Life in a cup of Cöffee

Morning symbolizes a new beginning and it is important that we should be energized to start the day and to last it as well. A perfect morning regardless of the weather won’t be complete without a cup of coffee – whether you call it instant, brewed, espresso, gourmet – it’s coffee that gives us the kick that we need. Indeed, coffee plays an important role in our daily lives and although it’s not considered as part of the ‘basic necessity’ list, we have been unconsciously including it in the list.

Coffee gives us warmth when we are cold, energy when we are weak, soothing relief when we are stressed and ironic as nutritionists might say but coffee gives us serenity when are disturbed. These are just some comforting feelings that we get from a cup of coffee not only when we drink it at morning but also in other times of the day (like in my case I also drink coffee at noon).

It is in fact amazing to think that a small coffee bean when grown, taken care of, harvested and processed properly can have this effect on us. Actually, the coffee that we drink can be an inspiration since it might also reflect our own lives. Like people, coffee is also grown with love and care by their parents – the farmers. They are grown on healthy soil, appropriate climate and are given the nutrients they need for them to grow in good shape – just like us who need to be provided with shelter, food, clothing, guidance and love for us to grow well.

Once the coffee berry or the fruit of the coffee plant is ripe, it is now ready for picking, which is preferably done manually – handpicked. This is to ensure that only the fruit at its prime is being selected so that immature fruits won’t be wasted by picking them earlier than the right time. After being picked, the coffee bean will be separated from the fruit for more processes which include cleaning to remove what is left from the fruit on the bean and sorting to categorize the coffee beans based on different criteria such as the size, the area it was grown, quality, etc. after which comes the roasting process. Coffee roasting has different degrees depending on the desired taste of coffee – it can be roasted light to produce a lighter taste with no obvious roast flavor or it can be roasted dark to feel that smoky-sweet and intense coffee flavor.

These are the basic processes that our coffee goes through for them to be able to serve their purpose to humanity. And humans in a way are just like coffee. We experience hardships in life, challenges and problems – these are the processes that we have to go through for us to be refined and to serve our purpose in life. But we shouldn’t worry because we know that when we wake up each morning, we always have a cup of coffee waiting for us – to do the kicking that we need.

Coaster… Toaster… No! It’s a Coffee Roaster!

Picking, Roasting, Grinding, Brewing – the basic stages that a coffee bean must go through in order to become a drink that we all enjoy. Among the four, the stage responsible for the flavor of our coffee is the roasting stage. This is done by roasting the coffee beans to a certain level to bring out the flavors using of course, a coffee roaster.

The simplest coffee roaster is usually a sauce pan with a tight lid to keep the beans locked in and a well-built handle. It can be put on top of a stove and the beans will be roasted in the pan. The handle is specially designed so that you can stir the beans during the process. Stirring is very important while roasting so that the beans won’t get burnt at the bottom. A thermometer in the lid to monitor and control the temperature is a vital part of an effective yet simple roaster. Part of a good roasting process is maintaining the appropriate temperature.

Though using the manually operated coffee roaster can be easy, you might be tempted to buy fully automatic roasters available in the market. You just need to pour the coffee beans on its container, put on the lid and set the controls then your beans will be roasted to perfection in a few minutes. This type of roaster has a built-in thermometer. You can automatically control the heating mechanism, rotating canisters, the air flow and the timing when to turn it off. With all these benefits, expect to pay a little more than the price of the simpler coffee roaster.

Furthermore, there is a coffee roaster that works like a pop corn maker. Once you pour the beans, hot air circulates and the beans are stirred up and given a uniform roast. Another feature of some roasters is that they have transparent or glass exteriors so that you can watch the roasting process while controlling it. Some even have filters so that the skin of the beans can be removed when they crack. Some roasters also have the pre-set level of roast that you can choose from like light, medium or dark roast.

There are also roasters called drum roasters because the technique used by this roaster focuses mainly on the gravity to move the beans around rather than depending on the stirrer at the bottom of the container. Additionally, a large quantity of coffee beans can also be roasted using large-scale roasters which are usually used by roasted coffee manufacturers or suppliers. The location of large-scale roasters plays a vital role since proper ventilation is important while roasting. Moreover, being able to circulate the air evenly and heat the beans equally is a very significant feature of an effective coffee roaster.

A wide variety of coffee roasters ranging from the simplest, manually operated to the complex, automatic devices are available in the market especially for home use since home coffee roasting has grown popular nowadays. There are also a lot of roasting tutorials available on the web for those who want to learn how to do the perfect roast. If you haven’t tried roasting your own coffee beans, you might want to start now. Just don’t mistake your toaster for a roaster!

Gourmet Coffee – more than a drink, it’s an experience!

Eat and drink – two simple verbs that indicate two of the most important things that humans should do to survive. For us, eating and drinking are just a normal part of our daily routine. However, as the time goes by, art has been associated with how our foods and drinks are being prepared, served and consumed. Who would resist the sophisticated meal experience at a fine dining restaurant offering gourmet foods and drinks? And there goes the word gourmet, a word that indicates something is far from being simple.

            Gourmet is an industry classification to indicate high quality, of special presentation, or high sophistication. It is often used to describe a restaurant, a meal or even ingredients. Even a simple food or drink can become special if the word gourmet is attached into it – juts like gourmet coffee – which has become widely known. But how does coffee becomes gourmet or what makes coffee a ‘gourmet coffee’?

            There are people branded as coffee drinkers, and there are also people branded as coffee experts. These people may be professional baristas who have tried almost all types of coffee, joined different barista competitions, or they can be café owners who have traveled many places to visit the best coffee farms, or maybe just critics fond of coffee that they are willing to put their reputation at stake once they label a certain type or brand of coffee as gourmet coffee. Putting these factors together, we will be able to understand that gourmet coffee refers to a specialty or premium coffee of better (if not the best) quality than the standard variety as considered by these coffee experts. This can be based on its origin, and the way it was grown, harvested, cleaned, roasted, and prepared are far more intricate than that of the regular coffee.

            If a café or a coffee roasting house says they offer gourmet coffee, it simply means that they are not just going to serve you coffee to drink but they will give you an entire coffee experience. This means experiencing the all the love and special attention given by the people involved in preparing your coffee.

First is the selection of beans by travelling from one farm to another to make sure they’re getting the best quality since gourmet coffee is made from very high quality 'Arabica' coffee beans that are handpicked and carefully checked over to makes sure they are of the best quality. Then comes the perfect roasting whether light, medium or dark roast - it is roasted in a way that customizes the coffee for your taste. They are also treated with special oils after the roasting process which gives it the special flavor that makes it so tempting to drink. It is a mixture of natural oils that are used for the coffee bean treatment. Then the precise grinding from fine to course level, and the masterful brewing whether it’s using a percolator, auto-drip, French press, Italian stove top, etc. As long as these things were performed with passion and art, you are guaranteed that every sip of your gourmet coffee is definitely a meaningful one and truly deserves to have the word gourmet in it.

            Indeed, you can always make a simple breakfast, a coffee break, a dessert, or an after dinner talk delightful and momentous with a cup of gourmet coffee.

The Coffee Pageant

            Have you ever found yourself undecided on what to choose among a huge number of choices? Well, this might be the case when you are presented choices with unique characteristics and features. Just like in a beauty pageant where beautiful girls line up wearing an irresistible smile on their face. It’s would really be difficult to judge. Same way that we sometimes feel when we enter a café with a very nice ambience which offers a variety of tempting coffee – we have to stare at the choices for a while and feel like we are in a coffee haven before we can decide on what to get.

            Our choice usually depends on our personal preference (and of course our taste buds play a major role). Each of us has our own criteria and based on that let’s get to know the candidates for our own Best Choice Roasted Coffee Bean.

            The first candidate for Best Choice Roasted Coffee Bean is Cinnamon Roast. It is also known as Light Roast and New England Roast. In this roast, the beans barely enter first crack, resulting in a relatively dry bean with a light brown to cinnamon color. It has a grain like taste, with a sharp, almost sour acidity. Then we have the American Roast which has a medium light brown color. This is the stage where the ‘first crack’ begins and the beans are just medium-roasted that results in a moderate brew with a lively flavor that is not too light or too heavy. Next is the City Roast that has a medium brown color. At this point, the ‘first crack’ stage is finished and the taste can be simply described as the normal coffee taste. Up next is the Full City Roast which has a rich brown color and the beans may show tiny droplets of oil as it enters the ‘second crack’ stage. It has a good balance of sweetness, body and acidity that slightly results to a bittersweet ‘roast taste’. After that we have Vienna Roast with a moderate dark brown color with oil on the beans and the ‘second crack’ is nearly in its completion. Its cup quality is bittersweet with a heavier body. Then here comes French Roast that has typically a deep chocolate-brown color shiny with oil. It produces a full-bodied and stronger coffee taste with less acidity. This roast is often used when making Espresso. Some think that this is the darkest roast but wait until you meet Italian Roast & Spanish Roast. Also known as the Darker French Roast is the Italian Roast. The color ranges from dark brown to black and is oilier looking. It has a stronger burned flavor also used for Espresso. And last but not the least, probably the darkest of them all, the Spanish Roast where beans are nearly black and oil-covered. Flavor compounds are degraded and burnt, bitter taste dominates.

            So which one would you choose? Let me warn you that the choices don’t end there because there are also a variety of coffee origins to choose from and that’s another pageant. Anyway not all pageants can have just one winner, so why not try all of them and enjoy! 

Credits to http://www.student.chula.ac.th/~53373082/images/roasted%20coffee.jpg for the image.

Café Latte for Mary!

          Who doesn’t like to be given the precious attention of the barista once he calls your name for you to get your coffee? Or who doesn’t like to see the smiles of the café staff when they serve your cup of espresso with some creative art on it? The caring attention is just one of the reasons why coffee lovers like to frequent cafes and the same goes for those who don’t really like coffee but because they felt so comfy in a café, they have started to love coffee.

            Truly, the coffee business has evolved. From simple coffee shops now there are a lot of cafes in all the different places. And there is one thing in common with these cafes – they seem to be an entirely different world. Even if it is located in a busy district, a café always gives the feeling of being calm and comfy. Once you enter the door, the staff always wears a smile and would warmly greet you. Notice that the walls are decorated with fancy stuff while some even vintage. The café’s menu is even personalized and mostly artistically handwritten. They also have an attractive bar or counter where you will order your coffee. For those who are not familiar with the terms used in a café to order coffee, well don’t worry because it’s just a piece of cake. First, be familiar with the sizes. Cafés don’t usually use the words small, medium or regular, and large unlike fast food chains. They have terms for the sizes such as short, tall, grande, venti – these terms may actually vary from one café to another. You can take your time to look at their menu to know the sizes that they offer. Next, get to know the different types of coffee that they serve. Usually they would have different types of espresso on the list. Some names can be mistaken as terms from a European language class but they’re not really as tricky as tongue twisters – but then again these names may vary from one café to another.

            One of the most common types is the Cafe Latte which is an espresso shot with steamed milk. Next is cappuccino which is composed of equal parts of espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk. Another is Mocha that basically can be a latte or cappuccino with chocolate syrup added (if it’s a cappuccino it is called Mochaccino).  Then there is also Frappe which is coffee drink with ice cream and milk (combine the description with cappuccino and you’ll have Frappuccino). There is also Dry espresso which has no steamed milk but with a small amount of foam. These are just the basics which means there could be a lot more (and the names can also be more complicated too). The flavors also depend on the barista of the café. There are cafes that offer a unique flavor or blend that might be a specialty of their barista.

            After ordering, you can now take advantage of the comfy place. Choose a nice chair, relax and enjoy every sip of your coffee. Indeed, coffee is not the only thing that you’ll get from going to a café but also the warmth and comfort that would really make you feel you are in a coffee heaven.

Enjoy Coffee and Stay Healthy

              If you would say that you are a milk lover, the usual reply would be “that’s good for your health”. Because milk has the notion that it is a healthy drink. But if you would say “I really love to drink coffee!”, then expect someone to say “that can be bad for your health”. Because coffee has this image that it can raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate and may actually produce an irregular heartbeat. However, there are also people trying to defend this popular drink is actually healthy. So what should we believe?

            It is a fact that coffee has caffeine, which is actually the main ingredient of coffee which gives the stimulating effect (unless you are drinking decaffeinated coffee). This is the reason why a lot of people use coffee when they stay up late at night or need to be alert early in the morning. According to research, it is safe to drink one or two cups every day. However, those who exceed this limit might experience the negative effects like difficulty sleeping, headaches, irregular heartbeat, nausea, and muscle tension. There is also a possibility of heartburn or ulcer, which is why people are always advised to drink coffee in moderation.

            Drink moderately. We are all familiar with this line to be associated with alcoholic beverages. But this can be applied to coffee as well to enjoy the positive effects of coffee. Yes, indeed coffee has positive effects on our health too. Here are some: Coffee reduces the risk of early stage diabetes. Coffee improves insulin sensitivity and it reduces blood sugar levels. Also, coffee contains antioxidants that fight against viral infection. One cup of coffee contains more antioxidants than one cup of grape juice. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and protocatechnic acid. These chemicals show excellent antibacterial effects. Moderate intake of coffee reduces the risk of developing gallstones, reduces the risk of having colon cancer and reduces the risk of liver cirrhosis. But we have to have to bear in mind that these effects vary from person to person. Each of us is unique and has different body conditions. That is why it very important that you know your health status and how your body responds to coffee. Three cups of coffee might be considered moderate for someone but it can be too much for someone else. Self-discipline is an important factor when health is at stake. It is very important to consider your health condition in deciding what and how much you would eat and drink. Coffee is an addictive drink and it might affect you negatively if you would let it control you instead of you controlling how much you take.

            Coffee is a great drink. Otherwise it wouldn’t earn its popularity all over the world. The effects of coffee, whether good or bad, depend on the person who drinks it. As the cliché goes, too much of anything is bad. You can always enjoy the irresistible aroma and taste of your favorite coffee, just make sure to do it with discipline and moderation.

From muddy to shiny – Keeping your farming equipment clean

As improvement in technology happens in a speed of light every day, so as its effects to how we do things in life. Although it is undeniable that abuse on the use of technology can bring harmful effects, we still cannot forget the fact that it has help us improve and uplift our way of living in different aspects such as education, business, transportation and even agriculture. Yes, even agriculture. Indeed the laborious processes that workers go through in the agricultural word have been aided by means of technology. At present, there are numerous machines specially developed for agricultural works such as sowing, harvesting, spraying fertilizers or insecticides, etc. Even for irrigation and water distribution, specialized agricultural equipment is being used like engines and pumps. Because of these developments, people don’t need to spend a lot of time doing backbreaking works. Moreover, harvesting can be made faster using equipment like bean harvesters, combine harvesters, conveyor belts, corn harvesters and cotton pickers.

Truly, these kinds of specialized farming equipment are considered significant investments because they are definitely expensive. This is the reason why they must be maintained well to maximize its usability. Manual cleaning may be enough but the best and the most ideal way to do it is through another product of technology which is pressure washing. The most common type of this is using water pressure washing which can be combined with some cleaning solutions. A pump engine will provide the pressure needed to wash away the dirt on the surface that is needed to be cleaned. Pressure washing is an effective way of cleaning farm equipment like wheel tractors, sprayers, seeders, reapers, trucks, plows, compactors, hay equipment, grain dryer and the likes. Moreover, cleaning farming equipment must be done whenever needed and without delay because doing so might cause mud, silt and other substances may harden and could eventually cause corrosion of the equipment. Even those who are into poultry farming and other animal breeding and production businesses can use pressure washing to clean the quarters of the animals more effectively.

Today, there are a variety of pressure washers or pressure washing services available. An example of this is the variation in the temperature of pressure washers such as cold, steam or hot. Cold pressure washing is appropriate when grease and oil are not a factor to consider in cleaning the surface of the equipment. Steam and hot pressure washing are applicable for deep and fast cleaning because hot water pressure significantly boosts cleaning power that makes cleaning more effective particularly on grease, oils or petrochemicals, mud buildup, sludge slots, and blemishes.

                        Undoubtedly, every development in the technology must be taken care of. Compared to the good old days, farming today has never been this easy and fast and we should give credit to the machineries and equipment that help us to be more productive. Furthermore, we have to keep in mind that in order for these things to be more usable, we should also do our part by using them properly and taking care of them carefully.