Coffeeberry

   

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    Coffeeberry is a distinguishable brand that they say that it contains not just the coffee bean but the whole fruit. The coffee berry is bright red colored and it contains the bean. Until you can have your delicious morning coffee, farmers need to extract the bean from the coffee berry. Coffeeberry is the exact the same process of harvesting but without the bean extraction.

    Like any fruit, coffee distributes it's nutritive powers throughout the whole fruit, not just in the seed. The coffee fruit is extremely rich in antioxidants and beneficial nutrients, things that people from coffee growing regions knew for a very long time. As a result, Coffeeberry contains more nutritional substances than regular roasted coffee beans. 

    Coffeeberry is good for the human body mainly because it contains phenolic acids, a lot of them. Why is this a good thing you may ask? It's a good thing primarily because these acids are good antioxidants. This is because they say that Coffeebean grows on the slopes of high-altitude volcanic mountains. This is the place where the coffee tree gathers it's many nutrients. 

    Coffeeberry's antioxidants come from polyphenols or phenolic acids which:

• Neutralize toxic free radicals.
• Help protect against systemic oxidative stress.
• Help reduce the incidence of oxidative pathologies such as coronary heart disease.
• Provide health benefits associated with glucose management, Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, depression and anxiety and oral health.

Ganoderma coffee

    

    Ganoderma, also called the reishi mushroom or in Chinese ling zhi, is one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms in China, Japan, and the United States. Ganoderma has over 2000 years of documented history validating that Ganoderma Lucidum is the "Miraculous King of Herbs."

    Ganoderma may help improve:

    1) a positive mood

    2) mental focus

    3) stronger immune system

    4) healthier skin and lungs

    5) he brain oxygen level for a feeling of well being.

    Western culture has often had mixed views about the use of herbal supplements throughout the years; however for Eastern cultures, it is almost considered a way of life. With people in North America looking for alternatives to better health, the properties and benefits of Ganoderma Lucidum have become of interest and appeal.

    Ganoderma Lucidum is a mushroom. But not an ordinary Mushroom. A Red Mushroom. A Red Mushroom that dates back over 4,000. Ancient generations prized this mushroom for its medicinal properties … promoting health and well-being. This mushroom is also known as Lingzhi in China, Reishi in Japan, and Youngzhi in Korea.

    Ganoderma Lucidum is a rare, special mushroom created only when conditions are right. In nature, when the proper nutrients (i.e., dead organic matter or soil) are present with the appropriate environmental conditions, Ganoderma Lucidum will exist. Ganoderma will grow in densely wooded mountain forests of high humidity and dim lighting, and typically, on dried trunks of dead trees. According to research, out of 10,000 dead tree trunks, only about 2 or 3 will show a growth of Ganoderma. For this reason, this particular species of mushroom has been very scarce.

Fruitcafe

    

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    I recently discovered Fruitcafe. They say it's an innovation in the coffee world, primarily because it doesn't contain COFFEE. It is said that it shares the same proprieties like coffee but without the caffeine. 

    Firstly, it is made out of dry fruits and not roasted coffee beans. It is said that roasting kills all the beneficial vitamins and minerals of any fruit. They claim that Fruitcafe is made by drying the fruit and seeds in the sun. Fruitcafe is without preservatives and it can be easily prepared.

    Secondly, the process of making a cup of Fruitcafe is similar to making a cup of espresso. You just load up the percolator with the seeds and fruit, fill with water (of course, a bit more details are given on the box) and turn the espresso machine on. It is convenient for people that want to turn from coffee to Fruitcafe, because the process of making a cup of Fruitcafe is exactly the same. 

    Thirdly, you can add as much caffeine to your cup of Fruitcafe as you please. In the box you will find a pod containing caffeine which can be added. They advise consumers that without caffeine, Fruitcafe can show it's potential fully. 

    Fourthly, it comes in 7 flavors:

    1) Aloe: refreshing the body and mind by the means of herbs.

    

    2) Classic: flavors of freshly gathered fruits in just one cup.

    3) Il Silenzio: a bit of bitterness can be sweet.

    4) Coffe: for those who just won't let go of the traditional cup of coffee, they include a sachet with roasted coffee beans.

    5) Ginger: a bit spicy, refreshing mind and body at the same time.

    6) Green tea: the unmistakable flavor of green tea along with it's beneficial properties. 

    7) Spice: a unique aroma, a bit of cinnamon brings back memories about cold winters in front of a fireplace. 

Barista

    

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    A barista - from the Italian "bartender" - is a person who works in a coffee shop or coffeehouse. He/she prepares and serves coffee-based drinks. Many coffeehouses use this title for their coffee makers.

    Baristas operate three different types of commercial espresso machine, manual, semi automatic, or automatic. A manual machine involves pulling a lever to push the water through the ground coffee. A semi-automatic uses an electric pump to push the water through the coffee grounds, but the barista has to stop the flow of espresso using an on\off switch or button. An automatic machine will turn on and off after a preset amount of water has been pushed through the grounds, although this does not guarantee a good shot of espresso, since the barista requires less training to operate the machine and usually has less knowledge to prepare the coffee based on the guidelines of the roaster.

    In order to acquire the title of barista, any person should present enough knowledge related to coffee preparing and serving. In-depth knowledge related to the whole process of coffee to effectively prepare a desired cup of coffee. This knowledge includes the correct operation, maintenance and programming of the machine, grinding and tamping methods, extraction times, water temperature and quality, micro milk frothing, free pouring, latte art, roasting, coffee plant cultivation, drying methods, correct storage, renewable methods of disposal and recycling of the coffee and packaging used. These skills may be learned by attending special courses and of course through time and a lot of practice.  

The espresso bar

    

    The espresso bar is a type of coffeehouse that specializes in coffee beverages made from espresso. Originating in Italy, the espresso bar has spread throughout the world in various forms. A prime example is the internationally known Starbucks Coffee, based in Seattle, Washington in the U.S., although the espresso bar exists in some form throughout much of the world.

    The espresso bar is typically centered around a long counter with a high-yield espresso machine and a display case containing pastries and occasionally savory items such as sandwiches. In the traditional Italian bar, customers either order at the bar and consume their beverages standing or, if they wish to sit down and be served, are usually charged a higher price. In some bars there is an additional charge for drinks served at an outside table. In other countries, especially the United States, seating areas for customers to relax and work are provided free of charge. Some espresso bars also sell coffee paraphernalia, candy, and even music. North American espresso bars were also at the forefront of widespread adoption of public WiFi access points to provide Internet services to people doing work on laptop computers on the premises.

    The offerings at the typical espresso bar are generally quite Italianate in inspiration; biscotti, cannoli and pizzelle are a common traditional accompaniment to a caffe latte or cappuccino. Some upscale espresso bars even offer alcoholic beverages such as grappa and sambuca. Nevertheless, typical pastries are not always strictly Italianate and common additions include scones, muffins, croissants, and even doughnuts. There is usually a large selection of teas as well, and the North American espresso bar culture is responsible for the popularization of the Indian spiced tea drink masala chai. Iced drinks are also popular in some countries, including both iced tea and iced coffee as well as blended drinks such as Starbucks' Frappucino.

    A worker in an espresso bar is referred to as a barista. The barista is a skilled position that requires familiarity with the drinks being made (often very elaborate, especially in North American-style espresso bars), a reasonable facility with some rather esoteric equipment as well as the usual customer service skills.

Coffeehouse

   
    A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which focuses it's activity around serving hot beverages, primarily coffee and tea. It shares characteristics with a bar and restaurant but it differs from a cafeteria. Not only coffee and tea are served here, you can also find other hot beverages and some light snacking. Many coffee houses in the Middle East, and in West Asian immigrant districts in the Western world, offer shisha (nargile in Turkish and Greek), flavored tobacco smoked through a hookah.

    From a social point of view, the coffeehouse is considered to be the place where you can meet new people, hang out (individually and with friends), read, write, entertain one another or simply just to pass the time.

    As to when the first coffeehouse was opened there is no conclusive evidence, various legends involving the introduction of coffee to Istanbul at a "Kiva Han" in the late 15th century circulate in culinary tradition, but with no documentation. Coffeehouses in Mecca soon became a concern as places for political gatherings to the imams who banned them, and the drink, for Muslims between 1512 and 1524. In 1530 the first coffee house was opened in Damascus, and not much later, coffeehouses appeared in Cairo.

    In the 17th century, coffee appeared for the first time in Europe outside the Ottoman Empire, and coffeehouses were established and quickly became popular. The first coffeehouses reached Western Europe probably through the Kingdom of Hungary, and appeared in Venice, due to the trafficks between La Serenissima and the Ottomans; the very first one is recorded in 1645. The first coffeehouse in England was set up in Oxford in 1650 by a Jewish man named Jacob in the building now known as "The Grand Cafe". The place is in the present day a trendy cocktail bar, only a plaque on a wall still commemorates this place as being the first coffeehouse in England. 

    Cafes may have an outdoor section, a terrace or sidewalk, with seats, tables and parasols. This format is found in many European cafes. 

    The coffeehouse evolved hand in hand with the evolution of technology. When I say technology, I refer to computers or PCs. Modern cafes have included a Wi-Fi Hotspot or they offer everything from internet connection to computers in an internet cafe.   

3 in 1 Coffee

   
    3 In 1 Coffee appeared in the market during 1980s, but it only took off in the nineties. There is a growing trend for consumption of soluble-coffee packed as 3 In 1 coffee. A 3 in 1 coffee is basically a blended mixture of soluble coffee, refined sugar and non-dairy creamer. A standard 3in1 coffee sachet weighs 20mg. There are some other variants each weighing 14mg, 18mg to 40mg, depending on the manufacturers marketing strategies. These sachets are sold in containers carrying 20 sachets, 30 sachets, the most popular being 50 sachets family pack. In most instances 3in1 coffee is served hot.

    Sometimes flavors are added to the 3 In 1 coffee mixture. The different flavored variants include Mocha coffee, Irish coffee, Cafe Latte, Hazelnut, Gano Derma (or commonly known as Lingzhi) and even Ginseng coffee.

    Different types of coffee are included in the 3 in 1 style. There is a cold version, the frappe, which is highly popular during the summer and specially because this 3 in 1 frappe is very easy to make, you just need cold water. 

    The main benefits associated with 3 In 1 coffee is convenience due to its small packed size. It is also tasty due to the use of high fat non-dairy creamer. In most cases, flavours are added to make a great tasting coffee. Low price points is another plus as it is extremely affordable. 3 in 1 sachets are easy to carry around, specially on trips where coffee is not so easy to make (I'm referring to outdoor trips). 

Hot milk or Steamed milk?

    

  Many people drink their everyday coffee combined with milk. I agree that milk enhances the taste, but to what end? There are 2 main milk forms that can be added to coffee: in hot liquid form and in steamed milk. The question is which one is better?

    First on all, it can be agreed upon that it is a matter of taste. Of course, hot milk and steamed milk offer the drinker different tasting experiences. My opinion is that steamed milk offers a more complex sensation, a more unique feeling.

    Secondly, coffee is a sensory experience. As a result, we go to great extends in order to maximize the sensations it offers. Moreover, a lot of cafes compete in order to deliver the finest foam that you have ever tasted, therefore delivering the best coffee drinking experience.Of course, many cafes fail at this task, but others manage to succeed. 

    So, weather you add milk or not to your coffee, weather it's hot or steamed milk, or any other crazy mix (with whiskey and so on) it's entirely your choice. I only want to add the fact that it doesn't hurt to try something else once in a while. A new coffee experience is always welcome.   

Coffee substitutes: Chicory

    Common chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a bushy perennial herb with blue, lavender, or occasionally white flowers. It grows as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America and Australia, where it has become naturalized. Common chicory is also known as blue sailors, succory, and coffeeweed. Chicory is also the common name in the US (and in France) for curly endive (Cichorium endivia). There is considerable confusion between Cichorium endivia and Cichorium intybus. 

    Chicory Varieties

    Puna (Grasslands Puna) – Puna is one of the most popular forage varieties. Puna was developed in New Zealand by AgResearch. It is currently being grown as far north as Alberta Canada and as far south as northern Mexico and central Florida, proving that it is more widely adapted than most other varieties. It is resistant to bolting, which leads to higher spring nutrient levels in the leaves. It is also improved for resistance to grazing pressure, which can be very important in small plots. It is also an excellent companion to clover.

    Forage Feast – A variety from France improved for human consumption. It is widely available and is also used for wildlife plots. It is very cold hardy and similar in most attributes to Puna; however, because of its selectivity for the food industry, it is lower in tannins than Puna.

    Choice – Improved from the Puna variety by Dr. Bill Rumball, Choice is bred for higher winter (early spring) activity. Choice was bred for lower rates of lactucin and lactone for the dairy industry, compounds believed to taint the milk. This is a variety found in Pennington’s Rackmaster blends for seeding deer wildlife plots.

    Oasis – AMPAC’s licensed, AgResearch-improved Puna variety. Bred for increased lactone rates for the forage industry. It is believed that lactones give chicory its anti-parasitic attributes, but in the dairy industry it is frowned upon. Oasis is also bred for higher resistance to fungal diseases like sclerotinia.

    Puna II – Considered more winter active than most other varieties, which leads to greater persistence and longevity. This variety is in most Pennington blends.

    Grouse – A New Zealand variety considered a better companion for planting with forage brassicas. Relative to some other varieties, it is more prone to early flowering and has higher crowns susceptible to overbrowsing.

    Six Point – This is a variety produced in the United States and is very similar to Puna.

    There are many other named varieties of Chicory and more research development is being done.

Coffee substitutes: Barley Tea

    Roasted barley tea is a caffeine-free, roasted-grain-based tisane made from barley, which is popular in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisine. It is also used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute in American cuisine. Barley water is a popular traditional soft drink in Britain.

    Roasted barley tea is called mugicha (麦茶?) in Japanese, "damai cha" (大麦茶) in Mandarin Chinese, and boricha (보리차) in Korean. While the tea is generally regarded as a cooling summer beverage in Japan, it is served year-round, hot in winter and cold in summer, in Korea. Originally, roasted barley seeds were stewed in hot water (this is still the method generally used in Korea), but tea bags containing ground barley became more popular during the early 1980s; this is now the norm in Japan. It can be found from many different distributors in vending machines all over Japan.

    In Korea, roasted unhulled barley is used to prepare the tea. Often the barley is combined with oksusu cha (roasted corn infusion), as the corn's sweetness offsets the slightly bitter flavor of the barley. A similar drink, made from roasted brown rice, is called hyeonmi cha (tisane) or genmaicha (with green tea added).

    Roasted barley tea, sold in ground form and sometimes combined with chicory or other ingredients, is also sold as a coffee substitute.

Cafestol

    Cafestol is a diterpene molecule present in coffee.

    A typical bean of Coffea arabica contains about 0.6% cafestol by weight. Cafestol is present in highest quantity in unfiltered coffee drinks such as French press coffee or Turkish coffee/Greek coffee. In filtered coffee drinks such as drip brewed coffee, it is present in only negligible amounts.

    Studies have shown that regular consumption of boiled coffee increases serum cholesterol by 8% in men and 10% in women. For those drinking filter coffee, the effect was only significant for women.

    Cafestol has also shown anticarcinogenic properties in rats. 

    According to a 2007 study from Dr. David Moore's lab at Baylor College of Medicine, cafestol may act as an agonist ligand for the nuclear receptor Farnesoid X receptor and Pregnane X receptor, blocking cholesterol homeostasis.

    Cafestol has also been implicated in inhibiting the progress of Parkinson's disease.

The Presso

    Presso is an internationally patented, manually operated lever action espresso machine. Designed by P Hunt from Therefore in the United Kingdom. In 2004 it received design awards in the UK.

    The body of the Presso is made from hand polished, pressure cast aluminium. Stress bearing components are made from stainless steel. A heat-proof, tough transparent plastic reservoir receives boiling water. The portafilter is a domestic sized(50mm)commercial style, chrome plated unit. The lever action is reminiscent of the ladies legs cork screw. The shower and patented one-way valve are made from food grade silicone.

    Adjustments to the three main components of your pour (grind, dose and tamp) will change the body, flavour and consistency of the shot produced. An optimum extraction for espresso is popularly accepted as 25sec.

    Grind: a grind that is too fine will produce a longer extraction time. Conversely a grind that is too coarse will reduce the extraction time.

    Dose: overfilling and underfilling the filterbasket will affect crema and extraction time.

    Tamp: pressure on the tamp or lack there of will affect the even penetration of the puck by water at sufficient pressure.

Irish coffee

   

    Irish coffee is a mix of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar (depends on tastes), and topped with thick cream. The coffee is drunk through the cream. The original recipe explicitly uses cream that has not been whipped, although whipped cream is often used. 

    The coffee was conceived after a group of American passengers disembarked from a Pan Am flying boat on a miserable winter evening in the 1940s. In order to warm them, they were given coffee mixed with whiskey. When they asked weather it was Brazilian coffee, the answer was: "No, this is Irish coffee".

    Black coffee is poured into the mug. Whiskey and at least one level teaspoon of sugar is stirred in until fully dissolved. The sugar is essential for floating liquid cream on top. Thick cream is carefully poured over the back of a spoon initially held just above the surface of the coffee and gradually raised a little. The layer of cream will float on the coffee without mixing. The coffee is drunk through the layer of cream. To ensure the integrity of the ingredients of Irish Coffee, NSAI, Ireland's national standards body published an Irish Standard, I.S. 417 Irish Coffee in 1988. 

French Press

   

    A French press, also known as a press pot, coffee press, coffee plunger or сafetière à piston, is a simple coffee brewing device, probably invented in France in the 1850s, but first patented by Italian designer Attilio Calimani in 1929, who made subsequent design improvements over the years, and further refined by another Italian, Faliero Bondanini. 

    A French press consists of a narrow cylindrical beaker usually made of glass or clear plastic, equipped with a lid and a "plunger", made of metal or plastic, which fits tightly in the cylinder and which has a fine wire or nylon mesh filter. The simplicity of the mechanism and its potential for attractive after-dinner presentation have led to a variety of more-or-less aesthetic designs.

    Coffee is brewed by placing the coffee and water together, stirring it and leaving to brew for a few minutes, then depressing the plunger to trap the coffee grounds at the bottom of the beaker. Because the coffee grounds remain in direct contact with the brewing water and the grounds are filtered from the water via a mesh instead of a paper filter, coffee brewed with the French press captures more of the coffee's flavour and essential oils, which would become trapped in a traditional drip brew machine's paper filters.  

    French presses are more portable and self contained than other coffee makers. Travel mug versions exist which are made of tough plastic instead of the more common glass, and have a sealed lid with a closable drinking hole. Other versions include stainless steel, insulated presses designed to keep the coffee hot, similar in design to thermos flasks. 

Percolators

   

    Percolators began to be developed from the mid-19th century. In the United States, James Nason of Massachusetts patented an early percolator design in 1865. An Illinois farmer named Hanson Goodrich is generally credited with patenting the modern percolator. With the percolator design, water is heated in a boiling pot with a removable lid, until the heated water is forced through a metal tube into a brew basket containing coffee. The extracted liquid drains from the brew basket, where it drips back into the pot. This process is continually repeated during the brewing cycle until the liquid passing repeatedly through the grounds is sufficiently steeped. A clear sight chamber in the form of a transparent knob on the lid of the percolator enables the user to judge when the coffee has reached the proper color and strength. 

    Domestic electrification simplified the operation of percolators by providing for a self-contained, electrically-powered heating element that removed the need to use a stovetop burner. A critical element in the success of the electric coffee maker was the creation of safe and secure fuses and heating elements.  While early percolators had utilized all-glass construction (prized for maintaining purity of flavor), most percolators made from the 1930s were constructed of metal, especially aluminum and nickel-plated copper. 

Vacuum Coffee Maker

   

    A lot of coffee brewing devices became popular during the 19th century, some of them relying on vacuum principles to operate. The Napier Vacuum Machine, invented in 1840, was an early example of this type. While generally excessively complex for everyday use, vacuum devices were prized for producing a clear brew, and were actually quite popular up until the middle of the 20th century. 

    The principle of a vacuum brewer was to heat water in a lower vessel until expansion forced the contents through a narrow tube into an upper vessel containing ground coffee. When the lower vessel was empty and sufficient brewing time had elapsed, the heat was removed and the resulting vacuum would draw the brewed coffee back through a strainer into the lower chamber, from which it could be decanted.

    On August 27, 1930, Inez H. Pierce of Chicago, Illinois invented the first vacuum coffee maker that truly automated the vacuum brewing process, while eliminating the need for a stove top burner or liquid fuels. An electrically-heated stove was incorporated into the design of the vacuum brewer. Water was heated in a recessed well, which reduced wait times and forced the hottest water into the reaction chamber. Once the process was complete, a thermostat using bi-metallic expansion principles shut off heat to the unit at the appropriate time. Pierce’s invention was the first truly "automatic" vacuum coffee brewer.

    Pierce’s design was later improved by U.S. appliance engineers Ivar Jepson, Ludvig Koci, and Eric Bylund in the late 1930s. They altered the heating chamber and eliminated the recessed well, which was hard to clean. Their improved design of plated metals, styled by industrial designer Alfonso Iannelli, became the famous Sunbeam Coffeemaster line of automated vacuum coffee makers. 

Turkish Coffee

Turkish coffee is the type of coffee which is made out of very fine powdered coffee beans, boiled in a pot (traditionally made of copper) along with sugar (tastes vary from person to person) and served in a porcelain cup, where the dregs settle. The name describes the method of preparation, not the raw material; there is no special Turkish variety of the coffee bean. It is common throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Caucasus, and the Balkans. This was the dominant style of coffee preparation during the Ottoman Empire; at that time the coffeehouse culture was flourishing.

Coffee has affected Turkish culture so much that the Turkish word for breakfast, kahvaltı literally means "before coffee" (kahve means "coffee" and altı "under"), while the Turkish word for brown is kahverengi, literally meaning "the color of coffee". In recent times, Turkish coffee has become less popular than tea (which was grown locally, and could be bought without hard currency), instant coffee, and other modern styles of coffee. At the same time, it is served by international coffee chains such as Starbucks and Gloria Jean's Coffees in their stores located in Turkey, although it remains as an option, not a promoted beverage.

Turkish coffee is normally prepared using a narrow-topped small boiling pot called an kanaka, cezve, džezva, xhezve or μπρίκι (bríki) (basically a tiny ewer), a teaspoon and a heating apparatus. The ingredients are finely ground coffee, sometimes cardamom, cold water and (if desired) sugar. It is served in a demitasse (fincan, fildžan,filxhan or φλιτζάνι (flidzáni)). Some modern cups do have handles; traditional cups did not, and coffee was drunk either by handling the cup with the fingertips or, more often, by placing the cup in a zarf, a metal container with a handle.

Turkish coffee is taken at extremely hot temperatures and is usually served with a glass of cold water to freshen the mouth to better taste the coffee. In the Mediterranean and southeastern Turkey, pistachio grains (kakuli/menengiç) may be added into the coffee. All of the coffee in the pot is poured into cups, but not all of it is drunk. The thick layer of sludgy grounds at the bottom of the cup is left behind.

Bicerin

   

    Bicerin is a traditional drink specific to the town of Turin, Italy. It's made of espresso, hot chocolate and whole milk served layered in a small rounded glass. The word bicerin is Piedmontese for “small glass”. This type of beverage has been known since the 18th century and it's been praised by the famous Alexandre Dumas. 

    The Caffè Al Bicerin has been serving the drink in Torino's Piazza della Consolata since the eighteenth century, and some authorities believe that the drink was invented there. Others believe that it originated around 1704 in the Caffè Fiorio which still stands on what is now Via Po.

    Bicerin recipe:

    Ingredients: 

•     hot chocolate
•     espresso coffee, sweetened to taste
•     hot milk whipped to a creamy froth
•     a thick-sided glass, ideally stemmed

    Preparation:

    Begin by filling the glass 1/4 full with espresso. Follow the espresso with hot chocolate, again a quarter, and finish up with the hot frothy milk. You'll have a thick dark layer surmounted by a creamy layer (don't stir), and you shouldn't be at all surprised if people clamor for more. 

Latte Macchiato

   

    Latte macchiato is an espresso based drink, where, as the name suggests, the milk is literally stained by the coffee poured on top of it. 

    A latte macchiato may be prepared simply by frothing milk, generally producing generous foam, pouring it (generally into a glass), and adding espresso. The frothing is generally extensive, yielding significant light, "dry" foam, with a layer of liquid milk underneath, rather than the "wet" microfoam used in latte art.

    Another variation of the macchiato is in layers. The espresso is gently poured over the back of a  teaspoon  so that it forms a layer between the denser liquid milk below and the lighter foam above. 

    A latte macchiato is different than a caffe latte. Firstly, the espresso is added to the milk rather than the milk to espresso. Secondly, more foam is used rather than just hot steamed milk. Thirdly, it is often presented as a layered drink rather than a homogeneous mix. On the whole, in a caffe latte the emphasis is on the espresso, whereas in a latte macchiato, the emphasis is on the milk. 

Coffee Production in Africa

    

ETHIOPIA

    Ethiopia is the birthplace of the Arabica tree, and wild berries are still harvested by tribes’ people in its mountains. In Eastern Ethiopia, coffee trees are grown between 5,000 and 6,000 feet on small peasant plots and farms. These coffees may be called longberry Harrar [large bean], shortberry Harrar [smaller bean] or Mocha Harrar [peaberry or single bean]. They are all cultivated simply, processed by the traditional dry method, and are no doubt organic. Ethiopian Harrar is characterized by winy and blueberry undertones, with good body and high acid.

    Eastern Ethiopia produces a washed coffee called Ghimbi or Gimbi, that has the winy undertones of Harrar, but can be richer, more balanced, and have a heavier body and longer finish.
    Southern Ethiopia produces washed coffees with fruity acidity and intense aromas. These coffees are known by the names of the districts in which they are produced, such as Sidamo, or by terms like Ethiopian Fancies or Ethiopian Estate Grown. The most famous of these coffees is Yirgacheffe, which has an unparalled fruity aroma, light and elegant body, and an almost menthol taste. Many U.S. consumers seek this coffee out.

    KENYA

    Kenya works diligently to assure quality in all beans that are exported. The coffee is cultivated on small farms, and the growers are rewarded with high prices for quality beans. The main growing region in Kenya extends south of 17,000-foot Mt. Kenya to near the capital of Nairobi. Kenyan coffee is wet-processed and sold by the size of the bean, with AA signifying the largest beans, followed by A and B. The best Kenyan coffee, called Estate Kenya, can cost twice as much as regular AA's, but is worth the price. The tremendous body, astounding winy acidity and black-current flavor and aroma make Estate Kenya one of the finest coffees in the world.

    YEMEN

    Arabian Mocha, grown in the northern mountains of Yemen, is one of the oldest and most traditional of the world's coffees. It is also one of the finest. This coffee has been cultivated and processed in the same way for centuries, grown on mountain terraces and naturally dried. No chemicals are used in its production, and it is no doubt organic. Mocha is a balanced coffee with medium to full body, good acidity and chocolate undertones. Two famous market names for this coffee are Mattari and Sanani. Sanani mochas have a wild, fruity acidity, while Mattari mochas are known for their full body and chocolate undertones.

    UGANDA

    Most of the coffee produced in Uganda is Robusta, and is used for instant coffee. Uganda does produce one fine Arabica called either Bugishu or Bugisu, and it is grown on the western slopes of Mt. Elgon on the Kenyan border. This coffee is winy in its acidity, and similar to Kenyan coffee in flavor, though lighter in body.
      

Coffee Production in South America

BRAZIL

Brazil grows approximately 35% of the world's coffee, but only Santos is considered important by the specialty coffee industry. Another coffee, Rio, is also well known for it's medicinal taste, and is often used in New Orleans coffee with the addition of chicory. Bourbon Santos is Brazil's finest grade of coffee, and the beans from the Arabica trees that produce this coffee are small and curly for the first three or four years of production. During this time, the coffee is called Bourbon Santos. As the trees age, the beans become larger and lose quality. They are then referred to as flat bean Santos. Brazilian coffee is generally produced using the dry-process.

ECUADOR

Ecuador produces a large amount of coffee, but it is rarely seen in the United States. These coffees are undistinguished, with light to medium body and mild acidity.

PERU

Because of its mild character, Peruvian coffee is used for blending, French roasts, and as a flavored-coffee base. Some good coffee can be found high in the Andes in the Chanchamayo and Urubamba Valleys, and northern Peru is developing a reputation as a producer of good quality, certified organic coffees.

VENEZUELA

The highest quality Venezuelan coffee is grown in the western part of the country near the Colombian border. Maraciabos, as this coffee is known, refers to the port from which the coffee is shipped. The most famous Maraciabos are Cucuta, Merida, Trujillo and Tachira. Coffee grown in the eastern mountains is called Caracas, after the capital city. Venezuelan coffees differ from other coffees grown in the region in that they are much lower in acidity.

COLOMBIA

Colombia produces 12% of the world's coffee supply, and is second only to Brazil. The bulk of Colombian coffee is of high quality, and the country has done an excellent job marketing its product through the visage of Juan Valdez. Peasants grow the coffee at high altitudes, and it is processed using the wet method. Three mountain ranges, called cordilleras, trisect Colombia from north to south. The central and eastern cordilleras produce the best coffee. The most famous coffees in the central cordillera are: Medellin, Armenia, and Manizales, named for cities where they are marketed. Medellin is the most famous, and has heavy body, rich flavor and balanced acidity. Armenia and Manizales have less body and acidity. In the US all three coffees may be marketed together as MAM. In the eastern cordillera, Bogota and Bucaramanga are the most famous coffees. Bogota is considered one of Colombia's finest coffees, and contains less acid than Medellin, but is equally rich and flavorful. Bucaramanga has a low level of acid, but is rich in body and flavor.

Coffee Production in Central America

    Their light body, simplicity and sharp acidity distinguish the coffees produced in this growing region. They are typically thought of as having bright flavors with a clean, crisp finish. 

    MEXICO

    Mexico produces large quantities of unremarkable coffee that is often used for dark roasts and blending. The state of Vera Cruz produces many of these average coffees in its low laying regions, but in its mountains near the city of Coatepec an excellent coffee called Altura Coatepec is produced. These high grown, or altura, coffees are light bodied, nutty, with a chocolate tang and acidic snap. Altura Orizaba and Altura Huatusco are other fine coffees produced in Vera Cruz. The state of Oaxaca in the central mountains also produces some good coffees, referred to as either Oaxaca or Oaxaca Pluma. Chiapas, near the Guatemalan border, produces coffee under the market name Tapachula, and is also gaining a reputation for its above average organic coffees. Coffees are produced using the wet-process.

    EL SALVADOR

    The flavor of Salvadorian coffee is mild, with good balance, medium body, sharp acidity and a hint of sweetness. The best grade of Salvadorian coffee is called strictly high grown. El Salvador produces an excellent certified organic coffee under the brand name of Pipil. All coffees are produced using the wet-process.

    GUATEMALA

    Some of the world's greatest coffee is produced in the central Highlands of Guatemala. The most famous regional marketing names are: Antigua, Coban and Huehuetenango. High quality Guatemalan coffees are produced using the wet-process and are of high acidity and medium body, with smoky, spicy and chocolate flavors. Guatemalan coffee is often marketed by grade, with the highest grade being strictly hard bean, which indicates coffees grown at 4,500 feet or above. A secondary grade is hard bean, designating coffees grown between 4,000 and 4,500 feet.

    HONDURAS

    Honduran coffee is wet-processed and mainly used as a cheap blending coffee. Some excellent coffees are grown here, but they are often blended with inferior beans before they are exported and are difficult to find.

    JAMAICA

    Jamaica is the home of Jamaican Blue Mountain, one of the world's most controversial coffees. Once a superb coffee characterized by a nutty aroma, bright acidity and a unique beef-bouillon like flavor, recent overproduction, lack of attention to quality and profiteering have led to a mediocre, over-priced product. Some confusion exists about where the boundaries for growing this coffee actually lie, and often coffees of lesser quality are packaged under its name. Jamaican High Mountain is a term that applies to coffees of lesser quality that are grown at a lower altitude than Jamaican Blue Mountain. Both coffees are produced using the wet-process.

    

Little info on Kopi Luwak

Kopi Luwak , or civet coffee, is coffee made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) and other related civets, then passed through it's digestive tract. A civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world. Kopi luwak is produced mainly on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago.

Kopi is the Indonesian word for coffee. Luwak is a local name for the Asian palm civet in Sumatra. When coffee plants are put into civet habitats, the civets forage on only the ripest and sweetest berries.

Kopi luwak is a name for many specific cultivars and blends of arabica, robusta, liberica, excelsa or other beans eaten by the civets, therefore the taste can vary greatly. Nonetheless, kopi luwak coffees have a shared aroma profile and flavor characteristics, along with their lack of bitterness. Kopi luwak tastes unlike heavy roasted coffees, since roasting levels range only from cinnamon color to medium, with little or no caramelization of sugars within the beans as happens with heavy roasting. Moreover, kopi luwaks which have very smooth profiles are most often given a lighter roast. Iced kopi luwak brews may bring out some flavors not found in other coffees. Sumatra is the world's largest regional producer of kopi luwak.

Kopi luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world, prices range from 100 $ to 600 $ a pound. In U.S. and Southeast Asian coffee houses is sold by the cup.

Cappuccino

   

    A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam.

    A cappuccino is traditionally served in a porcelain cup, which has far better heat-retention characteristics than glass or paper. The foam on top of the cappuccino acts as an insulator and helps retain the heat of the liquid, allowing it to stay hot longer. If you like, you can sprinkle powder on top of it (usually: cinnamon, cocoa or chocolate).

    A cappuccino is similar to a latte, the main difference being that the cappuccino is made with much more less steamed (or foam) milk than a latte. Secondly, cappuccinos feature a distinctive layer of foam on top, which is lesser or absent in lattes. 

    The first espresso machines that used to make cappuccino were introduced at the beginning of the 20th century, and were invented by Luigi Bezzera in 1901. The cappuccino was first introduced in Italy, but it's popularity grew with the development of the steam-pressured espresso machines. The cappuccino began to look like the way it looks now since the early 50s.

    Besides a shot of espresso, the most important element in preparing a cappuccino is the texture and temperature of the milk. When a barista steams the milk for a cappuccino, microfoam is created by introducing very tiny bubbles of air into the milk, giving the milk a velvety texture and sweetness. The traditional cappuccino consists of an espresso, on which the barista pours the hot foamed milk, resulting in a 2cm thick milk foam on top.

    Iced cappuccino (or Cappuccino Freddo) is the cold version of a cappuccino in which a bit of iced milk is poured on top of it. This drink is widely available in Italy, where it is not served with ice. 

Breakfast

     

    Since Brazil is considered a symbol of the world's coffee trading, we can assume that the people here are quite accustomed to the caffeine-filled beverage.

    If Brazil represents coffee trading (and a lot more things) then coffee definitely represents everyones breakfast. 

    For example, Brazilians use the term  café-da-manhã (morning coffee) to refer to breakfast. Breakfast differs in Brazil from region to region. Black coffee, cow milk, yogurt and white cheese are quite popular, and so are fruit juices (especially natural fruit juices). The coffee or juice accompanies french bread or sliced bread with jam or butter, grilled sandwiches of ham and cheese called misto-quente, slices of cake such as corn cake, orange cake and carrot cake.

    An interesting fact is that in some Cuban regions, toasted buttered Cuban bread is dunk into coffee (sound tempting, and I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it).

Coffee Cocktails: A-Bomb

    Ingredients:

          1) Bailey's Irish Cream
          2) Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
          3) Tia Maria Coffee Liqueur
          4) Vodka

   Quantities:

          1) 30 ml Bailey's Irish Cream

          2) 30 ml Kahlua Coffee Liqueur

          3) 30 ml Tia Maria Coffee Liqueur

          4) 30 ml Vodka

    Blending:

          Mix all the ingredients over ice. Pour in a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy!

    This cocktail is perfect during the short, hot summer nights. The coffee taste of this drink brings something new and revigorating to your body.

Frappe

    Frappe coffee is a foam-covered, iced coffee drink made from instant coffee. It represents a top caffeine choice especially during the summer. 

    The spray-dried instant coffee contains nearly no oil, just tiny particles (coffee solids), some molecules responsible for flavor and taste, and of course caffeine. The absence of oil (or the significantly lower oil content compared to traditionally brewed coffee) makes the system more stable and the bubbles do not collapse with the same ease as in crema. Soon after the foam is created, a process of thickening takes place where water molecules are constantly pushed out of the frothy mixture. Higher viscosity will retard the phenomenon, and that is the reason that the addition of sugar will create a better foam. The phenomenon continues until bubbles come very close together and the foam almost solidifies. This process can take between 2 minutes to 10 minutes and depends strongly on the agitation process during mixing. As the bubbles come closer and closer, they start to merge and create bigger bubbles. Hand-mixers create smaller and more uniformly sized bubbles. The smaller the bubbles, the more the foam lasts in time. The best frappe coffees are said to be the ones with smaller bubbles and a foam of 30 to 50 millimeters in thickness. 

    Frappe variations (determined by the amount of sugar and coffee used):

•  glykós (sweet)
• métrios (medium)
• skétos (plain)

    All varieties my be served with evaporated milk. Of course, in many restaurants, a globe of ice cream is added to the mix instead of milk. In addition, you will find recipes in which some types of liqueurs are added. 

Caffeine

    Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the beans, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants.It is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from the bean of the coffee plant and the leaves of the tea bush.

    In humans, caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, having the effect of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity. Caffeine is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive substance, but unlike other substances, it is legal and as far as the human body is concerned, it is not that dangerous (in limited quantities of course). Some statistics show that in North America, 90% of adults drink coffee daily. Global consumption of caffeine has been estimated at 120,000 tonnes per year (a lot if you ask me) making it the world's most known, consumed and popular psychoactive substance. Caffeine is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant, and it is used for medical purposes (to reduce physical fatigue and restore mental alertness) as well as for recreational purposes. 

    The precise amount of caffeine necessary to produce effects varies from individual to individual depending on body size and degree of tolerance to caffeine. It takes about an hour for caffeine to begin affecting the body, and a mild doze will ware off in about 3 to 4 hours. Caffeine DOES NOT replace the need for sleep; it only gives the sensation of mental alertness but this sensation wears off. 

    !!!!! In large amounts, and especially over extended periods of time, caffeine can lead to a condition known as caffeinism. Caffeinism usually combines caffeine dependency with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental conditions including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching (hyperreflexia), insomnia, headaches, respiratory alkalosis, and heart palpitations. !!!!!

    Some scientific facts:

          - IUPAC name: 1,3,7-trimethyl- 1H-purine- 2,6(3H,7H)-dione

          - Molecular formula: C8H10N4O2

          - Molar mass: 194.19 g/mol

          - Density: 1.23 g/cm3, solid

          - Melting point: 227–228 °C

          - Boiling point: 178 °C

Espresso

Caffè espresso, or just espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee. In vast contrast to other coffee brewing methods, espresso often has a thicker consistency, a higher concentration of dissolved solids, and crema (foam) . As a result of the pressurized brewing process, all of the flavors and chemicals in a typical cup of coffee are very concentrated. For this reason, espresso is the base for other drinks, such as lattes, cappuccino, macchiato, mochas, and americanos.

The first espresso machines appeared in the beginning of the 20th century. To produce coffee, they used steam pressure.

Preparation of espresso requires an espresso machine. The act of producing a shot of espresso is often termed "pulling" a shot, originating from lever espresso machines which require pulling down a handle attached to a spring-loaded piston, forcing hot water through the coffee at high pressure.

Espresso is the most popular coffee-based beverage in many parts of the world, though the espresso phenomenon is quite recent. With the rise of various coffee chains in the 1990s, espresso-based drinks rose in popularity in the United States, with the city of Seattle viewed as one of the origins of modern interest.

In addition to the Italian espresso, coffee chains offer various types of mixtures; adding syrups, cream, milk foam, spices, making a lot more complex drink than the simple espresso. Espresso has become increasingly popular in recent years, in regions where coffee has traditionally been prepared in other ways.

Furthermore, espresso is frequently served blended with milk and hot water. Notable milk-based espresso drinks, in order of size, include: macchiato, cappuccino, flat white, and latte, while espresso and water drinks especially include the Americano and long black.

A few espresso-based drinks:

• Affogato: espresso served over gelato. Vanilla is the traditional flavor, but a wide variety of flavors can be used.
• Americano: a mixture of espresso and hot water, with the water poured over the espresso. This mix was created in order to dilute the strong taste of espresso.
• Antoccino: a shot of espresso with steamed milk at about the same quantity.
• Bicerin: made from layers of espresso, chocolate and whole milk.
• Carajillo: espresso with a shot of brandy. Popular in Spain during the winter:)
• Cappuccino: Traditionally, one-third espresso, one-third steamed milk, and one-third microfoam.
• Corretto: coffee with a shot of liquor, usually grappa or brandy.
• Con hielo: Espresso immediately poured over two ice cubes, preferred in Madrid during Summer.
• Doppio: double shot of espresso.
• Flat white: a coffee drink made of one-third espresso and two thirds steamed milk with little or no foam.
• Guillermo: one or to shots of espresso poured over slices of lime.
  

Coffee Tree

    The coffee tree is a shrub with a straight trunk that can survive for as long as 70 years. Production of coffee is profitable from the 5th year onwards. Coffee has been classified as a member of the Rubiaceous family. From about 60 different species of coffee trees, only 2 dominate the world trade:

• Coffea arabica (or more simply, Arabica)
• Coffea canephora  

    Below are some details about the most well-known species of coffee trees:

          1) Coffeea arabica takes about seven years to mature fully. The altitude at which it's usually cultivated is about 1300 - 1500 m, but plantations exist as low as sea level and as high as 2800 m. The plant can tolerate low temperatures but not frost. This type of tree prefers to be grow in light shade. 2 to 4 years after planting, Coffea arabica produces small, white and highly fragrant flowers. The flowers last for only a few days, leaving behind only the thick, dark, green leaves. The berries then begin to appear. Inferior coffee results from picking them too early or too late, so many are picked by hand to be able to better select them, as they do not all ripen at the same time. The trees are difficult to cultivate and each tree can produce anywhere from 0.5–5 kg of dried beans, depending on the tree's individual character and the climate that season.

          2) Coffea canephora (Robusta) is a species of coffee which has its origins in central and western subsaharan Africa. The plant has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 metres. It flowers irregularly, taking about 10 – 11 months for cherries to ripen, producing oval shaped beans. As it is less susceptible to pests and disease, Robusta needs much less herbicides or pesticides than Arabica. That is possibly due to the higher caffeine content.

          3) Coffea Liberica is a species of coffee that originated in Liberia, West Africa. The coffee tree grows up to 9 metres in height, producing cherries that are larger than the cherries found on Arabica trees.The town of Lipa (now Lipa City) became the best producer of Liberica in the 1880s but soon collapsed when the Coffee rust disease came out, almost killing all coffee plants which has threatened the varietal with extinction. Today the provinces of Batangas and Cavite are the producers of Liberica in the Philippines.

    Coffee grows on varied soils - volcanic, siliceous clay, alluvial and peat and sand. Like the vine, soil gives a particular character to the same botanical species and different "Vintages" arise. Soil must be deep (roots are 1 to 2 meters) and acid (pH 4.5 to 6).

Coffee History

    Botanical evidence indicates that the history of the coffee bean began on the plateaus of central Ethiopia and somehow must have been brought to Yemen where it was cultivated since the 6th century. However no direct evidence has been found indicating where in Africa coffee grew or who among the natives might have used it as a stimulant or even known about it, earlier than the 17th century. From Ethiopia, coffee was said to have spread to Egypt and Yemen. The earliest evidence of coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree dates back to the 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries in Yemen. By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East, Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa. Coffee then spread to Italy, and to the rest of Europe, to Indonesia, and to the Americas.

      Coffee was noted in Ottoman Aleppo by the German physician botanist Leonhard Rauwolf, the first European to mention it, as chaube, in 1573; Rauwolf was closely followed by descriptions from other European travellers. Venetian merchants introduced coffee-drinking to the wealthy in Venice, charging them heavily for the beverage. The first European coffee house (apart from those in the Ottoman Empire, mentioned above) was opened in Venice in 1645.

      The first coffee plantation in Brazil occurred in 1727 when Lt. Col. Francisco de Melo Palheta smuggled seeds, still essentially from the germ plasm originally taken from Yemen to Batavia. By the 1800s, Brazil's harvests would turn coffee from an elite indulgence to a drink for the masses. The success of coffee in 17th-century Europe was paralleled with the spread of the habit of tobacco smoking all over the continent during the course of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). For many decades in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Brazil was the biggest producer of coffee.