Let's Talk Coffee

Shaira asked:


I’m not sure and my husband decided we needed to go camping, and i need my coffee, i just don’t know how to make it over a campfire.

If anyone can help me i’d greatly appriciate it!

Rose asked:


Recently I get to know many friends from Thailand. Beside culture and language barrier, I find them very friendly and warm people. But there is one thing, I really like to know what type of coffee do they love to drink?
I have tried the Singapore style using coffee powder and condensed milk , but it is not to their liking. I heard from a friend telling me they prefer 3 in-one coffee or coffee using coffee mate. Or is it that they prefer something mild and less sweet because Singapore coffee is stronger.
Can any Thai national teach me how to make coffee sutiable for their taste? Preferably the brand too. I will try to follow whatever advice given. Appreciate it very much.

mothernavywife asked:


My husband and I drink coffee throughout the day and it is a pain having the coffee maker shut itself off. What can we do?

Monisha M asked:


So far in my coffee maker, I put in cinnamon sticks, cloves and add a little nutmeg before I brew my coffee, but i would like to vary it. I even have a recipe which uses fennel in, but have yet to try it, but what do you use to make a good spiced coffee?

And how do you make an iced coffee?

Stephanie Larkin asked:


An office coffee service can save you money in surprising ways. That may seem to go against the traditional wisdom that says doing something yourself is always cheaper than paying for a service, but providing coffee for your office staff and clients can add up in the accounting books in places where you don’t see it. Contracting with an office coffee service can increase productivity, increase staff and customer satisfaction with your company and reduce the unexpected overhead costs of coffee in your office.

Is coffee costing your company money?

If your company provides coffee for the staff and clients, then you probably think you have a pretty good idea of what your coffee costs are. Bankrate.com, one of the premier finance websites on the Internet, points out costs that few businesses consider when totaling the cost of providing coffee service for their employees. Among those “hidden” costs are the amount of time it takes to shop for break room coffee supplies and the time your accountant or bookkeeper spends tracking coffee expenses for your annual expense reports. Those may seem minor, but when you consider how much you are paying your accountant, it can add up surprisingly fast.

Believe it or not, even those businesses that do not have a break room on premises where they provide coffee for their staff and customers could be losing money by not employing a coffee service. When you provide coffee service on premises, none of your employees are leaving the building to pick up coffee at the local coffee shop; trips that add up in terms of lost productivity and time out of the office. By contracting with a coffee service to provide fine coffee for your employees, you can increase the amount of time that your employees are at work and focused on their jobs.

Can a coffee service increase your company’s profits?



The surprising answer to that question is “absolutely!” Here are just some of the ways that providing coffee through a coffee service can affect your bottom line.

- Providing coffee service for your staff improves employee morale.

Happier employees are more productive employees. While coffee may seem like a very small thing in the larger scheme of things, providing good coffee (especially free good coffee) to your employees’ rates very high with them. In a number of surveys, researchers asked employees to name something that their employer does that makes them feel valued and appreciated. In nearly every survey, more employees named free coffee than any other perk.

- Offering fine coffee to your customers increases their positive feelings about your company.

Anything you do to make customer or client experience with your company will show up in your bottom line, even if it can’t be easily quantified. Offering your customers a cup of gourmet coffee is one way to make them feel valued and appreciated. This is a lesson learned by high-end hair stylists, doctor and dentist offices and even upscale retail stores. Give your customers good coffee, and they will leave feeling far more appreciated, which can translate into a better bottom line for your business.

- Coffee can improve focus and can increases productivity.

A recent study measured productivity in workers who drank coffee during the day against the productivity of workers who do not drink coffee at the office. They found that workers who drank coffee at their desks were more focused on their work and completed more work than their co-workers who did not. The difference between the two groups of workers became more marked as the day went on. In fact, most of the coffee drinkers avoided the typical mid-afternoon slump in productivity entirely. A good coffee service can improve your bottom line by increasing productivity and reducing errors. Not to mention, your employees most likely will not be heading out the door to grab a coffee at the local coffee shop if they have a great coffee service providing coffee in the break room.

Using an office coffee service is less expensive



In many cases, the coffee service will provide a high-end coffee maker for your office for free as long as you purchase a minimum amount of coffee from them. Depending on the quality of the coffee that you choose, a coffee service for your office will cost between 4 cent and 19 cents per cup; the 19 cent figure is for Starbucks coffee from a coffee service. The machines ranges from double burner pour-over coffee makers to fancy bean-to-cup coffee machines that dispense gourmet espresso, complete with frothed milk.

If you are considering providing coffee for your office, or if you already provide free coffee for employees and customers, take a look at what a coffee service can do to save you money on your coffee.

Renegade asked:


My coffee pot is starting to look pretty bad. I thought about putting some lime cleaner in there, but I really don’t want to drink lime cleaner remants in my next cup of coffee. There must be some effective way to clean a coffee pot. Any suggestions?

boake moore asked:


Can a gourmet coffee be too perfect? That’s the criticism leveled at the coffees from Costa Rica – too much flavor, too balanced, too clean, and too smooth. And Mission Grounds Gourmet coffee is considered by most as the finest Costa Rica gourmet coffee by the locals – so why would you not drink the best gourmet coffee– the gourmet coffee considered to be too perfect and blessed by all.

Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire Circle, Costa Rica has over 200 identifiable volcanic formations dating back over 65 million years. Today 100 or so show signs of volcanic activity and five are classified as active volcanoes. Most of the volcanoes in Costa Rica lie in the northern part of the country and in the Central Highlands; these are prime gourmet coffee growing regions.  The volcanoes are a key part of this country’s spectacular natural diversity. This is because they have played an important role in how the lush landscape of this region has come into being. Due to the many volcanic eruptions over the past millennia, the soil in Costa Rica is rich in many minerals and very fertile. This natural fertility contributes to the production of unique and exceptional coffee. Mission Grounds uses the finest shade grown top of the volcano coffee, the only pure number one select coffee. The number one grade is only grown in small quantities and we purchase all of it. So if you want the highest grade of Tarrazu gourmet coffee– you have to purchase Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee. Buying any other gourmet coffee is settling for second best.

Our coffees stem from the jungles of Costa Rica. Costa Rican Coffees are known to be full-flavored, with lively acidity, and are very fragrant and tangy. Arabica is the only species of gourmet coffee that Mission Grounds Gourmet coffee sells. It is the sole source of fine gourmet coffee and comes from a more delicate, higher-altitude tree and grows at a lower temperature than the Robusta bean. The higher the altitude, the finer the gourmet coffee will be. Arabica coffees receive only 2 hours a day of direct sunlight. The Arabica bean is harder and has a denser aroma. It is the bean of choice for gourmet coffee connoisseurs. It is the reason Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is the finest Costa Rica gourmet coffee. The best Costa Rican gourmet coffee beans, which are grown above four thousand feet and hand selected, are designated as “strictly hard bean”.  However, because not all gourmet coffee beans which grow at the higher altitudes are “Strictly Hard Bean”, we sort the gourmet coffee beans for the hardest gourmet coffee beans and remove the softer -”Cataula” gourmet coffee beans. The softer gourmet coffee beans are called Cataula to designate them as a byproduct of this sorting. Most of the Costa Rica coffees contain these softer less flavor gourmet coffee beans – but not Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee. Just another reason Mission Grounds is the finest gourmet coffee.

Single Origin Coffee: Estate or “varietal” coffees are unblended coffees grown on specific estates or farms in specific regions of Costa Rica.  With this designation the consumer is made aware of gourmet coffee varietal used, social practices and environmental practices (land conservation, recycling, natural fertilizers & no chemical sprays for example – (like our Signature Roast the Natural Organic coffee) employed in the production of their coffee. Our estate Signature Roast is considered by most the finest most flavorful organic gourmet coffee in the world. Costa Rican coffee has set the standards for fine wet-processed coffee for the rest of Central and South America and the world.  The most famous coffees by region are the Tarrazu – the best of the Costa Rica coffee. And Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is the best Tarrazu coffee – making it the best coffee in the world.

Elsie Shan asked:


This is the story of how the humble coffee becomes a world celebrity. It’s not about the Labrador named Coffee Beans attached to the Sheriff’s Department sniffing drugs and bombs. It’s about “the” coffee beans we are familiar with. It’s about the fragrant aroma that stimulates our senses in the morning. The tingling sensation we get when we take the first sip in the morning. How we manage to get an extra boost of energy whenever we feel tired and sleepy. Let us take some time to ponder the processes the coffee beans have to go through before it can be marketed.

Processing The Coffee Beans

After the coffee berries have been harvested, it needs to undergo a process where the flesh of the coffee berries is removed. The coffee berries are placed in special machines separating the flesh from the seed. This coffee seed is commonly called “coffee beans”. The coffee beans will now undergo a fermentation process for a period of time. This process is done in order to remove the slimy mucilage coating the coffee beans.

After the coffee beans have undergone the mandatory fermentation, they are thoroughly flushed with clean water. This process is to remove the foul smelling residue due to the fermentation process and the waste water is a main cause of pollutant.

The coffee beans are then dried under the sun or by machines, until the moisture level is about 10% before they can be packed for storage.

Another method of getting to the coffee beans without undergoing the fermentation process is to dry the whole berry in the sun. It normally takes about 10 to 14 days to complete the process with constant raking of the coffee beans to prevent mildew from forming. This method is popular and widely used by coffee producers where water is scarce. The dried flesh is then physically removed leaving only the coffee beans.

The dried coffee beans is then sorted and graded before they can be stored or shipped to buyers. At this stage, the coffee bean is called green coffee beans.

Sometimes the coffee beans will undergo an additional aging process. The reason for this is because when coffee was first introduced into Europe, the coffee beans have undergone a journey of about six months. Europeans have already developed a preference for this taste and therefore to simulate the taste, the coffee beans are further aged.

Roasting The Coffee Beans

Roasting is the final process the coffee beans have to undergo before they are commercially marketed. It is also possible to purchase un-roasted coffee beans that you can personally roast them yourself.

When the coffee beans are subjected to heat, there’s a chemical reaction happening within the coffee beans where the sugar and acid will begin to react releasing its aroma. The coffee beans will turn darker due to caramelized sucrose. When this happens, the coffee beans are quickly cooled to prevent damage to the coffee beans.

When roasting the green coffee beans, a lot of carbon dioxide is released as a by-product. The carbon dioxide helps to “seal” the coffee beans from loosing its flavor and aroma. Depending on how the coffee beans are stored, it may take some time before the optimum peak flavor. After reaching its peak, it will start loosing its flavor again.

If you are trying to roast your own coffee beans at home, be aware that you may not be successful during the first few times. You might over-burn your coffee beans during your first few tries. Never be discouraged, but try until you get the taste and flavor that appeals to you. Remember to process in small amounts to maintain freshness of your coffee.

Grinding The Coffee Beans

Before the roasted coffee beans can be used, you need to grind the coffee beans first. The coarseness of your coffee depends on your preference and the type of coffee-brewing method. It can range from coarse to very fine as in the Turkish grind. For example, if you’re using a percolator, a course coffee powder is suitable but if you are using an Espresso machines, an extra fine coffee powder is required.

Conclusion

The coffee beans have to undergo a string of processes before it can be consumed. The final flavor of the coffee depends on the journey the coffee beans take in order to reach its final form. Different methods and different techniques will give rise to a varied coffee flavor. This is the reason why there are so many flavors to the simple coffee bean.

bob w asked:


I’ve been drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee for 20 years. At one time you could walk into any DD’s at any hour and get the same smooth cup of coffee. Now it’s a crap shoot. I would say I have one good cup for every ten I buy. Most of the time it’s bitter and not worth drinking. It’s getting too expensive to throw out. Can anyone recommend a good coffee maker and a good coffee brand so I can try to make a good cup at home and save money?

Question Queen Y!A veteran asked:


I know lots of people, especially older people & teachers who drink @ least 3 mugs a day. Lots of people tell me that since I suffer anxiety, I shouldn’t drink caffeine because it would increase the risk of a panic attack. I try to stay away from caffeine, even though I like coffee. I hardly drink it. But if I DO drink it, I usually have more cream & sugar in it than the coffee, itself.

Is drinking coffee helpful or harmful in other ways? How?