Coffee

When I think of “coffee beans”, instantly I think of the coffee industry’s biggest heavy hitters like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts to name a few. My senses are aroused with thoughts of a hot, steamy and rich cup of java. The strong intoxicating exotic smell and distinct taste of a good cup of coffee is appreciated many people the world over and has been for many, many years.

Coffee was first discovered and consumed around the 9th century in the highlands of Ethiopia. After being introduced, coffee consumption spread quickly to the Muslim world followed by Europe and later the Americas. The history of coffee that followed after has certainly been interesting and controversial. Coffee in earlier years has been associated with religious ceremonies in Africa and Yemen as well as being associated with rebellious political groups in Europe. The cultivation of the coffee bean has caused much debatable conversation in the past due to certain medical effects and conditions that have been disputed many times over throughout the years.

A coffee bean is the seed of a coffee plant. Coffee beans contain endosperms that contain caffeine. Once the coffee seeds have been removed from the plant, the seeds are roasted and this process causes several physical and chemical changes. The coffee bean is then brewed to create the ever popular product and beverage known as coffee.

Coffee is one of the world’s largest traded commodities after oil. The coffee bean is a primary source of income for many third world countries mainly African countries and much of Central American countries. Coffee beans from different countries have different characteristics such as flavor, aroma and body, such as the well known coffee originating from Colombia as an example.

Brazil is the largest coffee exporting country and in recent years Vietnam has inched in at a close second. The legendary Colombian coffee is rated third largest in export.

In our modern society of recent times there are many different variations and presentations of the coffee beverage. There is the common brewed and roasted hot cup of coffee, the espresso, café latte, cappuccino, café macchiato and the iced coffee served cold. To match so many variations of the coffee bean, the marketing distribution of coffee has many unique creative forms aside from the traditional self brewed method. The roasted coffee bean can be distributed as instant coffee, freeze dried, canned coffee and coffee is being sold right out of vending machines.

Yaser Dorri, an American scientist, has proposed that the smell of coffee can restore and increase appetite. Our civilized society may want to reconsider our much anticipated ritual of an after dinner coffee. Our evolving society may want to possibly embrace the thought of coffee as what it truly is a stimulant that if going to be incorporated in your daily dietary consumption should be best utilized in conjunction with a healthy and positive needed acceleration and or stimulant in your body’s system and process. Simply put; coffee before dinner would be more logical and practical. Coffee as a stimuli at night is not favorable unless intentional. Remember with any consumption; being responsible and moderate will always keep you safe and healthy.

Tania Penwell provides information on coffee beans and other java related topics for Coffee Xpert – your online guide to coffee.

Author: Tania Penwell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There has never been a better time for coffee in the USA than today. This is an incredible feat when measured against the ever-growing tea and bottled water markets, and, of course, the every-increasing soda market.

Many people believe the high consumption of coffee in the USA, more than one million people drinking at least 3.3 cups of joe per day, is greatly due to Starbucks’ meteoric rise in popularity. In the 1990s, Starbucks became a household name, and almost overnight it seemed that there was a Starbucks coffee shop on every corner. This, in turn, led other coffee lovers to give into their entrepreneurial streak and open their own coffeehouses, giving coffee consumers even more places to go to get their fix.

Suddenly, coffee in the USA wasn’t just a drink anymore–it was an experience. People who’d been drinking a couple of cups of black coffee a day at the office were drawn to coffeehouses of all types where they could experiment with new kinds of coffees and enjoy the homey, or in some cases, bohemian, coffee shop atmosphere at the same time.

And this, of course, led to those same folks wanting to recreate that oh, so special coffee experience at home. Demand for coffee makers, coffee roasters, coffee grinders, and other coffee preparation and brewing equipment skyrocketed. Manufacturers responded to this demand with hi-tech gadgetry and equipment certain to please coffee enthusiasts of all types.

Even major restaurant chains such as McDonalds, Burger King, and Dunkin Donuts are trying to cash in the coffee in the USA craze. For example, McDonalds started the McCafe where you can purchase different types of coffee and pastries much as you can at Starbucks, though the variety is not nearly as wide.

All of this is good news for coffee lovers in the USA. There’s a wider variety of coffee and specialty coffee available than ever before. Plus, there are far more places where you can get a great cup of coffee than there were, say, even ten years ago. And if you love grinding, roasting, and brewing your own coffee, you have so many choices in equipment that it just could make you dizzy trying to decide which to buy.

As with most things these days, the Internet plays an important role in the coffee in the USA craze. With a quick click of the mouse, you can find everything from fine Jamaican coffee to Hawaiian-grown Kona coffee to top-notch Colombian coffee. You can also easily find any type of coffee beans your heart desires, along with any coffee preparation equipment you want online, often at discount prices–and that can usually make most any cup of coffee in the USA, or anywhere else for that matter, taste even better.

Helping you find the perfect cup of coffee [http://www.online-coffee-stores.com]

Author: Shane Vicars
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There are plenty of coffee lovers out there who do not only appreciate coffee in the morning, but all day and into the evening. Coffee can be a great after dinner drink. However, drinking coffee later in the day can prove to be difficult to some people. The caffeine can disrupt people’s sleep patterns. It all depends on the specifics about how coffee affects the system. This is where the decaffeinated coffee comes in. Decaffeinated coffee is a great way to enjoy the taste of coffee without the consequences of the caffeine. Coffee should be enjoyed whenever possible by the people who love it without any negative consequences. Sleep can definitely be a very important aspect of people’s lives and no one wants to choose between sleep and their love of coffee. Anyone who is sensitive to caffeine should definitely try decaf coffee to see if it works for them.

Sometimes when people run out of decaffeinated coffee in the evening, they have a favorite place to get their fix from. A common place is Dunkin Donuts. Their decaffeinated coffee tastes like caffeinated coffee. There is no difference detected. In fact, decaffeinated iced coffee is also popular during the hot nights of the summer time. It is an excellent treat to cool down, get your coffee fix, and not lose any sleep.

Caffeine can be described as a natural molecule found in the coffee bean. Removing the caffeine from the coffee can be done in two different ways. There is a chemical process and there is a water process. The water process is a natural way of removing the caffeine from the coffee. It is a process that happens to the full bean not to the ground. Decaf coffee can be sold in both bean and grind form and therefore removing the caffeine from the coffee is not done in the liquid process. No matter how the caffeine is removed, it is still an excellent solution for the coffee lovers of the world who do not wish to have sleepless nights. Decaffeinated coffee can come in the same tastes and flavors as the caffeinated coffee because the process does not alter the taste of the bean in any way.

Coffee shops are usually very careful about making sure that their decaf coffee is brewed in different machines and served in different carafes to ensure that caffeine is not accidentally added to the coffee. To ensure that the coffee remains decaf, the best way is to always keep decaf coffee in the house or kitchen. This way, the coffee is made by you and you are aware of whether caffeinated coffee got mixed with it in the coffee maker. The other worry is that when someone wants caffeinated coffee that they will accidentally get decaf and therefore not get the kick they need from it. Regardless of caf or decaf, coffee is loved by many and should be available any time of the day or night.

Peter Wilson writes at large for http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com , a web publication about quality coffee makers , coffee makers and other subjects. You might find out more about his articles on coffee makers and coffee maker over at http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com .

Author: Peter I. Wilson
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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1. Coffee beans from many of the popular local coffee shops are just plain bitter and over roasted. Darker doesn’t necessarily mean better, many times just bitter.

Don’t believe me? Just ask Consumer Reports. In February 2007, a panel of trained testers put a cup of Starbucks up against some STRONG competition: McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Burger King. McDonald’s wins with their Premium Roast being labeled ‘cheapest and best.’ Starbucks finishes dead last after being judged as “strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open.” I guess most expensive doesn’t always mean best.

2. Save money. More than you realize. Really!

On average, a cup at a shop is going to run you about two bucks. Two cups a day, 6 days a week(let’s pretend your religion doesn’t allow you to drink coffee on Sundays) comes to nearly $1250 a year! Now suppose you’re a college kid spending the money from student loans that will accrue interest over the next 20 years. I don’t even want to go there(no one told me about this when I was going to college.) Brew your own and put that 4 bucks a day into a compound interest savings, and you’ll have a balance of over $55,000 by the time you’re 40. Try it out for yourself: Interestcalculator.turbo-traffic.com

3. Two bucks for a supposedly “TALL” cup of coffee? (and just by what standards do they consider what they serve “TALL”?)

An average pound of gourmet coffee beans runs anywhere from around $10 to about $20. The average home brewer can make around 10 pots of coffee from a single pound of gourmet coffee beans, which in turn should give you around 10 cups of coffee for each pot. That’s 100 6 oz. cups of coffee from one pound of coffee beans. Ok, now what does that mean? Coffee chains are making astounding profits from every pound of beans they roast, grind and sell. Makes you want to go into the coffee business doesn’t it? Ok. So brew at home, and you end up paying about 10 to 25 CENTS per cup of coffee. Brew at home and even the most expensive, rare coffee you can find (such as the Kopi Luwak bean) and it’ll still only cost you under 4 bucks for a 12 oz. cup. (by the way, if you don’t know where Kopi Lowak comes from, I won’t tell you about that now. I don’t want to be the ‘butt’ end of a joke, especially one that will run you around $150-$180 per pound!) This all sounds much better to me, doesn’t it to you, too? And guess what? It will all TASTE MUCH MUCH BETTER!

4. Shouldn’t most people want FRESH coffee?

Coffee bean’s two greatest enemies are air and moisture. How long has that cup of java been sitting there warming before you get it? The only way to know you’re truly getting fresh ground coffee is to buy the beans online where they are roasted and shipped the same day and grind yourself. It is best to buy fresh-roasted gourmet coffee beans in amounts that you will use within 7 to 10 days. I personally recommend grinding only what you need and storing the rest of the whole beans in an airtight container. I used to think storing the remaining coffee beans in the freezer or fridge was best to keep them fresh. I discovered the worst thing for beans is any extreme temperature, or exposure to air, light, moisture or strong odors.

5. Impress your date with your homemade brew!

Ok, coffee may not be the best thing to sip before that first good-night kiss, but the knowledge you can share about how you made the perfect cup of joe can be perfect first date conversation! Imagine what might happen if you tell her that you even roasted your own beans? Just make sure to make a prior investment in a good sugarless gum or mint to follow up the cupping(the coffee tasting…what were you thinking?)

6. It really doesn’t make you cooler than you already are.

Ok. Call me crazy, but do you think that a large portion of those that are hooked on Starbucks could possibly just be hooked on the pretentiousness associated with the whole idea of being a coffee drinker? That might upset a few people, but we’re being honest here, right? Forget what people think and just make your own. Drink what tastes best to you, period. Then, create a fancy label with your logo and slap it on the side of your coffee cup. You’ll be impressed with your own branding. Hey, you own the company, right? And no one has to repeat back to you what you just ordered…unless you just want to stand in the mirror and impress yourself.

7. Grinding, brewing, even roasting your own coffee can be fun.

The investments you make in the beginning in coffee equipment(whatever matches your budget) can last you a lifetime and become quite a great hobby. People LOVE to talk about coffee(especially the Kopi Lowak I’ve found.) Just how much can you go into depth about how they poured and served you that last cup of coffee at Starbucks. That story might last you all of say…30 seconds? Learning about the history of coffee can lead to great conversations with friends, family, or even to share to the world in an article like this!

8. No waiting in line.

The only waiting you’ll be doing is when you’re grinding and brewing. But then, you’ll be grinding and brewing, so that’s not really considered waiting is it?

9. Conserve energy, help fight global warming, and support charities.

Ok, grinding and brewing your own coffee at home probably won’t achieve any of these things, but you should do them anyway. I just wanted to mention that.

10. Did I mention it will TASTE BETTER?

I guarantee it! If you’re not completely amazed with the difference you’ll see between you’re own freshly ground and brewed coffee and the bitter, awful stuff you’ll be exposed to commercially, I will…well, I’ll be really shocked. And sad. And probably feel really bad. But I’d feel worse if I had to start drinking bitter coffee, so now I feel so better again. Really though, I think you’ll be glad you did. I personally recommend trying Kona blend gourmet coffee beans. I absolutely love pure Kona coffee, but it’s a bit expensive, and a Kona blend still gives you a great taste that’s easily affordable. Then pick up the best coffee maker you can afford and enjoy!

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William Thompson has been working as an artist for most of his life. Working many late nights drinking coffee to stay awake motivated him to find another source of income, the perfect work at home eBay Affiliate Business Building Niche eBay Affiliate websites proved to be a success, so he found a team and built a monthly membership niche website builder for anyone to earn affiliate income from home.

Author: Will Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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