Archive for the 'Decaffeniated Coffee' Category
Looking for that special coffee treat for Valentine’s Day? This recipe just might be the ticket.
St. Valentine’s Day Coffee Drink
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of kona coffee.
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tbsp strawberry syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla creamer
- fresh strawberries
- powdered sugar
Instructions:
- Brew the 2 cups of water with the 1/4-cup of Kona Coffee
- Pour into a glass
- Add strawberry syrup and vanilla creamer. Stir
- Garnish with fresh strawberries coated with powdered sugar
- Serve
Source: www.holidaycoffeerecipes.com
Additional Tip: Put some melted chocolate on the side for dipping the strawberries and feeding them to each other.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
There are many people that enjoy the smell and even the taste of coffee but are averse to getting hooked on the drink. After all, just take one look at a caffeine addict before they’ve had their morning cup of coffee, and it’s enough to scare you right off the drink for good! But coffee is such a social drink. (Just think, who doesn’t love meeting up for coffee?) So how do people strike a balance between the drink and the caffeine?
For many people, the answer is gourmet decaf coffee. This has the flavor of coffee but drastically cuts down on the caffeine. This kind of a drink also allows you to enjoy all those social meetings and chitchats over lattes and drip coffees. Decaf is even a good option for any after dinner or late night cup of java, as it won’t keep you up to all hours of the morning.
In my last blog I shared some general tips for brewing gourmet coffee.This time here are some tips specific to the type of brewing machine you might have: drip brewers and French Press or presspot brewers.
Choose the best grind.
I make the presumption that you do your own grinding, but even if you don’t the grind is important. Most drip brewers use a finer grind, this grind requires less brewing time because of the size of the grind. Using a slightly coarser grind in a drip brewer may slow down the brewing time and impart more of the coffee flavor. Be aware that this can cause your filter basket to overflow if you go too coarse.
For French Press brewers a coarser grind is required to avoid ground sediments being in your cup. If you don’t mind a few coffee grounds in your cup, use a finer grind to reduce brewing time, 1-2 minutes compared to 4-5 minutes.
Drip, Drip, Drip.
If you have a drip brewer clean it frequently. If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned it – clean it. Lime and oils will coat your heating coils effecting water temperature and imparting new and undesirable flavors to your coffee. Cleaning options extend from commercial products available at your local grocery store to home solutions using vinegar and water.
Invest in a better paper filter. The cheapest one at your grocery store may work but it may also be adding flavors to your coffee you’d rather not taste.
Rinse out the paper filter before you put the coffee in the filter basket. This washes away some of the undesirable flavoring minerals and chemicals that distort the taste of the coffee.
Spread the coffee evenly over the filter. This will help with better extraction from the coffee during the brewing process.
Consider investing in a permanent gold filter. Unlike a paper filter it will not trap some of the flavoring oils found in the coffee imparting a truer coffee flavor. Because of the increased size of the filter holes it may allow some of the finer grounds through. If so, consider a coarser grind to prevent this.
It’s a Pressing Matter
Pre-heat. The presspot or French Press process loses a lot of heat from the water during it’s various stages. The colder grounds and the air temperature barrel of the press draw some heat off. Decanting it to a cold carafe or thermos draws some heat off. Pre-heating the press and carafe reduce the heat loss and may prevent a coffee that is under extracted.
Time it. Normally French Pressing takes about 4-5 minutes depending on the grind of the coffee. At that point it is decanted into another container to limit further exposure to the ground coffee. Walk away for too long and you over extract the coffee. Drip brewers do not have this problem for obvious reasons. You don’t want to overcook your drip coffee, don’t overbrew your presspot coffee.
Final Note
It’s all about taste. Experiment. Your taste buds will tell you which technique, what quantity of grounds, how much time is needed to produce the coffee ideal for the most demanding consumer you know – yourself.
Until next time – happy brewing.
Being a great dinner party host comes down to a number of factors, but above all else it’s about being polite and accommodating to your guests. Before dinner is served, I like to limit the time I spend talking in order to do more listening. That way, guests will know that I’m taking an interest in their lives and not just using them as a sounding board for my own bluster.
The selection of dinner fare is also a big part of accommodation. There have been times where I have hosted vegetarians and prepared dishes to please them – and I’m not talking about a dashed-off salad, either. I also like to keep plenty of decaffeinated coffee in the pantry in case my guests prefer not to be hopped up late in the evening. Coffee is a traditional beverage to be served with dessert, but it doesn’t have to be an energizing one.
Ok, you’ve invested in some premium gourmet coffee. Now you want to get the best out of that coffee. Here are some brewing tips to help you.
It’s all in the beans.
Hopefully, you’ve bought the coffee whole bean and not pre-ground. Coffee is a product with a shelf life. In the best of all worlds you would roast your own coffee beans, but not everyone has the dedication or time to do that. Once roasted the longer your coffee stays in whole bean form the longer it will yield the freshest possible cup of coffee.
Invest in a burr grinder (not a blade grinder) and only grind what you need for a few days at most. Even better, grind what you need for this pot right before brewing.
Measure the grounds. Suggested is 2 tablespoons per 6-8 ounces of water. You may prefer more or less.
About Water, Temp & Time
Use the right kind of water, either spring water or filtered water. Tap water imparts undesirable flavors to the coffee and lacks some minerals essential to coffee flavor. Distilled water lacks essential minerals necessary for coffee flavor.
The ideal temperature of the water is 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brew for 4.5 – 5 minutes.
Miscellaneous Tips
Don’t leave your brewed coffee on the hot plate. This will ruin your gourmet coffee in as little as 20 minutes. Invest in a carafe or thermos mug. Pour the coffee into the carafe or mug to preserve it’s heat and taste.
Depending on your level of enthusiasm for coffee (and your budget) invest in better equipment. Coffee makers with temperature controls, built in grinders and other bells and whistles are readily available in a variety of budget constraints. No need to break the bank with your coffee making equipment and plenty of high end if you’ve got the money.
Until next time – happy brewing.
Coffee has sometimes been maligned as a dubious choice health-wise. That attitude is changing.
None other than the Harvard Medical School is reporting potential preventative benefits for coffee coffee drinkers for:
- Colon and Rectal Cancer
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Heart Disease
They are even reporting increased life span for coffee drinkers, especially women coffee drinkers.
Another study from the National Cancer Institute reports that chronic Hepatitis C sufferers can reduce the progression of liver damage by almost 53% by drinking 3 or more cups of coffee a day.
If you’re concerned about the caffeine gourmet coffee is recommended. The Arabica bean has almost half the caffeine of the Robusta bean. Arabica beans are used almost exclusively in gourmet coffee, while most commercial grade coffees use Robusta beans. And you get the added benefit of a better tasting coffee with gourmet coffee.
Caffeine only constitutes about 2% of coffee. There are also over 1,000 different vitamins, minerals and amino acids. There’s even some fiber in there that may help prevent the absorption of cholesterol.
A cautionary note: Pregnant women should be careful as coffee drinking has been associated with miscarriages. For the rest of us, remember moderation.
So drink up – it’s a healthy choice.
So far I’ve been talking about how flavoring is applied to flavored coffee, either by flavoring oil or by syrup. The final issue is dietetic in nature – sugar (and calories) or no sugar.
Flavoring oils have the clear advantage here, imparting scent and flavoring without any sweetening agent. Flavored coffees prepared with flavoring oils are suitable for both diabetics and dieters. Flavoring oils usually add less than five calories to the coffee.
Flavored syrups are another story. There are definitely sugars and calories added here, as much as 100 calories and 24 grams of sugar per fluid ounce. Your usage will determine the final calorie count.
The good news for diabetics and dieters is that sugar free syrups are available. For example, Monin, a major manufacturer of coffee syrups, offers a small line of sugar free syrups, boasting zero sugars and zero calories. They use Splenda as a sweetening agent. Other examples abound.
For some however sugar free solutions just don’t work. Personally, I can taste aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. I don’t enjoy the taste. If you’re like that then moderation is the rule.
Drink up and enjoy the flavors.
One of the popular niches in the gourmet coffee world is flavored coffee. Coffee is a bitter drink and a small population of hardy few drink it “black.” For some it’s added creamer or sugar, for others it’s flavoring, that takes the edge off and adds to the gourmet coffee experience.
Coffee flavoring is done right after the roasting process when the coffee beans are most porous. Flavor oils are added to the coffee prior to grinding so they can saturate the bean and provide an even flavor experience over all the beans.
Once ground and brewed the flavoring is then spread evenly from cup to cup providing a consistent drinking experience.
While natural flavor oils are available most flavored coffees use artificial flavoring oils as they usually provide a better saturation of the roasted coffee.
Just like coffee blending, this is another way that roast masters practice the art of bringing you great gourmet coffee. The palate of available flavors allow for taste combinations that the coffee alone may not offer.
The purists may never go there, but you can enjoy a world of amazing gourmet flavored coffees.
Drink up and good health.
Ah, autumn is here. The exhilarating bite in the air, Friday night football games, cocoa over an evening fire. These espresso coffee recipes should satisfy some of the chocolate cravings of the season. Enjoy.
Black & White Mocha
Yield: 1 – 12 oz. drink
1/2 ounce Ghirardelli Chocolate Sauce
1 ounce Ghirardelli Classic White Chocolate Sauce
2 ounces brewed espresso coffee
8 ounces steamed milk
Combine sauces and espresso in 12 oz. mug. Stir until well combined. Pour steamed milk into mug; stir to combine. Top with froth from steamed milk. Sprinkle with Ghirardelli Cocoa or drizzle with Ghirardelli Chocolate Sauce and/or Classic White Chocolate Sauce. Sprinkle with toasted chopped hazelnuts, if desired.
For Iced Black and White Mocha: Use cold milk in place of steamed milk. Combine all ingredients and pour over one cup of ice into a 16-oz. glass. Garnish with whipped cream and drizzle with Ghirardelli Chocolate Sauce and/or Classic White Chocolate Sauce.
Serving/Yield: 1 – 16 oz.
Chocolate Raspberry Cappuccino
Yield: 1 – 12 oz. drink
1/2 ounce Ghirardelli Chocolate Sauce
1/2 ounce Ghirardelli Classic White Chocolate Sauce
1/2 ounce raspberry syrup
2 ounces brewed espresso coffee
8 ounces steamed milk
Combine sauces, syrup and espresso in 12-oz. mug. Stir until well combined. Pour steamed milk into mug; stir to combine. Top with froth from steamed milk. Garnish with Ghirardelli Cocoa or drizzle with Ghirardelli Chocolate Sauce.
For Iced Chocolate Raspberry Cappuccino: Use cold milk in place of steamed milk. Combine all ingredients and pour over one cup of ice into a 16-oz. glass. Garnish with whipped cream and drizzle with Ghirardelli Chocolate Sauce, and/or raspberry syrup.
Serving/Yield: 1 – 16 oz.
One need only imagine the scene from “Young Frankenstein.” The body parts are selected and assembled, missing only the brain. Each part chosen with care for highest quality.
Then because of a minor slip you get the brain of “Abbey Normal” and not the brain of an Einstein. All the other hard work is for nought as the new part corrupts the whole body.
Welcome to the world of the roastmaster. The master chefs of the gourmet coffee world who blend different gourmet coffees into delectable taste treats for us.
The reasons for blending coffee are multiple.
While Single Origin gourmet coffees can and do stand on their own, they can also have minor flaws. Blending several together can sometimes cancel out or diminish the bitter aftertaste of a coffee. The net result is a more satisfying coffee overall.
Gourmet coffee is a crop. Once picked it has a shelf life. The quality and quantity of any crop of any given coffee will vary. Blended coffees allow coffees of varying qualities to be blended together in a product that is greater than the sum of its parts. Since it is not possible to just buy all the beans you need for a whole year at a time, blending allows the variances in the different crops to be accounted for while still maintaining the general overall quality of the gourmet coffee year round.
Great chefs like to experiment. So do roastmasters. They’re looking for that combination that produces a taste sensation never experienced before.
Bottom line, the goal is to produce a coffee that is better or different than its component parts.
So next time you enjoy that fine French Roast Coffee think of the roastmaster whose expertise made it possible. His fine palate and understanding of the potential in those gourmet coffee beans should be toasted.