The making of espresso is both a science and an art. Over the years they have found that precision is required to make a great espresso. There are four factors that affect the making of a great shot. They are also called the four M’s.
The first factor is Macinazione or the proper grinding of the beans. Great baristas in fact will only grind beans for an espresso right before using them. 30 seconds after they have been ground, the beans are already too stale for a good espresso. The proper grind is between fine and powdery. The grind has to be uniform in order to insure the best taste. Instant powder will definitely make an awful espresso.

The second factor is Miscela or the coffee blend. Good beans means better tasting coffee. Perfectly logical, right?

The third factor is the Macchina or the espresso machine. Thanks to many inventors, you now have eay to use tools to help you make your espresso. But it will not magically make perfect espresso if you don’t know how to use it properly. The Rancilio Silva is considered the best by most espresso lovers but feel free to shop around til you find the machine that you are comfortable with.

The last factor is Mano or the skill of the barista – that means you. More than half the battle is knowing how to use your equipment properly. You need to know how to properly fill your filter basket. Some espresso lovers will tell you to tamp the ground coffee, others will tell you not to. Like all skills, making the perfect espresso takes practice so that your every espresso shot has that beautiful crema that is the mark of true espresso.

I went to Coffee Bean the other day to meet up with some friends, something which I hadn’t done in a while, and I was surprised at the fact that I got a bit confused as to what to order. I usually get something basic – brewed or a latte – but then I saw flavored coffees. I still got my usual – a latte – but it got me curious about how they make the flavored coffees, so I did some research.

Obviously, in many coffee shops, they add the flavor after brewing the coffee. The most common way is to add shots of syrup, depending on the flavor that you want. You can have vanilla, strawberry, hazelnut, and so on. Alternatively, you can flavor your own coffee by using natural products such as cinnamon sticks or its powdered form; same thing with nuts and other flavors that you may fancy.

But did you know that some people add flavor to the coffee before brewing it? Check out the coffee beans at the grocery store and you will find various packaging of flavored coffee beans.

What they do is to add the chemicals to the beans. The flavoring can take the form of either powder or liquid. These chemicals are usually added to the beans right after they come out of the roasting drum.

You ought to know, also, that purists simply abhor adding flavor to the beans while or after roasting. Some even hate the addition of flavors after brewing! While I am not particularly fond of flavored coffee, I am not really against it either. How about you?

Photo courtesy of http://blog.promoindie.net/

My gut reaction when I saw the initial description of this novel coffee maker was “WOW!” For one, it would be a perfect gadget for when you go camping or if the power ever goes out (both are very real possibilities in the Philippines; and it is the season for Philippine travel). Another reason, which is more altruistic, is that using less electricity means that you are cutting your carbon footprint down. That’s always a good thing, right?

Then again, when I took a closer look at the specs of this baby, I had second thoughts. Guess how long it will take you to brew coffee using the Hourglass coffee maker? Well, at least 12 hours! Now I am not the most impatient person in the world, but having to wait 12 hours for my cup of coffee is way too long.

The concept behind brewing coffee using the Hourglass is nothing new. The basic idea is to brew coffee using cold water and time (lots of the latter). Some coffee shops actually offer coffee brewed in this manner. Cold-brewed coffee has an intense flavor, making it perfect for those who like their coffee strong. More so, you can also store the extracted coffee in your fridge for up to two weeks. This means that you do not actually have to wait 12 hours each time you want a cup of joe.

Another advantage is that this brewing method is supposed to decrease acidity by around 70%. With this bit of information, I think that I just might give the Hourglass a try. Not all coffeeholics are excited by the Hourglass but it should at least prove to be a good conversation piece.

For now, I have one compelling reason to get one. You see, I went on vacation about three weeks ago and once again, I was reminded of one of my pet peeves: the hotel didn’t have brewed coffee. Can you believe that? I had no choice, so for the next 6 days, I was drinking instant coffee.

Then it hit me. I should just get a French press and bring it with me every time I go on vacation! You see, I like going to “exotic” locations where brewed coffee is not a daily need. I had already considered taking a small drip machine before but I would probably have problems at the airport. Perhaps a French press would be easier to lug around.

Aside from that fact though, what other reasons are there for me to get a French press?

The answer lies in the flavor of the drink that is made from a French press. Anyone who drinks drip coffee machine every day and then suddenly tries a brew made with a French press will know this: coffee made from the latter is definitely stronger and has more flavor. So, aside from being able to make coffee in a relatively simpler way, you also get to produce a more flavorful brew.

I think I am convinced. I shall take a look around when I get the chance and find me a good French press. Suggestions anyone? (Oh, and please don’t tell me to go to Starbucks to get one.)

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephencarlile/487699768/sizes/s/

I think that this question has been asked so many times that it has gotten quite old. However, the fact that people keep asking it over and over again means that it is not that clear to many how grinding your own coffee beans can make a difference in the quality of your coffee.

To be honest with you, I was one of those people who kept asking this question. I normally use my good old drip coffee machine. It is just really more convenient (prep time and clean up time) than using my espresso machine (which, by the way, is in storage – yeah I know, sacrilege!). When I did get a grinder (Krups) and tried grinding my own beans, however, I discovered what I had been missing out on.

It is hard to explain, really. All that I can say is that when you buy freshly roasted whole beans and then you grind a small amount to brew, the flavor is just so wonderful! Naturally, the quality of the drink would depend on the kind of beans that you get but given the same kind, freshly ground beans are the best.

Another thing about grinding your own beans and preserving the flavor of the coffee is that you can store the whole beans for a longer period of time than you could store coffee grounds. I have noticed that even if you store coffee grounds in a sealed container, the freshness deteriorates much more quickly than if you stored the whole beans.

So to answer that question – yes, grinding your own coffee beans is definitely worth the extra effort that you have to put into measuring out the beans, grinding them, and then cleaning out the grinder. It’s a small price to pay, really.

Coffee this, coffee that…one moment we read that coffee is bad for your health. The next moment we read the exact opposite – that it is actually good. There really is no definitive information on this topic. But what I do know is that people have not stopped trying to look for alternatives to coffee. Why exactly I would want to find an alternative to coffee, I really do not know but for those of you who are looking for another – similar – drink, then check this out: locust bean coffee.

I don’t really feel like drinking anything that comes from an insect but what the heck, it won’t hurt to take a look right? Yeah, my ignorance just shone through right there – locust bean is NOT an insect! I just overlooked the word BEAN right after locust. Sorry guys, when I see locust, I remember the story in the Bible wherein God sent locusts to eat all the stuff in Egypt.

Anyway, locust bean is supposed to be good for you. It keeps your cholesterol levels down. It also promotes bone growth. Oh yeah, and it is supposed to be an aphrodisiac…now you got me interested!

So what’s the relation between the locust bean and coffee? It is now being used as instant coffee! Now I have turned you off, haven’t I? I know that some of you ONLY drink brewed coffee and I totally understand that – I am the same. There are times when you just can’t have brewed, though. And if you are thinking of stocking up on some of that instant stuff, maybe the insect locust bean coffee would do?

Talking to a colleague the other day, I realized that I have been taking making my own coffee for granted. I have always thought that it was a simple, brainless thing. I guess it’s because I have been brewing my own joe for the longest time. This friend of mine, however, has only recently started to get her act together in making her coffee. Her reason? Going to Starbucks on a regular basis is just too expensive. I think that this is a trend – gone are the days when a Starbucks a day was affordable.

So anyway, I thought I’d share the same things I told my friend about brewing your own pot of coffee. Here are some of the most important points.

Get it right from the outset – start with excellent beans.
The beans make up the essence of your drink. Get sucky beans and you’ll get sucky coffee. I do not like buying beans from the supermarket because there is no telling how long they have been there. Experts say that beans that are roasted 2 to 10 days before brewing are the best. I have to be practical, though. I cannot go get beans every 10 days so I have to make do with several weeks’ worth of whole beans.

Next up – get a grinder.
I know, it is a pain in the butt. Who the heck wants to measure out whole coffee beans into the grinder, press the button, and then transfer the grounds into the coffee machine – all within 5 minutes of waking up? But hey, you can really taste the difference.

Last, find out the grounds-water proportion that suits you best.
I have to be honest and say that I do not know the exact measurements that I use but it should be roundabouts 2 or 3 tablespoons of grounds for every cup.

That’s it – that’s all I do for my daily cup of joe made from the basic drip coffee machine.

And I thought that I had heard of everything! A small motel in Maine is reported to be asking for a permit to operate a topless coffee shop on Route 3, known for its high volume of traffic. The town – lucky or unlucky, depending on your point of view – is called Vassalboro. It’s a small rural town (I could have guessed by the name) and I suppose that this proposal is raising quite a few eyebrows. The Associated Press has this story:

A one-time motel in a small central Maine town could soon be offering an eye-opening way to start the day — topless coffee shop waitresses. The Vassalboro Planning Board on Tuesday will consider a business permit request for a topless coffee shop on busy Route 3.

They are still waiting for the board to meet so there is nothing definite yet. For the life of me, though, I cannot understand why I would want to go to a topless coffee shop. Maybe it’s because I am a woman and not a man? You tell me! Would the idea of having a topless coffee shop appeal to you?

Drip brew is a method for brewing coffee which involves pouring water over coffee contained in a filter. Water seeps through the coffee, absorbing its oils and essences, solely under gravity then passes through the bottom of the filter. The used coffee grounds are retained in the filter with the liquid falling (dripping) into a collecting vessel such as a carafe or pot.

Paper filters are commonly used for drip brew all over the world. One benefit of paper filters is that the used grounds and the filter may be disposed of together, without a need to clean the filter. However, metal filters are also common, especially in India. These are made of thin perforated metal sheets that restrain the grounds but allow the coffee to pass, thus eliminating the need to have to purchase separate filters which sometimes cannot be found in some parts of the world.

Drip brewing is the most popular method of coffee brewing, owing to the overwhelming popularity of the automatic drip brewing coffee machine. There are, however, several manual drip-brewing devices on the market, offering a little more control over brewing parameters than automatic machines. There also exist small, portable, single serving drip brew makers that only hold the paper filter and rest on top of a cup. Hot water is poured in and drips directly into the cup.

Brewing with a paper filter produces clear, light-bodied coffee, which is free of sediments, but lacking in some of coffee’s oils and essences, which are trapped in the paper filter.

What is the best thing to have after a huge turkey dinner? I am sure you already know my answer – coffee! This, of course, is subject to interpretation or personal preference but you cannot deny that a nice cup of coffee after a filling meal is always welcome. For Thanksgiving this year, I think I am going to try something new. Instead of the good old brewed coffee or even café latte, I want to serve a different coffee drink. As such, I have been on the (online) prowl for a recipe that could be prove to be interesting.

Trust Mario Batali, who is perhaps my favorite Iron Chef, to provide me with the perfect coffee recipe dubbed Affogato al Caffe. Apparently, he published this recipe way back in 2000 but I have never come across it before. It does look interesting, though:

Ingredients
Semifreddo
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 ounces very strong espresso
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 cups strong decaffeinated coffee, cooled
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation
In a 3-quart saucepan bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add the espresso.

In a mixing bowl, beat the yolks until pale yellow. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light yellow ribbons form when the beaters are lifted. Stir in half of the hot milk, then stir in the remaining milk.

Cook over low heat without boiling until the mixture coats the back of a spoon thickly and sets slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and chill for 1/2 hour.

Whip 1 1/2 cups of the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the custard mixture. Transfer to an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (The semifreddo can be made up to 2 weeks in advance).

Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream to soft peaks. Place 1 scoop of semifreddo in each of eight tall glasses. Pour 1 cup of cooled coffee over each scoop, dollop with whipped cream, and dust with cocoa.

This makes 8 servings.

I would really love to make this – if I can find an ice cream machine to use!