The New Complete Coffee Book: A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Cooking
I am almost done with the book I have been reading for the past week so I thought it was time to search for some new interesting reads. I ran across this book on Google Book Search (as usual – I just love this Book Search!) and from what I have read in the preview, it looks like a good buy.
The book is quite short – a little over a hundred pages – and has 5 main chapters (introduction not included). The chapters are:
History
The Bean
The Roast
The Brew
Recipes
I think that The New Complete Coffee Book: A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Cooking would be perfect for your coffee table – something to browse through on a lazy Sunday morning as you sip your cup of joe while watching TV or whatever else it is that you do on lazy Sunday mornings. There is a lot of information on coffee within the pages of the book and you can get a lot of ideas for unique meals using coffee.
On the other hand, I felt that something was lacking. Sorely missing were the most basic of information, like, how to make cappuccino, latter, and the like. I know, perhaps the authors purposely left information out in order to focus on the more advanced aspects of coffee but it would have been nice to have it in the book as well.
Anyhow, I am still thinking of whether or not to buy the book – we’ll see this weekend.
European Coffee
How do you like your coffee? Are you getting bored with your usual cup every morning? Here is a recipe for European coffee that I found on About.com. It is quite unusual, really, but I find the ingredients to be interesting. You can easily find the ingredients at any grocery store or supermarket.
So what do you need for a cup of European coffee? Here are the ingredients:
A cup of strong coffee – the stronger the better. You can brew this in the usual manner that you brew your coffee.
1 egg white – yes, an egg white. Don’t write this recipe off just yet!
¼ tsp vanilla extract – choose a really good brand so that you get the purest flavor.2 tbs half and half – this really depends on your taste. If you want whole milk then go ahead and use it. Skim milk will also work but the creaminess and taste will not be the same. If you’re health conscious, though, then half and half would be the happy medium between taste and health reasons.
What’s next? Once you have the ingredients all ready – it shouldn’t take you more than a couple of minutes to get them together, really – take the egg white and then beat it. Continue beating till you get soft peaks. You can use a manual egg beater so you don’t over do it. Once you get soft peaks, fold in the vanilla extract. This time, continue beating the mixture till you get stiff peaks. Now split the mixture into two cups and pour the hot coffee over the egg white mixture. Top the cups with a tablespoon of half and half for each.
Let me know how it goes!
Web Site In Focus: Coffee Cooks
I love to cook. It is one of the hobbies that I have that I like doing when I have time to spare. Oh, I cook everyday – it is a must, unless I want to spend tons of money eating out. But the best dishes that I have prepared are those I spent considerable time on and those that I have not rushed because I was late for work. That is why I was excited when I posted that entry on coffee marinated sirloin.
A reader of ours commented on that post and introduced me to a whole new world of cooking – one which involves coffee. Can you just imagine how excited I am right now? The web site is called Coffee Cooks and has a lot of recipes making use of coffee. More than that, though, you can find a lot of other information.
I browsed the site to find out more about what they have to offer and I have to say that I am left wanting more. There are several categories which one can browse – basics, breads, bars & cookies, cakes, desserts, drinks, main dishes, and greens. I was a bit disappointed that there were only a couple of recipes under each category, though. Maybe in the future, they will expand their collection and offer more.
One thing I think we should all try out this weekend is the Asian vinaigrette. I have never had a salad with the flavor of coffee and I don’t know how well that would mix but it sure is worth a try!
Coffee Marinated Sirloin
I love coffee and I love steak – who can resist either? The thing is, I have never really thought of these two ingredients coming together, have you? Well, apparently, you can use coffee to marinate a good piece of sirloin. According to The Canadian Press, to which I attribute this eye opening piece of news, the marinade adds creaminess to the steak. An added bonus – the coffee’s acidity tenderizes the meat as well. Here’s the recipe – I am going to try it this weekend.
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (20 minutes active)
Servings: 4
1 1/2 cups cold coffee
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Four 8-ounce bottom sirloin steaks (or other tender, broiler-friendly cut)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oilIn a blender or food processor, combine the coffee, pepper flakes, peanut butter, honey and ginger. Puree until smooth, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Pour half of the marinade in a baking dish. Set the steaks in the baking dish, then pour the remaining marinade over them. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When ready to cook, preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the steak, in batches if necessary, and sear until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Transfer the steaks to the prepared baking sheet. For medium-rare, broil for 7 to 8 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the steak reads 135 F.
Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Book Review: The Joy Of Coffee
How does one even begin to describe the joys associated with this bean, this brew? I honestly don’t know! Perhaps the best way would to be go ahead and concoct your own brew and share it with friends as you lounge around on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Or maybe, you can get this book by Corby Kummer and give it as a gift!
The Joy Of Coffee: The Essential Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying has been around for quite some time now. It has been recently updated and revised, though, to keep up with the changing landscape of the world of coffee. This book is an easy read with roundabouts 300 pages. From the growing of the beans to buying to roasting, storing, and brewing – all of these things are presented by Kummer.
I like how Kummer pays attention to the minutest details in his book as he recounts his experiences over the past several decades. I think it is his unique and authentic experience and knowledge that gives his book an edge over the countless other printed materials on coffee available in the market today. In the book, Kummer also shares tons of recipes which the average person – like you and me – can try out at home. For me, that is one of the best aspects of The Joy of Coffee.
So what are you waiting for? You can get a copy on Amazon for only about $10. Alternatively, if you want a preview before getting your own copy, you can check out Google Book Search.
Peppermint Mocha Recipe
I love trying out different coffee flavors during different periods of the year. When Starbucks came out with their peppermint mocha blend a couple of years back, I just fell in love with it. I have always wanted to try making my own cup at home but I just never found the time and patience to find the right mix of ingredients.
This year, I decided that unless I wanted to spend a lot of money on Starbucks’s cup, I had to try and find my own peppermint mocha recipe. Below is the result of an adaptation of various recipes from the Web (including the original recipe from Starbucks) and my own dash of ingenuity. 
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons mocha powder
2 tablespoons peppermint syrup
A shot of espresso
12 ounces of heated milk
Whipped cream
Sugar sprinklesProcedure:
Melt the mocha powder in a small amount of hot water – just enough to make a thick syrup. Pour this mixture into your cup – at least 12 ounces – and then add the espresso and peppermint syrup. Then pour the heated milk – steamed milk would be great, too. Top this off with whipped cream and the sugar sprinkles.
You can opt to use more mocha powder or espresso, depending on your taste. You can also do without the sugar sprinkles if you don’t particularly like them but personally, I prefer a lot of whipped cream and sprinkles. Not good for the weight, I know, but it sure does taste good!
Spiced Christmas Coffee
Once you’ve tasted a cup of coffee, you’ve tasted them all – NOT! Though for some people, this may hold true, it certainly is not true for me. I am sure that coffee lovers out there would agree with me as well.
There are so many kinds of coffee out there and even with just one kind, you can make so many things out of it and you will get a different concoction each time. As Christmas is fast approaching, I have been on the look out for a different recipe that I could use. My family certainly loves coffee – no matter what kind - and I thought that it would be a treat to serve something different after Christmas dinner.
Here is an interesting recipe I found at Recipezaar:
Ingredients
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
1 cup freshly ground coffee (preferrable a mild roast)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
5 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon sugar
7 cups waterPreparation
1. Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream in a large bowl to soft peaks.
2. Add powdered sugar and brandy; beat to peaks.
3. Place ground coffee, cardamom, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in coffee filter.
4. Using spoon, mix gently.
5. Add water to the coffee maker and brew according to manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Divide coffee among 8 cups.
7. Garnish each with a dollop of whipped cream and serve immediately.
I have not tried it yet but it looks simple enough and I am sure that the mix of spices will tickle everyone’s fancy.
Iced Coffee Not Hot?
Coffee is usually known to be best served when hot. But for the innovative and creative minds of coffee lovers, the prickly heat of seasons such as summer would get them to think of new ways to enjoy the usual hot beverage that opens the eyes of sleepy people. That has totally changed today in the world of coffee.
Everyone is aware of such new brews, especially for people who have tried out the cold Starbucks drinks like frappuccino and ice blends. These are clear examples of new ideas brought out in the market. To top it all off, they are hits in the regions and have made other coffee manufacturers and shops create their own drinks as well.
Hence the initial notion of coffee being solely good when hot has been slowly disintegrating. Hot or cold, coffee can be enjoyed depending on the preference and want of people who love to drink a good coffee brew.
Technorati Tags: coffee blends, coffee, iced coffee, frappuccino
Why People Prefer Coffee with Jelly Drinks?
Every item, drink or food that is presented in the world today will always have its impact on people. People always look for something new. Adding whipped cream, caramel syrup and even this new entry in the market, that of which have been termed coffee jelly, will always arouse the curiosity of people in any region.
Coffee jelly is something that is not different from the usual jelly bits that people would consume. The only difference is that of its color and appealing coffee flavor. There is no nutritional additives that would make coffee different from the usual beverage that a person would consume. It is more of a person finding some new ways of enhancing their drink wherever they may be.
One can say that such would be more of a psychological attribute towards drink or food consumption. But with regards to new food and beverage preferences, people will always find something different to make such things addictive to the average consumer.
Technorati Tags: coffee, coffee jelly, starbucks, coffe drink, dessert
Espresso or Cappuccino: What Comes First into Mind?
Finding yourself in a coffee shop where you are not familiar with the offered menu would have its instances where people may want to order that comes into mind. In such cases, an Espresso or a Cappuccino would immediately come into mind, depending on what is available.
Of course, the normal coffee beverage would also come into mind, but for people who want to discover new preparations or house specialties of a coffee shop, it would be best to test out what difference they have to offer in such cases.
Espresso and Cappuccino vary in preparation but they are normally the same hot beverages that people would prefer. Sweetness and creaminess, it would all depend on how the outlet would present them, but in the end, they are still the same hot drink that everyone knows today anywhere they may find themselves at. It all boils down to the secret ingredients that would indeed make a difference in making them signature coffee recipes today.
Technorati Tags: espresso, cappuccino, coffee, brewed coffee, caffeine
