Gourmet Coffee Chatter

College campuses across the nation are a great place to spend an afternoon. This is true not only for the interesting architecture and buzzing student life but also for the general atmosphere. Especially if the college has a liberal bent, there is invariably a group of students protesting on a communal lawn or staging some sort of demonstration designed to make others aware of a social ill.

Regardless of whether these demonstrations actually change anybody’s mind, there is no doubt that they do raise awareness about particular issues that the group deems important. For example, one continued bone of contention among college students is the perpetuation of free trade products on the college campus. That’s why there have been many instances where fair trade certified organic coffee booths have been established right in the middle of campus. These booths often give the coffee away for free in order to let people know the high standards of quality that this coffee is held to.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

There are a few phrases you will hear associated with gourmet coffee: varietal coffee, single origin coffee, and specialty coffee.

Varietal coffee is properly understood as a botanical distinction between the different subspecies of the coffee plant. It is not an indicator of region for different varieties of the coffee plant are grown in many different parts of the world. Though over 30 species of the coffee plant exist, almost all of the commercial coffee production comes either Arabica or Robusta coffee beans. Arabica is considered the superior of the two beans and only Arabica beans are considered gourmet coffee. Robusta beans usually end up in mass produced coffees or freeze dried coffees.

Single origin coffees are defined as unblended gourmet coffees from a single country, region and crop. They usually take their name from the region, country or estate from which they are grown. While blue mountain is a Arabica varietal it is probably best known as a single origin coffee originating in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Kona coffee is also another well known single origin coffee.

Specialty Coffee is a distinction coined in 1974 by Erna Knutsen of Knutsen Coffee Ltd. Specialty coffees are distinguished as coffees grown in special geographic microclimates producing beans with unique flavor profiles. While very close in definition to single origin, specialty coffees are the domain of the Specialty Coffee Association of America which has a 100 point scale to grade coffee beans. To qualify as specialty the coffee bean must rank an 80 or higher. Specialty Coffee is therefore a trade organization distinction.

The common theme here is of an unblended coffee with a distinct flavor profile that provides as close to a flawless cup as possible. There are over 100 single origin coffees each carrying some attribute of the growing region or the farming practices of that region. This coffee might carry a hint of chocolate, another coffee might have a hint of citrus. This coffee is mild, while another has a bolder taste.

Even so, single origin coffees, can have their drawbacks. This one might have too much acidity or be too bitter. That’s why we’ll talk about blended coffees next time.

In the meantime whether your favorite is a Java “Dutch Estate” or a Brazil Santos, there’s a grinder waiting, and a pot to be brewed. Until next time.

Last time I talked about a working definition of gourmet coffee. It all starts with a superior coffee bean. But who sets the standards?

Lots of people it turns out, depending on the standard you want to discuss.

Some have the weight of governmental power. Usually the standards here involve numbers of defects in the bean versus gram weights of the bean being exported.

The International Coffee Organization, for example, is a multi-governmental organization composed of signatory “coffee importing” and “coffee exporting” countries, 77 as of March 2008. Their goal is to stabilize the international coffee market through the improvement of the quality of exported coffee beans. By setting export standards they protect the economic health of the farmers and protect the consumer from substandard coffee products.

The governments of coffee producing countries also set internal standards. Kenya for example, has it’s own quality standard for gourmet coffee beans produced within Kenya. This standard which combines a character designation (AA, PB, E, TT, C & T) and a numeric Standard value (1-10) to determine the quality of the bean. A Kenya AA with a Standard 1 rating is the best you can get here.

Regional authorities also have their own rating standards.

Then there are the trade organizations. The most prominent ones here are those that govern Fair Trade and Oranic coffee standards. Names like Organic Trade Association, Fairtrade Labelling Organization International, World Fair Trade Organization, Network of European Worldshops, and European Fair Trade Association begin to crop up. The standards here revolve around how the coffee was grown and economic empowerment for the regional farmers.

Other organizations such as the Specialty Coffee Association of America are devoted to the improvement of the quality of gourmet specialty coffees, sometimes called varietals or single
origin coffees. (More on this in the next blog.)

Next there are the standard setters for those who prepare the coffee bean, governmental and trade organizations that certify gourmet coffee roasters meet strict preparation standards. The concerns here are often related to sanitation and food safety.

And let’s not forget the Baristas. Yes, there are guilds for baristas, to elevate the status of these dedicated professionals and train them to standards of excellence in preparing your cup of coffee.

So you see, there’s a lot of eyes watching out for every phase of the preparation of your cup of gourmet coffee. Now get that grinder going. With all this talk of coffee you must be thirsty by now.