I love coffee susan zimmer pdf

Save Not today. Format ebook. Author Susan Zimmer. Publisher Andrews McMeel Publishing. The beans increase in size by 25 to 35 percent. They begin to pop, much like popcorn. They lose 18 to 22 percent of their weight, mostly through this evaporation. The caffeine content, however, is not affected by these changes. Gradually, the green beans turn a yellowish color, then darken to a deep rich brown.

It is these changes, and the release of caffeol, or coffee oil, that are essential in bringing out the flavor and aroma of the beans.

The darker the beans, the more oil they produce. Great care must be taken as the process nears completion, to ensure that the beans are not burnt. Flavorful acids form as the beans turn into a medium-dark roast. As the roasting progresses toward a darker roast, these same acids will now begin to break down, and the sugar components will start to caramelize.

A darker roast has more body and an intense richer flavor to the palate. That is why espresso beans are characteristically low in acidity, rich in body, and sometimes caramel-like caramel, after all, is just roasted sugar.

My Personal Favorite The best espresso I have ever tasted was one that had been air-roasted. The beans were actually floating to roasting perfection upon a superheated, pressurized airstream within a roasting drum. The coffee beans never touch the scorching metal walls of the drum.

In many roasting facilities, gravity pulls the coffee beans to the bottom of the roaster, where they can become burnt, blackened, or bitter. This burnt flavor is evident in the final brew. An excellent espresso should never be bitter. If it is, one of the reasons can be due to overroasting or poor roasting methods. The lighter the roast, the more flavor acids, resulting in interesting flavors and sparkle.

Lighter roasts are lighter in body because the roast has not produced caramelized sugars or caffeol. Medium roasts have less acidic snap; they are richer, with a more rounded flavor. Here, coffee oils begin to appear. At the dark roast stage, all acidic tones disappear; the beans are oilier; there is a definite bittersweet, chocolatey flavor; the brew is rich and full in body and texture.

An interesting note on roasting as it pertains to caffeine content: The darker the roast, the less caffeine content it will have. Higher, longer roasting temperatures eliminate more caffeine from the beans than will a brief, cooler roast.

Coffee Roasting Chart The following classifications are used by professionals to designate the numerous darknesses of roasts: Light Cinnamon.

The Alternative: Roast Your Own at Home All over the world, many coffee aficionados roast their own coffee, to enjoy the satisfaction of the ritual and the freshest cup of coffee possible. For those concerned about the environment, home roasting is ideal. A big sack of raw green coffee beans is certainly more economical than buying commercially roasted brands: home-roasting can curb the processing, packaging, and advertising expenses of purchasing small cans or bags of coffee at retail prices.

Using an old, heavy metal skillet with a handle and cover, and without a nonstick coating , spread only one layer of green coffee beans in the pan at a time. An aluminum egg poacher pan works nicely. Place an inexpensive oven thermometer in the pan. Ideally, it should have a flat metal back that can be stood at an angle in the pan.

It can then register the temperature of the air in the pan rather than the temperature of the bottom surface of the pan. Holding down the cover on the pan, begin to gently shake the pan at 1-minute intervals, to roast the beans evenly.

Anyone who has made stovetop popcorn will recognize this is the same technique. The beans will begin to snap, crackle, and pop! The beans will begin to change color, first becoming a yellowish brown, then swelling and darkening. Take a peek and watch the color, and stop roasting just before the desired color has been achieved the beans will retain their heat and continue to darken for a moment or two longer. It is important to never let the beans darken to more than a chocolate brown color, or else they will taste burnt.

Once the desired roasting has been reached, immediately remove the pan from the heat and dump the beans into another cool pan or onto slate or marble.

Roast for 20 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally during the roasting time, for a mild to medium roast. The green beans will first turn yellow, then brown. Once the desired roasting has been achieved, remove the pan from the heat to cool the beans. Follow the stovetop coffee-roasting directions. You will need to insert an oven thermometer to establish the proper temperature as noted above before the beans are shaken around in the pan.

All of life is a dispute over taste and of tasting. Expert tasters are the aristocrats of the coffee industry. These coffee masters specialize in sampling small amounts of various coffee beans that are being considered for production and distribution. There are, however, very few individuals who possess this rare ability. In fact, the New York Coffee and Sugar Exchange employs fewer than forty tasters that are responsible for all the coffee imported for the entire United States market.

The sample is almost inhaled, projected into the back of the mouth and sprayed on the roof of the palate, and is then rolled and almost chewed before it is professionally spit into a bucket! This tasting exercise is certainly not part of my coffee-appreciating conduct! I tend to modestly smell and taste my coffee and then drink it down with grateful acknowledgment to the discerning gifts of the coffee aristocrats at the top of the industry lineup. Coffee Blending Chemistry The blending of coffees is an art.

Each blend is the official signature of the inspired coffee roaster. The ability to balance the elements of the blend, so that no two types of coffees that are combined possess similar characteristics, is a principal skill for such artisans. For example, if both coffees are sharp and winey, such as an Ethiopian and a Kenyan, then these two would not marry well.

On the other side of the cup, the most famous blend, Arabian Mocha and Java, offers ingredients with distinctive, extreme qualities, and together they produce a balanced rich, flavorful cup of coffee. Recommendations for Blending Coffees You can enrich any standard commercially produced coffee by adding the following:.

For even more sweetness, or to even out a bright, acidic coffee: Mysore. Proportions depend on personal preference. Flavored Coffee Beans Flavoring coffee is as old as the beverage itself. The Arabs were the first coffee connoisseurs to add such spices as cinnamon to their beloved brew.

Other Middle Easterners followed, with the addition of cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and even ground nuts. Spirits, chocolate, and citrus peels were also included later on. Once coffee was introduced to the Western world, the now-traditional cream and sugar were added to brewed coffee.

The variety of flavored coffees is amazing, the biggest sellers being French vanilla, Irish cream, hazelnut, macadamia nut, chocolate, and spice-based flavors. These chemicals sometimes leave a distinct chemical aftertaste. Some coffee manufacturers, however, use natural oils for making flavored coffee beans, extracting and using the essential extracts from a variety of flavor sources, such as vanilla and cocoa beans; cinnamon, cloves, and chicory; and various nuts and berries.

These natural flavoring extracts are then compounded with other agents to produce flavoring oils that are used to coat the coffee beans. Some flavored-coffee fans enjoy adding the flavorings themselves, in the way of syrups, to the beverage after it has been brewed. Italians have long been known for their variety of fountain syrups, and it was only a matter of time before these syrups found their way into coffee drinks.

For more information on flavored syrups, go to Chapter 9. These are generally sold locally and possess a distinctive signature personality. Specialty coffees have inspired a common-ground culture for coffee connoisseurs, and are a specialized niche, offering a wide variety of coffee choices with notable quality.

Specialty coffee beans are usually well prepared, freshly roasted, and properly brewed. Commercial Coffee Commercial coffees are usually roasted, produced, and packed in enormous plants under nationally branded names, advertised ferociously, and distributed nationally and regionally. Commercial coffees are part of the organized retail food distribution network and are market-focused to sell to the mass consumer. Commercial coffees offer convenience and lower prices, but also present a very limited and often inferior selection of blends and roasts.

They restrict the coffee connoisseur from experimenting with various coffee-blending creations. Regardless of modern packing technologies, once a consumer opens a can or bag of ground coffee, the relatively fresh contents begin to lose aroma and freshness, due to oxidation. Oxygen, heat, and light are true curses to coffee, causing its delicate, aromatic coffee oils to deteriorate. Coffee also acts as a sponge, absorbing other scents.

I can remember my mother placing a cup of ground coffee in the refrigerator to banish unpleasant odors. Although this is not always possible, at least grinding your own beans can certainly offer a fresher cup of coffee than having your coffee preground at the store. And this leads to the subject of grinds. For optimal results, the ground coffee from a grinding machine must match both your brewing pot or machine and, of course, the particular variety of the coffee bean. Tailor the Grind to Suit the Brewing Method Different coffee-brewing methods require different types of coffee grinds, and different grinds require different lengths of brewing time.

The shorter the brewing time, the finer the coffee grind must be, as when making an espresso. And, the finer the grind, the less you need. With a finer grind, more surface area of coffee is exposed for the water to infuse through it.

In this case, less is more! Conversely, the longer the brewing time such as when using the French press, or plunger pot, method , the coarser the grind must be. Coarser grinds require longer brewing cycles, where the ground coffee steeps in the water as tea leaves do.

If, for example, finely ground coffee is used for a plunger pot method, then the brewed coffee will be overextracted and bitter.

Similarly, if a coarse grind is used to make a quickly brewed espresso, the coffee will be weak. Reduce the grinding time for quantities less than four scoops.

Please keep in mind that both the machine and the person operating it can vary the results. These machines require a fine, consistent grind with a texture between flour and table salt. Grinders at a Glance Grinding your coffee fresh from whole beans takes very little time, and it is inexpensive. It allows you to grind the beans in a way that accentuates what you like in a coffee, and what works best with your personal brewing method. Whether you use a sophisticated quickie electric method or a manual mortar and pestle, you will be releasing the rich oils that give coffee its flavor and aroma.

Burr mill coffee grinders, similar to pepper mills, are popular in southern Europe and produce an important evenness to the grind for a more uniform brew. They are available in manual and electric models. The latter are great for quick and easy grinding. The cleanup is relatively easy, and some grinders offer an automatic timing device, good for lazy perfectionists. Blade-style electric coffee grinders use a small, electric motor to spin two metal blades at very high speeds, chopping and crushing the coffee beans.

One disadvantage is that the blade grinder must repeatedly slice the bean, and this repeated contact can eventually heat the beans and damage their flavor. If you already use one of these to chop nuts or herbs, buy another—they are very inexpensive—to dedicate solely to coffee grinding, to avoid any transference of flavors.

Box grinders—traditional Western coffee grinders—are often wooden boxes with a propeller blade that is turned manually. The beans are simply fed into a little door in the top of the box, and the ground coffee falls into a little bottom drawer as you whirr away. These are great, except for achieving fine grinds and for grinding larger quantities of coffee. Some metal models can be mounted on a wall or table; these can achieve a finer grind because you are not trying to hold the box still at the same time as you are grinding.

A mortar and pestle is the most primitive approach to grinding coffee beans. This time-consuming technique is all done by hand and builds strong muscles, but unless you are a seasoned expert at using this tool, it will be difficult to achieve an even coffee grind. However, if you already love to make your own pesto or crush spices with a mortar and pestle, then this method may be the most aesthetically satisfying for you. Why an Even Grind Is Important The common and most important goal of every grinding method is to achieve an even, uniform grind, which will provide an even extraction of the oils from the coffee.

Overextracted coffee tastes bitter and overly pungent. Underextracted coffee tastes weak, thin, and lifeless. Storage Tips Even after it has been roasted, coffee is a living organism, and, as it breathes oxygen, it releases carbon dioxide, which helps to preserve it. The trick to keeping it fresh is to prevent the coffee from being exposed to too much oxygen, while encouraging it to continue to produce carbon dioxide. As soon as you break the seal, however, you will need a proper container as outlined below in which to store the remaining coffee.

Here are a few tips for storing coffee: Always store coffee away from its natural enemies: light, heat, oxygen, and humidity. Purchase coffee as whole beans and grind your own just before you use it so the coffee will stay fresher longer, as there is less surface area exposed to air and moisture during storage. Store ground or whole coffee in an airtight, opaque canister to prevent light from coming through.

Ceramic or glass canisters with metal rings that latch shut are also ideal containers for coffee, since they cannot transfer any contaminants to the coffee. Never use a plastic or metal container. These substances produce a fair amount of flavor migration and penetration, which will corrupt the coffee.

An odd tip, but it works: Cut a green garbage bag into squares, just large enough to line the inside of your coffee container. Store the coffee inside this bag, and seal the top of the green plastic with an elastic band.

Keep this bag of beans or ground coffee inside the coffee storage container. The garbage bag material is ideal for preventing light, heat, and moisture from diminishing precious aromas and for preventing the coffee oils from going rancid. Never store coffee in the refrigerator, where it may absorb unpleasant odors and the temperature is not ideal.

Ground coffee can also absorb freezer odors. Coffee oils, especially in darkerroasted beans, such as espresso, congeal when frozen, changing the consistency and harming the body of the brewed coffee. It should taste the same as caffeinated coffee if the caffeine is removed properly.

Decaffeinated coffee appeals to certain coffee-lovers: those with sensitive stomachs, or who find regular coffee too stimulating, or whose sleep will be ruined by a caffeinated nightcap. The fact remains that even though the caffeine molecule, in its naked state, is a bitter alkaloid, caffeine loses its potency during the decaffeination and roasting processes.

The hitch is, flavor and aroma compounds may also be diminished or removed during decaffeination. Although decaffeinated coffee beans are difficult to roast, it is usually the roasting process itself, if not done properly, that is responsible for the unpleasant tastes and textures of some decaf coffees.

A superior decaffeination process, however, protects the original, rich flavor characteristics of the coffee when the caffeine is removed. I believe it could challenge any comparative taste test with a standard cup of caffeinated coffee. The decaffeinated coffee market is achieving exponential growth.

Hence, greater demands for quality and variety go along with increased health concerns. To make the best choices to suit personal preferences, you need to understand the various technological processes used by the coffee industry. The following general overview and information may help demystify decaffeination. A superior decaffeination process does for decaf coffee. The process of decaffeinating coffee began at the turn of the last century, in Germany.

Although there have been many patents since, today there are only three primary decaffeination methods used by the coffee industry. Each process begins the same way: the green unroasted coffee beans are moistened with steam and water to soften them, open their pores, and loosen their caffeine bonds.

After this initial step, the following various methods are used. These methods are conventionally named according to the process. Thus, the final higher-quality product is reflected in a more expensive price tag. Essentially, you get what you pay for. This process does not use chemicals. First, the caffeine, as well as the flavor extracts, is stripped from the beans by the initial water and steam soak. This first batch of beans is discarded.

The water, which now holds the coffee flavor extracts and caffeine, is filtered through carbon to remove the caffeine. It is this extract that is used to subsequently absorb the caffeine from a new batch of beans. Due to the scientific principles of solubility, the caffeine in the new batch of coffee beans moves from an area of higher concentration the bean itself to an area of lower concentration the extract. By this process, 94 to 96 percent of the caffeine is removed.

Since this process uses no chemicals aside from the carbon filter the same substance as is used to purify water , it is referred to as an organic, or natural, method. The beans come into contact with water only, and the rich aroma and flavor characteristics of the coffee are minimally altered.

Although synthetic methylene chloride has been under fire as regards being hazardous to the environment, its use is allowed, providing the residues fall below certain limits. Ethyl acetate may be sourced from natural ingredients, and it can be produced synthetically as well.

Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing whether the solvent source is natural or synthetic. The Solvent-Touches-the-Bean Method After the initial moistened phase, the solvent circulates through the beans, removing the caffeine. The beans are then rinsed with water and steamed once more, thereby easily evaporating any residual solvent, and finally dried. The beans are then sold to be roasted, and the extracted caffeine is sold for medicinal uses and soft drinks.

This chemical caffeine method removes 96 to 98 percent of the caffeine. The solvent carrying the caffeine is then removed, and the flavor-charged caffeine-free water is reunited with the stripped coffee beans, to reabsorb the coffee flavors and oils.

It is important to note that when this method is used, the solvent never touches the bean itself. Again, any residual solvent is evaporated in the final steaming phase, or during the roasting process of the coffee bean. At this pressure, the carbon dioxide turns somewhat into a fluid, having a form between a liquid and a gas. The now-caffeine-rich solvent passes through a filter, to absorb the caffeine for reuse. When its work is done, and the pressure released, the solvent turns back into a gas and dissipates.

Carbon dioxide is inexpensive to obtain and is nontoxic. This supercritical carbon dioxide method removes 96 to 98 percent of the caffeine without removing other coffee flavor characteristics. Interestingly, whatever method they use, there are very few decaffeination processing plants in the world, because they are very, very expensive to operate.

This is also one reason why decaffeinated coffee is more expensive to purchase than regular coffee. Consumer Awareness: Ads for and the Labeling of Decaf Coffee The majority of caffeine-free coffee sold in specialty stores is initially shipped to decaffeinating plants in Switzerland and Germany. It is in these countries that the majority of all decaffeinated coffees are produced. Once the processing is complete, they are then shipped back to North America. Decaffeinated coffee originated in Germany over one hundred years ago.

It may be comforting to know that the processing standards are scrupulous and the quality controls of the decaffeination facilities are superior. The U. For example, the amount of caffeine in a decaffeinated percent robusta coffee will be naturally higher than a percent arabica coffee, since robusta beans have almost twice as much caffeine in their natural state as do arabica coffee beans.

Traditionally, inferior robusta beans are chosen for decaffeination because they yield a higher caffeine by-product, which is sold for medicinal and soft drink purposes.

However, more and more arabica coffee beans are being decaffeinated, for their superior finished coffee flavor, aroma, and body, and certainly for the greatest benefit, a lower-caffeine coffee product!

Decaf Coffee or Mint Tea, Anyone? Therefore, the amount of methylene chloride left in brewed decaf coffee is, in parts per billion, less than is in the air of many North American cities. Personally, I would be more concerned about fumes from a passing motorized vehicle before I would have any anguish over my cup of decaf! Cubans drink coffee with milk in the morning and black with lots of sugar after lunch and dinner.

Chapter 2 Coffee Machines and Brewing Techniques Making coffee in the French press versus the Neapolitan method is like French kissing instead of kissing on the cheek! There are many ways to prepare a good cup of coffee. Whichever brewing style or tool is used, all methods have one thing in common: they all use hot water to extract the flavors and aromas from ground coffee beans. Personal taste dictates the strength or weakness of the coffee, as well as the method with which to make it.

Quality, convenience, simplicity, theatrics, or, perhaps, just plain passion also come into play. The following outlines the principal coffee-brewing machines and vessels to choose from.

Please keep in mind, however, that besides the brewing method used, every finished coffee beverage will also differ greatly, based on the following factors: the kind of roasted coffee beans see here the amount and fineness of the coffee grind see here. Filter Drip Methods Filter drip methods are the most widely used coffee-making techniques in North America and northern Europe. They permit the use of very fine coffee grinds for quick and thorough coffee extraction.

Initially, a paper filter is placed in a plastic, glass, or ceramic holder. This filter holder sits on top of a flameproof glass carafe or coffeepot. Finely ground coffee is then placed in the filter. Boiling water is poured onto the ground coffee. The freshly brewed coffee then drips into the vessel below, while the grounds remain in the filter for easy disposal. The Automatic Drip Method. Keep the coffee warm, if necessary, in an insulated thermal carafe. Be sure to first preheat the carafe with hot tap water, so the cold glass lining inside the carafe does not cool down the fresh hot coffee.

Transfer the finished coffee to the carafe immediately after it has been brewed. Blend the aromas of the finished coffee by swirling the coffee in the pot just prior to pouring the first cup. Automatic coffeemakers are ideal anytime you want a quick, convenient cup of coffee—especially first thing in the morning! This is the best way to make coffee for a crowd. Easy cleanup—the paper filters can be disposed of easily if you compost, toss them into the mix.

A halfway measure would be to buy only unbleached paper filters. Overheating it throws the finished flavor of the coffee out of balance. Some coffee drinkers seeking to lead a more environmentally friendly life would prefer not to use electrical power to obtain their brew. The Manual Drip Method. THE METHOD Place the ground coffee in the paper or wire mesh filter that is designed to fit in a wedge-shaped filter holder whose flat base sits upon a carafe or heat-resistant cup or mug.

Heat the water to boiling in a kettle. Allow the boiled water to rest for 10 to 15 seconds, then pour it slowly onto the ground coffee in the filter holder. The coffee will then drip into your container of choice. The best-known brands of this device are Melitta and Chemex.

Once the water has boiled, let it rest for 10 to 15 seconds before pouring it onto the ground coffee in the cone-shaped filter. Premoisten the ground coffee by initially pouring a little hot water over it, wetting it evenly. The initial contact of water with the ground coffee releases a concentration of delicate coffee aromas and flavors.

The premoistened ground coffee creates a smaller, denser volume packed into the deep bed, which enables the hot water to flow through them evenly. Complete control of coffee-to-water ratio and water temperature ensures a better- quality coffee than does the automatic drip method.

The coffee flavors are not burnt or destroyed, as in the automatic method, where the coffee carafe is left sitting on a heated burner. Careless pouring may result in a brew speckled with grounds. The Cold-Press Method This coffee-brewing technique creates a cold coffee concentrate. My sister, Sonia, introduced me to this method back in The recommended cold-press coffee-making containers of choice are called the Toddy Method, and there is also one called the Filtron Coffee System.

Fill the brewing container with 1 pound of medium-ground coffee. Pour 4 cups of cold water over the coffee in the filter. Then slowly and evenly add 5 more cups of cold water. Place the container in the refrigerator. The liquid coffee will drain through the filter into a glass carafe. When the cold-filtering process has been completed, store the finished concentrate in the sealed glass decanter it has trickled into, and keep it tightly capped and refrigerated until use.

This method yields 9 cups of cold coffee concentrate. Add 1 part concentrate to 2 parts water, over ice. Cold coffee brewed this way makes great coffee ice cubes, too. Cold-brewed coffee is believed to have approximately 33 percent less caffeine than hot water methods.

This method is great for camping coffee. Simply add campfire-heated water to your coffee concentrate. If you normally make 1 cup to 3 cups of coffee at a time, the cold-press method may not be appropriate, as this method works best with a full pound of coffee, which produces more concentrate than you may desire to store in the fridge.

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