blockhead's Blog

In the early days of the coffee craze, before the first Starbucks arrived in my town, I owned a tea and coffee house for several years. At the time, espresso was something new for most people, and a lot of my customers had questions. I decided to teach a class on coffee at the shop, and learned in the process that there are several misunderstandings about buying, storing, and grinding coffee that when corrected can lead to a much more enjoyable cup of coffee.

True coffee connoisseurs know that buying coffee beans in small amounts that allow you to brew your coffee within a day or two of being roasted will result in the closest to a perfect cup of java. If you keep the beans in an air-tight container the flavor will remain strong for seven to ten days. Contrary to popular belief, storing beans in your refrigerator or freezer will actually diminish the flavor. There are two reasons for this. First, the beans will soak up the flavors of other stored items. Secondly, moisture affects the oils in the roast. Better to store that container on the counter (in a dark, cool place, if possible). If you can't smell an aroma or it's unpleasant, the beans are past their prime.

Soapy water can leave a residue, so when cleaning your coffee storage, use a dry cloth or paper towel to soak up the oil. Clean the container regularly because oil can get rancid over time. Also, frequently clean the equipment you use for brewing. Again, don't use soap because of the residue. Instead use vinegar and salt and rinse thoroughly.

Always grind only the amount you will use immediately. Once exposed, the oils in the beans disperse, affecting the coffee flavor. If you grind your beans the night before you brew your morning cup, you will be losing flavor. Switch to grinding in the morning, unless you don't want to wake your sweetheart with the noise from the grinder. How fine or coarse the grind should be depends on how long the hot water will be in contact with the coffee grinds. The shorter the length of time, the finer the grind so that the surface area is maximized. Here are the consistencies you will want for the different methods of brewing:

Drip Brew: Grind to a character similar to table sugar if the drip cycles range from four to six minutes. Grind to a finer consistency if less.

French Press: Use an extremely coarse grind.

Espresso: Very fine, powder-like. The extraction time of espresso should be between 25 and 30 seconds. If a one ounce extraction takes longer, use a coarser grind; if it takes less time, grind finer.

How much coffee do you grind? For brewed (and French Press) coffee, three tablespoons for eight ounces of water. For espresso, an ounce (7 grams) for a single shot. Double that for a double shot.

Time and again I heard from my customers that they had no idea what a good cup of coffee really tasted like until after they had followed these easy guidelines. Try it. It's the small things that will make your coffee drinking experience sublime.

Professional writing coach Marilyn J. Schwader writes on a range of topics. Her articles about coffee are published in The News at QY Coffee the single on-line resource for a world of news about coffee. Be sure to refer to all Marilyn's articles at http://www.qycoffee.com/

It is said that change is good, but not for everyone. I like my coffee fresh, hot, and black. Many people are sick of the same old routine, and want to try something different. I want to introduce you to my Coffee Tips & TEAzers. These are a few tips and recipes given to me by various people over the years. I hope you are able to enjoy them as much as I have.

Coffee Tip #1

The only thing that beats a hot cup of coffee in the morning is a FRESH cup of hot coffee. The only way to guarantee fresh Coffee & Tea every time is to vacuum pack your beans, grounds, tea bags, or loose-leaf teas. This prevents the air from making your coffee and teas stale. It will keep your coffee & teas fresher longer.

Coffee Tip #2

If you are board with the traditional way coffee is presented then I have some ideas that will give your coffee some pizzazz. Try flavored syrups there are many different flavors to choose from and you can combine the flavors to make something unique. Try adding some chocolate syrup to your coffee. Then add a splash of half & half creamer. Stir completely until your coffee is a tan color. Then add whip cream and chocolate sprinkles. Presto! You have a hot cup of chocolate mocha!

Coffee Tip #3

This is a unique recipe Cafe Speciale

? 4 teaspoons chocolate syrup
? 1/2 cup heavy cream
? 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
? 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
? 1 tablespoon sugar
? 1-1/2 cups extra-strength hot coffee

Put 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup into each of 4 small cups. Combine cream. 1/4-teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Whip. Stir remaining 1/2-teaspoon cinnamon into hot coffee. Pour coffee into cups. Stir to blend with syrup. Top with whipped cream. Makes 4 servings.

TEAser#1
The problem with tea bags is that you really don't know how fresh the tea is. With loose-leaf teas you can feel the texture and see the tea more clearly. The smell alone can be deceiving. Some companies have been known to spray their teas with scents that make them smell fresh, but are they really?

TEAser#2
Mango Tea (By The Pitcher)
Fill Pitcher with Ice
Add 5 oz. Monin Mango Tea
Fill with 50 oz. Water
Stir Well

Raspberry Tea (By The Glass)
Fill 12 oz. Glass with Ice
Add 1 oz. Monin Raspberry Tea
Top off with 10 oz. Water
Stir Well

Minted Mango Tea
1 cup chopped refrigerated mango slices
1-cup pineapple juice
8 green tea bags
2 4-inch mint sprigs
4 cups boiling water
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
Ice cubes

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Add tea bags, anise, and cinnamon stick. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and cinnamon stick. Stir in nectar, honey, and lemon juice. Heat through.

2. Pour tea mixture into four heatproof cups, floating a star anise on top of each. Makes 4 servings.

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When it comes to coffee makers there are thousands to choose from. Among these thousands there are differences in price, functionality, warranty and style. Sure, you can go to the closest big box store and pick one up for about 20-bucks, but generally the machine is just plain boring. Why not spend some more cash for better longevity, better functionality and sexiness-factor? We all like to be sexy, so why not your kitchen?

The roasting drum roll please… The top 5 snazzy, sexy and sensational coffee makers for 2005 are:

1. The Cuisinart Grind & Brew Thermal Coffee Maker: Best of all is it’s timed grinding and brewing feature. You wake up in the morning to the sound, smell and taste of the freshest ground coffee. This model is very tall and looks exceedingly modern with all of it’s stainless steel. You have to ensure you have enough space in your kitchen for the Grind & Brew – not only in terms of the overall length, but the lid, which is located on top, has to open to pour the water in. It has a thermal carafe, so it doesn’t burn your coffee and you can get warm coffee up to 2-hours later. It also uses charcoal water filters to clean the impurities out of your water. It has a 3-year limited warranty.

2. The Melitta Javapod One:One, Coffee Pod Machines: This is a space age looking coffee machine which makes one cup at a time. The only bummer with this type of coffee maker is it can’t be used in high elevations…or kaboom! It comes in five snazztacular colors: red, white, black, mango and kiwi. It makes one bold cup of coffee in about a minute. It can host many other brands of coffee pods, so you are not just stuck on one kind and it can also make tea. It has a 1-year limited warranty.

3. The Hamilton Beach Eclectrics Coffee Makers: These metal beauties come in the most fantastic modern-retro designs and colors. Colors really wow you with intensity. Think about this…we pick paint sometimes because we like the name and now you can pick a coffee maker for the same reason. The Eclectrics series comes in Intrigue Blue, Apple, Moroccan Red, Sugar (ok, this one’s white), Pineapple, Licorice (black) and Seabreeze. For color and design alone these coffee makers are snazzy, sexy and sensational. An added bonus is its warranty: 3 years, one of the best in the industry.

4. Kitchen Aid Pro Line 12-cup Coffee Makers: So you like coffee and you like lot’s of it. This machine will be your Godsend. It comes with a portable second warmer. This second warmer is great for those winter Sundays, where you can put it on your bedside table to read and drink coffee all day long, without having to get up. It is also great if you want to brew two types of coffee like decaf (it even comes with an orange lid) and regular at the same time. It’s made of die-cast metal, has a timer and a two temperature heat setting. For great tasting coffee this gem comes with a Ion exchange water filter. It has a 2-year warranty and if you, for some reason, get a replacement the replacement has a 2-year warranty.

5. Capresso CoffeeTEAM Luxe Coffee Maker : Capresso coffee and espresso machines are simply the cr?me de la cr?me of coffee makers. This pearl has a programmable grind and brew feature, it holds a quarter pound of coffee beans and it has a filter indicator to tell you when your water filter is pooched. It brews to over 200 degrees, so it really extracts the flavor from the beans. It has a one year warranty, but I doubt you will need it. It only comes in black or white.

There you have it, 5 snazzy, sexy and sensational coffee makers to make your kitchen smile with pride. Do yourself a favor, buy a good coffee maker. It will last longer and it looks good in your home…best of all your coffee will taste better.

Kate Simpson is a freelance writer who contributes for the Coffee Bean Queen - http://www.coffeebeanqueen.com/ - a website offering information on everything from coffee beans to coffee makers and specialty coffee types.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It's rich, full-bodied taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. Of course, coffee is not only loved for its taste. The caffeine kick is needed by many to start the day. But if you are a true coffee lover, fresh gourmet coffee has a taste that can't be beat.

Luckily, it's easy to get a hit of fresh gourmet coffee almost everywhere. There are coffee shops on almost every street corner and quality coffee beans are sold in many specialty shops as well as supermarkets.

“Fresh” is the key to fresh gourmet coffee. Coffee simply does not improve with age -- it should be used within six months of production. Some of the large coffee distributors include old coffee beans in their mixes to reduce the cost. Needless to say, this practice also reduces the flavor.

Fresh gourmet coffee costs a bit more than regular supermarket coffee. That's because it's made from high quality Arabica coffee that has been hand-picked in processed. Commercial grade coffee is made from the cheaper Robusta coffee which has an inferior taste and texture than Arabica.

Commercial grade coffee is also machine picked and processed which means that foreign substances such as twigs and leaves find their way into the finished product. When you buy fresh gourmet coffee, you are assured of the quality and taste.

You have many choices when it comes to fresh gourmet coffee. Each coffee growing region produces a uniquely flavored coffee bean and the processing method to also determines the final taste of the coffee. The roasting method in particular determines the kind of coffee taste.

Fresh gourmet coffee should be ground just before brewing. You need a coffee grinder in your home if you want to the best tasting coffee possible. A good-quality coffee maker is also a necessity when making great tasting coffee.

Hans is author of the Coffee Specials and Gourmet Basket section at http://www.steaks-guide.com

Like most things in life, if you'd just delve into a particular topic, you'd be amazed at the rich tapestry of culture and stories involved with it. A great example is that of coffee. Now to the average consumer, they may not think too much of it. They know that it's widely accessible, and that it tastes good. And if you want to make some at home you'd just buy a coffee maker and some beans.

Well that is a great outline for the coffee culture, but you can literally expand on each specific element of coffee ranging from it's history, to how it's purchased, how to properly taste test coffee, roasting strategies, grinding techniques, brewing tips, serving styles, and how to grow coffee itself.

If you are remotely interested in coffee, then you owe it to yourself to get some books on this massively interesting topic. There are even entire careers beyond being a server within the coffee industry from the science of coffee, to business, and logistics. It's much more than meets the eye and yet it's something we take for granted on a daily basis.

I am sure that once you've learned more about the nuances and intricacies of coffee, your coffee days will never be the same. You will know that being a connoisseur is not just about being a pretentious know-it-all who makes others feel dumb, but someone who truly knows how to enjoy real coffee.

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