 |
 |
 |
           |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Coffee - How to Buy, Store, and Grind it for the Perfect Cup
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/
MORE RESOURCES:
Coffee - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Kenya Coffee History In Kenya coffee production dates back several hundred years. Coffee was originally discovered in Ethiopia, Kenya's neighbor to the north. La Minita Coffee - It's in the Green Beans La Minita; Spanish for "The Little Gold Mine" says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who's who in the specialty coffee industry as well as by those of us who have access to it in our businesses. Does Coffee Make You Fat or Help with Diabetes? Who the heck knows?According to two studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association the opposite is true and it states if you have diabetes you should get rid of caffeine.Duke University Medical Centre in a 2004 study proved that caffeine ingestion significantly impairs the control of blood sugar and insulin after a meal. Cappuccino Secrets: Creating the Perfect Foam Here is an article that tells the secret of creating the perfect foam with steamed milk for making a wonderful cappuccino. As you'll see creating the perfect foam isn't as easy as it may seem . 3 Simple Tips For Making Perfect Coffee Want to brew the perfect cup of coffee?Here are 3 simple tips that will make a difference in every single cup you drink.Tip #1 Clean Coffee PotA clean pot is essential and can make a world of difference in the taste of your coffee. Heating Vegetable Oil to Frying Temps Forms Toxic Compound New research by a University of Minnesota professor and a graduate student shows that when highly unsaturated vegetable oils are heated at frying temperature (365 F) for extended periods-or even for half an hour-a highly toxic compound, HNE (4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal) forms in the oil.A. English Coffee With English Tea being a very familiar term, English coffee may seem as contrary a term as Arctic bananas; however, England's impact on the coffee trade and the world of business is undeniable. The history of English coffee began in 1650 at Oxford University when a Lebanese immigrant opened the first coffeehouse on campus. Starbucks Coffee Company Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by three businessmen in Seattle, Washington who had a love for coffee and tea. It was important to them that the city of Seattle to have access their coffee. The Best Cup of Drip Coffee Possible With a "good" cup of coffee costing almost as much as a good sandwich these days, more and more people are taking to making their coffee at home from an "old fashioned" drip coffee machine. With the influence of Starbucks and the others out there, people are demanding a better cup of coffee all of the time. 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. Arabica Coffee Beans Are Pricey Yet Priceless! Arabica coffee beans are known for a better-flavored coffee. There are two main species of coffee beans that are grown for sale: Robusta and Arabica. Extracting the Coffee Flavor The beverage called coffee is the result of mixing dry coffee with water. The combination can be done by one of many methods - ranging from the very simple, with the minimum of equipment - to the use of complex coffee machines which can cost thousands of dollars. Coffee Breaks - Do They Create Stress? The American custom of taking break during the working hours. Thus coffee breaks began in the early 20th century. Getting Fat These Days; Is it Starbucks Starbucks has seen tremendous growth in our cities and the stock is up sharply from its IPO. But for many Americans so is their waist; are you a Starbucks Groupie? Is this fact showing in your body. Coffee Is A Historic Beverage, And It Makes For A Great Gift Ahhhhh, coffee.. 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?All you need to solve this caffeinated mystery is equip yourself with the right information. And, thanks to the Internet, finding the information for your coffee trekking adventure is as easy as the click of a button. Why Your Cup of Coffee in the Morning May Keep You Up All Night One of the most common complaints among coffee drinkers is that 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. Coffee and Alzheimers Disease With the American population aging rapidly, diseases that affect the health of the elderly are becoming increasingly important. The prevalence of these conditions is increasing and is costing both insurers and taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Coffee in America American coffee? Technically there is no such thing, at least none that is grown in North America. There is such a thing as the American coffee consumer which might as well be an institution all their own for it's their money that drives a substantial portion of the market. 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.
|
 |