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EDITORS’ CHOICE Coffee has been around for many years and although its origin is very sketchy, people just can’t get enough it. Here are a few stories that may shed light on its history. Farmers have to stay awake the entire time to protect the flock from wolves. When they noticed that the sheep were getting restless after eating some nearby plants, it wasn’t long before they decided to try it and discovered its effects. Another story involves an individual who was banished from a certain town. With no food, the chances were high that the person would die. Miraculously, there were berries, that he ate to stay alive. Weeks later, the villagers saw the person again and heard about what happened. It wasn’t long that the berries were being picked, boiled and consumed by the community. But the fact is, coffee was first grown in Ethiopia. Years later, this was used by the Turks who got hold of it from caravans that transported goods to Arabia. Across the Mediterranean, lies Europe and it’s wasn’t long before coffee soon made it across the continent thanks to Venetian merchants. How did it get to America? People should remember that the New World as it was called was still under British Rule. The French did two things for those residing. First, it brought the plant that produced the berries and second, it helped end the Revolutionary War.
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Opulento Caffee Fifty years after the war ended, coffee plantations were being grown. Americans no longer had tea time or preferred to drink this since something stronger was available. The first American coffee company that sold this in cans to the nation was called Maxwell House in the 1880’s and continues to operate to this day. Instant coffee was introduced a few decades later, which is better known as Nescafe. To date, there are over 19 million different coffee variants and these are
sold in various flavors and concoctions in coffee shops across the country and around the world. The largest of which is Starbucks, which bought out Seattle’s Best. Despite that, the customer doesn’t have to hang out in these places since smaller diners and cafes have something similar to offer. One way to save up is by making it at home since these are sold in beans or in the ground coffee version, which can be made at any time using a coffee blender.
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Coffee &Cream During the recent years, we have been taken over by an experience a lot different from others. An experience of pure and unadulterated goodness‌one that makes a rollercoaster ride like a slow turtle in mud. An experience that makes chocolate fantasies like a dream of rotting corpses. An experience so magical, so unique and so electrifying that many people are standing in line to be served the ultimate coffee experience. We have seen them sprout and mushroom almost everywhere. CafÊs and coffee shops have been steadily increasing in number not only in urban areas but in suburban and rural areas as well. This is brought about by the large demand of the current generation for a place to do their business, meet people, hang-out with friends and spend moments with special people. Continued...
Velvet Soul A great anytime cup of coffee, Velvet Soul mixes Central and South American beans for an end result that offers smooth mellow brightness with hints of dark chocolate, caramel, berries and a touch of citrus.
And because of the abundance of choices and the seemingly endless choices of products, people are becoming more and more discerning of their choice of venue and product. As they say only the best will survive, and the truth is only those who can provide the best coffee experience last long enough to say how they manage to do it. Out on a coffee experience The seemingly endless competition of big and small coffee shops and cafÊs all boil down to one thing, how you make the coffee. Being the primary product of a coffee shop it is imperative that the coffee served meets the high standards of the consumers. Not only is the taste being judged, the presentation, the excitement and the experience that it gives and creates in the customer serves as the basis for how much the product will impact the society. Classic combinations like coffee and sugar and coffee and cream of course will never be out of the picture but since people are looking for an adventure with every cup, it wouldn’t be bad to experiment with different brews that would create a sense of anticipation on the part of the consumer. Continued...
Espresso Organico (ORG) Roasted in the Italian espresso tradition, our Espresso Organico blend consists of 4 different single origin coffees. One is a Fair Trade Certified™ organically grown coffee from Central America. We combine this with an organically grown African and 2 diverse organically grown South American beans to create this complex and yes, knock your socks off espresso. The rich, thick, crema is second to none.
Trying out different flavors like hazelnut, nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate, milk, honey, and other flavors that could boost the smell of the already aromatic smell of pure coffee can make a person’s day. Blending coffee with different bases also creates a different texture. Blending coffee with different ingredients like ice, jelly and colas also gives your boring old coffee a different kick. Since you became so brave and creative as far as experimenting with your coffee, why not try outrageous and totally out of this world blends that would surely be the talk of the town.
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Jamaican Blue Mountain Jamaican Blue Mountain fits the Island coffee
profile (Hawaiian, St. Helena, Puerto Rico) of balanced, rich, delicate, and mild. We insure the delicate flavors are preserved by nurturing the roast to the point of just touching the 2nd crack. Jamaican Blue Mountain BM should never be dark roasted. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is one of the most sought after and consistently the highest priced coffee in the world. With raw prices up to 20 times regular coffee, there is a very strict certification program to insure that if you buy Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee you get Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. If you want Jamaican Blue Mountain, you won’t be getting any discounts from the Jamaicans and if you’re getting discounts, you’re not getting authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.
Sometimes you will see Jamaican High Mountain coffee. High Mountain is coffee grown outside of the Blue Mountain region, and thus, does not carry the Blue Mountain name. The major producers of 100% Pure Jamaican Blue Mountain are Wallenford, Mavis Bank, Old Tavern Estate, and Moy Hall. We cup and choose from these elite sources only for Blue Mountains we carry. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee comes in wooden barrels rather than in the familiar burlap bags, and most of the barrels go straight from Jamaica to Japan, where the coffee fetches a very high premium. Is the price of this coffee worth it? It’s kind of a relative question, as in what makes a diamond worth so much? Very desirable characteristics, rarity in supply, plus high demand.
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MAGICAL FLAVOR OF GOURMET COFFEE BEANS If you drink coffee and have ever stopped to
look at the different types of gourmet coffee beans, you might want to actually give some a try next time you’re shopping for coffee. Instead of grabbing that huge tube of ground coffee, the same brand you’ve been purchasing and drinking for years, or instead of grabbing that more expensive, smaller tub of “gourmet” ground coffee, break out of your coffee rut and give beans a try. Some people already own a coffee grinder, or remember when their parents used to purchase beans and grind them at home. Some stores still have a grinder right in the coffee aisle. The beans our parents purchased and ground were usually not gourmet coffee beans, it was simply cheaper to buy the beans and grind them yourself. If you don’t have a grinder at home, coffee grinders aren’t expensive. You’ll enjoy the smell of freshly ground coffee beans. While some savor that rich smell when they open a tub or brick or preground coffee, once you’ve inhaled the aroma of freshly ground beans, that tub coffee won’t ever smell quite the same to you. Some people are who are very choosy when it comes to coffee purchase several different types of beans and combine them in certain combinations to get the coffee taste they want. Most of us probably aren’t going to take the time to do that. We know what we like when we drink coffee, and we know what we don’t like. In that case, gourmet coffee beans can be ideal because they’re already specially chosen
and designed to offer up a richer, more complex taste that that bag of coffee beans you can purchase at your local A & P. You don’t have to purchase the same old beans or ground coffee from your supermarket. You can break out of that habit a little with gourmet coffee beans you can buy online. You’ll find blends of different beans like the almighty Arabica, Jamaican, Columbian and many others, as well as beans that are infused with different flavors. You can find beans that will give your coffee a chocolate flavor, or hint at fruit or vanilla, or almost anything you can imagine. When you’re looking at gourmet coffee beans, you literally hundreds of choices, and that choice can seem almost overwhelming. Most places that offer this many choices have information about different types of coffee beans, roasting times, flavors and hints of flavor and general coffee information to help you choose which type of coffee beans to purchase. And don’t forget the people you buy for. Coffee lovers can truly appreciate a thoughtful gift of gourmet coffee beans. If you’re unsure whether they grind their own beans, you can purchase the beans whole and grind them just before gift-giving. While gourmet pre-ground coffee can also be a thoughtful gift, whole beans will give the person on your gift lift the freshest coffee experience possible, and put you at the top of their list.
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WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT COFFEE A steaming cup of coffee in the morn-
ing is one of the best wake-up calls that a person can have. It is so good that people can’t even function without having one cup in the wee hours of the morning. Coffee can indeed be addicting. Some even drink five to 10 cups a day especially when they are at the office wherein coffee is one of the staples, whether in meetings or in simple brainstorming sessions.
conduct meetings. Stimulating ideas Coffee is the number one drink when people are brainstorming or just plain discussing about something. This is because coffee can be really stimulating to the senses, thus aiding in mental work and creativity. Calming the nerves
But what is it in coffee that we just can’t go without? Is it just the taste that we just can’t get enough of or is there more?
Coffee is also a wonderful way to relax the senses. Despite being a stimulant, coffee can actually soothe the senses because of the heat that it provides the body.
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After meal habit
Coffee drinking in the country has ceased to be just a drink. It has become a lifestyle. People who drink coffee and hang out in coffee houses are perceived to be the corporate types who enjoy high standards of living. Also, coffee houses in the country have also become more sophisticated, installing in their areas wifi connections, which people can use to surf the net for free.
People have also gained the habit of drinking coffee after every meal. Some believe that this is because coffee can aid in the digestion of food or help in letting the food flow freely into the body. Some drink coffee because it washes off the after taste of the foods that they eat.
Social aspect Coffee drinks have become the beers or the wines of the new generation. People get together and just talk over a cup of coffee. They hang out and just chat about anything under the sun. This is perhaps why coffeehouses have also become hang out places of people, even those who
Delicious With the great tasting flavors and mixes that has come up, who wouldn’t want to drink coffee? There is the Cappuccino with its cream and milk or the coffee topped with cherries or strawberries. Gone are the days when you just drink your coffee black or just add some sugar to it. With so much variety, who can resist?
SPECIAL COFFEE MOMENTS When was the last time that you
were out in the elements with only the sky for the roof and the ground for the floor? How about the stars for the blanket and the moon as the pillow? How many times have you been outdoors with your family enjoying the scenery and the beauty of the wild? During those times what did you share with your beloved wife as you reminisce the times that you two were still in high school and your spirits were high? What did you reach for in the open flame trying to make sure that everything was just right? What was the one thing the two of you could share hurriedly in the morning and savor slowly and deliberately in the evening? What one thing that bonds you and your wife on the cold nights of autumn and the very cold days of winter? What is the only thing that you enjoy more than a two-inch steak? I think you know what I’m talking about here. I think you have caught the drift…I am talking about the only potion known to man that is both powerful and soothing at the same time. Yes folks, I am talking about coffee. Coffee, the caffeine packed, antioxidant rich and most flexible of God’s entire gift to man.
Enjoying the power of coffee Coffee has shared our lives in many ways than one. For some people, it is that first cup of coffee that they made for a special someone. For others, it is that cup of coffee they shared on a cold winter night. I can still remember one of my friends going like this…one day I was at one of them fancy cafés outside the office building. I had a regular cup of brewed coffee in front of the piles of work I had to do for the day. I was just finishing my work when a voice came at me out of nowhere. “Hi there! Mind if I share the table?” I looked up and saw the most beautiful face I have ever seen in my life. I said it was okay and I stood up and got her seated. Man! I couldn’t believe we talked for over an hour. I was about to ask her a question when she excused herself. She suddenly said, “Oh! I’m sorry I’ve got to get going my husband’s here!” the thing is, I didn’t even get her name but I do remember the coffee she was having that day… Hazelnut Frapuccino. Good thing that I know my coffee, I think hazelnut frap will forever hold a very, very special place in my heart.
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SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT HOT Have you ever had the feeling that you
man has been serving coffee hot. Few people would actually drink coffee that has been blown over by the passing breeze. Hot coffee was the standard of coffee drinking everywhere.
Is it the same feeling you get when you aren’t able to have your coffee in the morning before you leave for work or school or anywhere for that matter? If your answer is “YES,” then it is certified: you my friend are a coffee addict!
Because of man’s insatiability for many things (coffee included), he constantly experiments and researches for different things that might make his existence more meaningful and as some would have it, exciting. Not far from this influence is the way coffee is served.
can’t start your day without something, a feeling that no matter what you do things aren’t really going your way?
But don’t you worry young coffee junkie, for you are not alone. You are but a speckle in the vast ocean of coffee addicts all around the world. They too have been called to be forever in the hunt of the ultimate coffee experience. Like you and me, these people have been inflicted by a taste so good, so unforgettable that living without can mean fate worse than death. To be addicted to coffee is to never get away from the taste, the smell, and the full-bodied flavor of caffeine. A different kind of coffee Traditionalist, purist, and coffee enthusiasts all around the world have become more and more demanding over the recent years. These people have begun seeking other forms of enjoyment that they can get from their usual cup of coffee. That was the driving force behind the revolutionary leap that the brewing of coffee made. Since time immemorial,
Before as mentioned coffee was always hot, cold coffee was considered an insult to the coffee itself and people took pride in their brew. Nowadays, coffee can be seen sold to hundreds if not thousands by the day in tumblers that are filled with beads of condensation. Nowadays, coffee is best served cold. Eventhough the new standard in coffee drinking has been changed one thing still remains the same, people still have a hard time starting their day without coffee. People still have a hard time relaxing after a hard days work. Some of the standards may change, people may change, but some things will always be constant no matter what. People may put ice, people may put spices but coffee will always be coffee and to change that will be more than impossible. So coffee addicts need not be afraid for they will have coffee forever.
DON’T PANIC, IT’S ORGANIC A normal person consumes at least five cups of steaming brewed coffee a day. An average cup of coffee is enough to keep a full-grown man awake for the next four hours.
A man is awake for sixteen hours in one day. In one day, a person works an average of 9 hours. He spends about four to six hours for traveling to and from his work place. An average person lives approximately one hour away from his workplace. And in between the times mentioned an average person spends about two hours drinking coffee. Also, an average person spends half of his income on food and food products; almost 25 percent of that amount goes to coffee alone. Much can be said about the average person and one of them is that he loves his coffee. Coffee is a staple in any country, in any part of the world. As a testament to that fact, all over the world you will hear a special kind of coffee beans only grown and found in that part of the world. People take pride in their coffee beans that they would brand it as one of the world’s best. People really do take coffee seriously, as they would go in to the details of canister of coffee, spending more time than looking at the nutritional table on the back of a breakfast cereal. They are more into how the coffee got into the canister than what kind of nutrients they ac-
tually get from a box of Coco puffs. To them, coffee in morning is a religious ceremony that involves the very best that the lands can give and the very best that man can make. Coffee revolution People nowadays are becoming more conscious of what they are getting. In this age of modern technology many people are getting more and more apprehensive about what they are actually buying and how it is grown or made. Eventhough people are captivated by the aroma and the taste of the wonderful brew, they are still concerned about the process by which it is grown. Organically grown coffee was the solution presented by coffee farmers to those that are keen on how natural their food (or coffee) was grown. Organic coffee is very much similar to regularly grown coffee; the only difference is the method by which the farmer grew the coffee. No pesticide, no chemical, and no other substance except the ones found in nature were used to grow the coffee beans. This kind of coffee is untouched by the ravaging effects of chemicals used to kill pests, that’s why some people say that it has therapeutic properties, but no such claim has ever been documented.
COFFEE IN THE LATIN REGIONS Black is in in Mexico Coffee in the Latin American region is mostly centered on the Mexican parts of the region. Coffees are produced on the gulf side of the region particularly in the Vera Cruz State. Coffees in these areas that are worthy to try on are the Altura Orizaba and Altura Huatusco. Another source of coffee on this side of the world is the Altura Coatepec, which are purported to be really good. Those that are produced in Oaxaca State as well as those in the Chiapas state are also enjoying great reviews from coffee lovers all over the world. Fine coffees are however not a big thing in the Latin region as they lack the richness and thickness that can be seen in the coffees of other countries. Black coffees are still best in Mexico. Coffee gold mine The best coffees in the world can be found in the lands of this small country. Guatemala produces some of the best tasting coffees in the world. Among the kinds that it is most famous for are the Antigua coffee, the Coban, which can be found in the Alta Verapaz regions and the Huehuetenango, which is also great-tasting although not as celebrated as the other two. Still, the Huehuetenango is fast gaining ground as many now prefer this over the Antigua, not because it is better tasting
but because the quality of the latter is dipping. Coffee in Guatemala has a distinct spicy flavor that is hard to get from coffees in other countries. This is perhaps why its coffee industry is steadily climbing. Rich and Robust There is nothing more you could ask for in the coffee of Costa Rica. Compared to the Mexican coffee, Costa Rican kinds are richer and more robust. In fact, their coffee is often compared to a good wine. Coffees are grown primarily in San Jose, particularly in the districts of Tres Rios, Alajuela and San Marcos de Tarrazu. Blended in the mountains The most famous of coffee blends come from the Jamaican Blue Mountain. This is one of the most distinguished coffee blends in the world, known for its pricey tag and distinctly addicting flavor. The success of the Blue Mountain blend is actually a sharp contrast to the failure of the coffee industry in other parts of the region particularly in the lowlands. Because of the heavy prices that coffees in the Blue Mountains command, locals take advantage and call their coffees Blue Mountain even if they aren’t produced in the same altitude. This is perhaps the reason why coffee produce has begun to dip in popularity.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE As a beverage, coffee has become the most
popular drink in the world. Its stimulating effects have become one of its main selling points along with the rich aroma and distinct flavor that comes with every cup. Many people may not know it, but drinking coffee may bring with it some added health benefits. Here are just some of them. Some studies have shown that coffee can help in the fight against some cancers. Researchers have found that coffee may have some anti-cancer properties. This gave evidence to studies that show coffee drinkers having a 50 percent lesser chance of developing liver cancer as compared to non-coffee drinkers. There are also some studies that suggest the beneficial effects of coffee in the lower rates of breast, colon, and rectal cancers in coffee drinkers. There are also some new studies suggesting that coffee drinking may not lead to people suffering from high blood pressure over time. Although some studies have also shown that coffee may increase blood pressure in people already suffering from the common ailment, it hasn’t been exactly pinpointed as the cause of the development of high blood pressure in people with normal blood pressure. At this point, the influence of coffee in the cardiovascular effects in the body may require some more intensive study and research. Coffee drinking is also linked in some way to the development of diabetes. Some studies have shown that heavy coffee drinkers may have a 50 percent less chance of developing
diabetes compared to light coffee drinkers. Coffee actually contains substances that help lower blood sugar and can also help in increasing one’s resting metabolism rate when taken regularly. This helps keep the development of diabetes at bay. There have also been some studies that are able to show coffee being able to protect men from developing Parkinson’s Disease but may not have the same effect in women. The reason for this may be on the difference of hormone production in men and women. There are also other perceived health benefits connected with coffee drinking. Coffee may help in increasing mental alertness as well as prolong ones waking hours. Drinking coffee may also help in improving short-term memory. Some substances in coffee may also help increase the effectiveness of certain migraine medication. Although coffee may have these health benefits and more, drinking it in moderation may still apply. Drinking too much coffee regularly may also pose some possible health risks that may include insomnia and increased incidence of irritability and anxiety. Too much coffee may cause heartburn as well as indigestion. These are just some of the health risks that can be caused by drinking too much of the popular stimulant. Moderation is the wise option in most indulgences. This also holds true to drinking coffee.
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TIPS TO MAKING GREAT COFFEE
Anyone can make a good cup of cof-
fee. The ingredients as well as the equipment to make it possible aren’t that hard to find. Here are a few tips that people should remember when preparing coffee. 1. The first thing is to buy a good coffee maker. There are many of these being sold in appliance stores so the customer should do some research first about the brands to get an idea on the features and benefits of each one. 2. The most important ingredient in making good coffee are the beans. It is recommended that people buy whole beans so they can be grinded prior to use. This may be tedious instead of just putting a teaspoon into the cup but there is a big difference that you will soon appreciate and like. 3. Believe it not, the water that comes out of the faucet or the plastic container has a certain taste. This is influenced by the filtration process to ensure that this is safe for people to drink so customers have to check on it before pouring it into the coffee maker. 4. One way for coffee to taste better is by using stainless steel or gold mesh fil-
ters. This is a major improvement from the disposable paper ones that contain bleach, chlorine and dyes that may also affect the flavor. Since these are quite expensive, those who insist on using paper should buy the kind that are unbleached. 5. The rule of thumb for brewing is that there should be two tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water. It should also be spread evenly in the coffee filter before it starts to filter down into the pot. 6. Coffee can be reheated if it gets cold. The best way to do this is by making sure it reaches 175 degrees. Of course, the other way will be pouring all the contents into a stainless steel Thermos that will keep it warm. 7. The coffee pot should be cleaned regularly. Using soap and water can do this but if there are still remnants from the old batch, this is the time that vinegar or baking soda have to be used. It isn’t that hard to make a good cup of coffee. It just takes some time to look for a coffee machine and the right beans that will be able to give its rich taste to the user.
HOW TO PROPERLY STORE YOUR COFFEE With the price tag that comes with coffee
granules nowadays, it isn’t enough that you just place them in a jar and put them on the kitchen table. With the kind of money that you pay for a gourmet coffee granule, it is essential that you learn to store them the proper way. But what is the right way to store coffee granules? Some say that you can freeze them or refrigerate them to prolong life. Others recommend that you place the coffee granules in packets or jars and to seal them as tightly as possible. Others have a different storage advice for whole bean coffee and a different one for a ground coffee granules? Will the storage method matter? Green beans As a general rule, green coffee beans have the best shelf life and they are very easy to store. All you have to do is to just put them inside a tightly-sealed jar and keep them in a location that is cool and dry. With proper storage, they can last for more than a year. There are however few people who use green beans perhaps because it is too much work to prepare them. You have to grind and roast them first before you can actually be able to drink. This isn’t good with people who are used to instant mixes. Whole bean The shelf life of a roasted whole bean is
much better than those that aren’t roasted. A roasted whole bean can last for about 1 to 2 weeks. It is however important that it is kept in standard room temperature and be sealed in an air-tight containers or canister. As much as possible, use glass canisters and avoid plastic ones as the flavor may be compromised in some way by the plastic material. Remember though to use dark-colored glass as these beans shouldn’t be exposed to light in any way. Metal containers are also a no-no. Another good alternative are ceramic ones. Every two to three days, open the canister to release the gas that is produced by the roasted beans. One alternative to eliminate the problem of gas is to use valve bags, which allow the carbon dioxide to escape. One disadvantage though is that these bags can be very expensive and quite rare. If however your whole bean coffee isn’t consumed in two weeks, then it is important to store the coffee in the refrigerator and freeze them. Stored like this, the coffee beans can last for a month or two. Just wrap the beans with a plastic wrap. If you need to use the beans, just grind them frozen. Once thawed, you can’t use them again.
ROASTED COFFEE BEANS GIVE YOU TRUE FLAVOR Whether
you’ve considered making your own roasted coffee beans or you simply want to be able to buy truly fresh beans, some simple facts about coffee can help you choose the best beans and end up with the best coffee you’ve ever had. Coffee beans start out green. These raw beans are then roasted and ground into the coffee that most of us are familiar with. In fact, most everyone who has ever drunk coffee has experienced both an excellent and a horrible cup of coffee. Considering that you can do everything from growing your own coffee to purchasing instant coffee that only requires hot water, it’s no wonder that the quality of coffee can vary from one extreme to another. And price really has no bearing on quality. You can pay a lot of money for brand name instant coffee that tastes worse than the cheaper ground coffee that sits next to it on the shelf. Expensive Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee might cost more than the store-brand, but if the Jamaican coffee is old and stale, the cheaper coffee will taste better. The problem with coffee you buy in a store is that you never really know how old the roasted coffee beans were when the coffee was ground, and how long ago the beans were ground—both factors that make or break the quality and flavor of coffee. Roasted coffee beans are considered fresh for about a month, so the coffee you buy in a store should have been ground from those beans during that time. And the moment bean are
ground, the coffee is fresh, but should be used immediately. Vacuum packing does retain much of the freshness, but coffee lovers know that freshly ground from bean to brew makes a better cup of coffee than freshly ground and instantly packaged, to sit on shelf for who knows how long. If you’re purchasing whole roasted coffee beans, then the way they’re packaged will tell you something about their age. If there’s no way for CO2 to escape the package, then the beans had to sit for several days before they were packaged. If the packaging does allow for this release, then they were probably packaged immediately and will be fresher, providing you’re able to purchase them right away. While they’re considered fresh for 30 days, true coffee fans will tell you that 3 days is the window for the best tasting coffee. After 3 days, the fresh roasted coffee beans will start to lose their aromatic oils. So for the best coffee possible, you can buy green coffee beans and roast them yourself at home. The whole process of roasting your own beans takes less than a half an hour. Home roasting equipment lets you roast only small batches— batches than can be easily used within 3 days— so you’re always guaranteed a fresh cup of coffee. If you choose to purchase roasted coffee beans, choose a shop that revolves around coffee so you know you’ll get quality every time.
INTERESTING COFFEE FACTS Coffee may be a common beverage, but
it has a great story to tell. The start for the lowly coffee bean has been a slow process that eventually led it into the state of prominence that it now enjoys. And not only that, there are also some very interesting facts about coffee that you should know. The enduring fascination of man with coffee has stemmed from a rich history that took the coffee bean from its origins in Ethiopia to its eventual spread into worldwide consciousness. The first coffee plants were so highly regarded by the Arabs that they prevented its spread to other countries by boiling the coffee berries first before they marketed them to prevent any chance of being cultivated outside their territory. Coffee, when it was first introduced in Europe, was first known as “Arabian Wine”. In England during the 1600’s, coffee was considered as a medicinal tonic or brew, probably due to its stimulating effects. The belief in its medicinal properties became so seriously accepted that wild medical contraptions were eventually built in order to administer a mixture of coffee and an assortment of heated butter, honey, and oil as accepted treatments for the sick. It further grew in popularity so much so that it was commonly sold by street vendors in street carts in typical Arabi-
an style. This was the accepted practice of selling coffee all around Europe until the late 1700’s when the first French cafe was opened. Coffee became so popular all over Europe that by 1763, there were over 200 coffee shops in Venice alone. The popularity and the allure of coffee continue to grow. Currently, about 52 percent of Americans drink coffee regularly. The average annual coffee consumption of a typical American adult is about 400 cups, which amounts to 26.7 gallons. The United States is considered as the world’s largest coffee consumers. It imports an estimated 16 to 20 million bags yearly. This is equivalent to onethird of all coffee exported in the world. The typical coffee drinker in the US drinks an average of 3.4 cups of coffee per day. In other parts of the world, coffee also holds the same appeal. Coffee is the most popular beverage worldwide with a yearly consumption of over 400 billion cups. And because of this coffee has become a highly valuable commodity in the world, second only to oil. Scandinavia is considered to have the world’s highest per capita annual coffee consumption, arriving at about 26.4 pounds per person. Japan ranks top three in the world when it comes coffee consumption.
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