Coffee 2 Tea

It used to be that if you wanted gourmet coffee you had to be prepared to scour local specialty stores and make a considerable investment, but not anymore. Now there are coffeehouses on every corner offering an assortment of premium beans from exotic locales around the globe. If you go to one of these franchise locations, however, you are still liable to pay a pretty penny.

The internet has become the premier source for discount gourmet coffee. The variety of coffee available online is staggering, allowing you to customize everything from the variety of beans you want, to the level of the roast. No matter where you are located, you can get premium Arabica beans delivered straight to your door.

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.

There is a litany of things to consider when purchasing your coffee beans, but the most important distinction is between Arabica and Robusta coffees. Arabica coffee has a vast array of varieties, ranging in flavor from sweet to somewhat acidic. The Arabica plant requires a specific climate and conditions to prosper, so cultivating the plant effectively can be a challenge. This combination of superior taste and difficult farming inflates the price of these premium beans.

The Robusta plant can grow in a wide variety of climates and produces a harsh tasting bean. Because of this, Robusta is universally considered the lower grade of coffee. Robusta beans are typically used for economical coffee products and blended with Arabica beans to lower the cost of higher quality varieties.

Drink to a healthier you. Choose healthy alternatives to promote total wellbeing. Opt for organic coffee grown the old-fashioned and natural way. These are far from those coffees raised using forced growth. Instead, they are pesticide-free and were grown without any herbicides or chemicals.

Organic coffee is grown with only pure and natural fertilizers combined with careful nurturing up to their full maturity. Choose from these fantastic 100% organic variants:

~Columbiano supreme
~Peruvian
~Sumatra mandheling
~Espresso

There is a lot to learn about coffee.  The terms Robusta and Arabica for instance, which are often mentioned in the same breath as coffee, cannot be defined by many coffee drinkers.  The two are actually the foremost varieties of coffee being grown today. Robusta, which contains more caffeine than Arabica coffee beans, ranks lower in quality and comprises about a fifth of the coffee produced worldwide.  Arabica coffee is more prevalent, accounting for more than 70% of the world’s coffee business.  It is also more superior in taste and aroma. These days most people consider Arabica a gourmet coffee.

Green beans and organic beans are two more terms associated with coffee.  Simply put, green beans are coffee beans that have yet to be roasted.  In contrast, organic coffee beans come from coffee plants grown naturally and sans the use of pesticides. Coffee retailers purchase them raw then have them roasted and packed just before transport and delivery for maximum freshness.

All coffee drinkers love the rich, distinct aroma of their favorite brew.  They savor cup after cup of this hot beverage daily, most often in the morning or after meals.  Not all however, like the caffeine that comes with coffee.  Studies have shown that caffeine, when consumed, can cause wakefulness and increase heart rate, which some people look on unfavorably.

Thankfully, there is decaf coffee so no one has to give up his or her daily coffee habit.  Decaf espresso beans for example, are made from the highest quality Arabica beans, are roasted dark, and taste awesome, but contain no caffeine.  Many other gourmet coffee blends have decaf versions and have retained their appetizing aroma and flavor even without caffeine. Health-conscious individuals would appreciate receiving decaf coffee as gifts.  So give one or several bags today to people you care about. Choose from whole bean, drip grind, or French press, in half pound, one pound or five pound packs.

For people who appreciate the quality and flavor of a well-brewed cup of coffee, grinding your own beans at home is probably a common practice. Virtually every coffee aficionado recognizes that grinding your own roasts is the only way to ensure freshness and preserve the essence of the beans. If you are one of these coffee gurus, you probably already recognize the necessity of a coffee grinder.

Although a grinder is obviously ideal for creating coffee grounds, it has many other uses in the kitchen. Just like coffee beans, spices taste best when you buy them whole and grind them yourself. I keep a separate grinder at home to create my own fresh and unique spice blends.

How many of us having just finished our thanksgiving meal has vowed never to over do it again next year, over eating that is. It’s hard to do, the joy of family, friends the festive holiday we can’t help our selves, and why should we.

This year have your guest talking not so much about the meal instead more about the coffee you served. Here are a simple and easy to make coffee recipe that is sure to do just that.

Café Disaronno
¾ ounce Amaretto Disaronno liqueur

5 oz brewed coffee

1 oz whipped cream

1 tsp brown sugar (white will do)

Garnish with an Espresso bean

Add the liqueur and sugar into a coffee mug. Add the fresh brewed coffee. Put a dollop on the whipped cream on top and garnish with the Espresso bean.

Serve with a heart felt warm smile.

Café Grande

1 part Kahlua

1part dark crème de cacao

1 part Grand Marnier orange liqueur

5 ounces fresh brewed coffee

Whipped cream

Maraschino cherry

Pour liqueurs into a clear glass mug. Add freshly brewed coffee. Top with heavy scoop of whipped cream and garnish with a cherry.

Serve with a heart felt warm smile.

Becoming a morning person is usually quite a shock, followed by a bumpy road, for most young adults working their first job. After 4-and-a-half years of college and becoming spoiled by afternoon classes and sleeping in until noon, waking up at 6 am every day was an inexplicable transition. Needless to say, it took weeks of social adjustment to learn that I couldn’t stay up until midnight and still be perky and attentive the next day t work. Reality crept out of nowhere and then bam, there it was like a semi truck running me over.

Caffeine became a daily must in the mornings to fully awaken my brain and jumpstart my day. The few times I had drank coffee in the earlier years of my life, it was always doused with cream and sugar. Then quickly I learned that all of that rich and sugary mumbo jumbo was an easy way to get an upset stomach. My savior became gourmet flavored coffee – introduced to me by a friend – its bold and delicious flavors come in many varieties: mocha, cinnamon, hazelnut, French vanilla, and the list goes on. It’s a coffee that’s perfect just as it is.\

Many of us love a steaming cup of freshly brewed, flavorful coffee in the morning to get us going (& throughout a busy day for a little “pick-me-up.”) But what happens when your coffee turns your stomach into a fiery, churning cement mixer? Part of the problem may be your body’s own acid/alkaline balance but certain coffees are known to be more acidic than others. It has been shown that coffee grown at higher elevations in volcanic soil has a higher acid content than its lower elevation kin.
First off, let’s not confuse the bitterness of poor quality coffee that is improperly brewed and left on the burner too long. There’s nothing like over-heated, low-grade java to turn your stomach into a gurgling volcano—not to mention what it does further on downstream! Good quality Arabica beans make a big difference in the outcome. The majority of supermarket ground coffee is made from a lower grade Robusta beans which are cheaper to produce.

Coffee experts use the terms “acidity” & “body” to describe the highly valued attributes of different kinds of coffee. Acidity can be described by such terms as bright, sharp, dry or vibrant and is not usually related to the undesirable bitter or sour taste achieved with poor quality beans & improper brewing techniques. Body is described as the weight of coffee: light, medium or dark, & sometimes rich or heavy. The type of bean, where it was grown & how it was roasted determine coffee body & is related to the fat content of the bean. (A light roast has a lower fat content, whereas a full-bodied coffee has more fat.)

Proper brewing of your gourmet coffee beans is the key to a delicious, non-acidic cup of coffee. Using a French Press-type coffee maker is the best way to control brewing time & temperature—the 2 key factors that affect the final outcome. Put measured amount of coarse-ground coffee (2 Tea spoons per 6 oz. of filtered or spring water—adjust according to strength desired) into bottom of press. Add water 195-205 degrees, stir & steep for 4 ½ -5 minutes. Press the plunger down to separate the grounds from the extracted coffee. Enjoy! If you are using a large press (up to 12 cups) & don’t plan to drink it all at once, store your freshly brewed coffee in a thermal carafe. Or use an insulated version of a coffee press.

Pour yourself a cup, sit back and enjoy.