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Coffee Clubs
Automatic Coffee Maker Buying Tips
Ah, coffee! There really isn't a more pleasant smell in the universe than the smell of freshly brewed coffee especially first thing in the morning. Almost everybody loves good coffee but the definitions of "good" coffee are as varied as the people who love it.
If you are considering buying a new automatic coffee maker and you haven't bought one in awhile, you are going to find a lot more choices that you ever dreamed were possible.
The first thing that you need to decide about your new automotive coffee maker is what kind of automatic coffee maker you want. Do you want an automatic drip coffee maker or a percolator? (One drips water through coffee grounds, while the other forces heated water up a spout and over the coffee grounds.) Drip coffee and perked coffee are two entirely different tastes.
The next decision is what size automatic coffee maker will best serve your needs. If you are the only coffee drinker in the household, then you only need a very small coffee maker. One that makes a total of four cups will probably be adequate. However, if there are several people who
drink coffee, or if you entertain regularly and serve coffee, you may need a larger coffee maker.
The next decision that you must make are the features of a coffee maker that are important to you. You can find coffee makers that have more controls than NASA. You will need to determine which features are important, and which ones are not of any value to you. Remember that each added feature adds to the cost.
The price of coffee makers range between $20 and $200. It is important to buy one that is large enough, but it is just as important that you don't buy one that is larger than you need.
See Also:
Home Coffee Roasters
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How to Make Good Coffee
Decaf Coffee
Caffeine is a natural substance that is found in coffee. Caffeine is also found in tea, soft drinks, and chocolate. Caffeine is what helps to wake us up in the morning as we sip that first cup of coffee. It is what gives us that little added boost in the afternoon when our energy is flagging.
There is research that "proves" that caffeine is bad for us and good for us. It has been determined that caffeine is a stimulant, and some researchers see that as a good thing; while others see it as a bad thing. It is true that caffeine is somewhat addictive and there are those who are deeply opposed to anything and everything that might possibly be addictive in any way.
My point is that the caffeine might be called the "active ingredient" in coffee. So, of course, it can be removed. When the caffeine is removed from coffee, though, most of the taste goes with it. Coffee that has had its caffeine removed is called "decaffeinated," or "decaf."
There are at present two basic ways in which caffeine is removed from coffee. The two processes for decaffeination are known as (1) European Process; and (2) Swiss Water Process.
The European Process uses methylene chloride to wash the coffee beans. The chemicals absorb the caffeine. The beans are then washed to remove the chemical, roasted, and ground. The European Process actually leaves more flavor in the coffee beans, but there are those (surprise) who object to the use of chemicals.
The Swiss Water Process for removing caffeine from coffee beans is a multi-step process that only uses water and steam. The Swiss Water Process, however, removes more than just the caffeine from coffee beans. Many of the oils are also lost in the process, and the coffee made from beans that have been decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process is pretty much tasteless. |
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Coffee and Health
Flavored Coffee Syrup
To give your coffee some zing and more body, or just to add a surprise flavor to a cup of coffee, you might want to try some of the many choices of flavored coffee syrups that are on the market today. Coffee no longer has to be plain coffee. It can be flavored almost any way any body could possibly want.
There are flavored coffee syrups available in all of the flavors that you might expect; chocolate, vanilla, various fruits and nuts. But then there are flavored coffee syrups available in some flavors that you might never expect, like Granny Smith Apple, lavender, gingerbread, eggnog, cheesecake, or pumpkin spice, just to name a few.
Do you have to watch your diet? No problem, you can still enjoy many of the flavored coffee syrups on the market because they come in sugar-free and even low-carb varieties.
If you are very creative or really into the flavored coffee syrup thing, you can even make your own flavored coffee syrup. The syrups that you make can be used in coffee, of course, but they can also be used to make shakes, smoothies, or over ice cream as a dessert. You can find recipes for flavored coffee syrup all over the Internet. Here is one example of a flavored coffee syrup that you can make at home:
Stir together until fully blended:
1 ½ cups of sugar
1 cup of powdered cocoa
1/8 teaspoon of salt
Gradually add 1 cup of water to the mixture stirring constantly. Don't beat the mixture. Simply stir it until it is blended completely.
Then heat this mixture until it comes to a full boil and boil it for a full three minutes. You must stir constantly to prevent lumping. Now, remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool, then add two teaspoons of vanilla flavoring and store it in the refrigerator.
Related Topics: Start Your Day with Coffee,
Organic Coffee, Coffee Filters
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