Coffee

The history of the French press coffee maker may give you an idea of the reasons for its growing popularity. The French press pot has a history of brewing the richest coffee most people have ever enjoyed.

Starting in the mid 1800′s balance brewers and vacuum pots were introduced. Although plunger or press brewing systems existed, the ability to make a tight enough plunger/filter was not there. Consequently the coffee was brewed accompanied by grounds in the cup. It wasn’t until the 1900′s that the press pot started to increase in popularity and show up in stores. Later in the 1900′s stainless steel pot and filter were introduced.

The best press pot coffee is made with freshly ground coffee. Your choice of coffee grinder can make the difference between a superb cup of coffee and a so-so cup of coffee. With the coffee press pot, you want large chunks of coffee as opposed to the fine grind of espresso. The proper grinder will give you an even grind and will make the coffee the same size, consequently each morsel will react in the same way to the water and the process.

If the coffee is too finely ground, the press is much more difficult to operate. Most coffee reviewers will recommend a cone type grinder to achieve the even course ground coffee you will enjoy in your French press pot. Other types of grinders will produce uneven grounds and ultimately cause grounds to be the last swallow of that cup. That is not what you are trying to achieve. Sludge free coffee is much more enjoyable. If you don’t mind a little sludge in the bottom of your cup, you can purchase a less expensive grinder. Don’t buy cheap, buy quality.

Another consideration is the filter that you use. There are nylon filters and metal filters. The metal filters will require a course grind of your coffee, similar to coarse pepper from a pepper mill. The nylon filters can better handle an uneven grind or one that is actually too fine for the best taste from the French press coffee maker.

While shopping, consider the coffee you purchase and the water you use. The coffee you use should not be freshly roasted. Because of the carbon dioxide present in early roasted coffee beans, the amount of foam will be larger and therefore go over your filter causing a bit of sludge in your cup of coffee. The larger your pot, the more foam will be produced and consequently the more grounds you will have in your finished product. Not good.

If the water coming out of your faucet tastes terrible to you, so will your coffee. Areas of the country with strong sulfur taste or other undesirable tastes will want to use bottled water to achieve the best tasting coffee that has ever traveled over their lips and taste buds. You would not invest in a French press coffee maker and fine coffee beans and ultimately skimp on the quality of water that you use to brew the pot.

For more help finding the best drip coffee maker and to find additional information on the Braun coffee maker visit our site today.

Author: Norman Burr
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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For years, the idea of roasting your own coffee beans has been kept a mystery by the coffee roasting industry. It had been deemed “too hard” or “too complicated”. Well these are new times and the truth is out; it’s easy, fun and economical and it can be done in a number of ways using items you probably already own!

There is nothing like a cup of coffee that has been freshly roasted, ground and brewed to perfection. There are a growing number of enthusiasts who are roasting their own coffee beans and enjoying the benefits of truly fresh coffee at about one-third of the price of beans from your local coffee shop.

All that is needed to roast your own coffee beans at home is green coffee beans, available from a number of sources, an oven, cookie sheet, oven mitt, metal colander and a wooden spoon. Preheat your oven to 500F, spread raw beans evenly one layer deep on a cookie sheet, place on middle rack of preheated oven and watch them roast. In about 8-10 minutes there will be a crackling noise and smoke with a coffee essence. At this point the roast moves quickly and you need to pay close attention. About 2-3 minutes after the crackling, your coffee beans should be at the shade you like them. Carefully (using the oven mitt) remove the cookie sheet from the oven and pour the beans into the metal colander. Stir the beans with the wooden spoon to help cool quickly. Do this over a sink or outside, as there is chaff that comes off the beans during roasting. And remember; NEVER leave your roasting coffee beans unattended.

Almost any appliance used to pop popcorn can be used to roast coffee beans. The hot air poppers are great, however, you may want to roast outside or in your garage as they blow the chaff out and can be messy. There are a number of manufacturers of home coffee roaster, including several that use a gas grill and rotisserie.

The internet is full of sources to purchase raw beans, but you want to make sure that the supplier you use knows their beans and “cups” their coffee before selling it to you. One of the most reputable sources for green coffee beans is U-Roast-Em, Inc., a high quality, no frills supplier with 30 years in the industry. They can be found at http://www.u-roast-em.com on the web. Many other sources can be found using your favorite search engine. If you’re interested in using a gas grill to roast your beans, check out http://www.rkdrums.com or http://www.buzzroasters.com. For electric, countertop-type coffee roasters, visit http://www.freshbeansinc.com.

Green, raw coffee beans last for years when properly stored. This allows you to build a collection of fine coffees to choose from as well as buy larger amounts of the great coffees and save more money. Keep your bean collection in a cool, dry place out of any direct sun light and they will last until you roast them. As coffee ages it loses acidity and becomes more mellow. Many like the rich mild cup of a coffee that has had a couple years to rest and mellow. More important than the year of the crop is the quality of the bean, the preparation at origin, transportation and warehousing in country of consumption. If all of these things are done correctly, your green coffee will last for years. Suppliers who know how to cup samples of coffee beans are able to determine if all of these criteria are done correctly before they purchase the beans.

Home roasting is one the fastest growing hobbies in the country and for good reason. It’s fun, easy, saves you money and delivers a cup of coffee like you never thought was possible. Join in the fun and start roasting your own coffee beans.

Jim Cameron is a 30 year veteran in the specialty coffee roasting industry. Jim has authored many articles on various aspects of the industry and traveled abroad to speak at international gatherings of coffee proffessionals. Semi retired, Jim now writes on the subject of roasting and makes green coffee beans available to the home roasting market at his web site: http://www.u-roast-em.com

Author: Jim Cameron
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Calculating what the actual cost of a cup of coffee is ranks right up there with the necessary mathematical challenges of quantum physics. You might not have even considered what the price of a cup of coffee that you brew at home actually costs.

You don’t buy the makings for your coffee by the cup. You buy a pound (we still say a “pound” of coffee even though that “pound” is now 13 ounces rather than 16 ounces) of coffee at your local supermarket. You take it home and store it, and then you make pots of coffee using the ground coffee, but you drink that coffee by the cup — not by the pot or by the pound or even by the ounce.

So what is the real cost of a cup of coffee that you make at home? I have no idea, and you probably don’t, either. The first consideration is the kind and brand of coffee that you buy. Then you must consider the strength of the coffee that you brew (the stronger the coffee, the more coffee grounds must be used).

Next, you have to consider waste. How many cups out of a pot of coffee are drank, and how many end up being poured down the kitchen sink?

Wait a second, Mr. Math Genius — that isn’t all. Now you need to consider the cost of the fuel that was used to make the pot of coffee, and divide that by the number of cups in the pot, and don’t forget to include waste in the equation. How about the wear and tear on the coffee maker? Those things don’t last forever, you know.

The fact is, we are probably going to drink that cup of morning coffee (and maybe a lot of others) no matter what the cost of it turns out to be. The truth is that the cost of the coffee that you buy at your local grocery store is going to vary from week to week, depending upon the supply-and-demand theory of economics. So just go pour yourself a cup of coffee and don’t worry about it.

CoFFee provides detailed information on Coffee, Coffee Makers, Gourmet Coffee, Coffee Shops, Coffee Beans, Coffee Cup and more.
For more information visit as on http://coffee.explore-me.com

Author: Miodrag Trajkovic
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I still brew a new pot of coffee everyday, but now I stretch my dollar by saving some of the coffee that would otherwise be dumped down the drain. I used to waste lots of coffee by making a new pot of coffee each morning. Then the next day I would dump the old pot of coffee and make a new one. What can I say I like the great taste of good gourmet coffee. The bitter taste of old coffee wasnt doing it for me. Then one day I had a good idea, I decided to start saving my coffee to make a cold coffee drink later. Since I dont like to drink hot coffee in the middle of a hot summer day, the iced coffee drink worked out perfectly.

Here is what I do to make my iced coffee drink, it cuts down on wasted coffee and saves you money in the long run.

When the coffee has cooled off, pour the coffee into a mason jar. Then put the mason jar filled with cooled coffee in the refrigerator. Now when your looking for a nice cool drink to quench your thirst during the middle of the day, you can make an iced coffee drink.

Here is how I make my iced coffee drink:

Put ice in a glass,

Fill the glass about 3/4 full with your left over coffee,

Add your favorite flavored coffee creamer to taste

Stir it up and enjoy your iced coffee

Also try blending the cold coffee up in a blender with ice cream, its delicious.

Other Recommended Coffee Articles

Tired of bitter coffee? You might be buying stale coffee… read full article at

[http://www.idahoroasting.com/content1.asp?id=15]

For more coffee facts, articles and trivia visit

[http://www.idahoroasting.com/education.asp]

Eric Gard

Author: Eric B Gard
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Holiday shopping is just around the corner and I’m sure you have your lists – and that special lists of the people you just don’t know what to get. And you either spend weeks finding that perfect gift or you buy something the week of giving the gift just to have a gift. Well here is a way to save the time and energy and worry and to buy something you are proud of. Buy gourmet coffee or teas. And you have so many ways to do it.

We’ve got some gift ideas that gourmet coffee and tea drinkers will undoubtedly love. The best choice is to buy Mission Grounds Gourmet Gourmet coffee. One of the best gourmet coffee available – a great gourmet coffee beyond compare. And they donate all their profits to children. How satisfying will the cup of gourmet coffee be – knowing one of the best gourmet coffee available – donates all its profits to orphans. Great gourmet gourmet coffee as an everyday gourmet coffee and as an espresso gourmet coffee.

Monthly Delivery

One great way is to have the gourmet coffee delivered to their house. Every month. For 3 months or 6 months – even a year. And you can mix and match the coffees – giving them variety and consistency. And they will love you for it. And its the gift that keeps giving.

The Espresso Factor

Gourmet coffee and tea drinkers are quite possibly the easiest group of people to buy for. And which person on your list doesn’t at least drink coffee or tea.If you have a gourmet coffee lover on your Christmas list this year, why not consider getting them an espresso maker? There are espresso makers to fit every budget, so you should be able to find something that you can afford and that your gift recipient will love. Don’t forget to include a package of gourmet espresso too.

How About Just One

They have so many specialty coffee makers – how about one cup? Another great idea for gourmet coffee lovers is to buy a unit that brews a single cup of gourmet coffee. Sometimes it seems like a chore to make a full pot of gourmet coffee, and the coffee gets bitter and strong after sitting on a hot warming plate ,and many people don’t like instant gourmet coffee. And it keeps the coffee fresher. And allows you to have one cup at nine and one cup at noon and one fresh cup at 8 pm after dinner. The coffee maker that matches our chaoitic lives.

Gift Cards Galore

Gourmet coffee and tea drinkers will appreciate a gift card to a national or local gourmet coffee shop . And it removes the guilt of spending $5.oo on a cup of coffee when so many people in the world are lacking water to drink or food to eat. Whenever your gift recipient buys a cup of gourmet coffee, they’ll remember your generosity. And the people who are starving.

A Bounty of Teas

Tea lovers will enjoy gourmet teas. One good choice for tea lovers is to get them loose leaf tea and a tea maker to prepare it in. Loose leaf tea is a great indulgence. It is tasty and satisfying, but many people don’t bother buying loose leaf tea for themselves. That is why it makes a great gift; it is a nice little luxury. And its so much better than the tea bags. They will truly love you for doing this. You might want to get yourself one too. You can purchase a tea maker for under $20, and it will provides the most convenient way for your gift recipient to prepare loose leaf tea. Make sure you include some loose leaf teas as well. Buy a variety of teas so they can figure out their favorites. And since these are so tasty I’m sure their loose tea favorite is not their tea bag favorite. You might want to include a breakfast tea, an herbal tea, and either a green or red tea. Consider some of the above gift suggestions for the gourmet coffee and tea drinkers on your Christmas list. Gourmet coffee and tea drinkers will be surprised at your creative gift selection and be overwhelmingly pleased with their new gifts. And won’t they be pleased knowing you helped some children.

Boake Moore founded a non profit coffee company called Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee http://www.missiongrounds.com/ourcoffee.php It donates all its profits and proceeds to helping orphans and impoverished children. We currently are building schools in rural China, orphanages in South America; supporting orphans in Russia and Africa. And helping homeless children in the United States http://www.missiongrounds.com the gourmet coffee, the church coffee, the Costa Rica coffee.

Lets make the world better -

George “Boake” Moore
Mission Grounds
Gourmet Coffee

Author: Boake Moore
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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