Coffee

You’ve probably heard the term “gourmet coffee”, but do you really know what makes some coffees gourmet while others aren’t? It all goes back to the coffee bean, which isn’t a bean at all. Instead, it’s a seed of the coffee plant. Coffee has been around in some form for at least the last thousand years. Legend has it that it was first discovered in Ethiopia and later spread throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. One of the first American settlers brought a plant to the new world to start a plantation. The people of the United States now consume more coffee than any other country, and the new, single-cup coffee makers are revolutionizing the way we make coffee.

The two main types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. Only ripe berries are used in gourmet coffees, because these are the berries that will have the best flavor. The beans are painstakingly hand-picked to make sure that only the ripe ones are chosen. Gourmet coffee is made of Arabica coffee beans that have been roasted long enough to get the oils flowing. That’s where all the taste is. The longer the beans are roasted, the deeper and richer the taste. Gourmet coffees utilize the best of these beans that have been roasted to perfection. The strength of the coffee being produced also depends on the size of the grind with finer grinds delivering darker coffee.

Different kinds of blends are mixed together per manufacturer recipes to achieve the different tastes. That’s why when you shop for gourmet coffee pods for your single cup coffee maker you’re able to find so many different blends to choose from. That’s what it means when companies offer you house blends, signature blends, organic blends, and the like. The companies producing the gourmet coffees have selected the finest coffee beans they can find, roasted them, put them through rigorous taste testing, and ended up with fine blends they can label gourmet.

When you purchase coffee pods for your 1 cup coffee maker, you expect to get the best of the best, and that’s what you’ll be paying for. Since the process of creating gourmet coffee is very labor intensive, from hand-picking to extended roasting time to the sampling of different blends, you pay premium prices for it; however, many people think the end result is well worth the expense.

Paul Julian writes about one of the coolest inventions ever, the single cup coffee maker, at http://www.CoffeePodsAndKcups.com.

Author: Paul Julian
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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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
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For the avid coffee lover, there is nothing like a quality burr coffee grinder. The freshest and best flavored coffee comes from freshly ground coffee beans. The aroma and freshness comes from the oil inside the bean. When freshly ground, the oils are very flavorful and aromatic.

A bladed coffee grinder cuts the bean in uneven pieces that get smaller the longer you run the grinder. A burr coffee grinder crushes the bean between a moving part and a non-moving part to get a consistent size of grounds.

The problem with a bladed coffee grinder is that the friction caused by cutting at high speeds, heats up the oils and sometimes, even burns it while grinding, giving the coffee a bitter or burnt taste. The inconsistent size of the grounds also affects the brewing process, where some of the flavor is not fully released and the essential oils are missing from the finer grounds.

The benefits of a quality burr coffee grinder is that not only does it not over-process by heating or burning the essential oils, but the grounds are consistently even, whether you prefer a course or fine grind. Because a burr coffee grinder runs at a slower speed, it does not overheat the coffee beans like a bladed coffee grinder does.

Burr coffee grinders can be adjusted for course or fine grounds, depending on the positioning of the burr or the metal discs that do the grinding. There are two types of burr coffee grinders-a wheel burr or a conical burr.

A Wheel Burr coffee grinder is the least expensive but they can be quite noisy and messy. The wheel spins very fast to grind the coffee, and they are more prone to clog than a conical burr coffee grinder.

The best type of coffee grinder is a Conical burr, although they will be more expensive than other grinders. The burr spins slower than the wheel type of grinder and they are quieter and don’t make as much of a mess. They are great for flavored coffees or oilier types of coffee beans and they clog less than any other model of coffee grinder.

The benefits of a quality burr coffee grinder is that they are built sturdy, and will last through the years. Burr coffee grinders carry different price tags, but the pricier models are leap and bounds above their competitors.

The conical burr coffee grinders allow you to control the fineness of the grind, which greatly enhances the ability to grind to the flavor that suits your taste. For coffee connoisseurs, the heftier price tag is well worth the enhanced flavor and a quality burr coffee grinder is a once in a lifetime investment.

The benefits of a quality burr coffee grinder are enhanced flavor, custom grinds that don’t give your coffee a bitter or burnt taste, like blade type coffee grinders. They are much quieter and less messy, and built sturdy for years of use. For those that love fresh tasting coffee, a quality burr coffee grinder is a must! For more information, visit the experts at http://www.BurrCoffeeGrind.com

Brian D. Hanson is the owner of http://www.BurrCoffeeGrind.com and an avid coffee junkie.

Author: Brian D. Hanson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee makers with built-in grinders give coffee lovers added freedom and choice when it comes to brewing their coffee dose.

First of all, a coffee maker with grinder means that you can buy your coffee beans and grind only as much as you need for the amount of coffee you want to brew. This means that your coffee will be fresher and your coffee stash with have a longer shelf life. Ground coffee begins losing flavor and aroma and freshness the moment it is opened.

Secondly, as you probably already know, the level of the grind impacts directly on the final coffee brew. You can choose to grind your coffee to the size that gives you the best brew. Moreover, some coffee making machines produce a different coffee depending on the size of the grind. Coffee machines all have their own unique preference for the size of grind. When you grind your own coffee you have complete control over the final product.

Advantages of a coffee maker with grinder

Typically the best machines are those that do one thing and do it good. So you will probably find that the best coffee is brewed by machines specifically designed to brew coffee and the best grind is typically produced by machines made specifically to grind coffee.

It is a fact that the more features a manufacturing company adds to a given device the lesser the machine can perform each function. So, study the market well, and seek out advice from friends and colleagues or salespeople you may trust. Also, read the reviews of products carefully. You’ll find them easily online.

There are advantages, however. If you are wanting to grind your own coffee, purchasing two separate machines will only take up more space on your kitchen bench. Also, it could end up being more expensive to buy two machines instead of one.

In the end, you will have to make a choice that balances quality versus economy, as you will ultimately get what you pay for.

A few facts about grinding your coffee

As mentioned above, when you grind your coffee you influence the final coffee brew. The machine you purchase will brew better if you grind your beans to the machine’s specifications. If your machine has a built-in-grinder then it will be much easier to grind the coffee to the best size for your machine.

In general, there are three sizes of coffee grind: coarse, medium and fine. Most grinders will be able to do more sizes, such as extra coarse and extra fine. Coarse is chunky coffee and fine is almost powdered coffee. Each grind size is meant to produce a specific coffee for a specific brew. The coffee maker with grinder that you finally choose to purchase will come with specific instructions on how to grind your coffee for the best results.

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When it comes to choosing a coffee maker, your first area of concern will be to determine what type of coffee you want. There are numerous types of coffee makers all for making different types of coffee. For example, you may choose to purchase an automatic drip method coffee maker. When using an automatic drip coffee maker you will be able to brew between 6-12 cups of coffee. They provide a full-bodied, rich fragrant coffee and are very aromatic. You will need to choose between very fine and regular ground coffees for use in the coffee maker.

The percolator coffee maker brews coffee in about 15-20 minutes. You can make between 6-12 cups and the coffee is very rich and flavorful. When using a percolator coffee maker be sure to get the appropriate coffee filters or else grounds may pass through the filter.

A French Press or Plunger coffee maker makes a smaller amount of coffee per cup as compared to the percolator and automatic drip makers, however the coffee is very rich, full-bodied and strong. You will need to use regular or coarsely ground coffee and since there is no coffee filter, your coffee may appear cloudy, however it will be delicious.

An Espresso machine makes very delicious and smooth espresso. It takes about fifteen minutes to brew about five cups of espresso. Espresso is revered for its rich velvety flavor, however you will notice that all espresso is a bit muddy. When drinking espresso, it isn’t uncommon to notice a fine bit of powdery residue at the bottom of the cup.

If you like flavored ground coffee, then you will be happy with all of the choices available on the market today. You can choose from organically grown coffee to instant coffee that needs nothing more than boiling water. There is also the choice to purchase your own coffee beans and grind them fresh.

You can do this in your local grocery store, or purchase a coffee grinder and grind your own coffee at home, before you brew each cup. Many people prefer to drink caffeinated coffee, due to the boost of energy it gives, while others prefer decaffeinated. However, there are benefits to drinking both, and current scientific study is showing that drinking coffee in moderation may have many health benefits. By choosing the proper coffee maker for the type of coffee you want to make, you can rest assured that you will have the perfect cup every time.

Find coffee machines at http://www.cofcaf.co.uk

Author: Adrian Adams
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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