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Copyright
All materials, including, without limitation, design, text,
and graphics are ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright
© 2009 Ebenezer CL Heng. You may electronically
copy and print to hard copy portions of this Ebook
for the sole purpose of using materials it contains for
informational and non-commercial, personal use only.
Any other use of the materials in this Ebook – including
any commercial use, reproduction for purposes other
than described above, modication, distribution,
republication, display, or performance – without the
prior written permission of Ebenezer CL Heng is strictly
prohibited.
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Contents
Foreword ................................................... 4
1. The Flavored History of Coffee ............................ 5
1.1 Myth and Truth about the Origin of Coffee ............ 5
1.2 How Coffee Conquered the World ........................ 7
1.3 Coffee Today ................................................... 9
1.4 History of Coffee in Dates .................................. 11
2. How Many Cups Do You Have? ................. 15
2.1 Variety of Species ............................................. 16
2.2 Variety of Coffee Specialties ............................... 17
2.3 How Coffee is Prepared Around the World ............ 19
2.4 Straight or Mixed? ............................................ 20
3. Coffee Big Shots ...................................... 22
4. Beans, Beans and More Beans .................. 24
4.1 Bean Growing .................................................. 25
4.2 From Bean to Cup ............................................. 26
4.3 How to Select the Right Beans ............................ 29
5. Bet You Didn’t Know This! ......................... 31
5.1 Health Benets................................................. 32
5.2 Coffee as Ingredient in Dishes ............................ 33
5.3 Tasting Tips ..................................................... 35
6. Bonus for Coffee Lovers: Exciting Coffee Recipes 37
6.1 Caribbean ........................................................ 37
6.2 Mexican mocha................................................. 38
6.3 Cuban cubano .................................................. 38
6.4 Grog ............................................................... 38
6.6 Turkish ............................................................ 39
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Foreword
You are about to begin a journey of exotic aromas andwarm pleasure. Be prepared to relish every moment,
because the knowledge served here is delicious. We will
set forth to discover the origins of coffee. Uncovering the
romantic tales behind the brown bean will only increase our
appetite to nd more about this special beverage.
We will learn about the variety of coffee types and who are
the main producers that deliver high quality coffee. We will
also take a look at the elaborate process behind our avored
morning coffee. We will visit the endless elds of coffee and
observe how the plant grows and matures. Then witness
the amazing transformation of the green coffee berries in
the beverage we know and love.
This ebook is also trying to give you practical advice in order
to derive more pleasure from your daily cup. You’ll nd
all about choosing the right beans and exciting new ways
of using coffee. At the end of the book, there is a bonus
chapter for all coffee enthusiasts: exciting coffee recipes .
Come now! Let’s sip together the exciting story of coffee.
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1. The Flavored Historyof Coffee
Coffee is nowadays an essential part of the morning
ritual for millions and millions of people worldwide. The
modern man cannot conceive a morning without the black
refreshing velvet taste of coffee. Actually, this beverage is
so present in our lives that we tend to take it for granted.
We easily forget that coffee had come a long way to sitlavishly on our kitchen shelves.
We consume over 400 billion cups a year and coffee is now
only second to oil in the world’s goods market. However,
these facts are only true for our century. In the past, coffee
had a lot to ght in order to conquer today’s markets. Coffee
got many labels in its century-long history. It was associated
with religious or even revolutionary practices. This chapter
explores the avored history of coffee and uncovers for you
the romantic tales behind your scrumptious morning cup.
1.1 Myth and Truth about the Origin of Coffee
The origin of coffee is shrouded in mystery. And where
mystery blossoms legends are born. The legend about the
discovery of coffee is the legend of shepherd Khaldi.
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Around the year A.D. 850, on a high plateau in Yemen, a
young shepherd named Khaldi was bewildered by the strange
behavior of his herd of goats. His animals, inquisitive by
nature, indulged in eating red berries from a curious shrub.After consuming the mysterious fruits, the goats became
energized. They were jumping and rolling around happier
than ever. Their frenetic activity continued undiminished
until dawn.
Khaldi sought advice to the nearby Chaodet monastery.
Hearing the story, the abbot got the idea of boiling the
seeds of the fruit to make a drink for his pious monks. The
beverage gave vitality to the monks, thus they named it
‘Kawa’. The word means strength or impulse.
The historic truth is that coffee has been grown in Yemen
since at least A.D. 1000. However, archeological evidence
proves that coffee was originally cultivated in Ethiopia. The
coffee shrub arrived from Ethiopia to Arabia sometime
between A.D. 575 and A.D. 850. One theory is that coffee
seeds were brought by Africans migrating to the Arabian
Peninsula. Another theory states that Arabs themselves,
while raiding Ethiopia, discovered the coffee seeds.
To Yemen we must thank for the coffee we drink today,
because in Yemen originated the idea of roasting the
coffee beans and then turning them into an invigorating
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beverage. Two monks, Sciadli and Aydrus, entrusted with
harvesting the coffee berries, returned one rainy afternoon
with their harvest completely soaked. They tried to dry the
berries in the replace, but accidentally roasted them. Theroasted berries smelt fantastic and the monks started using
only roasted grains for their beverage.
1.2 How Coffee Conquered the World
If the beginnings of coffee are in the realm of myth and
legend, its rise to popularity is part of the recorded history.
Coffee started to conquer the world in the 15th century. And
by the 16th century it was already a habit to drink coffee in
Egypt, Syria, Persia or Turkey. Coffeehouses could be found
easily in cities like Medina, Cairo, Baghdad, Alexandria,
Damas and Istanbul. However, the rst coffeehouse was
opened in Istanbul. The owners were two Syrians: Shems
and Hekeem.
Suleiman the Magnicent and his warriors were responsible
for making popular the Arab beverage to the inhabitants of
Balkans, Central Europe, North Africa and Spain.
Coffee became accessible to ordinary Europeans only in the
17th century. Until then the wonder drink was no more than
an oddity reserved to royalties and adventurous travelers
who brought it back from the East. Venice was the rst
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European country to have a coffeehouse in 1615. Coffee
conquered France in 1672 through the diplomatic strains of
the Ambassador of the Ottoman Empire in Paris.
It is also interesting to note that the celebrated Viennese
coffee was the invention of Franz Goerg Kolschitzky, a Pole
from Istanbul. Chance made that he was in Vienna in 1683
when the city was under siege by Turkish armies. Vienna
was on the point of surrendering when this courageous
young Pole offered to spy on the enemy. His mission was a
success. On the basis of the information provided by Franz,
the Viennese army attacked and defeated the Turks. Franz
was declared a hero and he received ve hundred sacks
of coffee captured from the Turks and the permission to
open a coffeehouse. His business became a hit only when
he ltered the coffee and added a spoonful of cream and a
spoonful of honey.
In the United States, coffee became popular also after strife.
King George III imposed heavy taxes on American colonies’
imported mainland goods. Americans rebelled and boycotted
English products. The Boston Tea Party was the rst serious
boycott and the start of the War of Independence. The peopleof Boston threw into the harbor waters all the English goods
(especially tea) that were stored in the harbor warehouses.
For a while, Americans were unable to procure tea, but
instead they discovered the refreshing taste of coffee.
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Today, Colombia is renowned for the abundance of its coffee
harvests. But in 19th century Colombian leaders were unable
to convince the people to cultivate coffee. The reason was
the long time required for a coffee shrub to produce its rstharvest (ve years). Francisco Romero, an ingenious priest
of a small village, had the winning idea. He demanded,
instead of the usual penance, that the sinner should plant
coffee shrubs. The bishop recognized this as a good idea
and extended the habit to a large area. Colombia therefore
must thank the pious sinners for its abundant harvests.
With the advancement of modern technology, coffee
preparation entered a new era. In 1905 the rst espresso
machine is manufactured in Italy for the enjoyment of the
more sluggish coffee lovers. Then, in 1908 Melitta invented
the world’s rst drip coffee machine using blotting paper as
lter. The ingenious Dr. Ernest Illy made some renements to
the espresso machine and manufactured the rst automatic
espresso machine in 1993. Nestle invented Nescafe in 1938
and everyone was able to make coffee in seconds
1.3 Coffee Today
Everyone knows the taste of coffee now. Besides the waking
up ritual of the morning cup, coffee is a great pretext for
meeting old friends or making new ones. What’s more
important is that coffee has become a major economic
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stake. More than 15 thousand million dollars are paid on
coffee related transactions every year.
The once humble red berries are now in the top of agriculturalproducts ahead of wheat, sugar and coca. Actually, coffee
is the second raw material in value traded in the world’s
markets after oil.
In a single day, 1.5 thousand million cups of coffee are
drunk and cherished worldwide. The numbers show that
two thirds of the Planet’s inhabitants drink coffee. The great
majority of coffee-drinkers are from Europe and especially
from Northern Europe.
There is a general rule that states the colder the climate of a
particular region, the more coffee is drunk and the warmer
the climate, the less coffee is drunk. Therefore, habitual
coffee drinking is an exception at the Equator. Of course,
this doesn’t mean that coffee isn’t loved at Equator. In fact,
in those regions coffee growing is an important economic
activity.
There is an exception to this rule. In Brazil 50% of thecoffee production is for the local market.
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1.4 History of Coffee in Dates
Here are some useful dates for history geeks.
c 850
First known discovery of coffee berries. Legend of goat
herder Khaldi who notices goats are full of energy after
eating red berries of a local shrub.
c 1100
The coffee rst trees are cultivated on the Arabian
Peninsula.
1475
The world’s rst coffee shop opens in Constantinople.
c 1600
Coffee enters Europe through the port of Venice.
1607
Coffee is introduced to the New World by Captain John
Smith.
1652
The rst coffeehouse opens in England. Coffeehouses get
the name of “penny universities”.
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1672
The opening of the rst Parisian coffeehouse. It is believed
that sugar was rst used as an additive at the Court of King
Louis XIV.
1683
The rst coffeehouse opens in Vienna. The Turks, defeated
in battle, leave sacks of coffee behind.
1690
The Dutch become the rst to transport and cultivate coffee
commercially. Coffee is smuggled out of the Arab port
of Mocha and transported to Ceylon and East Indies for
cultivation.
1721
The rst coffeehouse opens in Berlin.
1723
Coffee shrubs are cultivated in the Americas. Gabriel de Clieu,
a French naval ofcer, transports a seedling to Martinique.
By 1777, 1920 million coffee plants are cultivated on the
island.
1727
The Brazilian coffee industry gets its start from seedlings
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smuggled out of Paris.
1750
One of Europe’s rst coffeehouses, Cafe Greco, opens inRome. By 1763, Venice has over 2,000 coffee shops.
1822
The prototype of the rst espresso machine is created in
France.
1885
A process of using natural gas and hot air becomes the
most popular method of roasting coffee.
c 1900
Kaffeeklatsch, afternoon coffee, becomes popular in
Germany.
1905
The rst commercial espresso machine is manufactured in
Italy.
1908
The invention of the world’s rst drip coffeemaker. Melitta
Bentz makes a lter using blotting paper.
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1933
Dr. Ernest Illy develops the rst automatic espresso
machine.
1938
The Nestlé Company invents Nescafé instant coffee as it
assists the Brazilian government in solving its coffee surplus
problem.
1945
Achilles Gaggia perfects the espresso machine with a piston
that creates a high pressure extraction to produce a thick
layer of cream.
1991
Caffè Carissimi Canada, a network of espresso serviceproviders is formed in Canada, modeled after a visit to
Franco Carissimi (roaster and equipment manufacturer) in
Bergamo Italy. It becomes the fastest growing network
of private and independent super automatic machines
providers in Canada.
1995
Coffee is the world’s most popular beverage. More than 400
billion cups are consumed each year. It is a world commodity
that is second only to oil.
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2. How Many Cups Do YouHave?
If you want to become a true coffee connoisseur, you must
be prepared for the variety of coffee. So, run and get
as many cups as you can, because coffee comes in many
avors, colors and blends.
Although there are only three cultivated species, thebeverage itself has an extraordinary ability to adapt to
different cultures around the Globe. This cultural versatility
is perhaps the quality that made coffee so successful.
Coffee has now many recognized nationalities: Turkish,
Viennese, Caribbean, Colombian, American, Brazilian,
Mexican, Indonesian, Malaysian and the list goes on and on.
I believe that if one day some little green aliens discovered
our coffee, they would instantly make it their planet’s
beverage.
As you have already guessed, in this chapter we explore
the variety of coffee. Have you bought those extra cups?
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2.1 Variety of Species
Although there are many coffee species, only three lucky
ones are cultivated around the world. These species areArabica, Robusta and Liberica.
Arabica is the most special of the three species. It is the
queen of coffee trees, so to speak. Arabica accounts for
75% of the world production of coffee. But, don’t imagine
it’s easy to grow. Like any other royalty, Arabica needs
special treatment. It requires very careful cultivation with
just the right climatic conditions. These coffee trees do best
at altitudes of 3000 to 6500 feet where trees grow slower
and thus concentrate their avors. Arabica is renowned for
its rened aroma. And it only contains 1 percent caffeine
by weight. Furthermore, an Arabica tree gives in just 1 to
1.5 pounds of green coffee a year, because of its delicate
nature.
Robusta is different. It has no titles of nobility like Arabica,
but is very resistant to disease and produces an abundant
crop (it bears far more coffee berries than Arabica). Robusta
trees do best at lower elevations and have stark avors.The beans contain around 2% caffeine and an average tree
yields 3 pounds of green coffee a year. This coffee variety
is used for the lower grades of coffee that are sold in the
market. Robusta is also used in the processing of instant
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coffees and widespread commercial blends.
Liberica is considered to have the lowest quality of the three
commercial varieties. It resembles in many ways Robusta:is hardy and grows at low altitudes. Robusta is a minor crop
of coffee from Africa.
For your curiosity, here are the names of those coffee species
neglected by the coffee producers: abbayesii, arnoldiana,
aruwimiensis, benghalensis, bonnieri, bridsoniae, congensis
costatifructa, dewevrei, dybowskii, excelsa, eugenioides,
fadenii, gallieniim, kihansiensis, kimbozensis, madurensis,
mogeneti, mundiensis, racemosa, stenophylla, tetrandra,
zanguebariae;
2.2 Variety of Coffee Specialties
There are only three commercial recognized coffee species,
but from those three species, an endless combination of
coffee specialties is available for the avid drinker.
Let us rst consider the simple yet elegant Frappe. Widely
consumed in Europe and Latin America, it is a cold espressomade with sugar and milk with crushed ice. You can even
add brandy and cacao cream for a devilish variation.
The exact opposite of the innocent Frappe is Cappuccino
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Borgia. Its delicious taste is beyond good and evil. One
quarter-cup peeled orange, one and a half cup chocolate ice
cream and a quarter-cup milk. Add this mix of ingredients to
an espresso and start enjoying yourself. No guilt attached.
If you are more the tropical type, you should consider a
trip to Caribbean Sea for a Calypso Cooler. You’ll get a
cup of chilled, extra strength coffee with a mixture of ripe
bananas and two cups of coffee ice cream. Add rum and
start dreaming.
Many coffee specialties make use of alcohol. However, few
can equal the mysterious taste of Latin Caffee Zabaglone.
The feast starts with a quarter cup of dry Marsala and sugar.
Then salt and four egg yolks are added and the blend is
cooked until tick.
A Mardi Grass cup is obtained from double strength
American roast, heavy cream, eggnog and bourbon. This
blend is conceived to keep the tourists wake and happy all
nightlong.
Turkish coffee is famous for its black, strong aroma cut withcardamom. Cardamom is also used by Scandinavians who
cherish the taste of this ancient spice in their Kaffee. They
start mixing cognac, curacao, sugar and cardamom. Then,
they heat the beverage in the microwave.
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These are just a few of coffee specialties out there. Millions
of combinations are possible for a creative mind. Why don’t
you experiment a bit with your coffee? Who knows, maybe
you’ll discover and launch a new star in the coffee world.
2.3 How Coffee is Prepared Around the World
We have seen the most famous coffee specialties. Now it is
time to make a trip around the world and take pleasure in
local avors.
Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer lets you try
wonderful aromatic blends from Bahia and Minas Gerais. The
other coffee giant, Colombia, makes a light, sweet delight
labeled “supremo” or “excelso”.
Mexico has its own ego to defend and refuses to lose ground
to its better-known South or Central American cousins.
The small beans grown in Mexico have a light acidity, so
the coffee has a mellow avor. Conversely, Cuba boils an
extremely strong café cubano, very similar in strength with
Spanish coffee.
Indonesians invest time in their coffee. The warm, damp
climate slowly produces a beverage with deep body and
little acidity. Indonesians’ neighbors, Malaysians, are
equally gifted in producing quality coffee. They brew the
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beans in a muslin bag to produce a ltered strong cup.
Even tiny Thailand has its own coffee recipe: chicory-tinged
blend served with ice cubes and fresh milk. Those who enjoytheir coffee cold are bound to try Thailand’s coffee.
In Mauna Loa you can nd sweet, medium-bodied avored
coffee, while in Sumatra the daily cup is full-avored and rich.
Even in Kenia coffee is smooth and deep, with a wonderful
balanced aftertaste.
Europeans take pride in their coffee. For example, Viennese
coffee (two-thirds dark, one-third regular) is a world-
renowned specialty. France also has its own original way
to prepare coffee: “café au lait” – half-coffee, half-milk.
Italians are best known for their espressos. Coffee lovers
everywhere will always cherish the memory of Luigi Bezzera
and M. Cremonesi – inventors of the celebrated espresso.
2.4 Straight or Mixed?
Now, you are familiar with many different blends of coffee.
You have traveled the world and seen its delights. You knowthat coffee can be mixed with numerous ingredients. Some
of them bitter, other sweet as honey. Some innocent and
some devilish, like alcohol.
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However, in all this abundance of choices, there are coffee
lovers who always drink their coffee straight. They claim that
coffee has its purity and mixing it with other substances is
to tarnish it. These rough drinkers swear to drink the wholecoffee, and nothing but the coffee.
Their opinion should be taken into careful consideration.
After all, coffee is the name of the drink. Nevertheless, the
choice is yours to make.
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3. Coffee Big Shots
Do you know that your coffee comes from a narrow bandcentered on the equator of around 23 degrees north to
25 degrees south? Yes, coffee grows only in tropical or sub-
tropical regions. As a result, there are only four big coffee
producers. The big shots of coffee are Brazil, Colombia,
Indonesia and Mexico.
Brazil is by far the largest coffee bean producer with a crop
of 28% of the world’s coffee. Colombia is second with 16%,
followed by Indonesia (7%) and Mexico (4%).Coffee trees
do best in high altitudes, but because of their versatility
have adapted to a variety of areas.
Brazil has huge areas covered with coffee trees and an
army of workers to tend the plants. Colombia grows its
beans on rugged mountains and because of the poor
economic conditions the crop is mainly transported by
mule. Colombians and Hawaiians also plant on mountains.
The slopes of The Mauna Loa in Hawaii are perfect for the
plants, especially because of the frequent rainfalls.
Dutch colonists were the ones to introduce coffee to
Indonesia in the 17th century. The thousands of islands
that compose the country have a warm, damp microclimate,
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which is better for the cultivation of coffee trees than any
other advanced technology. The greatest concentration
of farms is on the largest islands of Sumatra, Java and
Sulawesi. These one to two acre farms secure Indonesia’sthird position.
In Mexico, people are very serious when it comes to
cultivating coffee. There are as many as 100000 farms
located primarily in the south, in Veracruz, Oaxaca and
Chiapas.
Vietnam is a country that has great ambitions for the world’s
coffee market. In recent years, it has been constantly
challenging Indonesia’s position. The Robusta coffee trees
grow in Tonkin area, where in the mid-19th centuries French
missionaries endeavored to plant Arabica trees.
Africa, Kenya and the Ivory Coast are small producers, but
they are world-famous for the dark large beans grown on
their soil. The largest beans can be found in the foothills of
Mount Kenya. The Ivory Coast is one of the top producers
of Robusta beans, usually used in espresso blends.
Whatever its place of origin, coffee is always welcomed in our
homes. As long as it makes the Monday mornings bearable,
we don’t need to know how many miles the beans traveled
to reach us.
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4. Beans, Beans andMore Beans
We had a great time learning about the history of coffee
and sipping all those delightful coffee specialties. But
now is time to do some serious work. After all, a coffee tree
needs all the attention and care in the world. Only love can
make it yield those perfect beans for that perfect cup of
coffee.
We will start our workday by rst learning how to grow
healthy superb beans. There are a lot of things to know
about optimal climatic conditions, altitudes and other such
factors that play a tremendous role in the savor of your
cup.
After we have learned the basics, we will dirty our hands.
It is a long way from bean to cup and we will follow all the
steps required to produce the delicious black powder. These
include picking the coffee berries, removing the esh from
the beans and letting the beans dry.
Finally, in this chapter we will uncover for you the ne art
of selecting the beans for a well-balanced and delightful
beverage. There are many trade secrets you can learn in
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This happens because at high altitudes the oxygen is
scarce.
Diffuse light and moderate winds are helpful too. Somecoffee producers deliberately grow their trees in shelter and
shade.
Once placed in the ground, the tree takes about ve years to
yield its rst crop and even then, a single tree will produce
a maximum of three pounds (Robusta species) of coffee.
The coffee trees have large dark-green leaves and owers
that are similar to Jasmine. In some countries like Brazil
and Mexico, the blossom period last between six and eight
weeks. And along the equator you can nd trees that have
mature berries growing alongside still ripening ones.
4.2 From Bean to Cup
Today’s coffee processing industry is a well-oiled machine.
It has to be in order to satisfy an ever growing demand. But
cultivating and processing coffee is not easy. There are many
stages that need careful planning and precise timing.
At the beginning is the bean. The bean comes in two
main varieties: green and red. The red bean is full of
aromatic oil and has low acid content. This is the bean
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used to produce the ner coffees.
When the beans are ripe enough, the picking stage starts.
Most of the beans are hand picked by trained workers.Harvesting is a skill developed over time, where the picker
learns to chose good beans and reject the bad. Separating
the green beans from the red is also an important part
of the picking stage that has a tremendous effect on the
output quality. With the best crop growing technology, a
ne harvest will be between 6600 lbs and 8800 lbs per
hectare.
After the beans are harvested and brought down from the
harsh inaccessible regions where coffee trees grow, the
processing stage begins. The beans’ esh is removed by
soaking, scouring and mechanical rubbing. Then, after a
thorough washing the beans are dried in the sun over large
cement or stone slabs. The dried bean has about 12% water
content.
In the next stage, beans are sorted by color and size. This
process is often mechanized, although some farmers still
sort the beans by hand. The bad beans are discarded andsome are polished to remove the skin. For those lucky beans
selected for ner coffees, a process of aging begins which
can last anywhere from three to eight years. The ordinary
beans are roasted within a year.
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The most subtle stage in the processing cycle is the roasting
stage. The selected beans are roasted at 400° Fahrenheit
(205° Celsius). During the roasting process the beans
expand to about twice their dry size and change their colorfrom green to brown as the inner oil is released. This oil is
responsible for coffee’s unmistakable avor.
After roasting, the coffee beans release CO2 for several
days, so the beans must be ‘de-gassed’ by airing. A few
weeks later, they are ready to be ground. There are many
styles of grounding. In some cases the beans are crushed,
while in others are chopped or made a ne powder.
The nal result is then brewed. There are four main styles
of making a cup of coffee: boiling, pressure, gravity and
steeping. In “boiling”, hot water goes through the grounds,
then is ltered or settled. In pressure techniques, water
below boiling point is forced through the grounds at high
pressure. “Gravity” drips hot water onto coffee grounds
and lters. “Steeping” is comparable to tea bags technique,
though the coffee bags are much larger.
Now you know how much effort goes into your cup. Drink itwisely and cherish every sip.
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4.3 How to Select the Right Beans
You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy your daily coffee.
Nevertheless, a little knowledge will make wonders on yoursenses. Read on to nd some of the secrets on choosing
the right beans for a delicious beverage.
Someone who makes coffee drinks as a profession is called
a “barista”. Another expert of the trade is the “cupper” who
is a professional taster. Both barista and cupper aim to nd
those magical beans capable of producing the perfect drink.
Let’s nd out what these experts look for in a bean.
As you already know, coffee is produced in areas that vary
in climatic conditions. Furthermore, farmers in different
countries use different techniques to tend and harvest their
coffee crop. So, there is no surprise that beans vary from
producer to producer.
The rst thing to keep in mind when purchasing coffee is
that there are two main coffee plants: Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica is used for the nest coffees. Its avored beans
are the logical choice for someone who seeks renement.Choose Arabica beans grown at 3000 ft or above for best
results.
The selecting of beans differs on whether you intend to
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roast the beans yourself or not. Those who are seeking
roasted beans have a hard choice to make. There is light or
Cinnamon roast; medium or American roast; dark or City
roast; French roast; Italian roast.
As you go down on the scale of color, the cups made from
these beans will be increasingly less acid and sweeter. At
the same time, a proportion of the caffeine is burned away
producing a mellower cup. Therefore, on this color scale
Cinnamon roast will be at the lighter end and Italian roast
at the extreme dark end of the scale.
Now you know the essential tips for choosing the beans.
Next time when you buy coffee impress the dealer with
your knowledge and your senses with a perfect blend.
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5. Bet You Didn’t Know This!
The previous chapters’ aim was to make you a moresophisticated drinker. Knowledge is renement. If you
do not believe me, go and make yourself a cup of coffee.
You’ll immediately notice a difference in the way you regard
and handle your shelf beans.
Now, you know their cultural background and the special
conditions they require to mature. And above all, you
understand how much work goes in that Arabica package
you treasure so much.
You realize that your cup is lled not only with a delicious
invigorating beverage. It is also lled with legends, history
and mystic aromas. You think you know pretty much
everything about coffee. Right? Wrong, there are still many
things for you to nd out. In this chapter, we’ll learn about
the positive effects of coffee on our mind and body. You’ll
nd out useful medical information, so pay attention.
After the doctor, we’ll visit the chef. I bet you didn’t knowthat coffee is a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. To end
the kitchen tour you’ll be served some tasting tips to amaze
your friends and family.
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and Scandinavian studies show that decaf and regular coffee
reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Other studies point to the fact that coffee may reduce thechances of developing kidney stones and gallstones. There
are also other digestive system benets. For example,
caffeine increases the stomach acid secretion, which helps
digestion.
Caffeine, with moderate consumption, reduces airways
constriction in asthma sufferers. In addition to the caffeine,
coffee has a bronchodilator substance that boosts the
effect.
Of course, drinking coffee without moderation has some
undesired effects. However, the benets of drinking coffee
outweigh the risks.
5.2 Coffee as Ingredient in Dishes
Let’s enter now the kitchen for some special food recipes.
Delights abound when the secret ingredient is coffee.
You probably know some dessert recipes made with coffee.
But, the uses of coffee aren’t conned to sweets. Chili,
barbecue sauces and glazes for meat, even pot roasts need
a bit of the ground bean to acquire a magnicent taste.
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The rst thing to keep in mind when using coffee as a food
ingredient is freshness of the beans. Buy only freshly ground
and use it without delay. And remember, most dishes call
for very strong coffee.
Here is a list with only a few of the many possibilities:
Coffee Meatloaf Sauce – This recipe is very popular in
Australia. Add a tablespoon of instant coffee to a quarter
cup of water and half-cup of ketchup with a quarter cup
of a favorite dry red and equal amount of Worcestershire
sauce. Two tablespoons of vinegar, an ounce of margarine
and two tablespoons of lemon juice with some brown sugar
complete the mixture. After the meat has cooked for 30
minutes, add the sauce and bake 45 minutes more at 375°
Fahrenheit (190° Celsius).
Espresso Brownies – Heat a cup of sugar, a quarter
teaspoon of salt, and a stick and a half of butter in a saucepan.
Add a teaspoon of vanilla and four ounces of chopped,
semi-sweet chocolate and stir until well melted. Now add
a tablespoon of ground dark-roast. Stir until everything is
well mixed, then transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool fora few minutes. While still warm, fold in three eggs, a cup
of our and pour the result into a baking pan. Bake for 30
minutes and set out to cool.
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Black Russian Cake – Choose a dark chocolate cake
mix and add a cup of vegetable oil, a package of instant
chocolate pudding, four eggs, and a half cup of cacao cream.Now add a cup of Russian coffee. (1 oz vodka, 1/2 oz Kahlua,
5 oz hot black coffee.) Beat until smooth and pour into a
tube pan, then bake 45 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit (177°
Celsius).
5.3 Tasting Tips
Coffee is a noble drink. In order to truly appreciate a cup
you need certain conditions and an educated mind. Next,
we will nd out about the art practiced by ‘cuppers’ – the
supreme judges of coffee drinks.
The cupper analyzes aroma, avor, body, acidity, nish
and a wide variety of more ne traits. A cupper needs a
certain environment to practice his art. It is not difcult to
create a professional setting at home. You need plenty of
fresh ltered water, a tray with cupping bowls and a variety
of measuring scoops. Of course, the essential element is
coffee.
After you have prepared the coffee, rst smell the aroma,
then take a small sip and let the liquid run the entire tongue.
Think about the coffee’s prole. Is it woody or winey?
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Smooth or acid? Thin or sweet? Peppery or oral?
Always keep in mind the various characteristics of the
prole: Acid – a tartness that tastes somewhat dry. Aroma –the sensation produced by vapors; fruity or herblike. Bitter
– from caffeine and other compounds. Body – degree of
“thickness”. Nuttiness – a sensation like roasted nuts; it is
a sign of poor quality beans. Sharpness – a sensation from
the combination of acids and salts.
Experiment with coffee beans from different countries and
try different roasts from light to very dark. You can also
change the grind from rough to very ne. You’ll be surprised
to see what a great impact have all of these factors on your
beverage.
Keep training all your senses and you’ll become an expert
taster in no time.
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6. Bonus for Coffee Lovers:Exciting Coffee Recipes
This is the last chapter of our little e-book. But this is no
ordinary chapter. We have saved the best for the end.
You will nd here the most exciting coffee drink recipes. If
you’re a coffee enthusiast this is a big bonus for you, because
all these recipes are a must-know for anyone serious about
their coffee.
So take your time sipping these recipes and don’t forget
the things you’ve learned so far. Take care of yourself and
most importantly always enjoy your coffee.
6.1 CaribbeanThis recipe is a daring one. So be bold and start your engine.
First, bake a coconut for thirty minutes at 300° Fahrenheit
(134° Celsius). Remove and allow to cool, then break open
the shell and remove the inner esh and grate. Mix the
meat, coconut milk and a half cup of fresh milk in a pan and
heat until it thickens. Then strain the mixture to remove
the coconut granules. Mix the mixture with a cup of coffee
and sip.
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6.2 Mexican mocha
The Mexican mocha is a savory blend of coffee and chocolate.
This is of course true for any mocha. To prepare this delighttake a teaspoon of your favorite chocolate syrup and add a
quarter teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour in one cup
of coffee and add white or organic sugar to taste. You can
mix with whipping cream, or top with whipped cream, too.
6.3 Cuban cubanoBe courageous with this one. Cubano is drunk like tequila,
straight and like a shot. For the Americano, you might want
to dilute with rum or hot milk. Add rum to taste, but be
careful with the milk – any more than a tablespoonful will
really spoil the effect.
6.4 Grog
Grog is a traditional English delicacy. Carefully peel a
large orange and separate into slices. Do the same with a
lemon. Put a peel about the size of one orange slice into the
bottom of the cup. Mix in one-third tablespoon of butter, atablespoon of brown sugar, a pinch each of ground cloves
and nutmeg. Then throw in a pinch of cinnamon. Pour in a
half-cup of coffee and stir. Add heavy cream to taste.
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6.5 Viennese
For the Viennese, melt one-eighth cup dark chocolate into a
saucepan and stir in one tablespoon of light cream. Slowlyadd a half-cup of coffee and whip until frothy, then let settle.
Sprinkle cinnamon and cocoa across the surface.
6.6 Turkish
The Turkish is simple to prepare. Turkish coffee is strong.
Start with nely ground Turkish coffee. Pour a cup of water
into the pot, then add a half teaspoon of sugar and bring to
a boil. Remove from heat and add a teaspoon of the coffee,
then stir and replace onto the heat. Remove after a layer of
foam appears, then allow to settle and cool.
6.7 Vietnamese
The iced coffee drink of Vietnam is something you have to
try at least once. Acquire a Vietnamese coffee press. The
hard part is now over. Put the ground coffee in the press
and then pour a tablespoon of fresh milk into the bottom
of a cup. Pour boiling water over the press and let drip. Stirand add ice.