Coffee, Java, Cup of Joe, Mud, Murk, there are so many euphemisms for this popular beverage. It is served around the world and in many different ways.

It was first discovered in what we now call Ethiopia around c. 850. According to popular  legend a goat herder noticed his goats acting unusually frisky after eating some berries from a bush. He was a curious sort and he tried some of the berries too.  He found that he felt refreshed and renewed.  Well the word of this pick-me-up spread rapidly.

Interesting Tidbits!
The word coffee is derived from the Arabic word gahwa, which translated means wine or excitement. Coffee became known in Europe as Arabian wine. This wine was made by boiling water and unroasted coffee.

When this heavenly brew made its way to the European continent it was, well, thought of badly and people felt the Pope would surely ban this drink of the devil! Imaging their surprise when the Pope, who was already a coffee drinker, blessed it and declared it Christian.

In 1607, Captain John Smith introduced coffee to the New World. He cared for one plant during the long voyage.

In the mid 1600s, over 200 coffee houses flourished in Venice, today Italy has over 200,000 coffee bars.

More than 30 countries grow coffee and 13 are in the Western Hemisphere.  Brazil is the largest coffee producing country.

The darker the roast the less caffeine.

So what exactly is coffee?

The coffee bean is the seed from a cherry that grows on a tree. The trees grow at sea level up to approximately 6,000 feet in a subtropical belt. Each cherry contains two beans.  It takes around 2,000 cherries make one pound of roasted coffee. So imagine, when you get a pound of coffee thats 4,000 coffee beans.

There are two well-known commercial species: the coffea robusta and coffea arabica. Arabica beans are believed to produce a superior quality coffee with the best flavor and aroma. They typically contain half the caffeine of the robusta beans.

The beans themselves start out green.  When roasted they turn colors to brown or black.  The longer the beans are roasted the darker the color.  A medium roast is an American roast.  A little more roasting and a little darker color and you have a French roast.  Roast even more and even darker to a blackish bean and you have an Italian roast.

How long a bean is roasted depends upon the type of bean.  Each bean has a best flavor at a particular roasting time.  For example Jamaican Blue Mountain is best at a medium roast.

So, how do your like your coffee?

• Espresso is both a name of a dark Italian roast and a brewing method.  The coffee is dark, rich, and intense.  One ounce of coffee to one cup.  Here are some variations:
  • Ristretto - made with half the amount of water
  • Lungo - made with twice the amount of water
  • Doppio (or double espresso) - twice as much water and coffee
  • Espresso con panna - topped with whipped cream
  • Doppio con panna - a double espresso topped with whipped cream
• Cappuccino is a hot espresso with steamed milk.  It is topped with "a cap of foamed milk".  The foam is said to resemble the hood of the Capuchin friar's robe which is called a capuche lending its name to the drink.
• Mocaccino is a cappuccino with a dollop of chocolate.
• Caff Mocha is an espresso with a dollop of chocolate, a splash of milk, and topped with whipped cream.
• Caff Latte is once shot of espresso to seven ounces of steamed milk.
• Caff Macchiato is an espresso with just a drop of milk.
• Unleaded means decaffeinated.
• Skinny means skim milk is used.

What is that all?  No, there is also the cafe au lait (half coffee, half milk), and specialty drinks with caramel and such.  But these are the basics.

Tips for Brewing at Home

• If grinding the beans yourself only grind what you plan to brew at the moment.
• Use fresh, cool good water.
• Store coffee in a clean, dry, airtight container and place in a cool, dark place but not in the refrigerator. The coffee may absorb the odors and flavors from the other foods in the fridge and dont freeze the beans either. The freezer may damage them.
• Use 2 to 2-1/2 level tablespoons per 6 ounces of water (3 tablespoons for 8 ounces).
• For espresso, use 7 to 8 grams for a single shot, and 14 to 16 grams for a double.