Coffee and Health

The last 25 years has seen the growth of a cottage industry in the study of the health effects of drinking coffee. And no wonder - over 400 million cups a day are consumed throughout the world. But for decades health workers warned that the habit might be unsafe. Recent studies show the opposite is more likely to be the case.

Decaf, Good or Bad?

Recently a variety of the coffee tree was discovered that naturally contains almost no caffeine. Until and unless that species finds its way into commercial production, we're left with the current methods for removing unwanted caffeine from coffee. But how do those methods affect the taste of our java?

A History of Adventure Around The World

Their younger cousin, coffee, arose a few hundred years later, though no one knows how old the plant itself is. Some archaeological evidence shows that humans were eating the berries as long ago as a hundred thousand years.

Bean Growing

For a tree grown in over 70 countries, from Indonesia to Brazil, it's curious how narrow a range of conditions is required to produce quality 'beans' and how relatively small the total output is.

Coffee - Freshness Tips

For the freshest possible coffee the ideal is to obtain unroasted beans, then roast and grind on the same day you plan to brew.

Coffee - Legends and Reality

That a mere beverage could generate so many romantic tales and so much hard-headed business is a wonder. Yet from its beginnings to the present, this dark and pungent liquid has fascinated, cured and enriched billions the world over.

Coffee Bean Producers Around The World

From its origins in Ethiopia, where the main coffee production is still from wild coffee tree forests, coffee consumption has spread throughout the world. But because of its requirement for ample sunshine and rain, the plants from which beans are produced grow only in tropical or sub-tropical regions.

Coffee In Food, Yum!

Lovers of the drink know how delicious that liquid dream can be. But delights abound in using coffee as an ingredient in food preparation too.

Coffee Makers, From Copper Container to Modern Equipment

Coffee makers have been around, not surprisingly, almost as long as coffee. The original coffee brewer was the Turkish Ibrik, a copper container with a long handle and a grooved tongue. Still used in the Middle East, it produces a very strong brew since it does no filtering.

Coffee Recipes By The Cup

One of the many advantages of drinking a beverage both ancient and international is the delightful variety of recipes for enjoying coffee in different ways.

Coffee Roasters

Coffee roasters - the mechanical device, not the human profession - come in all shapes and sizes. Prices range from a few dozen dollars to nearly a thousand. Of course, as with any manufactured product, price doesn't necessarily correlate exactly with quality. Beyond looking to a reliable brand, here are a few tips about what to look for, based on your goals.

Cupping, The Tasting Art

Why should professionals have all the fun? 'Cuppers' taste coffee as an adjunct to professional buying, judging contests, writing reviews and so forth. But the joy of sitting before a half-dozen cups of Tanzanian Peaberry, Monsoon Mysore and the rest is a delight anyone can experience.

Different Brews For Different Views

Once upon a time there was only the lowly percolator. Coiffed housewives would sit lovingly staring at water being heated until pressure forced it up a small tube and over a basket full of grounds.

From Beans to Shelf

From its origins over two thousand years ago, coffee bean processing has grown to a worldwide market whose output as a commodity has a dollar value second only to petroleum.

How To Make A Great Espresso!

Every barista (professional maker of coffee drinks) will have his or her method. Here's mine...

Judging Beans The Barista Way

A 'barista' is someone who makes coffee drinks as a profession. Naturally, that experience will shape how beans are judged.

Picking The Perfect Grinder

Coffee beans, like any food product, oxidize when exposed to air. The grounds, since they have a much larger relative surface area than the bean, and no covering, suffer this effect even more. Grinding beans at home produces the least exposure to air and the freshest grounds. And you can grind only what you immediately need.

Roasting Beans

To achieve a good roast you have to start with beans that have been skillfully selected and dried.

Roasting, Not Boasting

Home wine makers will be happy to hear that roasting coffee beans is even easier - and the results are often as good as the pros.

Some International Reviews

Whatever your native country, 'see' a bit of the world by trying one of the stellar products from coffee growers around the world. There's more than one way to experience the delight of an international cup.

Specialty Coffees

In the 1930s, physicists started discovering a whole zoo full of exotic atomic particles. There were muons and kaons and who-knows-whatelse-ons. When told of these, the famous physicist Enrico Fermi said: 'If I wanted to remember all that I would have become a botanist.' Ironically, later he invented the process used in atomic bombs.

Straight or Mixed? - A Purist Reforms

True coffee aficionados always drink their coffee straight, right? Wrong! There are, if anything, more blends and flavorings of coffee than there are of wine. Cast off your confines and let loose with the 101 different ways to enjoy nature's gift.

The Bean Grader's Art

Ever wonder why one bean makes it to your local specialty shop and another doesn't?

Varieties Around The World - Part 1

Once upon a time in America there was drip or instant, milk or sugar. Folger's was the name of the game. Then, from Australian Skybury to Kenyan Peaberry, from Kona to Barcelona, the world exploded with options. Today there's enough variety in choices of blend, country and style to boggle the greatest coffee aficionado.

Varieties Around The World - Part 2

There are as many beans and coffees from around the world as there are grapes and wine - and as much delight to be had in sampling them.