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Perfect Brews
For Coffee
Lovers
ELIZABETH SCHEIBNER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
y
ou don't have to know
beans about coffee to
know that it has become
a hot commodity.
As a nation, we consume more
coffee than any other country —
approximately 2 billion pounds
per year. But what's really stir-
ring things up is the sale of spe-
cialty coffees. According to the
Specialty Coffee Association of
America, retail sales of specialty
coffees last year reached a record
$3 billion, up from $900 million
the previous year.
Although coffee has always
been the mainstay of American
culture, it has taken on a new
twist. Coffeehouses are quickly
becoming the watering hole for
today's generation, replacing bars
and nightclubs as the place to
meet and socialize. Despite the
fact that coffee prices have risen,
a cup ofjava is still one of the few
remaining bargains.
While the majority of Ameri-
cans still prefer "regular coffee,"
more consumers are giving up
their canned commercial brands
and are insisting on gourmet cof-
fees with exotic names like Ara-
bian Mocha Java, Sumatra and
Caffe Verona. Coffee drinkers
who used to be content with
mass-produced coffee are now
purchasing whole-bean coffee and
grinding their own.
Gourmet coffees, which used
to be available only at specialty
stores and upscale restaurants,
are now being offered at super-
markets, retail chains, book-
stores, movie theaters and even
fast-food restaurants. Specialty
coffees are literally brewing in
every part of the country, from
Seattle to Saginaw, Phoenix to
Philadelphia.
BEST BEANS
There are basically two types
of commercially grown coffee
beans — arabica, which is grown
primarily in South America, and
robusta, which is cultivated
mainly in East Africa. Like wine,
each variety of coffee has its own
regional flavor, which may vary
from season to season.
South American coffees are
generally light- to medium-
bodied and feature a clean, live-
ly taste. They are used primari-
ly in instants and institutional
brands.
East African coffees are richer
and more full-bodied and are gen-
erally used in gourmet coffees.
Once coffee beans are culti-
vated, they are dried and sorted,
roasted and then cooled with air
or water. Each step of the process
is equally important and will af-
fect the overall taste of the coffee.
Flavorings such as vanilla, choco-
late or macadamia nut are added
during the roasting process.
CAFFEINE CONUNDRUM
While there are some people
who enjoy coffee simply for its
taste, there are others who rely
on it for the "buzz" they get from
the caffeine. Caffeine, as we all
know, is a mild stimulant to the
central nervous system that can
increase alertness and motor abil-
ity while reducing drowsiness
and fatigue.
In recent years, coffee has been
blamed for a variety of ailments,
including heart disease, high
blood pressure, birth defects, di-
gestive disorders, cancer of the
bladder and uterus — even im-
potence. So far, most of the stud-
ies have been inconclusive. The
general consensus among experts
is that unless you're pregnant,
moderate coffee consumption (up
to three cups per day) poses no
health problems.
For those wanting to enjoy full-
flavored coffee with lower caffeine
content, it is probably best to
avoid commercial blends that
contain a high percentage of ro-
busta. (Robusta beans contain
twice as much caffeine as arabi-
ca beans.)
Despite what most people
think, strong-tasting coffee does
not always contain more caffeine
than its lighter counterparts.
Espresso, for example, actually
contains less caffeine than a typ-
ical cup of drip coffee.
PERFECT BREW
As any coffee connoisseur will
tell you, buying quality coffee
beans is only the first step in cre-
ating a good cup of coffee.
To ensure that your coffee is at
its peak, Starbucks offers these
suggestions:
• For best results, coffee should
be brewed, never boiled. Coffee is
best when brewed between 195
F to 205 F.
• Coffee can be kept warm
over a burner for about 20 min-
utes before the taste becomes bit-
ter. A better solution is to use an
air pot or vacuum server, which
will keep coffee hotter longer.
• Don't reuse grounds. What
remains are the bitter compo-
nents of the coffee.
• Use bottled or filtered water
when making coffee. Poor-quali-