Coffee became Nicaragua’s principle crop in the 1870’s, holding that position until 1992 despite the increased production of other crops, such as rum, tobacco, and cotton. Currently coffee accounts for 30% of Nicaragua’s agricultural exports. The culture of coffee has greatly impacted the Nicaraguan economy and environment, supporting over 48,000 families who own and operate small farms. In the late 1990’s, for example, coffee annually contributed $140 million to Nicaragua’s economy resulting in 280,000 permanent agricultural jobs. Coffee experts suggest the organic practices associated with shade grown coffee plantations produces some of the most flavorful coffee while supporting fair trade...
Do you remember coffee percolators? Percolators were the main method of preparing coffee for over 100 years, to be gradually replaced by the automatic drip brewer in the 1970’s. This older method of coffee brewing is making a comeback, and National Percolator Day on December 26 gives us a chance to learn more about and/or revisit this coffee brewing method.
Origin of the Percolator
Several versions of the percolator have surfaced over the years. Mr. Laurens is often attributed with creating the first percolator in 1819 in France. His device (photo on left) contained a metal pot with a chamber at the bottom that was placed over the heat source. A vertical pipe extended from the chamber to the top of the percolator. A ......
Everyone loves a holiday, and coffee drinkers are no different. Although no one knows the exact origins of National Espresso Day – November 23 - espresso certainly deserves its own day of celebration.
Espresso dates back to 1822 when Louis Bernard crafted the prototype of the first espresso machine in France. Then in 1901, Luigi Bezzera of Italy tried to speed up the brewing process by adding steam pressure to force hot water through the coffee, resulting in a more flavorful yet stronger cup of coffee. Although Bezzera patented his machine, he was never able to market it, and in 1903 Desidero Pavoni purchased the patent and began producing the espresso machine commercially, distributing it throughout Europe.
Coffee can be brewed using several different techniques. If kept hot, coffee flavor will deteriorate quickly, and reheating can destroy some of the flavor. Brewed coffee kept at room temperature will also deteriorate, but if kept in an oxygen-free environment it can last almost indefinitely. Coffee can be brewed 7 different ways, according to the grind: Turkish, Percolator, Drip Brew, Plunger/French Press, Vacuum, Cold Water, and Espresso.
Turkish
Grind: Turkish
Turkish brewing dates back to over four and half centuries ago, predating all other methods of preparing coffee. This is the only brewing method where the coffee is in contact with ......
We can either buy whole coffee beans that we grind at home, or we can buy coffee pre-ground. But wait, there’s more to it than that – we need to decide what type of grind…from the fine grind of espresso to the more coarse grind used in a French press – all of this to turn those coffee beans into that beverage we love!
Types of Grind
Coffee Grinds are on a continuum from coarse to very fine, and your method of brewing determines the choice of grind… or, phrased another way - the type of grind dictates the brew method…
A Coarse Grind is primarily used with the following brewing methods: ......
It is the roasting of the coffee beans that produces that wonderful coffee aroma and taste by causing the green beans to expand, thereby changing in color, taste, aroma, and density. Coffee that is brewed shortly after the beans are roasted is coffee at the peak of its flavor. ...and that enticing aroma....
Much of coffee is roasted on a large scale commercially although an increasing number of coffee drinkers roast their coffee at home to maintain more control of the freshness and flavor of their coffee beans.
The most common roasting machines are drum and hot-air, although other types include packed bed, tangential, and centrifugal roasting ......
Ah….caffeine…. the reason why some folks turn to their coffee every day…. Some folks like their coffee with that “jolt” – others don’t.
What exactly is caffeine? How is that jolt of caffeine removed from coffee?
Caffeine is a mild stimulant found in more than 63 plants, including coffee beans, cocoa beans, kola nuts, and tea leaves. Caffeine is found most often in soda, chocolate, energy drinks, tea, various alertness pills, and, of course, coffee.
Anthropologists believe caffeine use may date back to the Stone Age.
Coffee originated in Ethiopia and was later introduced to Arabia and the rest of the east. Ethiopian nomads ......
Ever wonder what happens to the beans after they are harvested?
Read on...
After being harvested, the coffee beans must then be processed either by dry-process, wet-process, or a semi-dry method. In the dry-process, the coffee beans dry while they are still in the cherry. This produces a coffee heavy in body - sweet, smooth and complex. Wet-processing is a new method which removes the four layers surrounding the coffee bean, resulting in a coffee that is cleaner, brighter, and fruitier.
Dry Process
The Dry Process is the oldest and the more traditional method of coffee processing in which coffee cherries are cleaned then spread out in the sun to dry on tables or in thin layers on patios.&......
Coffee is harvested when the coffee cherries are bright red, glossy, and firm. Coffee cherries can be harvested in three different ways: (1) hand-harvesting, (2) machine-harvesting, or (3) stripped from the coffee tree with both unripe and overripe cherries.
Hand-Harvesting
Hand-harvesting, as in the picture to the left, allows farmers to harvest one coffee tree repeatedly as beans are harvested one at a time. Each coffee cherry is carefully removed without disturbing the remaining unripe fruit on the branch. Under-ripe as well as over ripe fruit can impact the taste of the coffee. Hand-picking allows the under ripe fruit to remain on the tree for picking later in the ......
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Coffee became Nicaragua’s principle crop in the 1870’s, holding that position until 1992 despite the increased production of other crops, such as rum, tobacco, and cotton. Currently coffee accounts for 30% of Nicaragua’s agricultural exports. The culture of coffee has greatly impacted the Nicaraguan economy and environment, supporting over 48,000 families who own and operate small farms. In the late 1990’s, for example, coffee annually contributed $140 million to Nicaragua’s economy resulting in 280,000 permanent agricultural jobs. Coffee experts suggest the organic practices associated with shade grown coffee plantations produces some of the most flavorful coffee while supporting fair trade...
Do you remember coffee percolators? Percolators were the main method of preparing coffee for over 100 years, to be gradually replaced by the automatic drip brewer in the 1970’s. This older method of coffee brewing is making a comeback, and National Percolator Day on December 26 gives us a chance to learn more about and/or revisit this coffee brewing method.
Several versions of the percolator have surfaced over the years. Mr. Laurens is often attributed with creating the first percolator in 1819 in France. His device (photo on left) contained a metal pot with a chamber at the bottom that was placed over the heat source. A vertical pipe extended from the chamber to the top of the percolator. A ...
Everyone loves a holiday, and coffee drinkers are no different. Although no one knows the exact origins of National Espresso Day – November 23 - espresso certainly deserves its own day of celebration.
Coffee can be brewed using several different techniques. If kept hot, coffee flavor will deteriorate quickly, and reheating can destroy some of the flavor. Brewed coffee kept at room temperature will also deteriorate, but if kept in an oxygen-free environment it can last almost indefinitely. Coffee can be brewed 7 different ways, according to the grind: Turkish, Percolator, Drip Brew, Plunger/French Press, Vacuum, Cold Water, and Espresso. 
Turkish brewing dates back to over four and half centuries ago, predating all other methods of preparing coffee. This is the only brewing method where the coffee is in contact with ...
We can either buy whole coffee beans that we grind at home, or we can buy coffee pre-ground. But wait, there’s more to it than that – we need to decide what type of grind…from the fine grind of espresso to the more coarse grind used in a French press – all of this to turn those coffee beans into that beverage we love!
Ah, the aroma of coffee.....
Ah….caffeine…. the reason why some folks turn to their coffee every day…. Some folks like their coffee with that “jolt” – others don’t.
Ever wonder what happens to the beans after they are harvested?
