Coffee is a very tasty and pleasant drink to taste. A perfectly prepared coffee, such as an espresso made from freshly ground beans, can make a day more enjoyable. It is a powerful energizer and rich in antioxidants. If you are not a coffee enthusiast, or have not yet had the opportunity to appreciate its qualities, read this article to understand how to learn to love it.
Steps
Step 1. Learn the history of coffee
Coffee has a very interesting history behind it. In the last six hundred years, the consumption of this drink has gone through bans, edicts, promotions, petitions, revolutions and more. Perhaps the origins of coffee are even older, but this you will discover in your research. The consumption of coffee and its production are still at the center of political, ethical and food debates. Knowing a little more about coffee can also entice you to try new strains that you have never considered before. For example, did you know that some varieties of coffee grown in the shade protect biodiversity? And did you know that coffee is rich in antioxidant polyphenols that help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease? Information like this can spark an interest in this drink.
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Some interesting books to start exploring the history of coffee are:
- Mary Banks, Christine McFadden and Catherine Atkinson, The World Encyclopedia of Coffee, (1999), ISBN 0-7548-0197-7.
- Mary Banks, Coffee, (1998), ISBN 1-85868-610-5.
Like Coffee Step 2 Step 2. Try different types of coffee
There are so many varieties of coffee that it would be a shame to determine that you don't love this drink after trying only a poor variety. There are two main species of coffee plants: the “Coffea Arabica” (arabica) and the “Coffea Canephora” (robusta). Quality coffee is usually Arabica because it has a rich and intense aroma, while Robusta is a more astringent and cheaper variety, with a high level of caffeine, normally used for instant coffee. and a different caffeine content in relation to the place where the plant is grown. Some types of coffee have a strong, harsh flavor while others, such as Kona, are more delicate. Larger and fuller coffee beans are generally more expensive, while very small beans have a lower acid content, so the coffee made from these beans should be more gentle on the stomach. producing the finished drink; the coffee grinder, on the other hand, is used to mix different beans to obtain a better result. However, there are some pure, unmixed qualities that are exceptional, albeit expensive, such as mountain Arabica. These types of coffee can be found in specialty food stores.
- The "single origin" coffee is blended with beans that come from the same country, while "pure" coffee is produced from beans of the same quality.
- Coffee labeled arabica can only contain that variety of coffee including Mocha, Manila, Bourbon (flavored coffee), Colombia, Manado (light coffee) or Haiti (full-bodied coffee).
- The unlabeled coffee is either a Robusta variety (cheaper) or a blend of Arabica and Robusta (more expensive).
- If you drink instant coffee, you will never be able to appreciate coffee. It is a coffee that is easy to prepare but of lower quality. If you want to learn to appreciate coffee, it is better to upgrade to higher qualities.
Like Coffee Step 3 Step 3. Look for the best quality coffee available in the area where you live
You may realize how good coffee is after tasting one of excellent quality. A quality coffee should be made from freshly roasted beans; so look for a coffee shop that roasts the beans daily or make a coffee yourself from freshly roasted beans. For a quality espresso, look for a bar that uses a good coffee machine and a good barista.
The freshness of the coffee begins to change the moment the roasting process is completed. However, enormous progress has been made in the way of packaging coffee over the past twenty years, ensuring that its freshness is preserved until the package is opened. Once you have opened the package, keep the coffee inside but keep the opening closed and place it in an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator to keep its aroma longer
Like Coffee Step 4 Step 4. Know the roasting level of the beans
Roasting affects the aroma and could make the drink unpleasant if not done correctly. High-quality coffee beans, with an excellent aroma, only need to be lightly roasted to allow the aroma of the coffee to emerge. This also means that, if the coffee is not particularly good, a light roast will not produce an excellent aroma. The other roasting levels are: medium-light, medium or brown. In the United States, the most common roasting is the light one called “city”; darker toasts are French, Viennese, New Orleans, continental, Italian. The only way to find the one that suits you is to try several!
- Light roasting is suitable for breakfast and usually requires the addition of milk or cream to the coffee to reduce its acidity.
- Some grains are coated with glucose, gum arabic or vegetable oil. This coating makes them appear shiny and black, and serves to keep them longer. The coffee made from these beans will be full-bodied and slightly syrupy.
- When buying high quality coffee beans, make sure there is no more than 10% defect in the beans.
Like Coffee Step 5 Step 5. Consider adding milk, cream and sugar to your coffee
This will make the coffee taste more delicate. Depending on your taste, you can also choose to add milk froth (to make a cappuccino), cocoa powder, raw cane sugar, vanilla sugar or other ingredients.
- The more acidic coffees, such as Arabica, are best enjoyed with milk or cream that attenuate the acidity and allow the delicate aroma to emerge.
- Some coffees with an intense aroma are best enjoyed without adding milk or cream.
Like Coffee Step 6 Step 6. Blend your coffee
Tasting coffee is a subjective experience, so by mixing different qualities you can find the version that satisfies you the most. A famous blend is, for example, Mocha-Mysore. Find your personal blend.
- Try to mix coffees that have complementary characteristics, such as sour quality with sweet, light quality with full bodied.
- When experimenting with different blends, it's best to note the combinations so you can remember what works and what doesn't work in the blend.
Like Coffee Step 7 Step 7. Join a coffee club or create your own and participate in discussions
On the internet you can find online associations of coffee lovers that may pique your interest. If you want to try coffee tastings, these are the elements to keep in mind:
- Aroma - the fragrance of freshly ground and brewed coffee;
- Acidity - indicates the freshness of the coffee, its "liveliness", and varies according to quality and altitude;
- Body - it concerns the structure of the coffee and its texture in the mouth, so if a coffee is light it will be watery, if it is full-bodied its structure will be heavy;
- Fragrance - once the aroma, acidity and body have been examined, the taste of the coffee is in its fragrance;
- Aftertaste - is the final sensation that remains on the tongue.
Like Coffee Step 8 Step 8. Attend trendy cafes with your group of coffee lovers or find places where people gather to have intellectual discussions
Throughout history, coffee has stimulated intellectual thinking and conversations in social circles.
Like Coffee Step 9 Step 9. Be patient:
the taste for coffee is learned little by little. It starts with a cappuccino, moves on to a sweet coffee and finally comes to a cup of espresso. This way you can figure out which method you prefer, which type of roasting and which brand you like, and so on. You can try different ways to prepare coffee at home, below you will find some suggestions:
- Iced coffee
- "French press" coffee
- Cappuccino
- Iced cappuccino
- Turkish coffee
- Coffee with mocha
- Greek coffee
- Neapolitan coffee
Like Coffee Step 9 Step 10. Try coffee in food
Many people who do not like to drink coffee are able to appreciate it in food and gradually come to enjoy it as a drink as well. Here are some recipes:
- Coffee chocolate chip cake
- Cinnamon cake and coffee
- Coffee parfait
- tiramisu
- Coffee biscuits
- Coffee drowned
- Coffee ice cream
- Coffee parfait
- Coffee flan
Advice
- Darker coffee beans contain less caffeine because they have been roasted longer. Before being roasted, the coffee beans are green and contain the maximum of caffeine but have practically no taste.
- There are no brands, roasts or coffee preparation methods that are alike. Even the same coffee will be different when prepared at home in the traditional way, with a French coffee maker or with an espresso machine.
- Quality beans and roasters produce better coffee. Often a coffee can be made less strong, therefore more pleasant to taste, by diluting it with water.
- If you prefer to buy fair trade coffee, look for products labeled Fairtrade. Firms with this certification eliminate middlemen and buy coffee directly from farmers at a fairer price.
- Drink it often and you will end up loving it.
Warnings
- Store the coffee in an airtight container in a cool place. Coffee loses its fragrance very quickly after it has been ground, so try to grind only the amount you will use immediately. If you can't grind it at home, buy small amounts of freshly ground coffee regularly.
- Coffee contains caffeine, an addictive substance. Headaches and a sense of weakness are common withdrawal symptoms for those who consumed excessive amounts of coffee and then reduced their consumption, or even stopped altogether.
- Coffee, with its high percentage of antioxidants, cannot replace a healthy diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, and physical exercise in the open air: these elements are a more natural source of energy.
- Storing coffee beans in the freezer or refrigerator is not a good idea. The freezer will dry them completely, while the refrigerator is too humid. The only way to keep coffee fresh is to limit exposure to oxygen: store it under vacuum or in an airtight jar.
