normally shrink 20%, and a darker roast can shrink as much as 25%. Lightly roasted coffees have the potential to shrink up to 11% during the roasting process.

In truth, most specialty coffee is under roasted to cut costs in production. Gourmet coffee sales have shown that many customers do prefer fully roasted coffee, but many roasters still do under roast their coffee beans to save money in the process. When coffee is being roasted, it does have an optimum degree to which it is roasted, which will bring out the best characteristics and flavor profile for each individual coffee bean. This is the part of the process that will offer you the best taste and aroma, so it is an important aspect of roasting.

You will be able to tell if your coffee is under roasted because it will have a flat and green flavor with astringent undertones. If your coffee is over roasted, then it will taste more burnt and smoky as a result. When a specialty coffee is over roasted, it also has the detrimental effect of losing all of its unique flavors from the region that it came from. Any coffee connoisseur will be able to tell you the specific flavor characteristics of a coffee based on the region in which it was grown in, but when a gourmet coffee is over roasted, then the ashy and charcoal flavors will overpower those unique flavor characteristics so that it is difficult to set apart.

For the best tasting specialty coffee, take the time to research the roaster so that you can trust that your coffee beans will be roasted to perfection. It truly is the only way to enjoy a delicious gourmet cup of Joe!

For the widest variety of Bodum French Presses, check out Mark Ramos’ website, The Coffee Bump.

Author: Mark Ramos
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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