Do you remember your first experience with coffee? I'm sorry to say that I do. All I remember is that it was powdered and freeze dried and worst of all, decaf. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mother and stepfather asking a waitress for Sanka, and explaining to my mother that I'd had it before and avoiding her disapproving stare. What was wrong with a ten year old drinking coffee? It was Sanka for God's sake! My remaining experiences between ten and thirty five were noncommittal and mediocre to say the least. Mixing Tasters Choice in tepid tap water, graduating to Maxwell House and a Mr. Coffee; suffice it to say that there was no passion in my coffee. If I asked a girl out for a cup of coffee, it usually meant a Styrofoam cup at a Dunkin' Donuts or a Winchell's somewhere. Then I stepped into my first Specialty Coffee Shop. Now that I remember well. It was a combination bookstore and coffee shop called the Upstart Crow in San Diego, California. The most important thing to me was the feeling I got when I walked in there. Complete comfort. There, I was able to sit in one of their comfortable armchairs, sit back, cross my legs and enjoy a cup of joe while reading a good book. Back then I was into science fiction and I remember vividly reading 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card while sipping some of the most wonderful coffee from a paper cup. Oh that coffee! Rich and smooth, I fell into it's flavor; jumped actually. I spent many a day off sitting in that shop in Seaport Village... then I left San Diego for Atlanta and it was back to Maxwell House and Sanka. sigh... Then, simply because I was unemployed and late with the rent I walked into a local Starbucks and asked for an application. I was hired and that's where my obsession with coffee renewed itself. I was sent to their training center for intensive classes teaching not only how to promote the product, but how to differentiate the taste between two coffees and most importantly, how to brew and serve the perfect cup. This, my faithful reader is what I am going to teach you now. Get ready to learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee! The Fundamentals of Coffee All coffee, no matter whether you get it from your local coffee shop or the supermarket has four basic fundamentals: Proportion Grind Water Freshness Let's look at each of these one by one... Proportion The ratio between coffee and water is an important one. Anyone who's ever had coffee that's too weak or too strong knows what I'm talking about. When it comes to brewing the perfect cup of coffee, the proportion should be two tablespoons of ground coffee to every six ounces of water. No more no less. A lot of people try to stretch their coffee for two weeks or more without realizing what a sacrifice to the taste this is. Use too little coffee and it tastes weak. Use too much and it becomes bitter and you risk a terrible nights sleep. The best way to measure two tablespoons is with a measuring scoop. There are scoops that are specifically measured for two tablespoons but if you don't have one made especially for coffee measuring then you can use a standard 18 cup measuring cup. If you don't have that you can use regular run of the mill tablespoons, but that method isn't as precise. If you want to purchase a coffee scoop, you can get one at a specialty coffee shop or online. Starbucks is a good place to get one. Grind The type of grind you use for your coffee depends upon what kind of coffee maker you brew your coffee in. If you use an espresso machine you use a fine grind. For automatic drip coffee makers (such as Mr. Coffee), you use a medium grind and you use a coarse grind for coffee presses (my preferred way of brewing). There are other grinds as well, just as there are other ways to brew coffee such as percolators and Turkish coffees. If were going to talk about the way a coffee is ground, then we also have to talk about grinders. Basically there are two types of grinders: blade and burr Blade grinders have two blades that rotate at a high speed to grind your beans. The pros of this method is that blade grinders are affordable. The cons are that they generally break down quicker. Burr grinders grind the beans between two textured plates and the grind is much more consistent than a blade grinder. Also, it's easier to adjust the grind with a burr grinder. To get an espresso grind with a blade grinder, you have to hold the grind button for x amount of seconds. A burr grinder allows you to turn a dial and voila! Your grind is done. Obviously, I prefer a burr grinder. Water It's pretty much a good idea to use fresh, clean water to brew your coffee. If at all possible, try not to use tap water; you should always use filtered or bottled water. Before you begin screaming at me that you don't have that kind of money, don't worry. Yes, using nothing but bottled water is not exactly cost effective but there are inexpensive water filters available to purchase. Water filtration pitchers are also a good way to get fresh water for brewing. Your water should be heated to just below boiling, around 190 degrees. You don't want your water to be too hot. It could overheat the grounds and spoil the taste of your coffee. Freshness This is pretty obvious. Once a bag is opened, the freshness lasts about a week. After grinding, it lasts about two days. The best way to keep your beans and ground coffee fresher longer is to keep it in an airtight container like the one shown here. And never, ever freeze your coffee no matter what you've heard or read. Coffee that is frozen is a high risk for freezer burn and take it from one who has experienced the horror: freezer burnt coffee is not a great taste! RELATED ARTICLES Italian Roast Coffee For An Authentic Espresso One of the things people think of with Italy is it's coffee. In fact, Italian roast coffee is perfect for bringing a touch of Europe to your home. Can 50 million plus Italians all be wrong? Well, with Italian roast you can't go wrong either. The Great Bean Mystery - Find the World?s Best Coffee Who doesn't love solving a good mystery? Is the Loch Ness monster real? Who built Stonehenge? Does Big Foot really exist? What is the world's best coffee? While you may need to be an expert to solve the first three, no advanced degree or special knowledge is required to unravel one of the greatest mysteries of the 21st century: What is the world's best coffee? Caffeine - I Bet You Didnt Know This! Health and Nutrition! What exactly is caffeine? It is a colorless, somewhat bitter substance that is found in coffee, tea, chocolate and cola. It is also in many over- the-counter medicines and in many diet/weight loss supplements. It is a stimulant and it is considered a psychoactive drug. It is the most widely consumed drug in this country. Drugmakers are required by law to list the amount of caffeine in their product, however, food and beverage companies do not have to. The caffeine that is taken out of coffee beans to produce decaffeinated coffee is then sold to drug companies and soft drink manufacturers. Coffee Grinders Jumpstart Your Java All the experts agree. People who want the best flavor in their coffee use coffee grinders. Coffee grinders work so well because they unleash the bean oils and aromas right before you make a pot. It's like opening a fresh can of ground coffee each and every time you make some "joe". Starbucks Product Review Have you had the pleasure of tasting Starbucks new less fattening frappachino? It is a blended coffee drink with quite a reputation for helping you keep the weight off and the extra pounds that Starbucks groupies are complaining about who drink the regular version. Have you tried this new well publicized drink to help you from becoming so fat? The average frappachino drinker appears to be about 20 to 30 pounds over weight by my observations of those in the long lines. Shouldn't you try the newer less fattening drink with the same kick of caffeine but less sugar and chemicals? Well we did. Now we can honestly say, it sucks. It is horrible, watery and a few of the people we talked to said it made them puke. Others simply politely said, "I didn't really like it" along with a sour face of disgust. Is Caffeine a Hero or a Villain in Your Life? Many sober, law abiding people who would never dream of knowingly taking a mind- altering drug, actually consume one every day. Chances are that you??re doing it too! What is this drug? ?" Caffeine! Russian Tea drinking - The beginning It is believed history of Russian tea drinking tradition have began at 1638. Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-Matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than being met in the early a.m. hours by a perfectly brewed pot of coffee. That first cup sets the mood for your entire day, doesn't it? If it's brewed up right, you'll feel that extra zing in your step from morning till night. However, if that first cup is too strong or too weak, too hot or not hot enough, you quickly find yourself spiraling into a first-class coffee crisis. Why Your Cup of Coffee in the Morning May Keep You Up All Night One of the most common complaints among coffee drinkers isthat the caffeine can disturb their sleep. This result has been known for thousands of years and is, in fact, one of the reasons why many drink coffee in the first place: to stay awake. Arabica Coffee As you may have guessed, Arabica coffee gets its name from Arabia, the land of kings. When it comes to coffee, Arabica is definitely king. As legend has it, a goat herd named Kaldi discovered coffee on the Arabian peninsula around 500-600 A.D. He observed his goats excited behavior after eating the red cherry-like berries of a coffee plant. Coffee and Depression: Coffee as an Antidepressant? When you grab that morning cup of java, you're probably not thinking of it as an antidepressant. You're just trying to get that morning pick me up to get your day going. The Coffee Culture in the USA It wasn't until I moved to the US that I started drinking coffee regularly and became what they call in the Netherlands a 'koffieleut', which translates literally into 'coffee socialite.' Although the average European drinks more coffee per year than the average American, the cultural importance and its effects on the average European seems to me smaller than that on the average American. After all, coffee is a cultural obsession in the United States. Coffee Bean Roaster The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a "must have" in today's kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home. Starbucks Coffee History To summarize something as phenomenonally successful as Starbucks coffee history might be a challenge. Many volumes have been written on the subject, it is examined and taught in business schools, and whole semesters are dedicated to the marketing genius of the company. The amazing success of Starbuck's business model certainly deserves commendation if not adoration in the business world. Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee Do you remember your first experience with coffee? I'm sorry to say that I do. All I remember is that it was powdered and freeze dried and worst of all, decaf. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mother and stepfather asking a waitress for Sanka, and explaining to my mother that I'd had it before and avoiding her disapproving stare. What was wrong with a ten year old drinking coffee? It was Sanka for God's sake! Tea at Sea Marylyn Monroe famed amongst other things for her love of Tea once said that, "World Peace would be with us if politicians drank tea at meetings" ? or something to that effect. And she was very true in her words, very true indeed. A cup of Tea does wanders to all that drink it. Campfire Coffee Recipes Want to know a few secrets to making a good cup of campfire coffee? There are lots of recipes for making coffee in a plain pot over a campfire or for your camping coffee pot. Try a few varieties to see what suits your taste the best. Here are a few good recipes to get you started so your morning or evening brew tastes good every time. Live the Life of a Civil War Soldier When you Drink your Mornin Coffee Civil War soldiers drank from large tin cups. Hot liquidfilled all the way up in a tin cup will burn yer lips. Soldiers needed at least an inch or two at the top. So theywould only fill it two-thirds full and let it cool a littleso they could tolerate it. Don't drink from old tin cupsthat you might find in an antique store. They have leadsolder. Buy a reproduction of one at a Civil War reenactment or from a Sutler who advertises in some of themilitary history magazines. Coffee boilers are large tincups with a handle on them. Some of them even have lids onthem. They hold 22-24 ozs. of liquid. They look like a cup that is a coffee pot. Coffee and Health From the year dot, my mother taught all her children that coffee was not bad for you. But of course it is. As a result, I managed to keep away from coffee, at least until the difficult age of 10, when, as I recall, I was allowed to join my mother and her neighbors in their regular gossip sessions at the coffee table. Brazilian Coffee Adultery, deceit and politics, all the makings of a modern-day best-seller, yet this story is over 250 years old and what ultimately led to brazilian coffee. In 1727 a Brazilian official named Francisco de Melho Palheta was invited to mediate a heated border dispute between French and Dutch Guiana. Both governments were actively growing coffee in Guiana and closely guarded their financial interests by not allowing the exportation of viable coffee seeds.
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