What is French Vanilla?
In our society, French vanilla tends to be put on a pedestal above other varieties, but do you know what—if anything—actually sets it apart from the competition. Although the term “French vanilla” is thrown around somewhat liberally, it really is a specific type of custard used for making ice cream. French vanilla has a strong, natural vanilla taste and flavor, using the whole beans in lieu of artificial flavoring.
You’ll notice tiny black specks interspersed in your French vanilla, and these are actually the inside of the vanilla bean, which aren’t typically utilized in cheap imitation vanilla products. Despite the fact that French vanilla is actually the custard for ice cream, the moniker is now used to describe a variety of flavorings and household products. So unless your French vanilla cappuccino was made with ice cream custard, you’re really drinking a knockoff.
‘C’ in Coffee Part 2 of 3
CAFFEINE: The chief mood altering substance in coffee, with an average of 1.1 percent in Arabica and 2.2 percent in Robusta beans, the tow main coffee species. When extracted, as in the decaffeination process, caffeine is a pure white crystal, bitter to taste. Caffeine is the world’s most widely used psychoactive drug, appearing naurallin in tea leaves and, in very small quantities in cocoa beans.
CAFFEINE WITHDRAWL: Not yet an official diagnosis, but a syndrome currently under research for possible inclusion in psychiatric manuals . its symptoms include headache, sleepiness or drowsiness, impaired concentration, difficulty working, precession, anxiety, irritability, nausea and vomiting, and muscle aches or stiffness.
CAPPUCCINO: A espresso based drink classically made with one third espresso steamed milk and one third foamed milk. The king of Italian espresso drinks.
CARAMELIZATION: Beans are naturally high in carbohydrates, which must be heated to develop toasty, sweat flavours. Caramelized sugars give body and mouth-feel to darker roast: the darker the bean, the higher the degree of caramelization. When caramelization is taken to far, coffee tastes burnt.
CEZEV: More commonly called an ibrik, this is the correct term for the long handled brass or copper pot, tinned on the interior that lopes inward at the top and is used to make Middle Eastern coffee.
CHERRY: Coffee beans are seeds of a berry, called cherry for the shape and for the deep crimson color of the fully ripe fruit. The even, ovoid shape resembles a plump holly berry or cranberry.
‘C’ in Coffee Part 1 of 3
CAFÉ au LAIT: A French breakfast drink made up about one third strong brewed coffee, as in coffee for a café filter or Napolitana pot or the stovetop moka brewer, and two-thirds scalded or steamed milk. Virtually identical to the Italian family version of a caffé latte.
CAFÉ FILTER: The metal flip-drip pot not more commonly called by its Italian name, Neapolitana, used in French households. The Italians like to claim credit for it, but in fact the French invented the device I the early nineteenth century.
CAFÉ AMERICANO: In Italy, usually a thin drink made with instant coffee. In America, an espresso lengthened with plain hot water after brewing (not by brewing for a long time), so that the body is the same as that of a filter brewed coffee, A good way to spread out the taste of espresso over a longer sipping time without adding cups of milk.
CAFFÉ LATTÉ: In Italy (where it is spelled caffe latte), this is a family drink made in the morning with coffee brewed in the napoletana or moka and milk scalded on the stove, in proportion of 1 part coffee to 3 parts milk. Italian espresso bars use genuine espresso and sometimes add more steamed milk, but not as much as is used in the United States. Also, Italians don’t add foamed milk, as Americans usually do. The drink served as a “latte” in American coffee bars is really giant sized cappuccino.
CAFFÉ MACCHIATO: An espresso “stained” with about two tablespoons of foamed milk.
Cappuccino Coffee Muffins
INGREDIENTS:
Makes 12 Muffins
6 tbs cream cheese
¼ cup whole cranberry sauce
2⅔ cups flour
2 tbs cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
⅔ cup sugar
⅞ cup milk
⅓ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup double-strength cold espresso
Muffin pan and 12 paper-lined baking cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Calories/serving: About 220
1~ Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with paper baking cups. Combine cream cheese and cranberry sauce; set aside. In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
2~ Whisk egg and combine with sugar, milk, oil, and espresso. Add to flour mixture and stir.
3~ Pour half the batter inot the baking cups. Pace about 2tsp cranberry-cream cheese mixture on top of each, and pour remaining batter on top. Bake in the oven (middle rack) for 20-25 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan10 minutes before removing.
Time to taste your Coffee Cappuccino Muffins, pour yourself a cup of coffee sit back and enjoy, yum!
How to Brew Espresso
Brewing the Perfect Shot
Contributor
Espresso is like regular coffee in that it is brewed from coffee beans, but making the perfect shot of espresso requires much more than a regular coffee maker. Espresso is brewed by forcing a small amount of hot water under high pressure through a finely ground selection of espresso beans.
When brewing or “pulling” a shot of espresso, the steady stream of brewed espresso should come out evenly, hot and without any grounds. If you brew a shot of espresso correctly, light and creamy froth should float just on the top. Espresso is used in many coffee drinks including Americano, macchiato, latte and cappuccino.