KNOW ABOUT YOUR HOT CUP
For the coffee
aficionado, understanding all the subtleties that make a great cup can be as captivating as knowledge of good wines is to the wine lover. Fortunately for all of us, however, achieving the perfect cup is easy once you’re familiar with a few basic coffee-making concepts. Know Your Beans: When you walk into a specialty coffee shop, a coffeehouse that sells coffee beans — or even a grocery store with a wide variety of whole-bean coffees — you’ll probably spot an enticing display of coffee beans. Knowing a little bit about the origins of coffee beans and how they’re harvested, roasted and named can help you choose the bean that’s right for your cup. With all the different monikers on the beans you buy at the store, you may think they are from different species of coffee plants. However, most of the beans you can purchase today come from only two species of coffee plants: coffea robusta and coffea arabica. The kind most often found in cans is generally made from coffea robusta, as are most instant coffees. Specialty coffees — those served at coffeehouses — are generally made from coffea arabica.
What’s in a Name? : The names of the beans normally do not refer to the kind of coffee plant they come from. Quite simply, a name may designate where the bean was grown (Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya, Yemen). Coffees can be designated as “single-origin” coffees —that is, originating from one country only — or “blends,” a combination of beans from a variety of geographical areas. Brewing Techniques: Each brewing method has advantages and disadvantages. No matter which roast and method you select, keep these points in mind: Measure ground coffee for consistent results. If you like a bold cup of coffee, try two tablespoons ground coffee for each six-ounce cup. Because coffee strength is a matter of personal preference, experiment until you find the perfect measure for your taste. Start with fresh, cold water to make coffee. If your coffee tastes bitter or unusual, the water could be the cause. Highly chlorinated water, water treated by a softener, and hard water can affect your coffee’s flavour. A solution is to use bottled water.
Types of coffee: Brewed coffee — usually produced through a drip filter— is perhaps the most common way to fill the American coffee cup. However, these specialty coffees are popular, too. Espresso: Italian in origin, espresso is cherished for its hearty flavour and thin layer of silky froth (or crema) on top. Because of its intense flavour, espresso is served in demitasse cups, often with sugar. It is brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee in an espresso machine. Caffe Latte: It combines one part brewed espresso to about three parts steamed milk, with a little froth (or foam) on top. Caffe latte is served in a latte bowl or a tall glass mug. Cappuccino: Equal parts brewed espresso, steamed milk and froth make a cup of cappuccino. It has a more intense coffee flavour than latte and is usually served with sugar.
shop, a coffeehouse that sells coffee beans — or even a grocery store with a wide variety of whole-bean coffees — you’ll probably spot an enticing display of coffee beans. Knowing a little bit about the origins of coffee beans and how they’re harvested, roasted and named can help you choose the bean that’s right for your cup. With all the different monikers on the beans you buy at the store, you may think they are from different species of coffee plants. However, most of the beans you can purchase today come from only two species of coffee plants: coffea robusta and coffea arabica. The kind most often found in cans is generally made from coffea robusta, as are most instant coffees. Specialty coffees — those served at coffeehouses — are generally made from coffea arabica. What’s in a Name? : The names of the beans normally do not refer to the kind of coffee
plant they come from. Quite simply, a name may designate where the bean was grown (Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya, Yemen). Coffees can be designated as “single-origin” coffees —that is, originating from one country only — or “blends,” a combination of beans from a variety of geographical areas. Brewing Techniques: Each brewing method has advantages and disadvantages. No matter which roast and method you select, keep these points in mind: Measure ground coffee for consistent results. If you like a bold cup of coffee, try two tablespoons ground coffee for each six-ounce cup. Because coffee strength is a matter of personal preference, experiment until you find the perfect measure for your taste. Start with fresh, cold water to make coffee. If your coffee tastes bitter or unusual, the water could be the cause. Highly chlorinated water, water treated by a softener, and hard water can affect your coffee’s flavour. A solution is to use bottled water. Types of coffee
: Brewed coffee — usually produced through a drip filter— is perhaps the most common way to fill the American coffee cup. However, these specialty coffees are popular, too. Espresso: Italian in origin, espresso is cherished for its hearty flavour and thin layer of silky froth (or crema) on top. Because of its intense flavour, espresso is served in demitasse cups, often with sugar. It is brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee in an espresso machine. Caffe Latte: It combines one part brewed espresso to about three parts steamed milk, with a little froth (or foam) on top. Caffe latte is served in a latte bowl or a tall glass mug. Cappuccino: Equal parts brewed espresso, steamed milk and froth make a cup of cappuccino. It has a more intense coffee flavour than latte and is usually served with sugar.
posted by Jinu @ 1:22 AM
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