Espresso ~~~

Espresso is the name of a highly concentrated, bittersweet coffee originating in Italy in the early 20th century. Translated from Italian, the word espresso refers to the speed and single-serve nature of the coffee compared with slower and more communal methods of brewing coffee. Each shot of espresso is made to order upon customer request, as opposed to being brewed in anticipation of demand. Typically served in a demitasse cup or used with other ingredients to create another beverage such as a cappuccinoor a caffè corretto, espresso has become representative of coffee culture in many coffee-consuming regions.

While the taste of espresso will vary widely depending on the coffee (including the roast), the quality of grind, and technique used to brew it, a well-made espresso will generally have a heavy body, rich texture, and a bittersweet taste. Each shot should have a layer of crema (foam) on the surface, generally golden to dark tan in color. A single shot of espresso is generally made with seven to eight grams of ground coffee and results in between one to one and a half ounces of coffee. This ratio represents a highly concentrated coffee, containing more caffeine per volume and generally considered to be stronger than drip brewed coffee.Characteristics

Making Espresso

There are several types of espresso-based beverages, but all are based on one or more shots of pure espresso. Espresso is brewed in some sort of espresso machine which "presses" hot water through a dense puck of finely ground medium to dark roasted coffee.

History

The rise of espresso as a popular coffee has paralleled technological advances to the espresso machine during the 20th century. Still, earlier forms of coffee brewing gave rise to the modern espresso. Much like espresso, coffee brewed in an Ibrik (or related brewer) was dark roasted, unfiltered, thick, and bittersweet. Additionally, when brewed correctly, this coffee has a layer of foam much like the crema of espresso. Traditionally served strong and sweet, coffee in the Middle East and Southeastern Europe was a natural step toward the technicalogical developments which would give rise to modern espresso.

In 1901, Luigi Bezzera patented what is considered to be the design for the first espresso machine. It was based on the principle of earlier coffee makers (similar to a moka pot) which used steam pressure to push water into an area from which it would be pressed by the force of gravity through the coffee and into a reservoir. Bezzera's system, however, would use the pressure from the steam to force the hot water directly through the coffee and into the cup. His design allowed for serving freshly brewed coffee to customers on demand. Bezzera would sell this patent to Desiderio Pavoni, who, in 1905, would begin manufacturing the espresso machines for sale. Other Italian manufactures would soon follow suit. 

                                                                         An early style of espresso machine.

Early espresso machines were large and ornate, using gas as their heat source. They consisted of large, cylindrical reservoirs turned on their end, with several spouts, valves, and gauges protruding from the front and sides. Finally, the espresso machines were topped with an ornate figurehead, most often an eagle.

These early machines were limited to the amount of pressure that could be produced by the steam alone--around one and a half atmospheres (meaning one and half times the pressure exerted by the earth's atmosphere), not high enough to allow for full extraction of the coffee oils or use a heavily packed puck of coffee. Higher steam pressure could be generated from using more heat, but the hotter water caused the coffee grounds to become overheated as well, damaging the taste of the resulting cup.

In 1947, Achille Gaggia developed a modification to espresso machines which, instead of using steam pressure to drive the water through the coffee, used a manually pulled lever to cause a piston to press the hot water through the coffee. The higher pressure generated through this method allowed for a much tighter packed puck of coffee and a more full extraction of the coffee's flavors. Additionally, through this method, the signature crema that floats at the top of a properly prepared espresso was first born. Despite continuing improvements, modern espresso makers are still mostly based upon Gaggia's model.

One of the drawbacks to the Gaggia machine was that both the water for the espresso and the steam were heated in the same tank. The water would heat slowly, and would become stale over time, affecting the quality of the resulting espresso. In 1961, the FAEMA company (Fabbrica Apparecchiature Elettromeccaniche e Affini or, in English, factory producing electrical and mechanical equipment and similar) developed the E61, a machine which would heat water for use in brewing the espresso by passing it through the tank of older water before it got to the brew head. The fresh water would never interact with the older water, which would be reserved for use only in the production of steam. Other improvements in the E61 included an electric-driven pump, a mechanism for decalcifying water (so as to not to contaminate the machine with deposits), and the ability to circulate water through the group head so that it would reach a warm temperature prior to brewing without having to run water through it first.

Source: http://coffee.wikia.com/wiki/Espresso

How roasted coffee bean affects your coffee?

How roasted coffee bean affects your coffee? We know that roasted coffee bean affects the way our coffee would be, but we have no idea what all those roasting terminology meant. So, in this article I would attempt to bring across this message in the simplest way possible.It is sad to note that in today coffee market, most of the ratings are placed on coffee brewers and lesser on home coffee roaster, which I personally thought is an element to brewing great coffee.But, I guess with technology like Illy ability to seal their roasted coffee flavor for up to 2 years, not knowing how to roast might not posed too much a problem!

The rule of thumb about roasted coffee bean is the longer it is being roasted, the thicker would be the roast flavor and if not handle properly, it can ruin the beans original flavor and the beans would be useless.

Therefore, coffee beans that are well known for its unique taste like Jamaican Blue Mountain, Hawaiian Kona or the Kenya coffee are roast very lightly so that their original characteristics would dominate the flavor.

1. Light roast

This is the first stage for any roasted coffee bean

and the beans are taken out a few minutes after the beans "pop" or crack" and have expanded in size. The market calls this the first crack and it is by far the most popular roasting method with the US commercial roaster. Also known as cinnamon roast, half city or New England, it is very dry and the coffee it brewed is lighter bodied, very acidic and with almost no roast flavor.

2. Medium Roast

For coffee beans to reach this medium roast, one would have to wait a couple more minutes after the first "crack" and while this is not the in higher quantity, it is what US specialty coffee sellers tend to roast and sell.

It is known in the market by terms such as full city, American, regular,

breakfast or brown. While it is similar to light roast dry character, the coffee that you would get is sweeter than light roast and it has more body so one would tasteless of the acidity and more aroma and complexity.

3. Full Roast

This is the batch of roasted coffee bean that are roast to the point where it begin popping again. Call the "second crack", its main difference from the other two roast is its oily surface that happens as coffee oils raised to the surface.

Its other names are high, Viennese, Italian Espresso, Continental and its oily surface also meant that it is moving away from the mass market and currently only the roasters in Northwest part of US is doing this type of roast.

The coffee you would get from this roasted coffee bean are spicy and while it loses its complexity, you would get a heavier body, stronger aroma and flavor.

There is another not very common roasting known as the Double Roast. Because it would give you coffee a very bitter taste and most of the flavor in the coffee beans would be lost.

This is mostly done in South East Asia for coffee brewing using coffee socks and the coffee beans are usually roast with margarine and sugar. This would result in a coffee that is bitter but sweet (from the sugar) and the locals call this coffee Kopi-O.

There you have it, the 3 types of roast highlighted above are the ones are being used commonly and the taste of the coffee you would get with each brew.

Source: http://www.oncoffeemakers.com/roasted-coffee-bean.html

Coffee or Tea: Which is Better for You?

Which do you crave in the morning—a cup of java or a spot of tea? Popular belief labels tea as a health drink and coffee as bad. Not so! Mounting evidence suggests that both are good for you because they're brimming with antioxidants.

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are phytochemicals, chemicals found in plant foods. In our bodies, antioxidants protect healthy tissues from "oxidants," also called free radicals. Over time, free radicals can damage cells and cause disease. Antioxidants are like microscopic police officers who seize these bad guys that plan to harm our cells.

What's sweet about tea?

Tea leaves come from an evergreen plant called Camellia sinensis. The way the leaves are processed determines if they become black or green tea. All teas contain a group of antioxidants called flavonoids.
Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, next to water. Green tea is especially popular in Japan and China. But on any given day, only one in five American adults drinks tea, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. That's a shame, because tea drinkers in the study took in 20 times more flavonoid antioxidants per day than tea non-drinkers. That's amazing!
Experts say tea provides as many disease-fighting flavonoids as fruits or vegetables. Many brands of tea list antioxidant and caffeine content (in milligrams per serving) right on the box.

Which diseases does tea fight?

Laboratory studies using tea and tea extracts on rats, mice, and human cells show promising results. They suggest that tea may reduce cholesterol levels, help prevent blood clotting, lower the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and even fight inflammation, cancer, and seasonal allergies.
Studies of tea-drinking humans suggest these possible health benefits:
  * Black and green tea may lower risk for ovarian cancer.
  * Green tea may reduce breast cancer risk.
  * Green tea may decrease death rates from heart disease.
Based on this evidence, perhaps tea ought to be the beverage of choice for women. For me, the fact that tea contains tons of antioxidants is reason enough to drink it, even if we haven't discovered all the disease-fighting benefits yet.

Which kind of tea is best?

Most herbal teas are not tea at all. They are made with roots, flowers, herbs, or spices and contain no tea leaves and therefore no tea flavonoids. A few herbal teas contain real tea leaves with added spices. Read the ingredients label to be sure of what you're drinking.
Researchers say green tea has more antioxidants because the leaves are less processed, but some people don't like its unique flavor. Since both black and green tea are antioxidant-rich, drink the kind you like best.
If green tea is new to you, blend it with black tea the first time you try it. Place one black tea bag and one green tea bag together in boiling water to make a large mug. Steep for three to five minutes, no more, to bring out the antioxidants but avoid a bitter flavor. I brew this blended tea every day using decaf tea, even though it's a little lower in flavonoids.
Hot brewing releases phytochemicals, so when making homemade iced tea, you may want to brew it and then add ice. When you're on the go, buying a bottle of iced tea is a good option, too. A comparison of convenience teas showed significant antioxidant content in major brands. Just be aware that most sweetened teas are loaded with sugar.

What's the scoop on coffee?

In the U.S., coffee is king of beverages—millions start the day with the aromatic brew. Researchers named coffee as the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet, partly because of the volume we consume. Black tea ranked second.
Coffee contains antioxidants such as quinines and chlorogenic acid. It also contains trigonelline, an anti-bacterial compound that contributes to coffee's delicious aroma.

Which diseases can coffee fight?

Research suggests coffee may lower the risk of liver cancer, colon cancer, Parkinson's disease, type II diabetes, and gout. 
The jury is still out on whether or not coffee raises the risk of heart disease in some people. Research shows conflicting results, so more study is needed. According to the American Heart Association, one to two cups of coffee per day does not seem to be harmful. To be on the safe side, discuss caffeine intake with your doctor if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.

What about caffeine?

The caffeine content of coffee and tea vary depending on the size of your cup, what kind is used, and how it is made. An 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has about 85 milligrams of caffeine compared to 40 milligrams in a cup of hot tea.
Caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system to cause that pick-me-up feeling. But keep in mind that caffeine is a drug and should be limited to avoid overload symptoms. If caffeine keeps you up at night, switch to decaf in the afternoon.
New research links caffeine consumption with possible increased risk of miscarriage. So if you're pregnant, stick to decaf beverages and talk to your doctor about caffeine.

What about fruits and veggies?

Since coffee and tea are high in antioxidants, can they replace fruits and vegetables in our diets? Absolutely not! Fruits and veggies supply fiber, essential vitamins and minerals, plus a variety of different antioxidants that promote good health.

A word of caution

Plain coffee and tea are healthful, calorie-free beverages. Be careful how much cream, sugar, and flavorings you dump into your cup. Just 1 tablespoon of cream and 2 teaspoons of sugar can add up to 80 calories and 6 grams of fat. Squirt in flavored syrup, pile on whipped cream, and your once-healthful drink becomes a rich dessert.

Which is better—coffee or tea?

Science can't really say one is superior to the other, so fill your mug with whichever brew you like. To benefit from both sets of antioxidants, try this: drink one or two cups of coffee in the morning, then enjoy tea throughout the day.

The next time you warm your hands around a steaming cup, thank God for His gift of antioxidants. Bottoms up!

From: http://www.cbn.com/health/nutrition/reinke_coffeetea.aspx

Decorate the Kitchen with a Coffee House Theme

Do you just love a steaming cup of coffee? The idea of a coffee house in your own home sounds romantic, and it is generally simple to achieve. There are many different coffee house styles, so you should have an idea of your overall design goals before you get started. Are you envisioning a French bistro? A modern, artsy coffee house? These are just a few tips to help you get started decorating your kitchen with a coffee house theme.

1. Choose rich, dark colors and dim lighting. Chocolate brown and a deep red would look great in a coffee house inspired kitchen, along with white or cream colored trim or accents. Remember, java shops are typically dim and cozy. Choose soft lighting for your kitchen. Layer it if possible so you can brighten and dim them as needed. For example, use recessed cans for the general lighting, with hanging pendants and under-cabinet fixtures for the ask and accent lighting.

2. Replace shiny finishes with rubbed ones. That is, unless you are designing with that modern, artsy theme in mind. If you are going for a warm, cozy coffee house kitchen theme, look for more traditional hardware and fixtures in darker finishes: bronze, wrought-iron, black and so on. This includes your cabinet handles and knobs, light fixtures and even the faucets in your kitchen.

3. Add eclectic, coffee house style artwork. Every coffee shop needs either coffee-inspired or abstract art to hang on the walls. You can even make your own by taking close up photos of coffee beans, mugs of hot java and various other related items. Other ideas for artwork include paintings of Paris, wall clings with coffee related words and modern sculptures.

4. Provide a cozy seating area for coffee time. If you have the space in your kitchen, add a small area with places to sit and gossip over a cup of joe. Corner banquettes are great, as are pub tables, since they make good use of otherwise-wasted space.

5. Finish with the appropriate appliances. Every coffee house has certain appliances required for making coffee. A basic coffee machine is a must; other ideas include an espresso or cappuccino maker, a blender and so on. Die hard coffee fans might even have a coffee machine built right into their kitchen cabinets. And, of course, you can't forget the coffee grounds.

From: http://voices.yahoo.com/decorate-kitchen-coffee-10449067.html?cat=30