Coffee

Ethiopia is the widely recognized home of Arabica coffee. Unlike many other countries that carefully partition their coffee plantations, Ethiopia is the only country where even wild coffee trees account for the active harvests. But one thing in common about premium gourmet coffee, their beans are all hand picked and not machine harvested.

The downside to Ethiopian coffee is that due to wild coffee trees accounting for parts of their harvests, their products have some rough sediments that may slip into each cup especially when a percolator or French Press is used. Ethiopian coffee is best served using a filtered, drip coffee maker.

Aside from tracing their origins to the Arabica, many of today’s premium coffees owe their rich and unique taste to geography and nature. Here are three of the world’s finest which trace their roots to Arabica:

• The Ethiopian Harrar coffee. This type of coffee is grown in the eastern part of Ethiopia. Being an arid area, coffee from this region are traditionally dry. Its fruit is allowed to dry on the bean then milled to remove the fruit and husk. Due to this drying process of allowing air to circulate around the coffee, a fruit flavor is retained. In fact, some coffee reviewers have described Ethiopian Harrar as remarkable and complex with a hint of wine simply because of this sweet, fruity flavor that borders on blueberry interacting with the aroma.
• Hawaiian Kona coffee. Another one of the world’s top coffee types grown in the Kona coast of Hawaii. This Hawaiian offspring of Arabica found its way into the Kona coast by way of Brazil when a missionary first planted it in the region in the early 19th century.

  The Kona region is not as hot and dry as Ethiopia but rather tropical. Days are sunny with some rainy afternoons. What probably contributes most to the Kona bean’s distinctness is the rich volcanic soil on which it grows. Like Ethiopian Harrar, Kona coffee is sometimes identified by a flavor that hints of wine which is probably due to the same fruity property it shares with its African cousin.

• Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.This coffee type is grown in mountainous areas that reach 5,500 feet and these are known as the Blue Mountains. The climate is similar to the Kona region, cool in the day but with much more rain. Because of its height, it is not uncommon to see mist and cloud covering much of the Blue Mountains. The locals say that it is the interaction of the mist with the coffee plants that give their coffee a bluish-green hue. Unlike Kona though, the Blue Mountains are not volcanic but its soil is made rich by its sheer altitude.

  Coffee beans were not indigenous to Jamaica. It was in 1728 that its governor brought the first Arabica beans into the islands from Martinique. And almost 300 years later, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is one of the world’s finest and rather hard to find at times.

As you can see, the Arabica bean has travelled the world and is already rooted in many parts. The images of Ethiopia are sometimes sad, with pictures of babies being held by their mothers all reduced to only skin and bones as a result of crushing poverty. But to those who are fortunate to find work picking the coffee berries, they have become a source of blessing for all coffee enthusiasts.

You may own the top of the line coffee maker, you may drink from the shiniest of cups, but were it not for the sweat and labor of these Ethiopian farmers, there would be none of the best coffees that money can buy.

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Author: Simon Wu
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee roasters and those who roast, brew and serve the ultimate cup of coffee are now esteemed professionals within the social fabric of our community at large. A good coffee roaster is a little like a celebrity chef these days, complete with loyal followings, highly descriptive reviews and the ability to command premium prices for their products and services. As coffee continues to grow in elevation from merely a mundane beverage to something of art form, a good coffee roaster has begun to take on a glamorous aura.

But there is a café on almost every street corner or every suburb now and every barista thinks of him or herself as the best roaster on the block. The professional barista is a now fiercely competitive industry and cafes and restaurants across the globe fight to retain the barista that can produce a coffee that will have customers returning time and time again. So, because roasting is everywhere, how do you choose the coffee roaster for you?

Your first question is whether you’re looking for wholesale coffee roasters to supply your business, or retail roasters to keep you happily supplied with beans at home. But for our purposes, let’s say you’re looking for a retail roaster to feed your coffee habit because you are a die hard coffee lover.

One approach is to decide exactly which coffee beans you prefer. Once you have found the coffee beans that you like you can then search for that specific bean. It might take you some time to research this and you might want to join a coffee club so that you can do some extensive taste testing. They will send you a number of coffee varieties each month for a small fee and this gives you the opportunity to try out blends and pure coffees to see what you prefer.

But once you know what coffee you are after, the online suppliers can tell you which of the coffee roasters that carry the beans you are looking for, who has the freshest beans and who has most skill in roasting them to perfection. You might also want to look for coffee bean suppliers that are geographically close to you. By doing so you can be confident that the beans can be delivered faster and will therefore be fresher when they reach your door.

But before you make your final decisions, consider organic coffee as an option. Organic coffee is another choice you might want to make. This coffee is certified to have been grown and processed without chemical intervention and is becoming more and more popular with wholesale outlets. It generally has a mild nutty flavor. It is also becoming popular with celebrities who are eager to adopt the coffee cause. Organic coffee, understandably sells very well in Hollywood.

Now all that is left to do is try several brands of coffee to find out which one you like the best. Enjoy your next coffee!

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Author: Julie Carter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Is gourmet coffee just a term used so coffee makers can charge more?

Even a major coffee fanatic might not be able to appreciate or recognize the gourmet bean from premium or simply quality coffee. There isn’t even an exact definition of what gourmet coffee truly is.

The English Collins dictionary defines the adjective ‘gourmet’ as “food which is nicer or more unusual or sophisticated than ordinary food, and if often more expensive”. So gourmet coffee is a drink that has all the best aspects of coffee-making in one. It is the perfect storm in which every part of preparation is at the highest levels. From using the premium roast to precise grinding, perfect brewing and presentation.

Gourmet coffee is not the same as fine wine. With wine (some wine that is) the longer you leave it, the better the taste and the higher the price. With gourmet coffee, you need fresh roasts. If possible the coffee beans have been roasted no more than one week before. One hundred percent Arabica coffee is a good place to start when you are exploring the types of gourmet coffee. Coffea Arabica is a type of coffee which has been grown for over 1,000 years and is still considered to produced one of the finest coffee beans.

It isn’t that easy to find freshly roasted coffee beans in your local supermarket. There’s a great likelihood that the so called ‘freshly’ roasted coffee you are drinking today has been roasted at least three months back if not longer.

One way to keep your coffee fresh is to buy the whole bean in batches and grind them yourself at home, as and when you need it. There are some many quality coffee grinders on the market today to help you do this easily.

Once you have purchased gourmet coffee beans, do not leave them out. Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge if you are planning to use it soon. If you wish to keep them for longer, keep them in the freezer.

So now you have the right beans, and you have ground them well, now you need the right coffee brewer. There are many different types of coffee makers. The worse type are coffee percolators. These are pots that you put on the stove. They tend to heat the coffee grounds to overly-high temperatures, so you get a lovely smell when you are brewing, but the taste in the cup is not as flavorful.

Coffee drip brewers are some of the best and easy to use coffee makers. You put ground coffee in a paper filter, fill with water and the coffee slowly drips into a glass carafe. The trouble is, the coffee is often left brewing on the hot plate underneath the carafe so only make as much as you need.

As with wine, the country and environment in which coffee beans are grown do make a big difference. Check to see the origin of your coffee beans and buy only from reputable companies.

One last thing when it comes to gourmet coffee. Enjoy yourself! Leave to appreciate the whole coffee experience from beginning to end: from picking the right beans, grinding, brewing and finally taking that heavenly smell and first sip. It just won’t taste like gourmet coffee if you’re getting in a quick caffeine fix before scurrying off to work!

Gemma Swansburg is a researcher and writer who can’t function without her morning coffee. Her latest article is a Luminess tan review. Visit her site for FREE product info, discounts, best offers and more reviews for Luminess Tan and other airbrush tanning solutions.

Author: Gemma Swansburg
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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It’s disputed as to where the best coffee in the world is grown, but many believe that the best premium gourmet coffee is grown in South America because in order to create the best coffee beans are needed for the process as well as the clearest water, etc.

In 2005 Brazil was the leader in production of coffee beans, and the soils here allow for some of the best conditions to grow coffee. It’s also disputed that some of the best coffee is grown in Columbia, and in the 1990′s a particular coffee company bearing the namesake became extremely popular from using Columbian coffee beans. The gourmet quality of coffee also comes from the way in which coffee is prepared, stored and roasted.

Storage is a key factor in determining premium gourmet coffee, is how it is stored. Most coffee is stored in an air tight container, and not allowing this air to enter preserves the essential oils. Also the beans need to be stored in a cool place, but not frozen. Freezing beans can damage them and make their taste poor.

Preparing of the coffee also determines whether or not it is gourmet coffee. For example, preparing coffee as an espresso is a more common gourmet use of Coffee beans and makes an excellent Premium gourmet coffee.

Espresso making requires a special machine, one that uses cream as well as other ingredients to make a particularly strong type of coffee. Espresso is known for its rich flavor as well as high caffeine content, making or one of the more well known Premium gourmet coffees

How the beans are roasted also determines whether or not the beans will turn into premium gourmet coffees. For example the beans need to be roasted in a particular way or they will be burned or damaged giving off poor flavor.

The variety of roasting methods also give off different colors as well as different flavors. It is left up to personal interpretation at this point on how the beans will be judged as satisfactory or not. Some people prefer light roast, some people prefer dark roast. Much of this depends on personal gourmet taste.

Presentation of coffee is another factor that makes it premium gourmet coffee. A pleasing presentation will make the coffee experience that much more gourmet with a beautiful design. For example lattes, coffee drinks made with hot milk, are the best in which to draw designs on the thin layer of milk that sits on top of the latte.

Individual creativity comes into play here, and many coffeehouses will either drizzle a topping such as caramel or create the designs mentioned before giving a rich gourmet experience. Mostly in these coffee houses premium gourmet coffee is served as well as the various gourmet concoctions.

Premium gourmet coffees are determined in how the coffee is prepared, where the bean came from, and how the bean was stored and roasted. Mostly the roasting as well as the origin of the beans play the most important party in determining what is the best gourmet coffee. Also personal taste must also play a part when dealing with a diverse gourmet such as coffee.

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Author: Jack Harmon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee gift baskets are great for coffee lovers. However, it can be complete without the coffee itself. There are many different kinds of coffee to choose from. You can be creative with the flavors and add accessories to complete the package.

Here are some coffee selections that can be assembled in the gift basket:

Kona Coffee – Kona coffee is a premium specialty coffee made in Hawaii. Because of this, it is only grown just right in a few places in the world. Growing this type of coffee requires a certain technique. The amount of sun oil and water has to be very precise. This combination technique consists of bright sunny mornings, humid rainy afternoons and mild nights. When this technique is followed correctly, the kona beans give off a powerful aroma that can permeate the entire gift basket.

Shade Grown – This coffee is a friend of the environment. Shade grown coffee does not rely on chemicals for growth and does not pose a threat to the soil. Because of this, the ground remains fertile and the coffee has a better flavor.

Fair Trade Certified – Fair trade certified coffee should be purchased under fair conditions. To become fair trade certified, imported have to adhere to certain rules and regulations. This in turn, puts a premium price on the product.

Organic Coffee – Organic coffee is healthy because it’s free from pesticides and other chemicals. Chemicals in other products can be harmful to people and the environment. This coffee gift shows how much health means to you.

Gourmet coffee gift baskets are great for those who are really into specialty coffees. Gourmet coffees come from gourmet coffee beans. The coffee beans roast its own flavor, therefore making it distinct. The settled flavor is created upon the climate for growth, kinds of soil and the weather. You get more of a natural flavor if the roast is light in color. Roasting is getting back into gear again, with people doing it at home. Roasting beans can just about assure you a great cup of coffee.

Gourmet coffee contains many different flavors and other items to complement it. If you’re not sure which selections you should choose, consult a local coffee store in your area, local Starbucks or other local chain. Online retailers have many coffee flavors to choose from, like French Vanilla, Hazelnut and Irish Crème.

To complement your coffee gift basket, whether it’s gourmet coffee or something else, you can also add some of the following items: coffee or travel mugs, filters, coffee grinder, chocolate gourmet candy, cappuccino, cream and cream server, and a sugar bowl with an assortment of sweeteners.

The coffee gift basket can be in any size. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. You should think out of the box and be creative. Along with the coffee, you can add cookies, pancake/waffle mix, syrup or chocolate dipped stirring spoons. Being able to customize a coffee gift basket for someone is really special. Coffee lovers just appreciate the fact that you’re thinking about them.

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Author: Jon Sherwood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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