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Flavored Coffee Syrup
Buying Gourmet Coffee
How many different kinds of coffee do you suppose are available around the world today? I don't know, either, but there isn't much doubt that hundreds of thousands would be a guess that was not far off the mark.
Just go look on the shelves of your local supermarket. My goodness! There are dozens of brands and several choices of roasts for each brand. There are coffees that are made especially for drip coffee makers. There are coffees that are prepackaged and ready to be put into coffee makers. There are single servings. It's mind-boggling, and you haven't even scratched the surface yet -- the coffees on the shelves of your local supermarket aren't even the gourmet coffees.
To find the gourmet coffees, you will need to visit a coffee specialty shop or go surfing on the web. Now the choices are REALLY mind boggling. Unless you already know which gourmet coffee you are looking for, you will need to have some good information before you buy. It might even be a good idea to buy a "variety" package that includes several different gourmet coffees and give yourself the opportunity to try before you buy.
Some gourmet coffees have very high acidity. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Only your taste buds can decide. Some people prefer high acidity coffee, while others do not. Is the acidity a good thing or a bad thing? Well, some say that acidity causes stomach problems, and others say that the acidity is what makes the coffee a cancer fighter of the first order and what gives it the unique taste.
Some gourmet coffees, particularly those from the islands, have an earthy taste that isn't present in coffees from other regions. Some coffees, particularly those from Jamaica, are so smooth they make you want to cry. It all depends on your own individual likes and dislikes.
See Also:
Organic Coffee
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Coffee and Weight Loss
Coffee Grinders
Grinding one's own coffee beans is quickly becoming a part of the American version of the coffee drinking experience. The choices for coffee grinders available for purchase is mind-boggling, so you really do need to know a few things about coffee grinders before you purchase one of your very own.
The earliest version of coffee grinding was done with a bowl and a pestle. The beans were roasted first, then they were placed in a bowl and crushed or ground with a pestle. Then things got mechanized, and changed quickly when coffee grinders that were hand-cranked came into being. If you have ever watched old western movies, there is always a hand-cranked coffee grinder in the local general store.
Then along came electricity, and things just got easier. The first electrified coffee grinders actually operated on the same principle as the hand-cranked version. There were basically two flat plates (one stationary and the other moving) that the coffee beans were crushed between. Things have gotten better since then although the principle remains basically unchanged -- only improved upon.
Today, you can buy coffee grinders with blades that simply chop the beans into fine particles. However, these particles are not of identical size. These blade-type coffee grinders can be bought for as little as $20, but they are not the best choice.
The best choice for a coffee grinder is a "burr" grinder. The burr coffee grinders operate on the same basic principle as the old hand-cranked coffee grinders in that there are two plates. However, these plates have burrs on them, and the coffee particles of beans that have been ground in a burr grinder are all of identical size. Burr grinders are, of course, more expensive, but they are much better coffee grinders. |
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How to Make Good Coffee
The definition of a "good" cup of coffee is relative. It all depends upon the taste buds of the person determining whether the cup of coffee is good or bad. Haven't you ever wondered why there are so many different brands of coffee? Yep…just like horse racing, it's the difference of opinion that makes the coffee industry tick, keeps the competitive spirit alive, and the prices down so most of us poor schmos can afford to buy coffee by the 13-ounce "pound" at our local supermarkets.
No matter what "brand" or "grind" of coffee makes the best cup of coffee in your opinion (and your opinion is the only one that counts), or whether you prefer drip coffee or perked coffee, there are a few simple things that will make your cup of coffee just taste better.
The number one "secret" of all good coffee is to begin the brewing process with a clean coffee maker. It doesn't matter whether the coffee maker is an automatic drip coffee maker, a percolator, a fancy espresso machine, or a plain pot that will be heated over a campfire to make river coffee. The cleanliness of the coffee maker has a great deal to do with the quality of the coffee that is made. Coffee makers can be cleaned with baking soda, cream of tarter, of any of the commercially sold coffee maker cleaners that are available on the market today.
The second factor for making a good cup of coffee is the water that is used at the beginning of the coffee-brewing process. Most all of the water that is delivered through a tap has been treated with several chemicals. These chemicals affect the taste of brewed coffee. Use bottled water to make your next pot of coffee. You will be amazed at the improved taste.
The third factor for making a good cup of coffee is the ratio of coffee grounds to water. Remember that the more grounds that you use per cup of water, the stronger the coffee will be. Strength of coffee is a personal choice, so a little experimentation might be in order.
Related Topics: How Coffee Affects the Body,
An Old-Fashioned Coffee Klatch, Flavored Coffee Syrup
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