Archive for April, 2008

In Praise of Black Coffee

According to studies, throughout the world, people consume more than 330 million cups of coffee each and every day. After water and soda, coffee is the most popular global drink. It seems it even beats tea as the world's preferred beverage. As such, black coffee is the third favorite drink for the planet's entire population.

Black coffee is still one of the most appreciated beverages of all times; this is mainly because it tastes so wonderful and its aroma is so tantalizing. As such, black coffee has a way in which it is able to take your spirits to the highest levels possible. It does not matter what time of day or night it is; coffee knows no time limits. You will want to drink it anytime anywhere, which is why this is such a great drink for all occasions.

It is interesting to note that there are more than 40 different types of coffee plants; the most popular varieties are “Arabica” and “Coffee Robusta.” Arabica coffee beans are actually considered to be superior in quality to Robusta coffee beans. For this reason, Robusta beans are what are usually used for mass production.

There are several ways in which coffee can be prepared with espresso being the most popular way. Regardless of the method, coffee is prepared by forcing the steam that comes from boiling water through the finely ground coffee beans. As such, the preparation time for espresso is a lot shorter than it is for regular coffee.

Tips to Help You Make the Best Black Coffee Possible

When making coffee, use cold water for brewing so it gets a fresher, richer taste. Ideally, try to use purified or bottled spring water to make your coffee. Clean your coffee machine thoroughly before and after each use. The filters and brewers should also be cleaned regularly. Remember that dirt, contaminated oils and grinds have a tendency of building up over the course of time. A lot of people prefer black coffee.

However, you can make this type of coffee a lot creamier and give it a richer look by adding milk or non-dairy creamer varieties available in a myriad of flavors such as French vanilla and hazelnut. If you like such coffee, then you should take some time to give espresso a try.

The only complaint coffee drinkers have with this ubiquitous beverage is that they need their ‘coffee fix’ and how they feel lost if they can not get it. Even caffeine is not a big issue as many coffee lovers have switched to decaf varieties; it’s just the aroma and the feelings associated with coffee that make it so popular across the globe.

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April 09 2008 | coffee | No Comments »

Coffee Beans – The Arabica and Robusta Species

Coffee beans grown for sale are picked from two primary species, namely Arabica and Robusta. Arabica coffee beans are considered superior and are used primarily in brewing gourmet coffees - espressos, cappuccinos and the like. Robusta beans are found primarily in lower grade, every day store bought coffees.

Arabica coffee beans are hand-picked (much like grapes are for fine wine) just as they become fully ripened - they're not allowed to fall on the ground and spoil like robusto beans. Arabica beans are then dried, sorted and graded according to color, size, and uniformity. It is believed that Arabica beans were the first type of coffee beans ever cultivated, and they have been consumed for more than a millennium in some parts of Africa.

Arabica coffee beans are grown at high altitudes (4000 to 6000 feet above sea level) in areas where the combination of abundant rain, warm temperatures, fertile soil and adequate shade develop superior coffee flavor. As mentioned, these beans are picked by hand at the peak of ripeness, carefully processed using the wet or dry method (depending on their country of origin), then meticulously graded and separated by bean size and density.

While Arabica coffee beans are more difficult to grow and harvest than other coffee beans such as Robusta, it is generally acknowledged that their superior flavor justifies the effort. Simply stated, Arabica coffee beans are considered a higher quality and better tasting bean than the other commercially grown coffee beans (robusta). Arabica coffee beans are grown all over the world, from Latin America to parts of Africa and Asia where the best environments offer light shade and higher altitudes.

Arabica coffee beans are a staple of gourmet coffees for making espresso and cappuccino. You can click on that link to browse through a huge selection of espresso machines.

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April 05 2008 | beans | No Comments »

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