Coffee

Coffee is one of the important commodities in the world. It is consumed by many people around the world and plays a major part in some economies of the world. It is traded through some major commodities board around the world, e.g. New York Board of Trade (NYBOT). Currently, Brazil is the worlds largest coffee producer which constitutes about 32% (year 2006) of the total world production.

Coffee is an “addictive” beverage made from grounded roasted coffee beans. The pleasant aroma and taste makes it irresistible to coffee lovers. There are many ways to consume this concoction. Some like it hot and some like it cold. It can be consumed with or without sweetener, cream, milk or any other combination you can think of. Its very versatile and creative people can create new taste and flavor. Many businesses have built an empire around coffee, like Starbucks.

The Origin Of Coffee

According to legend, coffee was first discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia during the 9th Century by a shepherd called Kaldi. While tending to his herd, he was intrigued by the strange behavior of his goat. They were happily dancing and leaping after eating strange red berries. He plucked those berries and brought them to a neighboring convent and relates his observation to the priests there. They decided to boil those berries and after drinking the brew, found an extra boost of energy. From there on, the beverage starts to spread to other areas in that region from Egypt to Yemen before reaching Turkey, Persia and some parts of Africa.

Coffee eventually reached Europe in 1690 when the Dutch managed to smuggle coffee plants out from the Arabian land. It was first introduced into Moka (Mauritius), Sri Lanka, India and finally the island of Java in Indonesia before finally brought home to Europe. It was later introduced to the French Caribbean colonies. The coffee plant eventually spreads throughout the American Latin and soon the coffee beans become a major export commodity of some countries here.

Major Coffee Species

There are two major species of coffee plants cultivated for consumption, namely Coffea Arabica Linnaeus (commonly referred to as Arabica) and Coffea canephora (commonly called Robusta). The Arabica variety has a better taste compare to Robusta which is much bitter but less aroma. Sometimes, Robusta is used in the coffee blend to reduce cost. There are also other species of coffee plant like Coffea liberica and Coffea esliaca which is indigenous to Liberia and Sudan respectively.

The Art Of Roasting Coffee

The coffee beans have to be roasted before it can be consumed. After the coffee berries are harvested, the berries are stripped off their flesh leaving only the seed or beans. It is left aside to ferment in order to remove the slimy layer present on the coffee bean. When this process is completed, the fermented coffee bean is washed to remove fermented residue before being dried and graded.

There are several ways to roast coffee, such as traditional roasting, 10 minute quick roast, 90 second flash roast and many others. Different methods will give rise to different taste and aroma. As heat is applied, the coffee beans will loose moisture and turn dark. This is due to the natural occurrence of caramelized sucrose. When there is no more water in the coffee beans, the sugar and acid will begin to release their aroma. This is called the Maillard reactions. The roasting process is then halted and beans cooled and stored. Grinding can be performed and stored in an air tight container to maintain freshness.

Conclusion

Coffee is a favorite beverage of many people. It is now available in convenient forms like instant coffee granules. Some creative coffee companies have introduced pre-mixed sachets so that coffee can be consumed at any time, any place. Just add hot water and your coffee is ready. Canned coffee has also started selling in parts of Asia especially Japan and South Korea.

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Author: Elsie Shan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Iced coffee has become an increasingly popular beverage choice in recent years. The transformation of a hot cup of coffee into a sweet iced drink makes for a refreshing afternoon treat on those hot summer days. The problem is, iced coffee drinks in most coffee shops are expensive and the cost can add up quick. Luckily, you can learn how to make homemade iced coffee like a pro without having to step into a coffee shop.

There are a few approaches on how to make homemade iced coffee, but frankly, most of them are not very good. The standard approach of brewing a pot of coffee, pouring it over ice, and adding a little milk and sugar, results in a lukewarm, watered-down coffee with no strength. Here is the best way to make homemade iced coffee like a pro.

Start off Strong

The first thing to do is brew up a large pot of coffee just as you normally would. The only difference is that you want to make the coffee stronger than normal. Since it will be watered down, we need to compensate and start stronger initially to maintain the coffee’s strength and flavor. If you typically use one tablespoon per cup, you will want to use about one and a half tablespoons per cup for your iced coffee.

Sweeten the Pot

Most people will add sugar or sweetener after the coffee has cooled. This is a big no-no as sugar does not dissolve in water. So instead, while the coffee still hot, stir in your desired amount of sugar. You will want to add a little more sugar than you normally would to a hot cup of coffee. There are a few other options to sweeten your iced coffee that work just as well as sugar. You can use sweetened condensed milk in place of sugar which works very well. Another option is to use flavored syrups which come in a variety of flavors perfect for iced coffee like mocha, vanilla, and irish cream.

Ice Comes Later

If you really want to learn how to make homemade iced coffee, be sure to avoid the biggest mistake people make when making homemade iced coffee. This mistake is to pour the hot coffee directly over ice. This will water the coffee down too much, and leave you with a weak and flavorless iced coffee. What you want to do is put the hot batch of coffee into the refrigerator and let it cool overnight. Do not add the hot pot of coffee directly into the fridge, as it could crack. First, add it to a pitcher or carafe. This requires some patience, so make sure to plan ahead.

Once your batch of iced coffee has cooled over night, it is ready to be served. Pour the cooled coffee over a lot of ice and add a little milk or cream. Stir the mixture very well and enjoy your refreshing homemade iced coffee!

Jeff Plante is a coffee lover who runs a website with more helpful tips on making Iced Coffee. Check out http://www.CoffeeBargains.net for more great coffee information, and to find great deals and bargains on all types of coffee products.

Coffee Bean Roaster

Author: Jeff Plante
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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