The history of coffee

Coffee - THE Drink of Choice

Did you know coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world. How did coffee get this ranking? What country first figured out coffee was safe for consumption? When was the first drink of coffee prepared? Where did the first coffee shop come in being?
There are many questions about the starting point of drinking coffee. It has been so long ago no one really knows all the facts. But, one thing is for sure, coffee is the most consumed beverage on the planet.

The Beginning of Coffee

It looks as if the first trace came out of Abyssinia and was also sporadically in the vicinity of the Red Sea around seven hundred AD. Along with these people, other Africans of the same period also have a history of using the coffee berry pulp for more than one occasion like rituals and even for health.

Coffee began to get more attention when the Arabs began cultivating it in their peninsulas around eleven hundred AD. It is speculated that trade ships brought the coffee their way. The Arabs started making a drink that became quite popular called gahwa-meaning to prevent sleep. Roasting and boiling the bean was how they made this drink. It became so popular among the Arabs that they made it their signature Arabian wine and it was used a lot during rituals.

After the coffee bean was found to be a great wine and a medicine, someone discovered in Arabia that you could also make a different dark, delicious drink out of the beans, this happened somewhere around twelve hundred AD. After that it didn't take long and everyone in Arabia was drinking coffee. Everywhere these people traveled the coffee went with them. It made its way around to India, North Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, and was then cultivated to a great extent in Yemen around fourteen hundred AD.

Other countries would have gladly welcomed these beans if only the Arabs had let them. The Arabs killed the seed-germ making sure no one else could grow the coffee if taken elsewhere. Heavily guarding their plants, Yemen is where the main source of coffee stayed for several hundred years. Even with their efforts, the beans were eventually smuggled out by pilgrims and travelers.

Coffee Shops Appear

Around 1475 the first coffee shop opens in Constantinople called Kiv Han two years after coffee was introduced to Turkey, in 1554 two coffee houses open there. People came pouring in to socialize, listen to music, play games and of course drink coffee. Some often called these places in Turkey the "school of the wise", because you could learn so much by just visiting the coffee house and listening to conversations.
In the sixteen hundreds coffee enters Europe through the port of Venice. The Turkish warriors also brought the drink to Balkans, Spain, and North Africa. Not too much later the first coffee house opens in Italy.

There were plenty of people also trying to ban coffee. Such as Khair Beg was governor of Mecca who was executed and Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire who successfully closed down many coffee houses in Turkey. Thankfully not everyone thought this way.

Coffee Tips arrives

In the early sixteen hundreds coffee is presented to the New World by man named John Smith. Later in that century, the first coffee house opens in England. Coffee houses or "penny universities" charged a penny for admission and for a cup of coffee. The word "TIPS" (for service) has it's origin from an English coffee house.

Early in the 17th century, Edward Lloyd's coffee house opens in England. The Dutch became the first to commercially transport coffee. The first Parisian café opens in 1713 and King Louis XIV is presented with a lovely coffee tree. Sugar is first used as an addition to coffee in his court.

The America's Have Coffee

Coffee plants were introduced in the Americas for development. By close to the end of the seventeen hundreds, 1,920 million plants are grown on the island.

Evidently the eighteen hundreds were spent trying to find better methods to make coffee.

The Coffee "Brew" in the 20th Century

New methods to help brewing coffee start popping up everywhere. The first commercial espresso machine is developed in Italy. Melitta Bentz makes a filter using blotting paper. Dr. Ernest Lily manufactures the first automatic espresso machine. The Nestle Company invents Nescafe instant coffee. Achilles Gaggia perfects the espresso machine.
Hills Bros. begins packing roasted coffee in vacuum tins eventually ending local roasting shops and coffee mills. A Japanese-American chemist named Satori Kato from Chicago invents the first soluble "instant" coffee.

German coffee import Ludwig Roselius turns some ruined coffee beans over to researchers, who perfected the process of removing caffeine from the beans without destroying the flavor. He sells it under the name Sanka. Sanka is introduced in the United States in 1923.

George Constant Washington an English chemist living in Guatemala, is interested in a powdery condensation forming on the sprout of his silver coffee flask. After checking into it, he creates the first mass-produced instant coffee which is his brand name called Red E Coffee.

Prohibition goes into effect in United States. Coffee sales suddenly increase.
Brazil asked Nestle to help find a solution to their coffee surpluses so the Nestle Company comes up with freeze-dried coffee. Nestle also made Nescafe and introduced it to Switzerland.

Other Interesting Tidbits Coffee

Today the U.S. imports 70 percent of the world's coffee crop.
During W.W.II, American soldiers were issued time Maxwell House coffee in their ration kits.

In Italy, Achilles Gaggia perfects his espresso machine. The name Cappuccino comes from the resemblance of its color to the robes of the monks of the Capuchin order.

One week before Woodstock, the Manson family murders coffee heiress Abigail Folger as she visits with her friend Sharon Tate in the home of filmmaker Roman Polanski.

Starbuck's Hits the Coffee World

Starbucks opens its first store in Seattle's Pike Place public market in 1971. This creates madness over fresh-roasted whole bean coffee.
Coffee finally becomes the world's most popular beverage. More than 450 billion cups are sold each year by 1995.

The Current Coffee Trends

Now in the 21st century we have many different styles, grinds, and flavors of coffee. We have really come a long way even with our coffee making machines. There's no sign of coffee consumption decreasing. Researchers are even finding many health benefits to drinking coffee. Drink and enjoy!

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Café rôtis 101 - ce que vous êtes boire ?

You're new to the world of coffee and you want to digest as much information as possible in the simplest way to consume. You've been drinking your father's Yuban for years and you just know there has to be something better out there. You want to buy good coffee, but you're not sure where to start. This guide will serve as your starting point, your beacon of hope in the night.

Let us begin with simple terminology and then we'll move on to a more refined glossary. There are three 'main' categories of roast. There is the Light Coffee Roast, Dark Coffee Roast, and Medium Coffee Roast. To put it simply any coffee you choose is going to fall upon this range of flavor. Each roast is denoted as such by the time spent in the roaster, the temperature it is roasted at, and the color of the bean after the roast.

Coffee Roasting:

This is the process of transforming a green coffee bean into its more noticeable self, the roasted coffee bean. Coffee roasting can last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes and goes through multiple stages of low to high heats in order to capture the complexities and flavors that are sought in the final production. Coffee has a large spectrum of flavor and color that denotes its characteristics.

Light Coffee Roast:

A light coffee roast is perhaps the least popular of all coffee roasts, but that isn't to say that it is the least desired coffee or that it is inherently worse than a darker roast. Quite the opposite is true in that a light coffee is more apt to capture the true flavor of a coffee bean. Because its flavors will stay intact a green coffee bean of high quality and desired taste is much more suited to a lighter roast. A lower quality coffee bean will be roasted longer and at higher temperatures to mask its inferior taste.

A light coffee roast will typically have more caffeine than its darker counterpart. As a coffee bean roasts longer the caffeine is 'burned off' thus a lighter roast will keep more caffeine intact.

Certain regions and blends are more apt to produce a high quality light roast coffee. Roasters often choose a particular region of green bean coffee to use in their light roast coffee.

How to tell if you're drinking a Light Coffee Roast?

A light coffee roast is denoted by its light body, full taste, and its bright liveliness. The first impression you will experience is the taste. Because the green coffee bean has been roasted for as little time as possible the true flavors are still in tact. As the coffee is tasted across the palate you will be able to extract the full flavor of the bean. The finishing taste of the light coffee is often described as sweet or lively. A bad light roast will have the acidic taste of grass left on your palate. A good light roast will have a slightly acidic, floral aromatic finish to it often described as citrus or fruity in flavor.

Dark Coffee Roast:

The dark coffee roast is the second most popular of all the coffee roasts, but that isn't to say that it's the best roast available. It is often characterized as a dark roast because of the amount of time spent in the roaster and the temperature at which it is roasted. A coffee bean that has been subjected to longer roasting times and higher temperatures will lose a majority of its true green coffee bean flavor. This results in a more uniformed taste and consistency. Often times lower quality coffee beans will be dark roasted because of this. However, there is still a large difference that can be noted when high quality coffee beans are dark roasted.

Just about any green coffee bean can be dark roasted and still have a drinkable taste. Because the process of roasting a coffee to its breaking point nullifies any of the off tastes and inconsistencies that can be found in a green bean, the region of the green coffee bean is of less importance to the roaster when creating their dark coffee roast.

How to tell if you're drinking a Dark Coffee Roast?

A dark coffee roast is denoted by its full body and its smooth liveliness. The first impression you will experience is that the taste is more neutral when compared to a light roast. As the green coffee bean is roasted longer it neutralizes any off tastes and creates a more uniform taste. The dark coffee will be most noticeably smoother than its light counter part. The longer the green coffee bean spends roasting the less acidity is left to impart on the palate. It will have a finishing taste that is less pronounced and considered smoother as a result.

Medium Coffee Roast:

The medium coffee roast covers the full gambit of coffee that fall somewhere between a light and a dark coffee. Entirely up to the roaster and the region of the coffee bean it can have a medium to full body flavor and either a smooth or slightly acidic after taste. Its goal is to provide the best of both the light and the dark coffee. It wants to capture the flavor of the green bean without leaving its off marks in place. It is a highly artisan practice to create a well balanced medium roast.

You will find that most coffee blends you drink will be considered of the medium roast variety. A roaster will carefully choose which regions to blend together to capture the just the right flavor from the roasting process.

How to tell if you're drinking a Medium Coffee Roast?

A medium coffee roast is denoted by its medium body and its smooth-bright liveliness. Because it covers such a wide range of flavors, the medium roast is perhaps the most popular coffee. It allows the roaster flexibility to derive the most flavor from the green coffee bean. If the coffee you're drinking lingers on your palate and finishes with a lively flavor you're probably drinking a medium roast coffee.

Conclusion:

Coffee comes in all different forms. There is no right or wrong choice, simply put; it is a matter of personal opinion. When choosing your coffee roast a general rule of thumb is that as the sun rises in the morning it is time for a light coffee roast and as the sun sets it is time for a dark coffee roast. In between the two, feel free to drink the medium coffee roast.

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Growing Coffee - Explaining All About The Rearing Of Coffee

Coffee growing - explaining all about coffee farming Coffee is a drink favorite of millions of people around the world. Many of us wake up to the invigorating taste of espresso in the morning. In fact, this is a great way to start the day. Coffee lovers ardent simply can?t miss their coffee drink at different times of the day - in breaks between work them. A cup of hot coffee of piping, not only we wake up, but also helps keep us energetic throughout the day.

All coffee drinks, either clear coffee or espresso or latte or cappuccino or some other specialty coffee drink, are prepared by the beans of the coffee plant. The plants of coffee, coffee performance seeds (beans), are grown on a large scale in various parts of the world. More than seventy countries of Indonesia, Brazil grow coffee. Usually, the parts of the world between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn are the areas suitable coffee. Coffee growing belt includes the region around the Ecuador - Central America, Northern South America, Africa, India, Indonesia, the Middle East and the Hawaii.

Culture of the coffee plant varieties The coffee plant is a small and persistent leaves. Coffee culture takes place in the plantations. It is a labour intensive process which depends on agriculture the most. This is why the culture of coffee is more suited for lying in and around the equatorial regions developing nations.

The commercially important varieties of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica coffee beans make up approximately seventy per cent of the total coffee while coffee Robusta beans make up the rest. The Arabica is generally regarded as the best coffee. However, it may be a range (from excellent to poor) with respect to the quality of Arabica coffees. This is the reason why Robusta beans may be preferred to Arabica beans in some cases. Finally, it is of course, expert opinion which is necessary to decide what would be the right beans that go in your coffee makers and machines Espresso to produce espresso, latte and cappuccino perfect drinks.

Some facts of coffee growing
The equatorial climate best combinations of coffee culture. Temperature range of 15-24 degrees Celsius without severe fluctuations is ideal for coffee.
It is well drained, well aerated and deep soil which is the right field of soil for the cultivation of coffee. Coffee plants require a large amount of oxygen to their root systems. This is why aerated soils are particularly suited for coffee goal.
Required precipitation is in the range from 1500 mm to 2000 mm per year. If the annual precipitation of the region coffee falls below the deficit is to be supported by providing means of irrigation.
Varieties of coffee of superior quality are best grown at higher altitudes (3000 feet) where there is an abundance of fog and clouds. With oxygen in the air at altitudes higher than being less coffee trees take longer to mature thus contributing to the development of better flavour in beans (seeds) as in its fruit (cherries or berries). Diffuse light produced by the fog and moderate winds at altitude prove beneficial in the promotion of desirable developments in coffee.
Robusta or the coffee Canephora which produces the majority of the coffee grown at lower altitudes is also considered to be more resistant to diseases of the coffee crop. However, it is the Arabica Coffee grown at elevations more high which are popular for preparing a coffee befitting charm.
The process of growth of coffee It may be difficult to imagine that the espresso, latte, cappuccino or other beverages of special coffee that can be delivered piping hot coffee makers [http://www.finest-coffee-makers.com] or espresso machines have been come from the coffee plant that has disappeared, throwing a number of steps in the procedure coffee. Indeed, coffee growing process involves intensive farming process.

Coffee plant propagation is by seed or cuttings. They are planted in the special nursery. When the seedlings are between 8 and 12 months, they are transplanted to fields. Here, in the fields, cuttings or seedlings are planted in holes wet, fertilized.

Coffee trees require especially younger constant special care. The exact amount of shaded Sun right (or diffused light) must be ensured as also regular watering and fertilizing. Protection against pests and weeds should also be provided.

To plant coffee takes about five years to mature and produce the first harvest. Trees with wide, dark green leaves are like jasmine flowers. Flowers flowers of coffee over a period of six to eight weeks and the flower to the period of harvest can extend to approximately nine months or according to a number of environmental and other factors more. Maturation of red fruit of coffee (or cherries or berries, as they are called also) takes place in the 6 to 8 months after the beginning of the tree to bear fruit. Regular harvesting must be done as the fruits of coffee becomes the wire of the ripe after some 10 to 14 days. Hand plucking is generally to as is practical and better adapted to pick up in the mountainous regions, as opposed to mechanical harvesters.

Although this may seem surprising but it is true that a single tree crops can produce enough beans to about two pounds or one kilogram of coffee. This was estimated to be produced using grains of coffee about 2000. These beans are picked by hand labor. The harvesting of coffee beans may also require a bit of talent as the selector must learn to choose only the best beans and throw beans bad any levy. Attention must be provided for each individual bean in the bean harvesting by bean harvesting process.

Treatment of selected coffee or beans must be instituted immediately after harvest. This is to ensure that the dough does not obtain has deteriorated. Treatment of process coffee beans involving drying and roasting finally ready the coffee must be freshly ground in your home coffee makers [http://www.finest-coffee-makers.com/index.html] or the espresso machine. Thus finally comes for you the cupfuls of perfectly flavoured, delicious espresso, latte, cappuccino or other favorite coffee beverage.

Dene Lingard is the author and owner of target Net Publishing.

He writes content for many rich sites to information that it publishes. This section was written with an interest in the coffee and coffee makers in General. [http://www.finest-coffee-makers.com]

You are welcome take this article and place it on your site as long that you leave the box resource and all the links intact. Thank you!

Café faits - les différents Types de grains de café

All over the world, people drink coffee from one of two different types of coffee beans: Arabica beans ("Coffea Arabica") and Robusta beans ("Coffea Robusta")

Arabica beans are aromatic, flavorful coffee beans used for gourmet, specialty coffees. The term refers to Coffea Arabica, the taxonomic species named for the genus responsible for about 75% of the world's commercial coffee crop. Coffea Arabica is a woody perennial evergreen that belongs to same family as Gardenias.

Robusta beans contain twice the caffeine as Arabica. Robusta beans are somewhat bitter and lack the flavor and aroma of Arabica beans. Robusta beans are used to produce blends, instant and freeze dried coffees.

There are other types of coffee species but they are very rare or non - exist in the export market. As a result, the fact is that we all drink either Arabica or Robusta coffee. Sounds simple, right? Not quite.

There are many "hybrids" within Arabica coffee trees which yield coffee beans with distinct flavors and characteristics. This is where the fun begins. To name a few,

ETHIOPIAN COFFEE: Ethiopian Harrar, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe. Each is named after their region of origin and they have very distinct flavor characteristics. For example, Ethiopian Harrar is known for its medium body, earthy flavor, almost no. acidity and a very smooth mouth feel. This is a complex coffee with light spicy tones and a fruity flavor that some people compared to the taste of dry red wine. "As the ' birthplace of coffee," Ethiopia has a unique place in the coffee world.

KENYAN COFFEE: Kenyan AA. This coffee comes from the area surrounding Mount Kenya, a region with fertile red volcanic soil. The coffee is known for its very acidic taste you taste right away in the mouth, and then followed by a medium body with an aftertaste of earthy flavor.

TANZANIAN COFFEE: Tanzanian Peaberry focuses on pea berry instead of traditional coffee beans. Coffee is the dried seed from the fruit of a flowering tree. Each fruit has two seeds facing each other. On the coffee tree, there is a percentage of the fruit that has a single seed or peaberry and the rest will have two flat beans for the usual two (2) seeds per fruit. The single bean peaberry occurs in less than 5% of any crop and is generally considered to produce a more concentrated flavor.

COLOMBIAN COFFEE: major cultivars of Arabica beans include Bourbon, Caturra, Typica and Maragogype. Colombian coffees also include the name of the growing regions such as Cauca, Nariño, Amazonas, Bucaramanga, etc. Colombia accounts for more than a tenth of the world's entire coffee supply. Colombian Arabica coffee is perhaps the most well-known, partly due to its "living" and successful coffee advertising iconic symbols recognized worldwide, Juan Valdez and Conchita, the mule. The more generic Colombian coffees are rated as Excelso and Supremo. These terms simply refer to the size of the coffee beans, not necessarily to better coffee ranks.

COSTA RICAN COFFEE: Costa Rican Tarrazu is a prized Arabica coffee. It is named after the San Marcos de Tarrazu valley, one of the four premium coffee growing districts surrounding the capital city of San Jose. The other hybrids include Tres Rios, Heredia and Alajuela. Costa Rican coffees are balanced, clean, with bright acidity featuring citrus or berry-like flavors and hints of chocolate and spice in the finish.

BRAZILIAN COFFEE: Brazil Santos Bourbon comes from the hills of down Paulo state in the south-central portion of the country near the port of Santos. Historically, these Arabica coffee plants were brought to the island of Bourbon now known as the Island of Reunion. Brazil Santos Bourbon is a light-bodied coffee, with low acidity, a pleasing aroma and a mild, smooth flavor.

INDONESIAN COFFEE: Java is the most famous Arabica varietal from the island of Java. The top grade of Java coffee is cultivated on former Dutch plantations and is called Java Estate. This is a clean, thick, full body coffee with less of the earthy characteristics that other Indonesia coffees feature, such as Sumatra or Sulawesi. The Java coffees provide a smooth complement to the Yemen Mocha which is very intense. The traditional Mocha Java blend is the combination of Java and Yemen Mocha.

SUMATRAN COFFEE: Sumatra Mandheling and Sumatra Lintong. Sumatra Lintong originates in the Lintong district of Sumatra near Lake Toba. This coffee has a medium bodied coffee, low acid, sweet with a complex and earthy aroma. Sumatra Mandheling has a rich, heavy body, acidity and subdued unique complex flavor. This coffee actually does not originate in the Mandheling region but is named after the Mandailing people in the north of Sumatra.

HAWAIIAN COFFEE: closer to home, in Hawaii, the best known varietal is Hawaiian Kona coffee Arabica. This Arabica bean grows on the slopes of Mount Hualalai and Mauna Loa which makes it not exclusive only to Hawaii but also to the Kona District specifically.

JAMAICAN COFFEE: the Arabica varietal that grows predominantly in the Blue Mountain region of this island is called Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. The Blue Mountains stretch between Kingston and Port Maria in Jamaica. This region enjoys a cool and misty climate. Due to its limited production quantity, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is expensive.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA COFFEE: located just north of Australia, Papua New Guinea coffee cultivation was started in 1937 using imported seeds from Jamaica's famous Blue Mountain region. As a result, Papua New Guinea has noticeable similarities to Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. The rich volcanic soil and excellent climate produce a mild and mellow, full-bodied coffee with moderate acidity, broad flavor and very interesting aromatics.

Is this all? No, there are many more hybrids, brands, and special flavors of Arabica coffee to try and discover.

For now, what about a cup of Ethiopian Harrar or Papua New Guinea coffee?

Timothy ("Tim") s. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him "The Gourmet Coffee Guy."
He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.

Come visit the author's website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com

© Copyright - Timothy s. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Plenty of Reasons to Love Krups Coffee Makers

When it comes to coffee makers, Krups coffee makers are the cream of the crop. Krups coffee found in a large number of kitchens and offices around the world. Krups has is insured as homemaking and coffee lovers will find many reasons to prefer their products on the other.

And the best reason, that they have found? A much more affordable price for their coffee. With the weapon of a more affordable price tag, Krups coffee makers are entered in the market and won over large chunks of it. Coffee lovers seek their coffee ultimate companion and those who want to have good cup of coffee at home will certainly love coffee makers the Krups at reasonable price.

Why you'll love Krups coffee makers

If you're wondering if Krups coffee makers are worth buying, here are some reasons for which they most certainly are. First of all, manufactured by Krups coffee makers are made entirely for the purposes of coffee brewing excellent tasting that can perk up your mornings, boost your energy when you need and feed your love of coffee.

The result is always good coffee with a strong and natural aroma. If you have a coffee maker Krups, this means that you can stir your perfect cup at any time. And what will be that this perfect cup cost you? Not much, if Krups has nothing to do about it. Krups coffee makers are among the most comfortable coffee products around brewing.

Their products are all prices just, so that anyone who likes coffee don't have to worry about the price. In speaking to the part of the market which is more budget-conscious, these provided coffee makers certainly a way for everyone enjoy their own coffee brewing. And if good coffee now does not cost that much of your pocket, it does certainly not cost much effort to do so, especially with Krups coffee makers in the image. Coffee makers with the Krups brand on it are synonymous with quick and easy coffee without the hassle. They are very user-friendly and can be operated with a minimum effort on your part.

These smart coffee makers can find the perfect mixture of coffee without your help. Manufacturing of coffee is not impossible, even without the coffee makers. In fact, you can make coffee without these machines as did people in history.

But the coffee makers are around to make life much easier for you and make a breeze of coffee. So why buy a coffee maker that you would have to exercise great efforts of operation? Better buy a coffee maker Krups, sit, let the machine do what she does best and enjoy your perfect cup of freshly brewed coffee later.

Complete your experience of coffee

Krups coffee makers can supplement your coffee drinking experience with the help of several features on their coffee makers and coffee decision-making. Krups coffee makers are very advanced. They accompany the brewery automatic timers, filters water for the taste of pure coffee and stops to function of portions of instant coffee at any time. In addition, some models can stir coffee a few minutes, and some can brew to many people simultaneously.

Krups coffee makers come even with filters that keep your coffee not only taste great but smell wonderfully so. Since half of the magic of coffee lies in its soothing aroma and tempting, you can be sure that you get to each part of your experience with Krups coffee. So if you are on the market for a coffee maker that can offer the durability, affordability, efficiency and great coffee, you have a single brand to go, and which is Krups.

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Mark is the editor of coffee-maker - guide .com which provides you with the best reviews of the coffee maker and ratings. You can find more on Krups coffee makers on our website best coffee makers .

The spirit of coffee - coffees of the world

Ever wonder where the coffee beans in your morning coffee come from? You probably know words like Arabica and Robusta in terms of taste, but did you know that these words can also tell us where those coffees were grown? Here is a look at three of the world's best specialty coffees and the regions in which they originated. Read on to discover the rich history of these coffees.

Yemen Arabian Mocca

Grown in the mountainous region of Sanani in south Yemen at an altitude in excess of 4,500 ft, Arabian Mocca is the world's oldest cultivated coffee, distinguished by its richness and full body with chocolate undertones. Yemen is on Asia's Arabian peninsula, a stone's throw from Africa. Since there are no other Arabian coffees, it is classified as part of the family tastes of North African coffees.

It is here that the term "mocca" was coined. Its correct spelling is Mokha, for the port city that Yemen coffees ship from. Yemen's arid climate contributes to the production of one of the best-loved specialty coffees that led Europeans to fall in love with coffee many centuries ago.

Yemeni coffee is one of the most distinct and prized coffees in the world. It's been called a "wild" or natural cup, earthy, complex, pungent -- to some it may be strange and bitter. This coffee can also be characterized as dry, winey, and acidic with chocolate and fruit undertones, rustic flavors, and intense aromas.

(Source: http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.arabia.yemen.html)

Mexico "Spirit of the Aztec"

The state of Veracruz produces many average coffees in its low-lying regions, but atop the tall mountains near the city of Coatepec an excellent Arabica bean coffee called Altura Coatepec reigns. The word Altura itself means "high grown". Altura Pluma indicates the finest coffee of Mexico. Coetepec, a coffee district of Veracruz, provides particularly outstanding coffee beans. Mexican Altura beans have a full medium body, fine acidity, a wonderful bouquet and a satisfying flavor that is mild and sweet. This fine Mexican coffee is noted for delivering a consistently smooth taste and fragrant flavor with good body, depth, and overall balance. It is likely one of the most underappreciated coffees around.

Mexican coffee botanists celebrate Mexico's highest altitudes (with their approximately one hundred species of Arabica coffee plants) as the finest region of all the world's gourmet coffees. An inferior grade of coffee bean known Robusta grows at lower altitudes. Mexico itself produces huge quantities of these unremarkable coffee beans, often utilized as dark roasts, supermarket coffees and beans for blending.

Arabica coffee arrived in Mexico at the start of the nineteenth century from the West Indies. Today, Mexico ranks among the world's top coffee exporters. Most Mexican coffee is processed by the wet method to ensure better acidity and body. Mexican coffee is graded based on the altitude where it is grown. The plantations of Veracruz account for 60 to 70 percent of the Mexican coffee crop. Approximately 5 million bags of coffee a year originate in Mexico. Most of the better beans are grown on large plantations in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero. These are producers of "high-grown" Altura Coatepec coffees, among the finest coffees grown in the Americas.

Their flavor is light and nutty with medium acidity and a mild, well-balanced body. With a fine chocolate tang and a hint of sweet undertone beneath the finish, these coffees make an ideal beverage for those of us who enjoy a smooth, mellow-tasting brew that is not overpowering. Altura's smoothness produces many loyalists of the coffee drinkers who sample it. Mexican Altura Coatepec is an incredible morning coffee, as it could be used in a blend to tone down accompanying fuller-bodied coffees, or better yet, alone for the pure regional flavor.

(Source: http://www.coffeeuniverse.com/world_coffee_latin.html)

Java "Dutch Estate"

As a synonym of coffee, "java" introduced itself in the seventeenth century when the Dutch began cultivating coffee trees on the island of Java (part of the islands of Indonesia) and successfully exported it globally. Often the standard by which all other coffees are measured, Java's finest golden beans are roasted to yield a piquant aroma, displaying an exquisite acid balance, a heavy body with chocolate undertones, and a lighter finish than Sumatran.

At one time the island of Java was ruled by sultans and dominated by mysticism. The early Dutch settlers who came in the late 17th century found Java to be a wonderfully diverse place with high mountains, thick tropical rain forests and a sultry climate that revolved around the monsoon rains. The Dutch and the Javanese settled the coastal volcanic plains, while much of the interior of the island was left to the jungle and a few tribal groups. The Dutch found that coffee grew very well in this climate, and began to set up plantations around their initial foothold in Batavia (modern day Jakarta). Initially Arabica coffees were planted, but many of these were killed by the coffee rust plague that devastated the region in the 1800's. Robusta was the logical replacement -- a tough plant resistant to many diseases.

Eventually the Dutch plantation owners conquered Java and took on the elements. Large plantations were established in the east of the island, as well as in Central Java and the west. After the Japanese occupied Java in the 1940's many of these plantations were destroyed or absorbed back into the jungle with their owners imprisoned by the Japanese. After the war and the ensuing independence struggle, many of the larger plantations ended up under the control of the government. Today the big Java plantations (such as Nusantara XII) are still government-owned. However there are many medium and smaller growers who produce excellent quality Arabica beans. These coffees are known as "Government Estate" Java. They are primarily produced at 4 old farms (Kayumas, Blawan, Djampit, Pancoer). The Government body grows about 85% of the coffee in East Java, close to Bali on the Ijen area. The range of altitudes suitable for coffee production is 3,000 to 6,000 feet, with most growing in the plateau region at 4,500 feet.

Government Estate is undoubtedly Indonesia's highest quality coffee. Other more inferior coffee producers of the area are called "Private Estate" Java plantations. They are lower-grown and not processed or prepared as well but they are a good option for those who want to spend less. Java is an undeniably clean-tasting cup for this Indonesian varietal, a fully wet-processed coffee that has the Indonesian body and thickness in the cup without earthy or dirty flavors. (Source http://www.merdekacoffee.com/regions.php)

Frozen Coffee Parfait

Try making this coffee drink using one of the coffees described above and bask in the wonderful flavors of these delicious brews!

Yield: 6-8 servings

1 14-oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup double strength coffee sweetened with 4 tb. Sugar while hot (allow to cool before using)

1 cup whipped heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed mild and the coffee into hand mixer; whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes. By hand, fold in the whipped whipping cream. Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed.

Spoon the mixture into 6-8 serving dishes, then freeze for 3 hours or until firm.

Garnish before serving with a chocolate-covered espresso bean and chocolate syrup for a yummy treat.

About The Author

Michelle Faber is owner of Gourmet CoffeeXpress, the "Ultimate Website Gallery",
showcasing the creme de la creme in gourmet coffees, & teas, and artisan chocolates, desserts & gifts.

Within this gallery, you can find incredibly high quality items, and many designer styled products.
Gourmet CoffeeXpress offers distinctive products for gift-giving and personal pleasure with world-class service.

Please visit Gourmet CoffeeXpress at http://www.gourmetcoffeexpress.com Visit Gourmet CoffeeXpress at http://www.gourmetcoffeexpress.com to indulge in the world's most EXTRAORDINARY Gourmet Tea, Coffee and Desserts.

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Tips for Finding Perfect Premium Coffee...

There is coffee and THERE IS COFFEE! You likely know about the generic quality coffees you find at the supermarket, using the inferior Robusta beans. And, in contrast, there is the alternative: the coffee regularly termed Gourmet Coffee you buy direct from roasters around the country. Popular large volume roasters, like Starbucks as well as most of the the smaller roasters dispersed about town, essentially utilize this far better grade, high altitude, shade grown Arabica bean.

That being said, and broadly known by all nowadays, how can you siphon out the crème de la crème of gourmet coffee beans to purchase?

To begin with, let's hone in specifically on taste. Nowadays, coffee has become a "drink of experts"...

evolved into an art of reflection! We've begun to savor our coffee...flavor identify and define the subtle hints and nuances, as well as the qualities that identify the bean's continent of origin. You as a coffee drinker, can begin to explore and experience the undertones of your coffee's region, but better yet, begin to revel in the independently specific flavors of the bean defined by the specific hill and farm where it's grown.

Coffee Cupping: Defining Coffee by its "Underlying Flavors"

There are, nowadays, a limited number of coffee roasters that independently test their coffee beans for taste observations and aromas. These beans are graded and assessed just like fine wine. This activity is called Coffee Cupping or Coffee Tasting. Professionals known as Master Tasters are the assessors. The procedure involves deeply sniffing a cup of brewed coffee, then loudly slurping the coffee so it draws in air, spreads to the back of the tongue, and maximizes flavor.

These Master Tasters, much akin to wine tasters, then attempt to measure in detail, every aspect of the coffee's taste. This assessment includes measurement of the body (the texture or mouth-feel, such as oiliness), acidity (a sharp and tangy feeling, like when biting into an orange), and balance (the innuendo and the harmony of flavors working together). Since coffee beans embody telltale flavors from their region or continent of their origin, cuppers may also attempt to predict where the coffee was grown.

There is an infinite range of vocabulary that is used to describe the tastes found in coffee. Descriptors range from the familiar (chocolaty, sweet, fruity, woody) to the conceptual (clean, vibrant, sturdy) to the wildly esoteric (summery, racy, gentlemanly).

Following are a few key characteristics as defined by Coffee Geek. (http://coffeegeek.com/guides/beginnercupping/tastenotes)

Key Characteristics

Acidity:

The brightness or sharpness of coffee: It is through the acidity that many of the most intriguing fruit and floral flavors are delivered, and is usually the most scrutinized characteristic of the coffee. Acidity can be intense or mild, round or edgy, elegant or wild, and everything in between. Usually the acidity is best evaluated once the coffee has cooled slightly to a warm/lukewarm temperature. Tasting a coffee from Sumatra next to one from Kenya is a good way to begin to understand acidity.

Body:

This is sometimes referred to as "mouthfeel". The body is the sense of weight or heaviness that the coffee exerts in the mouth, and can be very difficult for beginning cuppers to identify. It is useful to think about the viscosity or thickness of the coffee, and concentrate on degree to which the coffee has a physical presence. Cupping a Sulawesi versus a Mexican coffee can illustrate the range of body quite clearly.

Sweetness:

One of the most important elements in coffee, sweetness often separates the great from the good. Even the most intensely acidic coffees are lush and refreshing when there is enough sweetness to provide balance and ease the finish. Think of lemonade...starting with just water and lemon juice, one can add sugar until the level of sweetness achieves harmony with the tart citric flavor. It is the same with coffee, the sweetness is critical to allowing the other tastes to flourish and be appreciated.

Finish:

While first impressions are powerful, it is often the last impression that has the most impact. With coffee the finish (or aftertaste) is of great importance to the overall quality of the tasting experience, as it will linger long after the coffee has been swallowed. Like a great story, a great cup of coffee needs a purposeful resolution. The ideal finish to me is one that is clean (free of distraction), sweet, and refreshing with enough endurance to carry the flavor for 10-15 seconds after swallowing. A champion finish will affirm with great clarity the principal flavor of the coffee, holding it aloft with grace and confidence like a singer carries the final note of a song and then trailing off into a serene silence.

Coffee Buying Caveat

Buying coffee simply by name instead of by taste from your favorite roaster (in other words buying the same Columbian Supreme from the same "Joe's Cuppa Joe Roaster") definitely has its pitfall! According to Coffee Review, "Next year's Clever-Name-Coffee Company's house blend may be radically different from this year's blend, despite bearing the same name and label. The particularly skillful coffee buyer or roaster who helped create the coffee you and I liked so much may have gotten hired elsewhere. Rain may have spoiled the crop of a key coffee in the blend. The exporter or importer of that key coffee may have gone out of business or gotten careless. And even if everyone (plus the weather) did exactly the same thing they (and it) did the year before, the retailer this time around may have spoiled everything by letting the coffee go stale before you got to it. Or you may have messed things up this year by keeping the coffee around too long, brewing it carelessly, or allowing a friend to pour hazelnut syrup into it."

Your savvy coffee-buying alternative is to look for roasters who buy their beans in Micro-Lots- smaller (sometimes tiny) lots of subtly distinctive specialty coffees. According to Coffee Review, "These coffee buyers buy small quantities of coffee from a single crop and single place, often a single hillside, and are sold not on the basis of consistency or brand, but as an opportunity to experience the flavor associated with a unique moment in time and space and the dedication of a single farmer or group of farmers."

Coffee Review: Coffee Ratings

And finally, look out for the very small community coffee roasters that will submit their coffees to be 3rd-party evaluated by Coffee Review and other competitions for independent analysis and rating. Coffee Review regularly conducts blind, expert cuppings of coffees and then reports the findings in the form of 100-point reviews to coffee buyers. These valuable Overall Ratings can provide you with a summary assessment of the reviewed coffees. They are based on a scale of 50 to 100.

Bottom line for a certain premium purchase: To find the coffee that will ascertain most flavor satisfaction, seek out beans that been independently reviewed and rated. This approach will, without a doubt offer you the advantage of being able to choose the flavor profile suits you best in a bean. What's more, it gains you certainty in quality due to its superior rating. The higher the rating, the better the flavor. True premium coffees start from the upper 80's. By finding a roaster that consistently rates within the 90's will ultimately buy you the best java for your buck!

http://www.coffeereview.com/about_us.cfm

About The Author

Michelle Faber is owner of Gourmet CoffeeXpress, the "Ultimate Website Gallery",
showcasing the creme de la creme in gourmet coffees, & teas, and artisan chocolates, desserts & gifts.

Visit Gourmet CoffeeXpress at http://www.gourmetcoffeexpress.com to indulge in the world's most EXTRAORDINARY Gourmet Coffee, Tea and Desserts.