Coffee Break Cravings and Calorie Count

My article published in Panorama Magazine

HISTORY of this HOT DRINK

Botanical evidence indicates that coffee Arabica originated on the plateaus of Central Ethiopia, several thousand feet above sea level.

In National Geographic, the story was related this way -

AFRICAN ORIGINS (Circa A.D. 800)

Goats will eat anything. Just ask Kaldi the legendary Ethiopian goatherd. Kaldi, the story goes, noticed his herd dancing from one coffee shrub to another, grazing on the cherry-red berries containing the beans. He copped a few himself and was soon frolicking with his flock.

Witnessing Kaldi’s goatly gambol, a monk plucked berries for his brothers. That night they were uncannily alert to divine inspiration.

Coffee later crossed the Red Sea to Arabia.

ESCAPE FROM ARABIA (Circa 1000 to 1600)

Coffee as we know it kicked off in Arabia, where roasted beans were first brewed around A.D. 1000. By the 13th century Muslims were drinking coffee religiously. The “bean broth” drove dervishes into orbit, kept worshippers awake, and splashed over into secular life. And wherever Islam went, coffee went too: North Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, and India.

Arabia made export beans infertile by parching or boiling, and it is said that no coffee seed sprouted outside Africa or Arabia until the 1600s—until Baba Budan. As tradition has it, this Indian pilgrim-cum-smuggler left Mecca with fertile seeds strapped to his belly. Baba’s beans bore fruit and initiated an agricultural expansion that would soon reach Europe's colonies.

EUROPE CATCHES THE BUZZ (1615 to 1700)

“The Turks have a drink of black color....I will bring some with me...to the Italians”. Thus a merchant of Venice introduced Europe to coffee in 1615. But the end product didn’t amount to a hill of beans to many traders—they wanted the means of production. The race was on.

The Dutch cleared the initial hurdle in 1616, spiriting a coffee plant into Europe for the first time. Then in 1696 they founded the first European-owned coffee estate, on colonial Java, now part of Indonesia.

Business boomed and the Dutch sprinted ahead to adjacent islands. Confident beyond caution, Amsterdam began bestowing coffee trees on aristocrats around Europe...

SWASHBUCKLING SCHEME (cIRCA 1714 TO 1720)

Louis XIV received his Dutch treat around 1714—a coffee tree for Paris’s Royal Botanical Garden, the Jardin des Plantes. Several years later a young naval officer, Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu, was in Paris on leave from Martinique, a French colony in the Caribbean. Imagining Martinique as a French Java, he requested clippings from his king’s tree. Permission denied.

Resolute, de Clieu led a moonlight raid of the Jardin des Plantes—over the wall, into the hothouse, out with a sprout.

Mission accomplished, de Clieu sailed for Martinique.

CROSSING THE ATLANTIC (Circa 1720 to 1770)

On the return passage to Martinique, wrote de Clieu, a “basely jealous” passenger, “being unable to get this coffee plant away from me, tore off a branch.”

Then came the pirates who nearly captured the ship; then came a storm which nearly sank it. Finally, skies grew clear. Too clear. Water grew scarce and was rationed. De Clieu gave half of his allotment to his stricken seedling.

Under armed guard, the sprout grew strong in Martinique, yielding an extended family of approximately 18 million trees in 50 years or so. Its progeny would supply Latin America, where a dangerous liaison would help bring coffee to the masses...

COFFEE BLOOMS IN BRAZIL (Circa 1727 to 1800)

1727: Brazil's government wants a cut of the coffee market; but first, they need an agent to smuggle seeds from a coffee country. Enter Lt. Col. Francisco de Melo Palheta, the James Bond of Beans.

Colonel Palheta is dispatched to French Guiana, ostensibly to mediate a border dispute. Eschewing the fortresslike coffee farms, suave Palheta chooses a path of less resistance—the governor’s wife. The plan pays off. At a state farewell dinner she presents him a sly token of affection: a bouquet spiked with seedlings.

From these scant shoots sprout the world’s greatest coffee empire. By 1800 Brazil’s monster harvests would turn coffee from an elite indulgence to an everyday elixir, a drink for the people.

EVOLUTION OF COFFEE

Initially, coffee was brewed from green, unroasted beans to yield a tea-like beverage. In the late 13th century, Arabians roasted and ground coffee before brewing it.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, extensive planting of trees occurred in Yemen region of Arabia. From Yemen, coffee beans spread throughout Arabian Peninsula and via Othman Empire to Turkey. At that time, coffee was used for its medicinal properties and as a ritual drink.

The world's first coffee shop opened in Constantinople in 1475.

Coffeehouses appeared when it was introduced into Europe in the early 1600s.

The Arabs used so much coffee that the Christian Church denounced coffee as "the hellish black brew."

However, Pope Clement VIII found it great tasting that he baptized it and made it a Christian beverage.

In 1675, Franz Georg Kolschitzky, a Viennese who had lived in Turkey, opened Central Europe's first coffeehouse. He also started the habit of filtering out the grounds, sweetening it and adding milk.

With the increasing popularity of coffee in Europe, the Dutch cultivated it in their colonies during the 17th century.

Until the 1870s, most coffee was roasted at home in a frying pan over charcoal fire.

Espresso is a process of extracting flavor from coffee beans. In 1901, Luigi Bezzera filed a patent for a machine that contained a boiler and four groups - each group could take varying sized filters that contained the coffee grounds. Boiling water and steam were forced into the cup. Desiderio Pavoni purchased his patent and began manufacturing machines based on patent. The first espresso machine or "La Pavoni" was installed in the US in 1927 at Regio's New York.


In 1938, M. Cremonesi developed a piston pump that forced hot, not boiling water through the coffee. The piston pump removed the burnt taste of coffee which was the case with the Pavoni machine. The resulting coffee had a layer of foam or crema.

TRIVIA: Coffee was usually brewed by Arabian men and then drunk by Arabian women to alleviate menstrual discomfort.

Listen to podcast on coffee history - click on Cup, Look and Listen

Coffee Drinking Habits Around the World - Middle East to Europe, America and Asia

BUCKLE UP in the BEAN BELT

Growing regions girdle the globe

Most of the world’s coffee is grown on plantations in Africa and Arabia, Latin America and on Pacific islands. Over 53 countries grow coffee worldwide, all of them lie along the Equator, forming a belt between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Growing regions typically offer moderate sunshine and rain, steady temperatures around 70ºF (20ºC), and rich, porous soil.

Because each of these regions has different soils, climates and cultivation methods, the coffees they produce vary greatly by taste.

Fine coffee like grape, take on the characteristics of the soil, water and climate, where they are farmed. So African coffees differ from Indonesian coffee.

Top Ten Coffee Producing Countries

Brazil (22.5 million bags)
After arriving from French Guiana in the early 18th century, coffee quickly spread and thrived in Brazil. Today Brazil is responsible for about a third of all coffee production, making it by far the heavyweight champion of the coffee-producing world. Though many connoisseurs believe that Brazil’s emphasis on quantity takes a toll on quality, many also praise the country’s finer varieties. Brazil is the only high-volume producer subject to frost. The devastating 1975 frost, in particular, was a boon to other coffee-growing countries. Two 1994 frosts raised prices worldwide. Notable Beans: Bahia, Bourbon Santos.

Link to Brazil Specialty Coffee Association and Associação Brasileira da Industria de Café

Colombia (10.5 million bags)
Colombia is the only South American country with both Atlantic and Pacific ports—an invaluable aid to shipping. The crop’s economic importance is such that all cars entering Colombia are sprayed for harmful bacteria. All the equipments introduced into the country are submitted to an antibacterial treatment to avoid any damage to the cultivations. Colombia’s coffee grows in the moist, temperate foothills of the Andes, where the combination of high altitude and moist climate makes for an especially mild cup. So many varieties of coffee are growing in the plantations that the government decided to gather all of them under the name M.A.M. that comes from the cultivation centres of Medellin, Armenia, Manizales. Medellin quality is the best for body and acidity. Very important is the Vintage Colombian, which is stored for 8 years before the roasting. Notable Beans: Medellin, Supremo, Bogotá

Link to National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia


Indonesia (6.7 million bags)
The Dutch unwittingly gave coffee a nickname in the late 17th century when they began the first successful European coffee plantation on their island colony of Java (now part of Indonesia). Top-grade arabicas are still produced on Java as well as on Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Flores, but the Indonesian archipelago is most notable as the world’s largest producer of robusta beans. Notable Beans: Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi (Celebes).


Link to Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia



Two of the best and known coffees in the world come from Sumatra: Mandheling and Ankola. Both of them are dry processed. The importance of the coffees coming from Sumatra is that the crop is completely manual. The taste is so strong and persistent that it is better to mix it with milk. Where is Sumatra? Find here



In the United States, the term "Java" is slang for coffee. The Dutch exporters brought the Arabica plant to Java, which was the leader of coffee production in the world until 1870, when the parasites destroyed the entire industry. The lands were cultivated again, using plants resistant to diseases but of a lower quality. Cultivated qualities: Robusta and Liberica, excellent for mixtures. Where is Java? Find here




The Toraja region is the source of most of the high quality Sulawesi coffee. One may find coffee from the Toraja region marketed as Kalossi since this is the old colonial Dutch name for the region. The complex and earthy flavors are in high demand in Japan and the United States, causing it to be more expensive than coffees from the neighboring islands. Where is Sulawesi? Click here to locate it.




Vietnam (5.8 million bags)
French missionaries first brought coffee to Vietnam in the mid-1860s, but production remained negligible as late as 1980. In the 1990s, however, Vietnamese coffee production has been ratcheted up at a furious pace. Daklak is Vietnam’s main coffee-growing region. Notable Beans: Vietnam specializes in robusta production.


Link to Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association




Mexico (5 million bags)
Coffee came to Mexico from Antilles at the end of the 18th century, but was not exported in great quantities until the 1870s. Today, approximately 100,000 small farms generate most Mexican coffee, and most of the beans come from the south. Mexico is the largest source of U.S. coffee imports. Notable Beans: Altura, Liquidambar MS, Pluma Coixtepec. Read more about Mexican Coffee here

Link to ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DE LA INDUSTRIA DEL CAFÉ, A. C.



Ethiopia (3.8 million bags)
The natural home of the arabica tree and the setting for most of coffee’s origin legends, Ethiopia is Africa’s top arabica exporter and leads the continent in domestic consumption. About 12 million Ethiopians make their living from coffee, whose name is said to be a derivation of “Kaffa,” the name of an Ethiopian province. Ethiopia produces some of the most unique and fascinating coffees in the world. The three main regions where Ethiopia coffee beans originate are Harrar, Ghimbi, and Sidamo (Yirgacheffe).


Link to Coffee Growing in Ethiopia

India (3.8 million bags)
According to legend, India is the birthplace of coffee cultivation east of Arabia. The coffee has delicate and pleasant taste and is cultivated in different varieties: Robusta Monsonato, Arabica Cherry, and Arabica Monsonato. The two most important varieties are Mysore and Malabar with their full and delicate taste. Indian monsooned coffee mutes the acidity and has a heavier body often appropriate to add depth to an espresso blend. The best monsooned coffee is Monsooned Malabar.

Link to Coffee Board of India

Guatemala (3.5 million bags)
German immigrants initiated serious coffee cultivation in Guatemala in the 19th century. Today, the country’s high-grown beans, particularly those grown on the southern volcanic slopes, are among the world’s best. Notable Beans: Atitlan, Huehuetenango

Link to Guatemalan Coffee

Côte d’Ivoire (3.3 million bags)
In the mid-1990s Côte d’Ivoire was the number five coffee producer and second largest robusta producer. Why the decline? Some speculate that an emphasis on volume and a lack of investment and planning have lowered quality and per-acre productivity. Today most exports end up as mass-market coffee in Europe, especially France and Italy. Notable Bean: Côte d’Ivoire specializes in washed robusta production.

Link to Coffee and Cocoa of Cote d' Ivoire

Uganda (3 million bags)
Though Uganda grows precious little arabica, it is a key producer of robusta. That humble, hardy bean accounts for 75 percent of the country’s export revenue and provides employment for 80 percent of all rural workers. Efforts to diversify aside, Uganda is likely to remain beholden to the bean for the foreseeable future. Notable Bean: Bugisu. In Uganda, one out of four inhabitants cultivates coffee. Its Robusta has full aroma and spicy taste.

Link to Uganda Coffee Development Authority

GROWING BLACK GOLD

Coffee plants are­ evergreen tropical shrubs and small trees, which can survive for about 50 to 70 years. The first flowers appear during the third year, but production is only profitable from the fifth year onwards.

18th century botanists classified coffee as a member of the Rubiaceous family. Of the 60 coffee plant species, only 25 are grown for commercial purposes and only four of them have a prominent position in the trade of coffee beans: Coffea Arabica, Coffea Robusta, Coffea Liberica and Coffea Excelsa.

Of the two main coffee trees - arabicas beget the better beans—and about 70 percent of the harvest. The harsher beans of the hardier robusta tree account for about 30 percent.


Coffee Arabica
(from Ethiopia, known from prehistoric times). Mostly cultivated in Arabia, the most popular is the Moka variety. These are small beans with intense aromatic smell. Of copper green color, its shape is flat and long. Other varieties are the "Tipica", the "Bourbon" diffused in Brazil and the "Maragogype", appreciated for its bigger beans.

The Arabica plants grow in lands endowed with minerals, as the ones of volcanic origin, located over 600 meters high. The ideal climate must be around 20°C. The arabica tree is susceptible to disease, frost, and drought. It requires very careful cultivation with just the right climatic conditions. Because of its delicate nature, it yields only 1 to 1.5 pounds of green coffee per year.

They have a much more refined flavor and contain about 1 percent caffeine by weight. This is the coffee that specialty roasters search for.

Coffee Robusta
(from Congo, discovered in 1898). Robusta also vegetates in the lowland. It is currently much cultivated because, besides the abundance in production and the cheaper equipment cost, it shows a strong resistance to the diseases, vegetating in comfortless conditions. Some varieties are diffused in Indonesia, Uganda, India and in the west side of Africa. The harvest is done throughout the year. It bears more coffee cherries than the arabica plant.

Its round beans are smaller, but richer in caffeine compared to other species. It contains about 2 percent caffeine. Once they are roasted, they are very odorous. This plant is used for the lower grades of coffee that are sold in the market. Although generally not found in gourmet shops, robusta beans are often used in the processing of soluble (instant) coffees and popular commercial blends.

Arabusta is a cross between Coffee Arabica and Robusta.

Coffee Liberica From the forests of Liberia and Ivory Coast, this plant bear fruits and seeds whose dimensions are almost double that of the Arabica and are more resistant to parasites attacks. The plant needs high temperature and abundant water.

Coffee Excelsa Discovered in 1904, this specie resists diseases and dryness. It has a high yield and its aged beans give off an odorous and pleasant taste, similar to that of Coffea Arabica.

Coffee Beans are seeds of the fruit of the coffee plant called coffee cherries.

What we call a coffee bean is actually the seeds of a cherry-like fruit. Green to begin with, the berries ripen over several months, becoming successively yellow, then red, garnet red, and finally almost black.

The ideal time for harvesting is when the berries are red. Inside the cherry, protected by the pulp, lie two small beans separated by a groove. These must be extracted and roasted before they can be used for consumption.

Important factors in growing coffee are:
- Avoid excessive cold and heat
- 1200-1500mm of rain per annum
- A few hours of light per day
- No strong winds
- Altitude
- The higher the better

It is estimated that coffee beans contain over 800 different compounds, which contribute to their flavor, including sugars and other carbohydrates, mineral salts, organic acids, aromatic oils, and methylxanthines, a chemical class which includes caffeine.

The bean's flavor is a function of where it was grown and how it was roasted. The name of the beans usually indicate their country of origin, along with additional information, such as the region within the country where the beans were grown, the grade of beans, or the type of roast. For instance, "Sumatra Lintong" denotes a specific growing region (Lintong) in Sumatra; "Kenya AA" designates AA beans, the highest grade of beans from Kenya; and "French Roast" is a blend of beans which are roasted very dark in the "French style." Some flavored coffees consist of only one kind of bean, like Kenya AA, which has distinctive regional taste characteristics.

COFFEE PROCESSING

Take a tour with Coffee Research and How Stuff Works at how coffee beans are processed.

Coffee trees produce berries, called coffee cherries, that turn bright red when they are ripe and ready to pick. The fruit is found in clusters along the branches of the tree. The skin of a coffee cherry (the exocarp) is thick and bitter. However, the fruit beneath it (the mesocarp) is intensely sweet and has the texture of a grape. Next comes the parenchyma, a slimy, honey-like layer, which helps protect the beans. The beans themselves are covered by a parchment-like envelope called the endocarp. This protects the two, bluish-green coffee beans, which are covered by yet another membrane, called the spermoderm or silver skin.

There is usually one coffee harvest per year. The time varies according to geographic zone, but generally, north of the Equator, harvest takes place between September and March, and south of the equator between April and May. Coffee is generally harvested by hand, either by stripping all of the cherries off the branch at one time or by selective picking. The latter is more expensive and is only used for arabica beans.

Coffee pickers can pick between 100 and 200 pounds (45 and 90 kg) of coffee cherries per day. Only 20 percent of this weight is the actual bean.

There are three processes that are commonly practiced including the wet-process, the dry process and the semi-washed method.

The coffee cherries are brought to the processing plant immediately after harvesting.

Ripe, overripe, and under-ripe cherries are mixed together at this point. If they were not separated the coffee would have a dusty unpalatable flavor with few desirable attributes.

The beans are first washed with water and then passed into tanks filled with water for preliminary separation. The best coffees are dense and will sink in water, whereas the overripe cherries will float and are separated. The low-quality coffees are either slated for internal consumption or sold to instant coffee producers in the United States or Europe.

Unfortunately, green (underripe) cherries are also dense and will continue to be mixed with the perfectly ripe cherries. The green cherries can be sorted out during wet-processing, or in the case of dry-processed coffees must be sorted at a later time.

In the wet-process, the ripe cherries are pulped (removed) from the cherry by applying pressure. With the right pressure only the ripe cherries will be pulped, whereas the hard unripe cherries will be separated. The beans are then sent to fermentation tanks where they remain in water for approximately 8-20 hours.

During this time, the mucilage ferments and is washed from the bean. Wet-processed coffees are characterized by their bright and clean tastes. The body and sweetness, however, is diminished relative to dry-processed coffees.

After the mucilage is removed in the fermentation tanks, the coffee is dried on patios, in mechanical dryers, or using a combination of the two. Almost all coffee producing regions will have slight variations in drying practices. The goal is to prevent fermentation, which is a undesirable fruity spongy flavor resulting from molds in the coffee.

Instead of the wet-process, the weather in certain regions allows producers to use the dry-process (natural process). After the "floaters" are removed from the "sinkers" in the initial separation, the coffees are simply dried on large patios or in mechanical dryers. The drying time is longer and fermentation is more frequent. However, since the coffee remains in contact with the sweet mucilage longer, the coffee has a sweeter taste and heavier body. On the other hand acidity, cleanness, and flavor are often diminished. Natural processed coffees are almost always used in espresso.


The third process called semi-washed (pulped natural) is relatively new and is fairly limited. Only countries that have a distinct and long dry period can process their coffees using the semi-washed method. In this process the coffees are pulped, but the mucilage is not removed by fermenting in tanks. Instead, it is allowed to dry with the coffee. Therefore, the semi-washed method results in a coffee that shares the characteristics of both the wet- and dry-processes. The coffee has a nice acidity, sweetness, flavor, and aroma, but none of these aspects are as potent as the strictly dry- or wet-processed coffees

After the coffee is dried, it is stored for a short period of time in pergamino and the pergamino is removed prior to shipping in a process called hulling. Keeping the pergamino intact during storage helps preserve the flavor and aroma of the coffee. The coffee is then packed into 60 kg burlap bag sacks and exported.


The importer will then send the coffee to coffee roasters around the country.

BREWING EQUIPMENT

MANUAL DRIP
Also called the Melitta method, this produces consistently superior coffee. The extraction method is quick and the true flavors are brought out.

A time honored tradition, manual drip coffee makers are still preferred by many over automatic drip coffee makers, because of the greater control you maintain over the extraction. Heat water separately and pour over grounds at the pace you desire.

If you like your coffee very strong, you can add lots of grounds (or use more finely ground coffee) without worrying about the spillover that would occur with automatic drip units. Remember, the finer the grounds, the longer it will take for the water to steep through.

Use paper filters (oxygen-bleached are the best) which call for a fine grind instead of reusable gold filter, which needs a slightly coarser grind.


Directions:
1. Before brewing, pre-heat pot or cup in hot tap water.
2. Add 1 tablespoon coffee into filter for each 6 oz. cup.
3. Moisten grounds with a little water (just off the boil - see above for definition). Make sure they are evenly damp. Wait five seconds. Add rest of hot water, allowing it to fill to the top. For the best flavor, let the grounds completely coat the sides of the filter, not settle into the middle).
4. Remove filter and stir coffee.

AUTO DRIP
There are two types of auto drip machines: the cone-shape filter and the flat-bottom filter design.
The cone-shape design is similar to the manual drip method except it's controlled electronically. Both methods are easy. The cone shape filter calls for a finer grind and delivers a slightly stronger flavor and better body than flat-bottom design.

Directions:
1. Fill coffee maker with cold water.
2. Place filter into basket, add 1 tablespoon grounds for each 6 ounces.
3. Place coffee and filter into holder, close lid and turn on.

FRENCH PRESS
This uses a cylindrical glass carafe and a stainless steel mesh filter to separate coffee grounds from water. The grounds stay at the bottom while strained coffee stays above the filter. This is good for highlighting darker roasts and blends.

Expect some sediment to pass through the filter and into your cup; giving the brew a slightly fuller texture and highlights the flavors of darker roast. The brew is rich and thick and more flavorful than drip coffee since paper filters remove subtle flavors and add a taste of their own.

Directions:
1. Preheat pot and plunger with hot water.
2. Add 1 tablespoon coffee per 6 oz. cup into glass cylinder.
3. Pour in water just off the boil and stir ground.
4. Set plunger on the top of cylinder, steep for 4 minutes.
5. Press plunger down slowly.
6. Allow sediment to settle for 30 seconds before pouring.

ESPRESSO
Click here to read separate post
___________________________________________________________________

Coffee Brewing Review sourced from Coffee Research.Org

Brewing coffee is as much of an art as it is a science. The history of coffee brewing equipment is rich, and methods of brewing are culturally dependent. Of the thousands of coffee machines and coffee brewing devices invented since the advent of coffee consumption, only a few have gained worldwide popularity. The coffee brewing methods discussed below are recommended since they have been found to maximize the extraction of the beneficial flavors of coffee, while minimizing the extraction of bitter coffee compounds and undesirable components.

Coffee Maker Reviews

French Press:
The best way to control the time and temperature is to use a French press coffee maker. The French press offers unparalleled flavor due to perfect extraction time and delivery of the volatile oils that are often trapped in paper filters. A French press is also the least expensive coffee brewer available. To make coffee in a French press: heat the water "just off the boil" (Note: You do not want to pour boiling water directly onto the coffee. The goal is to brew coffee at a temperature between 195-205°F), freshly grind the coffee beans using a coarse setting, remove the plunger, place the coffee grounds at the bottom of the glass, add the hot water, stir by shaking, and after 4 minutes press the plunger down to separate the grounds from the extracted coffee.

Unfortunately, French press coffee makers are not quite as convenient as a drip coffee makers due to preparation time and cleaning time. The French press also loses heat faster than some other methods, but extraction at slightly varying temperatures will promote a more dynamic and complex cup of coffee.

Vacuum Coffee Pot:
The vacuum coffee pot is a clever device invented by Robert Napier in 1840 that prepares an exceptional cup of coffee with a potent aroma. This is an appropriate alternative for those who have an aversion to the taste of the paper filters from drip brewers or for people who dislike the sediment in the bottom of the cup from the French press method.


To brew coffee in a vacuum pot, add the proper amount of filtered water to the bottom bulb, attach the filter to the upper bulb and fit the upper glass bulb tightly over the bottom glass bulb. Place the vacuum coffee pot on the stove, making sure that the bottom bulb is completely dry on the outside. Use a medium grind and add the grounds when the water begins to fill the upper chamber. Leave the pot on the stove for 3.5 minutes and then place on a hot pad. Within 30 seconds the lower pot will cool enough to form a vacuum to pull the brewing coffee into the lower chamber, thereby separating it from the grounds. Experiment with the heating and cooling cycles until the total extraction time is between 4-5 minutes. Click here for Bodum Santos Brewing Instructions.

Automatic Drip Coffee Maker:
The easiest way to brew coffee is by using an automatic drip coffee brewer. Unfortunately, few coffee machines brew at the right temperature for the correct amount of time.

To brew coffee in a drip brewer, place a thick paper filter in the brewing cone (basket) and thoroughly wet with water. This helps remove the paper taste from the filter. Then freshly grind the coffee using a medium grinder setting. As the water begins to boil, pour the coffee into the coffee filter. Now as the water pours over the coffee, shake the basket (removable in the Technivorm) to ensure an even extraction. Brew time and temperature are taken care of automatically. If your brewer has a hot plate under a glass carafe, remove the carafe after the coffee is fully brewed to prevent the coffee from burning.

ESPRESSO BEVERAGES

Espresso Ristretto
"Short pull" espresso made with less than the usual hot water for a highly intense shot.

Espresso Macchiato
Macchiato is Italian for "marked" so this is espresso marked with a small amount of foamed milk. (Caramel macchiato is a signature Starbucks beverage. A creamy mix of vanilla, and freshly steamed milk marked with intense espresso, topped with velvety foam and buttery caramel sauce).

Cappuccino
A European coffeehouse staple, combining espresso with a small amount of steamed milk and a deep luxurious layer of creamy foam. It has a stronger coffee flavor.

Caffé Latte
Steamed milk laced with a rich, full bodied shot of espresso with a delicate topping of foamed milk.

Espresso Shot
A fresh shot forms three layers: the aromatic crema, the billowing body and the dark intense heart. Freshly pulled shots are at the heart of all espresso drinks.

Caffé Americano
European approach to American style coffee combines espresso with steaming hot water. An alternative for brewed coffee.

Espresso Recipes & Presentations
Source: Boyds

Espresso: 1.5 ounces of espresso beverage, served in a demitasse (a 3-ounce cup). It's often served with a sugar cube on the side. Any beverage that deviates from this has another name.

Cappuccino: A serving of espresso with the foam of steamed milk, served in a cappuccino (6 ounce) cup. The foam, when placed on top of the espresso creme, will have a brown halo. Cappuccino is 1/3 espresso, 2/3 dense foam of steamed milk. Cappuccino is traditionally served with a sugar cube on the side.

The Italian Caffé Latte and the French Café au Lait are made of strong full-bodied coffee and hot milk poured simultaneously into a 6-8 oz. bowl or wide mouth cup, served with a sugar cube on the side. It is the most popular breakfast coffee in France and Italy.

In the United States, a Caffé Latte (or Caffé Latte Americano) is a serving of espresso with equal volumes of steamed milk and foam of steamed milk served in a 6-8 oz. cup, mug or tall glass. It is also served with a sugar cube on the side. These are the foundation of the popular espresso drinks served in the United States.

There are many non-traditional variations, made with whipped cream, hot chocolate, low-fat milk, flavored syrups, etc.

For instance, Caffé Mocha is espresso with intense bittersweet chocolate syrup mixed with steamed milk and topped with whipped cream. Chocolaty.

Click here to see Gallery of Latte Art from Espresso Guide

ESPRESSO MACHINES

A good espresso machine extracts espresso with a standard pressure of 9 bars. It takes 25 seconds to brew a shot.

HOME ESPRESSO MACHINES
If your passion is for straight espresso or capuccino most days of the week, you can invest in a professional quality machine and grinder.

However, if you only enjoy an occasional caffé, you may go for less costly machines. Stove-top makers and relatively inexpensive cappuccino machines (which operate using tank pressure rather than a pump or piston) will make a strong coffee but these machines do not produce enough pressure to brew true espresso, and have limited milk-steaming capabilities.


Click here to read about The Manual Espresso Brewer, The Semi-Automatic Espresso Brewer, The Automatic Espresso Brewer and The Fully Automatic Espresso Brewer

Espresso Equipment Maintenance

As with all coffee, clean brewing equipment is essential for espresso. The filter, porta-filter, spray head and gasket within the group will accumulate coffee grounds and coffee oils if not cleaned properly and often. Water flow and coffee extraction may be impeded, affecting not only the coffee flavor but potentially overloading the pump with back-pressure. Follow the manufacturer's recommended daily and weekly cleaning procedures for both the espresso machine and the whole bean coffee grinder.

Proper installation, maintenance and repair of espresso equipment, and employee training are necessary to brewing good espresso. Choose a supplier who will provide no less than these essential services.

Click on any of the sites below for a listing of Espresso Machines -
Boyds
Florence Fabricant of New York Times on Brew-itYourself-Capuccino
Coffee Cravings
Home Barista

INSTANT COFFEE, COFFEE CREAMER & SUGAR SUBSTITUTE

HISTORY OF INSTANT COFFEE

The earliest version of instant coffee is said to have been invented around 1771 in Britain. The first American product was developed in 1853, and an experimental version (in cake form) was field tested during the Civil War. In 1901, the first successful technique for manufacturing a stable powdered product was invented by Japanese Sartori Kato, who used a process he had developed for making instant tea.

The first time it was mass produced was in America around 1910 by George Constant Louis Washington. He accomplished a great feat and acquired a patent, but the instant coffee powder was perceived by most to be a novelty with a disagreeable taste. Around 1938, Nescafe became the most popular brand; by co-drying coffee extract along with an equal amount of soluble carbohydrate, they improved the taste. Currently, the best process for retaining the taste is freeze drying, which came around in the 60's.

Where this novelty found its niche market was in the military. Caffeine consumption on the battlefield provided a much needed boost, and now this was made much easier with instant coffee. In World War I some soldiers nicknamed it a cup of George.

By World War II instant coffee was incredibly popular with the soldiers. G. Washington Coffee, Nescafe, and others had all emerged to meet the demand. One year, the entire production from the U.S. Nescafe plant (in excess of one million cases) went solely to the military.

Today instant coffee still has a force in the market. It is great in recipes like a quick mocha frosting for a cappuccino cookie. In the grocery store you will see it in all of the instant cappuccino drinks and blended ice drink powders, some of which are even used in coffee houses. Even the military still provides instant coffee powder for that much needed caffeine boost. Always in an instant, it is there for you!

Non-dairy creamers

are liquid or granular substances intended to substitute for milk or cream as an additive to coffee or other beverages. They do not contain lactose and are therefore not dairy products according to Wikipedia.

Liquid nondairy creamers are formulated to add body, flavor, and color to coffee.
Want to Know the Ingredients of Non - Dairy Creamer? Find them here

Office Coffee Creamer 101 by Gloria Tsang, RD
Chances are, a tub of Coffee-mate or a carton of half-and-half cream is a staple in your office pantry or fridge. But did you ever consider What's In Your Coffee Creamer?

Powder or liquid commercially-prepared creamer
Example: Coffeemate
Calories per 2 tablespoons: 40 - 90

Table Cream
Calories per 2 tablespoons: 40 - 60

The European Way
The French, Italian, and Spanish all enjoy their coffee with milk.
Calories per 2 tablespoons: 10 (skim) - 20 (whole)

The Asian Way
Asians, especially South-East Asians, love evaporated milk. It is their kitchen staple! Canned evaporated milk comes in full-fat, 2%, and fat-free.
Calories per 2 tablespoons: 25 - 40

The Vegetarian Way
You may like to try Silk Soy Creamer. Better yet, with even less fat, try plain soymilk.
Calories per 2 tablespoons: 13 (soymilk) - 30 (soy creamer)

SUGAR SUBSTITUTE

Sugar is known as one of the most popular and well known sweeteners.

Honey can be considered a great substitute for sugar in preparing tea. Honey itself contains its own natural sugars and can be very sweet. However, it is a lot healthier than sugar and some natural honeys have less calories as well. For Diabetics honey may still not be the best substitute to use, but using just a little honey can be very delightful. Just remember to watch the quantity you use, and you will enjoy this natural sweetener.

What are artificial sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners are chemicals or natural compounds that offer the sweetness of sugar without as many calories. Because the substitutes are much sweeter than sugar, it takes a much smaller quantity to create the same sweetness. Products made with artificial sweeteners have a much lower calorie count than do those made with sugar. Artificial sweeteners are often used as part of a weight-loss plan or as a means to control weight gain.

People with diabetes may use artificial sweeteners because they make food taste sweet without raising blood sugar levels.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following low-calorie sweeteners for use in a variety of foods. The FDA has established an "acceptable daily intake" (ADI) for each sweetener. This is the maximum amount considered safe to eat each day during your lifetime. ADIs are intended to be about 100 times less than the smallest amount that might cause health concerns.

Artificial sweetener	ADI*	Estimated ADI equivalent**	OK for cooking?
Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)	50 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg)	18 to 19 cans of diet cola	No
Saccharin (Sweet'N Low, SugarTwin)	5 mg per kg	9 to 12 packets of sweetener	Yes
Acesulfame K (Sunett, Sweet One)	15 mg per kg	30 to 32 cans of diet lemon-lime soda***	Yes
Sucralose (Splenda)	5 mg per kg	6 cans of diet cola***	Yes

Source: MayoClinic

CAFFEINE in COFFEE and other MYTHS

Know what's fact from what's fiction among these caffeine-related misconceptions. I did some research and here’s what I found:

1. Coffee stunts your growth
Wrong!

Nutritionist Joy Bauer says, “Research suggests that coffee consumption has no effect on height. The myth started decades ago when caffeine in coffee was believed to be a risk factor for osteoporosis, which eventually lead to reduced bone mass. The research, however, was made in populations that also had low calcium intakes. More recent studies suggest that even if caffeine does offset calcium absorption, the effect is both small and easily offset by adding milk in your coffee. Needless to say, the required daily dose of calcium can be obtained from low-fat dairy, fortified foods, certain greens and/or supplements.”

Bauer added, “In the case of kids, you still have to feed them milk over coffee not because you want them to grow taller but because there are other potential adverse side effects to drinking at their young age, including stomach discomfort, nervousness, shakiness, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, and irritability. If the child is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder or a behavioral issue, coffee consumption may also temporarily make matters worse.”

Meanwhile, Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, wrote for MSN Health & Fitness, saying that, “It’s tough to study the effect of coffee consumption on the risk of osteoporosis because one must rely on self-reported consumption and because coffee intake alters other risk factors. For example, people who smoke cigarettes also tend to drink lots of coffee; one might conclude that coffee intake increased osteoporosis risk in a particular group of people when it was really the smoking. Also, big coffee drinkers may drink less milk than people who don’t like coffee. In fact, several studies found that the possible negative effects of coffee consumption on bone strength were mostly limited to people with low calcium intake and that the problem could be overcome by increased calcium intake.”

For Shmerling, the bottom line is, “There are much more important risk factors for osteoporosis than coffee intake.” He suggests that, “You enjoy your coffee and do what you can to modify the other well-established risk factors such as sedentary lifestyle, low intake of calcium and vitamin D, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, taking a glucocorticoid (steroid) medication, family history of osteoporosis, prior low-impact fracture, low body weight, and an overactive thyroid (or taking too much thyroid medication).”

Read about caffeine here

2. Coffee is a potent diuretic.
Wrong!

A study was reported in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showing that regardless of the caffeine dose, all the participants' measures of hydration and fluid-electrolyte balance were within normal limits. These findings counter the belief that, when consumed regularly, caffeine acts as a diuretic.

Bauer supports findings, saying, “While it’s true that the stimulant effect of coffee can act as a slight diuretic, the overall volume of water consumed while drinking coffee will more than make up for the small amount lost in urine.”

3. Energy drinks have more caffeine than coffee.
Not necessarily!

Bauer explains, “It primarily depends on the energy drink. Red Bull contains 80 milligrams of caffeine in one 8-ounce can, while an average cup of coffee contains 100 milligrams.” Bauer suggests “Better check labels and caffeine amounts to know for sure.”

How much caffeine is in your beverage? Let’s see -
Black Tea (8 ounce cup) = 40 milligrams
Green Tea (8 ounce cup) = 20 milligrams
Red Bull (8-ounce can) = 80 milligrams

Starbucks:
Tall (12oz) = 195 milligrams
Grande (16oz) = 260 milligrams
Venti (20oz) = 325 milligrams
1 single oz shot of espresso = 65 milligrams

4. Coffee can enhance your workout.
Right!

Bauer states that “100 milligrams of caffeine — the amount in about a cup of coffee prior to workout has been shown to improve athletic performance of dedicated exercisers. (Note: casual exercisers won't experience the same boost). Researchers aren't sure why, but it could be that caffeine signals your muscles to ignore fatigue. Caffeine tends to stay in your system anywhere from 3-8 hours.”

5. The best coffees in the world come from Italy.
Wrong!

Unless someone is growing coffee as an indoor plant, no coffee is grown in Italy. Coffee growing countries are located in the coffee bean belt or the band around the Earth in between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. According to Coffee geek, Alan Frew, Italy's coffee fame rests on its coffee companies’ abilities as roasters and blenders for espresso.

6. You can judge a coffee’s freshness by its appearance.
Wrong!

Boyds explains that “Oily, glossy coffee is sometimes said to be fresher than non-oily coffee. In truth, the appearance of a coffee depends on so many factors, including roast level, bean oil content, storage conditions, and that sight is no guide. Only taste and smell give a reliable result.”

7. Lattes have more milk and less coffee than cappuccinos.
Not really!

Boyds makes a comparison, “Lattes and capuccinos have the same amount of espresso. Lattes have slightly less froth than cappuccinos, so they do have more milk.”

Those facts and fictions cleared many long-held beliefs about coffee. With all these myths disproved, you will cease to live in the mythical world of coffee.