Coffee

Though I have never been a coffee drinker, I love the smell of it brewing in the morning. I guess it is because I have happy memories as a child and I knew the smell of coffee meant my mother was up and we were going to have one of her wonderful breakfasts or that we were at my grandmother’s house and we were going to have one of her wonderful breakfasts. My grandmother always had a pot of coffee on the stove for visitors – and a homemade apple pie – and there was always someone at the house visiting!

People have been enjoying the benefits of coffee for over fifteen hundred years. Originating from the Kaffa, Buno, and Ethiopia areas, the main center of production was the port city of Mocha, Yemen, where it was served to Italian merchants and then spread to Europe in the 1600′s. Little did the Turks know that they were serving what would become one of the most popular drinks in history. Coffee houses began ‘brewing’ all over North American in 1668 in towns such as Boston, New York and Philadelphia. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans drink on the average of more than eight ounces of coffee a day.

The benefits of coffee are astounding. Coffee is extremely high in antioxidants (substances that slow down or prevent oxidative damage to our cells and bodies and act as free radical scavengers). In Harvard Health Publication, studies have shown coffee in moderation can reduce the risk of developing gall stones, colon cancer, liver damage, Parkinson’s disease, improve endurance performance in physical activities and cognitive function.

It is recommended that coffee be consumed in moderation since it is a stimulant. Too much coffee or anything for that matter, can do more harm than good, so limit consumption to no more than two cups a day. Over consumption of coffee can cause anxiety or panic attacks and in some cases increase the risk of heart disease in some people. If you find that you are jittery or nervous after drinking coffee, cut back.

The key to brewing a good cup of coffee is to grind good quality fresh beans yourself. As soon as the beans are ground, precious oils that make your coffee taste great are lost. Just imagine how great your coffee will taste from freshly ground beans. A coffee grinder is used for this purpose and a must if you really want a good cup of coffee. I am going to add a personal note here about coffee grinders. I have one and use mine to grind nuts and seeds to make a coating for food instead of breadcrumbs. I grind almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, mix them together with paprika, herbs, a little salt and pepper. This makes a grand coating for salmon cakes or chicken and fish. Then I pan sear, and serve with a mayonnaise, lemon, garlic, and horseradish sauce. Yum. 

I have also used mine to grind herbs if I want them really fine. If you wish to use a coffee grinder for other things, it is best to purchase two – one for coffee and one for grinding nuts, seeds and herbs. Purchase high quality beans, of course choosing the type of bean for a particular flavor is up to you. If your water is poor quality, use filtered or spring water to make your coffee taste even better.   Also consider organic coffee and experiment with different flavor beans to find your favorite. Our parents used to let us have a small amount of coffee when we were kids. They called it coffee milk and it consisted of coffee, pure cream – more cream than coffee and sugar. That was a real treat.

Safe Home Sue is a product specialist for Safe Home Products(R). Safe Home Products, Inc. is a growing e-commerce reseller of consumer products that improve safety, security, health and quality of life. Established in 1999 as a woman-owned business, Safe Home Products serves over 100,000 clients worldwide from its customer service and fulfillment headquarters in Iowa City, Iowa. Safe Home Products offers over 10,000 products including carbon monoxide and radon detectors, emergency preparedness equipment, environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies, pet products, pest control solutions, and home medical equipment. They ship to all 50 states and U.S. territories and to most countries.

Author: Sue Wes
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: WordPress plugin Guest Blogger

With so many wide and varied coffee producing regions throughout the world it is hard to know what to expect when you buy a coffee from these places. Some of regions rely on small independent farmers to produce the coffee other regions are run by the multinational companies. We are well aware of how famous Java is in the world of coffee, it has now become a second name for coffee. But there a many less well known regions that are producing some of the most outstanding coffee in the world, These beans get their unique flavours and aromas from the way they are grown and processed, for instance some regions in the Americas grown their coffee in the shade, while other prefer their beans to be grown on the slopes of mountains. To name and describe ever region of coffee producing world would take a little longer than I can afford, but they can be broken down into the main regions so you get a general overview of what to expect of the coffees from these regions.

The Americas.

The largest and most diverse of all the regions, coffee is produced from the Caribbean all the way through south and central America and as far as Hawaii. Most of these coffees can be described as having a well balance and medium bodied flavours, because of these characteristics many of the coffees from the Americas are perfect from bending with other strong more acidic coffee verities. Some other well known characteristics of these coffees are chocolaty and nutty tones. Probably the most famous of all the American coffee’s are the kona coffee produced on the slopes of the volcanic Hawaiian mountains and the blue mountain coffee of Jamaica which is the highest mountain in the Caribbean.

Africa and the Middles East.

With Ethiopia being the birth place of coffee Africa has a long history with the Coffee bean and some of the most famous coffees have their origin in African and the Middle East, Mocha Coffee got it’s name from a port in Yemen. Coffee from these regions will always remain popular with each region having its own unique flavours and aromas and this is mostly down to the wide variety of climates from the desert like regions of the Middle East to the tropical regions of the Cameroon and Kenya. Even though there are many different varieties of African coffee you are always assured of a wonderful cup of coffee.

Asia And Indonesia

Almost 75% of all the coffee beans produced in this region come from the Canephora plant, with the remainder produced from the Arabica plant, The tropical and sub-tropical climates of these regions make the ideal conditions for growing some of the world’s finest coffee beans. In general these coffees are low in acidity with a full body and distinctive aromatic flavours of earthy tones. Because the beans are low in acidity with a strong body they are often used in a blend with a milder coffee usually from Africa or the Americas. Some of the most well loved of all the Asian coffee’s are the monsooned malabar coffee produced in India. This is one of the most unique coffees in the world as the beans are left in open sheds though out the monsoon season. This imparts a wonderful unique flavour to the beans. Another famous coffee is Kapal Api which produced on the Indonesian island of Java and in the past 80 it has grown to be a world famous brand.

As you can see that the choice and variety of coffee today is endless, and if you decide to roast your own green Coffee beans not only will have the freshest cup of coffee imaginable but you can also begin to experiment with different blends of coffee from around the world.

Author: Robert T Jones
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Retirement plan

Do coffee drinkers perceive a difference between single origin coffee versus blended coffee? A scientific study was conducted by the University of Padova in collaboration with the Tasters Study Centre in order to provide a definitive answer to this question. In order to determine whether coffee drinkers can perceive a difference between single origin and blend, 350 taste tests were made at Padova according to standards established by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters coffee shop supplies. Among the contending coffees were a blend of Arabica coffees with seven ingredients of four different origins (namely Haiti XXXXX, Colombia Armenia Supremo, Ethiopia Sidamo, and Santo Domingo Barahona Toral AA). The group of tasters was half male and half female, age range between eighteen and sixty-four. The tasters were able to distinguish the blended coffee from the single origin coffee, preferring the blended coffee, in a way which is statistically significant. The study notes that coffee drinking has evolved as an art, with drinkers becoming more sophisticated in their tastes and at the same time fussier. This has caused a boom in coffee menus at restaurants, new niches in the coffee shop and bar sector, and selections of coffee type based upon sensory pleasure. Coffee roasters have also noticed the increased attentiveness and curiosity of coffee drinkers. Our society is increasingly producing people who are knowledgeable about taste and who are seeking new sensory experience. Brand loyalty doesn’t mean as much to these consumers as does qualitative excellence. The fact that tasters preferred the blend shows that roasters are very good at selecting coffees from distinct locations and bringing out the best characteristics of each in creating an unbeatable blend.

There are already many restaurants and bars which specialize in single origin coffee and supplies. Often the choice espressos change on a monthly basis, alternating between Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, etc. It is thought that consumer curiosity about single origin coffees is sparked by the ideas these places are connected with, rather than to genuine nuances in tastes. In the first place, the term “single origin” connotes a homogeneity of product which is not there. When consumers read the word “Brazil” on a bag of coffee they believe that all the coffee bearing that name is basically identical, which is not at all true. An example of a successful single origin marketing vision is Evancaffe, which introduced its menu of gourmet coffees into topnotch restaurants. In the beginning the clients were wary; but interest in single origin coffee has grown with the years. This was helped along by the enthusiasm of the proprietors and the maitres who ran the restaurants to promote single origin coffees.

Interest level varies with nation – in Italy it is noticeable that while there is a large interest in single origin coffees among the coffee drinking public, nonetheless restaurants and commercial coffee suppliers don’t seem to respond. At the present time single origin coffees are very much a small niche in the total volume of coffee marketed worldwide, but one that is bound to grow.

Commercial coffee suppliers should take note of the increasing interest in single origin coffee and supplies among knowledgeable consumers. Coffee shop supplies in the future will be geared more and more to single origin coffees.

Author: Alice Lane
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Canada duty

Where did coffee originate? Coffee lovers around the world today may be numbering in the millions, but only a small number could be fully aware on the beginnings of this well-loved beverage. The history of coffee is definitely as rich as its flavor, spanning numerous centuries and dating as far back as 6th century A.D.

The oldest coffee legend

In the 6th century AD, farmers from Yemen were already growing coffee cherries. According to legend, a goat herder in Ethiopia was bewildered to discover that his goats were showing inexplicable energy after consuming a particular kind of cherries. After this goat herder tried the berries for himself and found that he too felt a surge of energy, Muslims discovered a way to extract the brew from the cherries, transforming the beans into a heady beverage. Thus, coffee became a secret beverage of the Muslims for a while, revitalizing them even during lengthy periods of worship. When 900 AD came round, coffee was already commonplace in the entire region of Arabia. From this period until 1500 AD, coffee farming practices were still a well-kept secret, although coffee beans were already exported to other places.

Coffee invasion in Europe

Before long however, Europeans found a way to bring coffee seedlings into their own lands. By 1615, merchants from Venice were able to bootleg a coffee plant out of the Yemen borders and into Europe. This time, coffee was used for its therapeutic purposes, being sold both as a drink and as a health remedy. When the Dutch got hold of the Ethiopian territory, they were able to bring coffee plants into Holland.

When it was discovered that Holland’s climate was not conducive to coffee farming, the Dutch brought the plants to other regions. When the first coffee shop opened its doors to the public in Oxford, England by the year 1650, women were forbidden to enter the shops. It was only three years later, when a teahouse was opened, that women found a place to converge.

The love story behind coffee Arabica

A Brazilian coast guard officer found two things he loved when he visited Cayenne in French Guyana in 1727: one, the coffee and two, the Governor’s wife. It was this affection that led him to acquire a few seeds which he took back to Brazil, initiating the Arabica coffee variety production in the country. Brazil eventually became the world’s largest coffee producer in 1800.

Afterwards, coffee traveled from country to country, spreading its popularity as a principal beverage of choice. The British introduced coffee to Jamaica in 1730. In 1774, Americans expressed a predilection for coffee during the Boston Tea Party, as a sign that they are replacing tea with coffee, due to the exorbitant taxes levied on tea trading. Costa Rica acquired coffee from Cuba, and this eventually spread to Mexico. The Island of Martinique cultivated coffee in the 1700s and Hawaii in 1825.

Present day coffee and coffee houses

Coffee houses are popular in Arabia; however they are as popular in Europe as well. From the 1600′s to the mid 1900s, coffee shops had already proliferated in Paris, reaching to approximately 3,000 in number. Presently, coffee is second to oil in terms of the most traded commodity worldwide.

Yogi Shinde is the webmaster offering coffee maker reviews on various brands of coffee makers like Braun, Krups, Mr Coffee and many others, helping you find the best coffee maker to suit your needs.

Author: Yogi Shinde
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Import duty tariff

There was a time when I thought all coffee was basically the same. Sure, you could add milk to it and get what people today call cafe latte, or make it strong and then it was espresso, or just use instant. In fact, instant was what I drank for many years. To me, that was coffee. I did keep some ground coffee for an old percolator I had, just in case guests might want it. Looking back, I truly did not know what I was missing. It wasn’t until a dear friend of mine rejected my stale, generic coffee. I thought he was a bit of a snob, but it made me think. I looked into coffee and it became an exploration and journey that opened up a whole new world for me, the world of delicious, delightful coffee. I learned to differentiate between types and blends and processing of coffee, of roasting and preparation, and of gourmet flavored coffee beans that can add so much to the enjoyment of this most wondrous of beverages.

Once I realized that instant coffee really wasn’t the real thing, no matter what the TV commercials said, I experimented with different ways of brewing coffee. I tried different types of automatic and semi-automatic coffeemakers. I fell in love with the simple elegance of the French press with its simple plunger system but also experimented with a variety of other systems. I initially bought coffee that was already ground, for no other reason than that I had unpleasant childhood memories of mom making me grind coffee beans in an old hand-powered mill. I hated it. However, I found that I was quite particular in the way I liked to have my coffee ground. It had to be just right, not too coarse and not too fine.

I also began to appreciate the many different types of gourmet coffee beans from all over the world. A lot of people still think that coffee is coffee, and it’s either black or with milk or cream, I think coffee is really more like wine-no two types and roasts are the same. After you’ve sampled imported coffee beans from various countries and regions, you begin to appreciate the subtle and not so subtle differences. Likewise, there’s a huge difference between light roasts and dark roasts. Did you know, for example, that lighter roasts actually have more caffeine, and that the way coffee is stored also makes a difference?

These days, coffee has become a hobby and passion for me. I love exploring various flavors. Yes, you can get toasted cinnamon pecan flavored coffee beans, or white chocolate, or raspberry almond, or pralines and cream. Or all sorts of Italian espresso. Or special private blends from specialty coffee places on the web. The Kona blend gourmet beans I get from my favorite place are out of this world. And when I feel adventurous I may sample coffees from Jamaica, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia or Costa Rica. Some of the Central and South American coffee growing countries offer delicious shade grown and organic coffee beans, and I also keep some decaffeinated blends for when I feel like having a cup at night before I go to bed.

Amazingly, gourmet flavored coffee beans aren’t even that expensive. The better supermarkets in my area actually often charge more per pound than the online gourmet discount coffee bean places, without having nearly the same selection and quality.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Gourmet Coffee Beans

Author: Chris Robertson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
US Dollar credit card