Coffee

If you want to save money on your coffee habit, buy it directly from the source. By this, I mean you should think about buying coffee direct from the roaster company yourself. If you’re like a lot of true coffee aficionados you don’t want a middleman (supermarket or other store) coming between you and your java habit, after all. 

Real coffee lovers tend to feel this way, and here’s why: Coffee beans generally hit their maximum peak of flavor right after they’re roasted. Now, once the roasting process has occurred the “flavor clock” begins counting down, so you should find and buy your coffee beans quickly. Quickly, that is, if you want to experience what truly fine coffee tastes like. Don’t worry about it if coffee’s not all that big a deal to you, rookie.
 
Face it; many folks only really get to taste supermarket coffee, for the most part. We buy ground roast in a bag, but we’re usually not aware that those beans were roasted and ground several weeks or even months back. In this regard, chances are good that at least some of the flavor will have been lost. As evidence of this, note how flavorful the aroma of a freshly-opened can seems and then note how it will lessen over time as you open, close and then reopen the can again and again.
 
It’s always my recommendation that the middleman be cut out, if you’re really into good coffee. Buy coffee direct, and do a bit of research – by taste testing numerous coffee types – to see what you actually like. There are many different coffees available for purchase, too. Dark coffee, light coffee, coffee blends…they’re all at your fingertips, right online. 
 
So power up the computer and then do a search for your favorite coffee. Are you into Kona coffee, maybe? Then go to a search engine and plug in a query for the nearest distributor and order it from that source. Some coffees can be fairly uncommon on local store shelves, so chances are you’re going to have to have it shipped in. Genuine Hawaii coffees or even Jamaica Blue Mountain blends are like that, as a matter of fact. In that case, your java habit will rely on overnight shipping, mainly.
 
Here’s a piece of good news when it comes to buying coffee direct: Prices are very reasonable. In fact, you can buy your favorite blends direct from the distributor or roaster and save substantial money. Picture being able to purchase gourmet coffee for far less than you’d pay at your supermarket. For the biggest price savings, you’ll need to buy from 10 to 25 pounds of coffee to see the most savings.
 
For most coffee enthusiasts (read: freaks), this isn’t a problem at all. Many lovers of the golden roasted nectar known as coffee drink about 4 cups a day with no sweat, and they’d love to drink more if they could get away with it, nerves-wise. So if coffee is really your thing, and you adore the smell and taste of it, consider buying coffee direct from the source and you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised at the results.

T. W. Guerra, retired military officer and current freelance author and writer, busily writes and comments on many issues (coffee being one of them) at over 15 personal blogs and websites, which leads us to wonder how he has time to do anything else in his life. You can find his musings on coffee — which is something he knows about, having served over two decades in the U.S. Navy (which has an obsession with “lifer juice”) — at http://coffeefreaks.org

Author: T. W. Guerra
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The flavor of the coffee bean starts with the plant and the climate where it is grown. But what happens to the bean from picking until it is poured into your cup also has a lot to do with the flavor and the extent that you enjoy the end result or experience disappointment.

Roasting – What it Does

Roasting the coffee beans brings out the vibrant flavor of the beans. The heat from the process causes the coffee bean’s carbohydrates and fats to transform into aromatic oils. Roasting changes the flavor of the beans from something that is unpleasant into the wonderful coffee flavor that millions of people around the world enjoy every day.

There are also different roasting times that coffee beans experience. Each produces a different type of coffee. Light roast produces a light flavor, medium roast is sweeter and more full-bodied, and dark roast produces a deep taste that is fairly spicy and sweet.

The longest roasting time produces the really dark coffee. In those beans the natural sugar content of the beans will start to carbonize and caramelize, resulting in a smoky and full flavor.

Buying the Best Coffee Beans

Most coffee plants rely on the climate of the region where they are planted, and this produces the distinctive flavor found in the coffee cherries. For the very best beans, buy arabica coffee that is considered gourmet. Robusta beans have more caffeine, less flavor and are cheaper to make.

Your Own Coffee Grinder – A Must

People who want the best flavor in their coffee use coffee grinders. If you’d like to get the most flavor and nutritional benefit you can, buy whole coffee beans and grind your own as you use them. In order to enjoy the full flavor of the coffee, you should grind only the amount you intend to use just before brewing.

Keeping the Coffee Beans Fresh

For the best flavor you should purchase whole coffee beans from specialty shops only. After making your purchase, the whole beans should be used within a week of purchase in order to enjoy the full flavor of the coffee. Coffee beans are like sponges, soaking up the flavor of anything in their environment, which is why you want to make sure they are sealed in a air-tight container and used up within seven to ten days.

Coffee drinkers also advise against buying pre-ground coffee since pre-grinding diminishes the coffee flavor and aroma. By purchasing whole beans, grinding the fresh coffee beans and making only enough that you will drink immediately you are preparing a beautiful, intense flavor and aroma.

It wasn’t long ago that people had to depend on percolators and ground coffee. Hardly anyone had their own grinder, and few people had their own percolator. Percolators were for the church potluck or the local coffee shop.

Today we are spoiled to have available the best coffee beans for a reasonable price. In many kitchens there is a roaster, or at least a grinder and coffee maker, and often an espresso machine. This is a great time in history for coffee lovers everywhere.

Carol Stack has written numerous articles about coffee and coffee-related topics. She lives in the United States with her husband, three children, and various dogs and cats. Carol and her sister Barbara have a coffee site devoted to coffee lovers who are searching for a better cup of coffee. You can visit it at: http://www.coffeeloversportal.com

Author: Carol Stack
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Do you love coffee? Most of us do. In this article we will provide you with 6 recipes to enjoy your coffee a different way. We hope you enjoy it.

Irish Coffee

• 1 teapsoon of suger
• 1 jigger of Bushmills Irish Whiskey
• 2/3 cup of coffee or flavored Irish Creme coffee
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream, lightly whipped

Prehead the glass with hot water. Dump the water out and add the hot coffee with the teaspoon of suger and stir. Add the jigger of whiskey, and top with the whipping cream. Dark coffee’s are best for this recipe.

Spiced Orange Coffee

• 1 teaspoon fresh, grated orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 whole cloves
• Regular amount of your usual coffee or try Swiss Chocolate Orange flavored coffee

Add the above ingredients together and brew as normal. Place a slice of orange at the bottom or your cup. Pour in coffee and add suger and cream to taste. Top with whipping cream and sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon if so desired.

Mint Cocoa Coffee

• 1 ounce of chocolate mint liquear
• Dash of shaved chocolate
• Whipping cream (optional)
• Regular coffee or try Dutch Chocolate Decaf flavored coffee

Brew your regular coffee, add the 1 ounce of liquear into your cup. Add some whipping cream if desired and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Coffee Milkshakes

• 1 pint of coffee ice cream
• 2 teaspoons finely ground coffee
• 1/2 cup light rum (optional)
• 4 to 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
• Instant coffee powder

Spoon coffee ice cream into blender. Add rum and finely ground coffee. Blend on high until creamy smooth. Pour into tall glasses, adding a scoop of the vanilla ice cream to each glass. Sprinkle lightly with instant coffee powder.

Frosty Mochas

• 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
• 1 pint of vanilla ice cream, softenend
• 6 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
• 1 cup prepared cold coffee

Blend hot coffee and chocolate syrup in blender. Blend until smooth. Cool the mixture to room temperature. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the softened ice cream and cold coffee. With a rotary beater, beat until smooth. Spoon into tall glasses and serve immediately.

Nogged Coffee

• 1 cup of coffee or try Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee
• 1 egg yoke
• 1/2 cup of cream
• Dash of nutmeg

Beat the suger and egg yoke together. Place cream in a saucepan and heat over low setting, do not burn. Wisk the egg mixture into the warmed cream, heat until hot. Add coffee to mugs and top with the cream mixture. Garnish the coffee with nutmeg.

About The Author

Feel free to use this article, please leave this resource box attached.

This article was created for Beans and Bears offering some of the finest coffee available.

Visit the website today at http://www.beansandbears.com

Writer: Merrie Schonbach [http://www.merriesintent.com] 7/03

merries@comcast.net

Author: Merrie Schonbach
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning, stumbling to the kitchen and finding your favourite coffee brewed and waiting for you. Of all the drinks in the world, coffee seems to have universal appeal. But if you have ever travelled you quickly discovered that one person’s coffee can be quite different from another’s.

A World Wide Business–Coffee Types

Coffee is grown on five different continents and dozens of countries around the world. There are coffee plantations in Columbia and much of South America. There are hundreds of plantations in Africa. The growing region expands to the east and west including the West Indies, Sumatra, and Java.

All of the coffee growing regions are in tropical zones within 30 degrees or so of the Equator. While all coffee grows in bean form, there are different types or varieties of coffee plants, hence the many different coffee types.

Roasting and Brewing

Although plant variety can affect the taste of coffee, the way it is handled following harvesting has a great deal to do with the flavour as well.

Some coffee beans are naturally roasted. These generally produce the darker and bitterer tasting coffees. The sun does the roasting and then the grinding and brewing take care of the rest of the flavourful attributes.

There are many different recipes for a great cup of coffee and variations on how they are served. The cooking methods require specific kitchen gadgetry to help make the best rated coffees.

>From Coffee Makers to Cappuccino and Espresso

There are different types of cappuccino, espresso and coffee makers on the market. Each of these appliances is designed to make specific coffee types. Cappuccino is a rich, dark coffee whose recipe originated in Italy. It is a milder version of Espresso, but not as light as “city” coffee.

Espresso is made by high heat and pressure which produces a thicker and more potent cup of coffee.

This is usually served in much smaller cups and quantities because of how strong it is.

Electric machines are making their way from the restaurant into many home kitchens. The cleaning and care including the job to decalcify are made easier by the popularity of stainless steel appliances. There are coffee makers also that do all of the jobs of creating the perfect mug of coffee right on your counter top and even while you sleep. The grind and brew combination machines are the ideal way to get the freshest cup of coffee possible.

Decaf and coffee types that contain caffeine can be equally as appealing to the taste buds. An important fact to remember is that just because a coffee type taste strong, it does not necessarily contain more caffeine. On the other hand, a decaf cup of coffee will taste and smell just as good, but without the health concern of having too much caffeine. The process with all of the new recipes available at coffee shops, restaurants and even at home, it is possible for anyone to make the best rated coffee around. This includes caffeine and decaf varieties.

About The Author
Peter Mason publishes many news and information to the news section of http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com. Within his publication Peter is publishing from coffee makers http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com/coffee-makers.html to cappuccino machines and other areas in this field.

Author: Peter Mason
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee lovers enjoy receiving gourmet coffee gifts no matter what time of the year. All too often people automatically think of flavored coffee, but to the coffee enthusiast a gourmet coffee gift can be so much more than a flavored coffee. In fact, some coffee aficionados consider adding flavor to coffee a no-no and would rather have a deep dark coffee.

To help you in your quest for gourmet coffee gifts try thinking outside the norm and you can come up with some great ideas. Your coffee loving friends are sure to thank you.

Gourmet Ideas

Starbucks gift cards or gift cards for any coffee shop like Dunkin Donuts make great gifts for the coffee lover. They are versatile in that they allow the user to purchase coffee, espresso or even a sweet treat. Gift card are available in any amount and can usually be refilled by the recipient if they want to keep using it.

Personalized thermal coffee mugs are another great gift for the coffee lover on your list. You can find mugs that they can personalize themselves or you can gather up pictures and have one personalized for them. These are available at coffee shops and online anytime of the year.

A French Press makes a unique and interesting gourmet coffee gift. With a French Press the coffee lover can make a single cup of exquisite coffee in no time. They typically come with a double insulated mug and are dishwasher safe. Some coffee experts argue that there is no better cup of coffee than that made in a French Press.

Along the same lines, you can purchase a stove top espresso pot. These wonderfully convenient pots make one to two servings of piping hot espresso at a time. Available for about $25 they make wonderful gifts that keep giving all year long. Your recipient will be able to make espressos or coffee based drinks anytime they want.

If your coffee loving friend happens to work in an office you can get them a coffee mug hot plate. This handy gadget keeps their mug of coffee piping hot and ready to drink for as long as they leave it on.

A pricier gift but worth it for a true coffee lover would be a coffee roaster. These are relatively new to the market but are becoming more and more popular. They can roast their coffee beans to suit their individual taste buds.

Along the lines of individual taste buds is the one cup at a time coffee makers. These great coffee makers use individual coffee pods that are available in a variety of flavors and roasts. Everyone in the family can brew their own individual cup of coffee just the way they want it.

Coffee club memberships are another hot item that is growing in popularity in the coffee world and it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Usually available in 3, 6, or 12 month increments, coffee club memberships are a wonderful way to give a variety of gifts all at one time.

Coffee grinders are also another great gift idea for coffee lovers. With so many wonderful coffee beans to choose from these days, a coffee grinder is almost a necessity. Choose one that is heavy duty and will last a long time.

With the wide variety of gourmet coffee gifts available on the market today, your coffee loving friend doesn’t’ have to receive the same gift basket that you sent last year. With so many unique items to choose from you just might find yourself putting together your own gift basket to send.

Sharon V Chapman writes on the joys of coffee and provides information on gourmet coffee gifts for Gourmet Coffee Guide – http://gourmet-coffee-guide.info

Author: Sharon V Chapman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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