OH I LOVE MY COFFEE

                               

Said Honore de Balzac, in his book ‘The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee’. The Amharic and Afan Oromo name for coffee is bunna

Coffee, the name is enough to pep up a true coffee drinker. The most popular beverage among all age groups, it can jump start your day or stimulate tired nerves into action. Coffee drinkers are in a class of their own. They swear by the beverage each enjoying the ‘cuppa’ in their own individualistic taste and style. It can be served in a variety of ways and concoctions.

The word ‘coffee’ comes from the Italian word ‘caffè’ which has descended from the Turkish ‘kahveh’ and the Arabic ‘qahwa’. The early or mid1600s saw the initial use of the word but its earliest forms date way back to the later 1500s.

The trend of drinking coffee started in the 9th century. Discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia, it made its way to Egypt, Yemen, Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa. Gradually coffee spread to Europe and America, from this part of the world.

Coffee belongs to a flowering plant of the family Rubiaceaethe coffee plant is an evergreen shrub, with dark green and shiny leaves. Its clusters of fragrant, white flowers bloom simultaneously. The fruit berry is oval, and green when raw, but ripens to yellow, then crimson, becoming nearly black on drying. Each berry usually contains two seeds, but the 5 to 10 percent of the berries, which have only one seed, gives us the pea berries Coffee. Coffee, the universal beverage, is prepared from roasting these coffee seeds, commonly called coffee beans.

Coffee making is a tedious process. How many of us have actually tried to find out what goes on behind the scenes to create the aromatic beverage?

Coffee berries are first hand picked and then the flesh of the berry is removed. The seeds are then fermented to remove the slimy layer of mucilage present on them. When the fermentation is over, the beans are washed with large quantities of fresh water to remove any residues. This generates massive amounts of highly polluted coffee wastewater. Finally the seeds are dried, sorted, and labeled as green coffee beans.

The next step is the roasting of the coffee beans. The final taste of the beverage is a result of the roasting process as the coffee bean is changed both physically and chemically during this. The bean becomes less dense as its weight decreases due to loss of moisture, its volume increases. The density of the bean also influences the strength of the coffee and the requirements for packaging. Caramelization occurs during roasting, as intense heat breaks down the bean starches and converts them to simple sugars. The bean undergoes a colour change, becoming brown. During the process, aromatic oils, acids, and caffeine weaken and other oils start to develop, changing the flavor of the bean. One of these oils is caffeol, which is mainly responsible for coffee's aroma and flavor.

Now the coffee beans must be ground and brewed in order to create a beverage. Coffee can be ground at home. Coffee beans may be ground in several ways using a burr mill, an electric grinder or a mortar and pestle

Coffee may be brewed by boiling, steeping or pressurizing; drip brewed, percolated, or French-pressed/cafetière. The earliest method of brewing coffee was by boiling the powdered beans in water. This produces a strong coffee with a layer of foam on the surface. Turkish coffee is made like this.

Once brewed, coffee may be presented in a variety of ways. Coffee can be served with sugar, milk or cream, or both. If served without any additives it is known as black coffee.

  

Coffee concoctions:

Black coffee: A drip brew, percolated or French press style coffee served straight, with no milk.

Cappuccino: Equal parts of espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk, served with cinnamon or flaked chocolate sprinkled on top.

Dry Cappuccino: A regular cappuccino, with a smaller amount of foam, and no steamed milk at all.

Americano: A single shot of espresso with about 7 ounces of hot water added to the mix.

Cafe au Lait: It is made with brewed coffee instead of espresso. The ratio of milk to coffee is 1:1, giving it a less intense taste.

Caffe Latte: Essentially, a single shot of espresso in steamed milk. The ratio of milk to coffee should be about 3:1.

Cafe Macchiato: A shot of espresso with steamed milk in the ratio of approximately 4:1.

Espresso Con Panna:  Standard espresso with a shot of whipped cream on top.

Flavored coffee: Coffee can be laced with other syrups, flavorings, and/or spices to give it an exclusive taste. Chocolate is the most common additive, which is either sprinkled on top or added in syrup form. Some other favourites include cinnamon, nutmeg, and Italian syrups.

Frappe:  It is prepared by mixing 1-2 teaspoons of instant coffee with sugar, water and ice. The brew is placed in a long glass with ice. Milk is optional.

Hammerhead: A real caffeine fix, this drink consists of a shot of espresso in a regular-sized coffee cup, which is then filled with drip coffee. It is also known as a ‘Shot in the Dark’.

Iced coffee: A regular coffee served with ice, and sometimes milk and sugar.

Indian (Madras) filter coffee: A common brew of south India, it is made from rough ground, dark-roasted coffee Arabica or Peaberry beans. It is drip-brewed for several hours in a traditional metal coffee filter before being served. The ratio of coffee to milk is usually 3:1.

Instant coffee (or soluble coffee): The beans are freeze-dried and turned into soluble powder or coffee granules. Basically, instant coffee is for those that prefer speed and convenience over quality, though some people develop a preference for instant coffee.

Irish coffee: A coffee spiked with Irish whiskey, with cream on top. An alcoholic beverage that is best kept clear of the kids. A warm-up for chilly nights.

Kopi Tubruk: An Indonesian-style coffee that is very similar to Turkish and Greek styles. It is very thick. The coarse coffee grounds are actually boiled together with a solid piece of sugar.

Lungo: One for the aficionados, this is an extra long pull that allows somewhere around twice as much water as normal to pass through the coffee grounds usually used for a single shot of espresso. In technical terms, it is a 2-3 ounce shot.