How To Prepare Hot Coffee Correctly

Sunday, August 15, 2010 0 comments
Coffee is a well known drink which is highly preferred beverage that many people love. Everywhere you go it does not matter which city it is, coffee is widely drunk by so many people. It definitely has become a social symbol for all age groups and due to this it has developed into many different flavors, forms and presentations so much that you could not believe it is indeed coffee. Though the modern iced coffee drinks or blended drinks have been introduced, Hot drink is still more popular. In spite of the numerous adaptations and flavors that have come up not too long ago, black hot coffee (with or without cream or milk) is still one of the greatest beverages all over the world.

How To Prepare Hot Coffee

Temperature

The right temperature is required if you want to fully appreciate the palatable taste. You might risk of scalding your tongue if the water used to brew or mix the coffee is too hot, and you drink it immediately. What you have to do is wait for hot coffee to cool a little, this can be tricky because it may cool too much and therefore decrease its taste. If you let it stand in an open container for over 30 minutes the flavor deteriorates and in the end it gives you a bitter taste.

The best temperature for brewing coffee is just off the boil. Meaning this puts the water or the coffee mixture at around 195 degrees. For extracting the correct flavor from the beans that you use, this is the right temperature . This is if you brew your coffee without the brewer or drip coffee maker. The term just off the boil means after the water has reached a rolling boil; you should quickly take it off the heat and wait for around two minutes before serving. It is perfect for drinking slowly. You must exercise care when you are drinking just served drink because in many cases, this is scalding hot and it may burn your tongue.

Ideally, serving coffee at 165 - 175 degrees is the right temperature. This is sufficient enough to keep the flavor of the coffee. Letting it stand can lower the heat, however at the same time when it is left standing for too long, the flavor of the brew will be compromised. So be careful, you have to wait for it to stand so that over standing will not occur. If you use cups it cools faster than brewed coffee in a carafe or an air pot. The air pot is the best way to keep you brewed coffee since it is airtight and it prevents the coffee to cool quickly.

There many people who drink coffee not only for mornings, but large number of people have extended the practice of taking the dark beverage after meals or during late afternoon. Some heavy drinker even drink hot or cold coffee at night after dinner.

Hot coffee can be a gentle stimulant for some drinkers and become necessary for many other coffee lovers.

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How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee

Friday, March 26, 2010 0 comments
Whichever blend of coffee you prefer or whatever type of equipment you are using to prepare the coffee the objective is the same. To release the coffee oils and soluble coffee compounds into solution in the final beverage.

Not all the soluble compounds are desirable particularly tannin so it is important to brew the coffee is just the right manner to produce the perfect cup.

Although it is possible to extract as much as a third of the mass of coffee from the grounds the optimum amount is about 20%

There are six important factors to consider when making fresh coffee.

1. The coffee grind - By this we mean the particle size of the coffee grounds. This varies typically from largest to smallest thus: coarse, medium, fine and espresso (or very fine)

Over-extraction can occur if the grind size is too small for the method and equipment used resulting in a coffee being bitter and too strong. If the size is too large then under-extraction will occur resulting in a weak wishy-washy coffee.

Typically one would use a coarse grind for a coffee pot, medium grind for a cafeteria (French Press), medium to fine for a typical filter drip machine and espresso grind for an espresso machine.

2. Freshness and quantity of coffee - Coffee beans should be stored in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight and ideally kept in an airtight container. The coffee should be ground to order as ground coffee will lose some of its subtle flavors and aromas if is left exposed to the atmosphere for very long.

It is vital to use the recommended dosage of coffee depending on the equipment being used. Using less coffee but increasing the brewing time will not result in a standard brew but create an over-extracted drink. Using more coffee than recommended but a quicker infusion time will result in an under-extracted coffee.

3. Temperature and water quality of the water - Always use fresh cold water to start off the brewing process. Ideally the water should be filtered to remove unwanted taints and odors and be very slightly hard.

Water should be used that has just come off the boil and be approximately 95-98 degrees Celsius for optimum extraction of coffee. Too hot can scald the coffee and too cool will result in under-extraction.

4. The infusion time - The length of time that the hot water is in direct contact with the coffee grounds is crucial in producing the perfect cup. In reality this is determined by the equipment being used to brew it, so always follow the manufacturers guidelines.

As a rough guide however consider the following.

10-30 seconds for espresso grind 3-6 minutes for fine grind 6-8 minutes for medium grind 8-10 minutes for coarse grind

5. Brewing method employed - Basically there are three different methods employed to make coffee. These are steep & strain, filter infusion and pressure infusion.

Steep and strain simply involves putting hot water in contact with coffee grounds in a pot or container until under extraction has occurred. The resulting brew is strained to isolate the coffee liquor.

Filter infusion is common in many applications and uses a filter basket filled with coffee grounds that has hot water added from above. The infusion time is relatively short as the water infuses briefly with the coffee until the liquor passes thought the basket into a flask or container below.

Pressure infusion - Hot water is forced under high pressure though a small tablet of compacted grounds to produce an individual serving of coffee. This is the standard method of producing espresso.

Again it is imperative to use the right method with the correct type and grind of coffee.

6. Cleanliness - Coffee contains oils that will leave a tarry residue on equipment that can contaminate and spoil the taste of subsequent brews. Daily washing and cleaning of equipment is an absolutely vital part in producing the perfect cup.

Have fun - producing a great tasting cup of your favorite coffee should be an easy and enjoyable task.

For more information about coffee and coffee making equipment visit http://www.cafebar.co.uk

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Iced Coffee Nutritional Value - Learn the Facts

Thursday, January 21, 2010 0 comments
Drinking iced coffee blends will not add a ton of nutrition to your daily intake. Brewed coffee by itself is almost calorie free and contains no cholesterol and no fat but adding things to the coffee like whipped cream, sugar or even milk adds fat, cholesterol and calories. For instance, a dollop of whipped cream (15 milliliters or 1 tablespoon) on the top adds 5 grams of fat and 50 calories. There is no nutritional value there. Adding just a tablespoon of sugar also adds 50 calories but adding a tablespoon of milk that is fat-free is only 5 added calories. If you were to order a cafe latte espresso with regular milk added you are looking at 11 grams of fat and about 200 calories but this drink with milk that is nonfat reduces the calories to 130 and takes away the added fat. All this makes a big difference if you are watching your weight or trying to lose weight.

Cappuccinos that are blended and then iced are a very popular drink especially in hot weather. A drink like this usually has sodium and sugar added to enhance the flavor. The hot version of the blended cappuccino has 45 percent less sugar and 68 percent less sodium. The icing of the drink dilutes the flavors so this is probably why so much sodium and sugar is added. If your weight is a concern then a better choice is decidedly a basic coffee drink without adding sugar.

Drinking a medium black cup of coffee will not destroy a diet because there is no cholesterol, or fat and about five calories but there is something called caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee removes most of the harmful caffeine but there are still other factors to consider while drinking coffee. Black coffee has the highest amount of caffeine (330 mg) plus sodium (10 mg). Caffeine is actually a drug that spikes energy. A burst of energy is a good thing at times but at what price? When the coffee is black there are no extra calories but the coffee itself is then in a pure form and contains 330 mg of caffeine. If caffeine is your consideration then a cafe au lait with nonfat milk in equal proportion to coffee will cut the caffeine intake right in half. Unfortunately this means the added milk takes the calories up to 130, with 18 grams of sugar, 5 grams of cholesterol, 5 fat calories and a whopping 150 mg of sodium. Using 2 percent milk instead of nonfat milk adds 55 fat calories, 25 grams of cholesterol and 60 more calories.

Calories that are burned depend on the weight of the person, the amount of time spent exercising and the type of exercise. For instance, a person who does some regular dancing for ten minutes and weighs 150 pounds will burn 52 calories while a person who weighs 300 pounds doing the same exercise and time will burn 102 calories. It stands to reason that the larger person burns more calories for the same movements. The person who carries twice the weight burns twice the calories because when they move they are moving so much extra weight it is like doing isometrics plus aerobics. A thin person needs to add weights to burn more calories while the heavy person just has to move their body. Taking a casual stroll for 10 minutes at 150 pounds will burn 28 calories but the 300 pound person will burn 57 calories. If that walk is brisk, then the calories burned off will increase about 6 percent.

So with your iced coffee, if you want to add a dollop of whipping cream or a tablespoon of sugar to enhance the flavor, you will need to take about a 12 minute brisk walk if your weight 150 pounds to burn off the extra calories. If your pleasure is to indulge in a cafe latte espresso with whole milk and weigh150 pounds it will take 25 minutes of high impact aerobics to burn off the extra calories.

Another consideration about drinking iced coffee is that coffee has a high acid content. This makes the digestion of coffee difficult and it should not be combined with meals. Besides the health problems that too much caffeine in your diet will cause, there is also health related problems when the acid content of the foods you ingest are too high. The worse part of drinking coffee is that too much has the potential of causing problems with the body's absorption of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the food that is ingested or the supplements taken. The body will steal what it needs in the way of nutrients and vitamins from bones and vital organs in an effort to balance itself. The depleted organs will then be subject to disease.
The nutritional value of coffee is the same whether it is served hot or cold. A simple brewed cup of coffee has only about ten calories and no fat. However, most iced coffee lovers enjoy adding other ingredients that make an iced coffee high in calories plus adding sugar and fat. If you are on a weight loss program, an iced coffee with all the trimmings is like eating a meal, calorie wise. The bottom line is if you do choose to indulge in your favorite iced coffee treat, remember it is not the innocent cup of coffee you may have thought.

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How To Use a Percolator Coffee Pot

Monday, July 20, 2009 0 comments
Percolator coffee pots are immensely popular, particularly to those who want fresh, hot coffee, but do not have access to electricity to get immediate satisfaction for their coffee cravings. Most often, outdoor people and campers love these kinds of coffee makers. Furthermore, because they use less water without electric, and the waste is kept to a minimum, they are often used by people with strong environmental values as well.

If you are considering to get a percolator coffee pot, but are not exactly sure how to use it, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will explain exactly how to use the coffee pot and create good coffee anytime, even when you are not at home.

The first thing you need to do is make sure that all parts and accessories of the percolator coffee pot is cleaned thoroughly. This is necessary for the first use or subsequent uses. You do not want any waste that may be present on a new pot to be in your coffee and you surely do not want any oils left from the previous use to remain either.

After you have ensured that it has been appropriately cleaned, you now have to make your coffee. The 2nd step of using a percolator is to grind the coffee. The recommended grind is coarse. If the coffee beans are ground too finely your coffee will contain debris. It is a good idea to use a high quality coffee grinder that guarantees a uniform grind each and every time.

Now that you have cleaned the coffee pot and ground the coffee, you will need to assemble the percolator coffee pot together. The jug of the percolator should be filled to the suitable level with fresh water. You will then need to put the coffee you just ground into your brew basket. To get an idea of how much coffee you need within the brew basket you should use the following comparison: For each cup of water within the jug, place one tablespoon (rounded) of your ground coffee into the basket. The basket is then placed onto the jug.

Because it does not use electric, you will need to find other ways of heating the water in the jug. If you are outdoors, most people use a firepit, if indoors, a stove will work just fine. The boiling water is necessary to ensure great coffee. Typically, the cycle will only require about five to six minutes. However, make sure that you do not reboil the water as the coffee will be extremely bitter and rancid.

When you have finished with the above steps, toss the used coffee out of the brew basket and serve in coffee cups with your favorite additions. As you can see, using a percolator coffee pot is really a cinch and provides you with fresh, hot coffee, regardless of where you are.

Natalie is the webmaster of CoffeeMachines101.com Visit her site for more information on portable coffee equipment you can use outdoors.

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Secrets of Making Perfect Coffee Every Time

Thursday, May 28, 2009 1 comments
Coffee lovers are constantly searching for the perfect cup of coffee. It's not as hard as some believe to make perfect coffee but there are some simple steps to follow that will ensure your coffee will be delicious every time.

Clean Coffee Maker

This should go without saying, but a clean coffee pot is the first step to follow and can make a huge difference in the taste and quality of your coffee. Without proper cleaning coffee sediments and oils will build up in your pot and over time will leave your coffee with an unpleasant bitter taste. Of course some would argue about what type of coffee maker to use, but that's a matter of personal preference. No matter the machine, cleanliness is of the utmost importance.

Water

Since brewed coffee is almost 99% water it becomes the most important factor in making that perfect cup of coffee. Use only cold filtered water when making your coffee. If you are not using a water filtration system let tap water run for a few seconds in order for it to aerate. Bottled water is a good choice, but never use distilled water to make coffee.

Use The Proper Amount Of Coffee

A six ounce cup of coffee should contain 2 tablespoons of coffee beans in order for it to be full strength. If your coffee maker uses a filter make sure to spread the grounds evenly in the filter to ensure full brewing.

Coffee Beans

If you're grinding your own coffee beans always select the correct grind for your brewing method. If you use a percolator or cold brewing method, beans should be ground for 5-10 seconds.

For electric and manual drip machines as well as French press machines the proper grind time is 10 seconds.

For espresso machines beans should be ground for 25-30 seconds for an extra fine grind.

Always Use The Freshest Beans Available

Coffee beans from grocery stores are not a good choice for brewing that perfect cup of coffee. Beans are a perishable item and go stale rather quickly if not used as soon as possible after roasting. Never purchase a larger quantity than needed. If possible it is highly recommended to buy coffee beans from specialty stores rather than supermarkets. These businesses cater to specialty markets and your chances of getting beans about to go stale are minimal.

Following these simple steps will have you making perfect coffee every time. Making great coffee is not time consuming or expensive, but these simple steps will make your coffee drinking much more enjoyable.

If people like a product they tend to tell others about it. Same thing goes for products that don't live up to expectations. The author's website http://singleservingcoffeemakershop.com tells the good and bad points about single serving coffee makers. Read reviews and actual user comments on the top selling makes and models.

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Add a New Dimension to Your Coffee With Coffee Syrups

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 0 comments
Look at any real estate material promoting an area to live in and they will invariably use phrases like "enjoy the cosmopolitan cafe lifestyle just outside your front door". This gentrification of districts has led to a huge increase in the number of coffee shops, as vendors from the likes of Starbucks to the small mom and pop coffee shops, all compete for your coffee dollar.

These coffee shops will usually sell enticingly flavored coffees such as Dark Amaretto Frappucino, Gingerbread Mocha Raspberry Latte etc. These coffees are flavored using coffee syrups. Syrups are available in many different flavors from vanilla to caramel, amaretto to raspberry. To me, nothing beats a strong espresso, but if I am going to be sitting for a while watching the world go by, a longer coffee, flavored with a premium syrup is a regular choice.

Coffee syrups are made from differing quality ingredients which obviously affects the flavor. The best brands are made from the finest nuts and fruits and distilled down into the syrup used in coffee. Top brands to look out for in your local coffee shop include Da Vinci, Monin and Dolce. You should look for syrups with a higher concentration of the ingredient compared to the syrup itself. If you intend to use the syrups at home, it is worth spending the extra for the best quality brands because they will be cheaper in the long run and you will have a much better taste experience per cup.

Another thing to look for when choosing a coffee syrup is that some brands are better than others at not curdling the milk if you add it. Cheaper brands may also separate if heated too highly. Again, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.

You might think that putting syrup into your coffee would not be the best idea of people who are watching their weight. However The top brands are typically fat and cholesterol-free. In addition, sugar-free coffee syrups are readily available without compromising on flavor. They are great for people on low-carbohydrate diets too.

Coffee syrups are also not just for coffee. They can be used in other drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. For example you can make delicious iced frappes. They are also great simply added to soda water. They are great for making kid's drinks because many exciting flavor combinations can be created that appeal to kid's picky tastes. The added benefit of course is that these drinks will be far lower in sugar than normal soft drinks.

Hopefully this article has provided an insight into the wonderful world of flavored coffee syrups.

Patrick Attlee is a self-confessed coffee addict who blogs extensively about his beloved Java. Learn more about the wonderful world of coffee syrups at http://coffee-syrups.net

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Moringa Tea - The Weight Loss Tea

Monday, April 6, 2009 1 comments
Obesity is a physical state that causes anxiety and may give rise to diseases like high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and diabetes. It adversely affects a person's efficiency and sometimes psychological disorders are also likely. Being overweight is a common condition, especially where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary. Weight loss, as per medicine or health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body weight due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue. Ozone Moringa tea aids in the weight loss it also provides all the essential nutrients to our body. A large number of medical conditions have been associated with obesity. Health consequences are categorised as being the result of either increased fat mass or increased number of fat cells. So reducing the weight and to keep the body fit the excess fat is be burn off. Ozone Moringa tea helps the body get loss its weight in a healthy way.

Moringa, or Moringa oleifera, is a vegetable tree belonging to the family Moringaceae, and is found across the globe. Popular literature and recent medical findings have it that those vital vitamins as Vitamin C, iron, potassium, protein, and beta carotene are present in the leaves of this highly beneficial vegetable. The Moringa Oleifera plant has a wealth of naturally occuring nutrients along with vitamins, minerals, protein, also contains essential amino acids, chlorophyll, omega-3 oils, and other important phytonutrients. This vegetable tree is known to contain fifteen times the potassium in banana, seventeen times the calcium in milk, four times the vitamin A found in carrot, twenty five times the iron in spinach and one-half times the vitamin C in oranges. Encapsulated food supplements made from powdered moringa leaves are now becoming popular as well, and which are now commercially available.

By consuming ozone Moringa tea the nutrients present in the Moringa naturally gets absorbed by our body. Just one teaspoon contains all the vitamins and minerals required each day, together with much of the daily requirements of protein, iron and calcium. Ozone Moringa tea with the entire nutrient acts as a natural refresher.

Moringa tea can be consumed by all as it contains antioxidants. A combination of antioxidants is more effective than a single antioxidant on an equal weight basis due to antioxidant cascade mechanism. Daily intake of Ozone Moringa Tea will provide the antioxidant daily which in turn keeps the body healthy by preventing the adverse effect caused due to fat deposition.

Grenera Nutrients is an integrated Moringa company that deals with planting of Moringa to the production of value added Moringa products. To have a variety in our nutritive drink Ozone Moringa tea provides different natural flavors incorporated in Moringa tea. Moringa Tea is the Nutritive refreshment which comes in the following flavors, Moringa original flavor, lemon flavor, ginger flavor, mint flavor, Apple cinnamon flavor, strawberry flavor.

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Avon Howard Jr. is a nutrition consultant and has been involved with the health food industry for more than 2 decades. He is a part of many research teams that has worked on the impact of various herbal extracts on the human body. His deep knowledge and vast experience of the health food supplements makes him the sought after consultant for many health food companies

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