Whether you buy whole beans or ground beans, you should try to buy freshly roasted coffee. See if there are any local roasters in your area. Many retailers make claims about how fresh their coffee is and most of the time they are telling the truth, just be wary of coffee beans that are packed in non-vacuum-sealed container like paper, plastic, or any non-hermetically sealed container. Non-vacuumed sealed containers will only keep the coffee fresh for a few days.

Buying Vacuum-packed coffee is the only way to guarantee any kind of freshness, unless you have your own roasting plant. Vacuum packing does not stop coffee’s aging process. It just slows it down. In ideal conditions, vacuum-packed coffee will stay good for up to a year and a half. The higher quality coffees use either nitrogen-flushed cans or bags with one-way valves to vacuum pack the coffee. However, the coffee should always smell like it is fresh when you first open it. Always smell your coffee when you first open it, things can go wrong during the sealing process, and it could be bad. There is nothing worse than brewing bad coffee.
‘
As I have said before, once coffee is opened it will age quickly no matter how fresh it was when it was packed. Fresh coffee’s main enemy is air and every second it is exposed to air, it looses its freshness. Grounds more so than whole beans, this is because of higher surface exposure. Grinding the beans also takes its toll of the coffee’s freshness, by breaking them down during the grinding.
Store coffee beans in an airtight container, glass jars or cans with plastic lids work well for this, and keep the container in a cool/dry place away from light and moisture. If the container is for-sure airtight, you can store it in the refrigerator for even longer freshness. Whole beans should be put in the freezer in an airtight container.

Freshness is why I always suggest online coffee clubs. Set up your subscription to match your coffee drinking patterns. You will always
Have just enough coffee available to you without it going bad too soon. Plus, you get to choose whether you want it pre-ground or whether you want to grind it yourself. I will have to write about some of the grinders I have in a later post.

What I am drinking now: Tully`s Kona Blend K-Cup (K-Cups are brewed with my Kuerig Brewers)

If you like a certain brand you should check to see if they have some kind of coffee subscription available. Almost all of them have one these days, Starbucks, Dukin’ Donuts, etc. If you do an internet search using the words “coffee subscription”, you get a ton of results.

Shop around; the subscriptions all vary in price. I like ones that include shipping and handling in the price and send shipments frequently (every two months or so). Of course, the ones that ship often cost more. Check out what kind of coffees they offer before you sign on the dotted line, if you are a decaf drinker make sure they offer decaf and stuff like that. I go for the ones that offer free gifts for signing up (like Gevalia’s free coffee maker) over ones that do not. I also like ones that send free gifts through out the subscription (just for being a member), you might as well get all you can from them.

They make great gifts for people that love coffee (men especially). Like I said before coffee subscriptions can be expensive, so if you are thinking about getting one for someone as a gift, be nice and pay for at least half the months in the subscription. You can even get coffee subscriptions that support issues important to you (or the person you are buying it for), which is cool. It may take a little looking around to find the one you want (or one that is close enough to the issue, Example: for animal lovers get one that supports the humane society). People that do stuff like that will appreciate the gesture. There is nothing better than enjoying a great cup of coffee knowing that you are helping a cause.

Note: there are coffee subscriptions that offer “pods” for single serve brewers.

What I am drinking now: Boca Java’s Jamaican Blue Mountain Reserve

Keurig’s B60 Brewer Special Edition

The B60 brewer is very similar to the other Keurig’s brewers, it has all the features you would expect in a Keurig machine (a cup brews in about one minute), and a few more new features. The one feature I am most excited to see is the three different cup sizes (5.25, 7.25, and 9.25oz for those travel size cups). It is great for entertaining with its single serve brewing, guests love choosing their K-cup flavor. Now you can get reusable K-Cups (My K-Cup) that you can fill with any coffee grounds if you cannot find a K-Cup flavor you like (over 70 varieties to choose from). Each of the My K-Cup’s is good for around 500 brews.

The machine itself measures 13 ¼” H by 10”W by 13D, which isn’t bad. I think it is a little wide, but it is not a deal breaker. The B60 is one of the best looking of the Keurig machines. It also has a durable and good heating and pumping mechanisms.

With the B60, you have control of the brewing temperature and time. The patented one-touch technology allows you to brew your beverage at the standard temperature of 192 degrees F or a cooler 187 degrees F. The lower brewing temperature is great for tea, and regular tea drinkers will appreciate this feature. It has a forty-eight ounce water reservoir that you can remove for easy fill-up. There is also a removable stainless steel drip tray, which makes cleaning up quick.

The 24-hour digital clock that is displayed on a LCD with striking bright-blue backlight is nice. I also like the programmable on/off timer. However having a timer on a single serve machine does seem a bit silly, unless you are on a tight schedule that almost never changes or you always get up at the same time each day. With the indicator you do not even have to think about it, just do what the light tells you to do.

Using the B60 is easy and simple, just open the lid, insert a K-Cup and chose your cup size. Using only 1500 watts, there should be no need to worry about energy consumption. 1500 watts is what most hair dryer’s use, if that helps you understand how much power it uses while it is brewing. The chrome handle and faceplate are a nice touch, they make the machine look fancy. The B60 would fit in great with almost any kitchen or office décor.

Cost, approximately 149.95 and it’s well worth it!

What I am drinking now: Newman’s Own Special Blend Extra Bold K-Cup

One of the few ways to keep coffee drinkable later is freezing it properly. You can make ice cubes, popsicles in many variations with leftover coffee. To ensure the best flavor, freeze the coffee as soon as you know you are done with the pot. I would not recommend freezing or saving coffee that has been sitting the whole day, even a few hours is pushing it. You can use these coffee cubes for cooling down hot coffee, making a variety of smoothies. (Some recipes at the bottom of post)

There are mixed views about refrigerating leftover coffee, some say it is just as good and some say it is awful tasting. I say it depends on how long you plan to store it (one day, two days) and, how you store it (must be in an airtight container). I would not save it longer than a day in the refrigerator, and maybe four days in the freezer. It all boils down to personal preference, whether or not you like the way it taste after a certain amount of time. Tip: if you know ahead of time you will have leftover coffee (like it is the second pot and you hardly ever finish) mix a pinch of salt in the grounds before you brew. It will take the bitterness out of the coffee and will make the leftover coffee taste better; of course, you can do this whenever you brew coffee.

Within the same day of refrigerating, you can use the leftover coffee to marinate meat. I have heard it is great for steaks. You really do not get much of the coffee flavor in the meat, so do not worry about your steak tasting just like a cup of joe. It mostly gives it a nice dark color. There are so many recipes for using coffee in marinates that all use different amounts of coffee, you should be able to find one that makes your mouth water. If not, just try adding a cup or so to a marinate recipe you already make. Also, try some in stews, pork chops, brownies, gravy, roast, etc. almost anything. You can add coffee in to the mix when you are making brownies, cookies, cakes, anything you want some coffee flavor in, just remember it is mostly water to you may have to cut back on some other liquids in a recipe so it is the right consistency. Coffee ice cubes can be thawed for use in baking.

Mix coffee with some chocolate milk mix, use enough that thickens up the coffee a little, add some vanilla extract (and creamer if you want), mix it thoroughly.
Put is airtight container and refrigerate. Use this concoction with a day on ice cream, brownies, cakes, etc. or you can go light on the chocolate milk mix so it is a drink instead of syrup.

As for the grounds, here are some things you can do with them:

• Used coffee grounds are really good for plants. You can mix them in the dirt when transplanting (in vegetable beds too), or sprinkle some on top of the soil (indoor and outdoor plants) before watering or rain for slow release nitrogen that your plants love.
• Your compost pile will benefit greatly from used coffee grounds, and go ahead and throw the filters in there too. They break down (used tea bags are almost as good as coffee grounds so save them as well)
• Mix used coffee ground with eggshells to get rid of pests, encircle the base of a plant with the mixture to repel pests.
• Make a fast acting and gentle liquid fertilizer by soaking the used grounds in water (about a half-pound of wet grounds per five gallons of water. Let mixture soak outside.

Recipes:
• Red Eye or a Turbo Hot as Dunkin Donuts calls it is a shot or two of espresso in coffee. Try it cold! Add one shot for a 10-12 oz cup of iced coffee, two shots for a 16oz coffee and three for a 20oz.
• Black and White milkshake, it is made with vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup with two shots of espresso.
• To make an iced version of a Starbucks latte use about half a dozen coffee ice cubes, around ½ cup of milk, and sugar and vanilla (as you like it) in a blender. Blend until frothy and light.
• Make a cool White Russian by using coffee ice cubes instead of regular ice. Use coffee cubes in other Kahlua or Coffee Liqueur based drinks.

What I am drinking now: Tully’s Keurig K-Cup Italian Roast

The espresso brewing process was invented in Italy around the turn of the century and it made its way to the US after World War II. The word espresso comes from the Latin word Expresesre which means “to press out”. This dark rich black coffee is traditionally served in a small “shot” type glass (about an ounce), you will see the word ‘shot’ used in recipes that include espresso. Example: Drinks like Cappuccinos take two ‘shots’ of espresso to make. Using dark roasted coffee beans is usually preferred when making espressos. Many people think a darker roast makes a difference in the taste, but it does not. A lot of the flavor depends on the quality of the blend, the beans being used, and where the blend was made. However, it is largely a matter of personal preference. The only MUST for beans that will be made into espresso is they have to be finely ground.

Espressos have to be made with an Espresso Machine, which can cost a minimum of $50.00 and the prices just go up from there. Nevertheless, if you drink a lot of espresso or other coffee drinks that espresso is the base for you may want to invest in an Espresso Machine. I recommend one that has a steam apparatus for frothing milk.
How does an Espresso Machine work? A pump in the machine forces hot (not boiling) water through the grounds at about nine atmospheres of pressure. This extracts the heart of the beans. An 18 to 23 second pull on the lever should extract a ‘shot’ from an espresso machine and should produce ¾ of an ounce to one whole ounce of yummy espresso. The water temperature is very important, and most at-home espresso machines take some time to warm up to the right temperature. If the water is not at the right temperature your homemade espresso may not taste too good, so read the instructions that come with your machine, it should tell you how long the warm up will take (usually 10 to 15 minutes).

Enjoy!

What I am drinking now: Green Mountain Coffee Breakfast Blend K-Cups

Today, after conducing hundreds of hours of research work it has been proven that there are no harmful side effects of coffee. Therefore all the blame piled onto coffee is coming to an end. You may be surprised to know that there are a vast number of benefits of drinking coffee daily.

By drinking coffee, the risk of colon cancer can be reduced by twenty five percent. It can help in keeping your bowel movements regular. Other studies suggest that taking coffee regularly can lessen the risk of kidney stones. There is good news for those suffering from asthma. Asthma patients who drink coffee daily have symptoms reduced by twenty five percent. This is due to the fact that coffee contains theophylline, a substance that provides relief to asthma patients. There are a numerous other ailments that coffee can prevent. Some diseases like the cirrhosis of liver, Parkinson’s disease, skin cancer and gallstones can be avoided by drinking coffee in moderation. All this evidence supporting coffee doesn’t necessarily mean that you should start drink coffee in large quantities. Studies suggest that three to four cups per day will have no harmful side effects on a healthy individual. However pregnant women should limit their consumption to less then two cups per day. Therefore, drinking some high quality coffee is defiantly going to boost your health.

Further research has proven that coffee contains antioxidants. They are evening the aroma coming from a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Antioxidants prove beneficial by improving our immune system. They can also reduce the risk of both cancer and heart diseases. Drinking coffee within twenty minutes of brewing will provide some three hundred antioxidant phytochemicals. They will remain in your body for up to one month. A diet containing plenty of antioxidants will effectively protect you body from cancer, cataracts, heart diseases and other symptoms related to aging. Vitamin C and E are two of the most famous antioxidants. A great amount of research has shown that they are extremely essential to our health. Vitamin C is easily dissolvable in water and protects aqueous portions of cells and tissues inside our body. Where as, vitamin E is soluble in oil and plays a vital role in protecting lipid parts like cellular membranes. With all this research supporting coffee, drinking a wholesome cup regularly will go a long way in improving your health. It will ensure your long term fitness and well being.

What I am drinking now: Boca Java’a Riviera Roast (Very good dark roasted coffee)

A little known fact is: Gevalia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kraft Foods and is the largest coffee roastery in Scandinavia. They are a very reputable company!

To be honest with you, most people just sign up then cancel so they can keep the free coffee maker. I, on the other hand, have kept my subscription and just gave the coffee make away as a gift because I have my Keurigs.

Enjoy!

coffeelover

What I am drinking now: Gevalia’s Kenya

When drinking coffee the first thing that comes to our mind is its quality. People are aware of healthy and non healthy diets these days. They know what is going to make them feel good. Therefore, a large proportion of people simply choose to take a diet that is free of pesticide remains, preservatives, synthetic additives and hormones. Every one is adopting a healthier life style, one that is good to our bodies. The same applies to your coffee.

On of the most popular additives in coffee is trimethylxanthine. However, coffee also includes other associated stimulants like theobromine and theophylline. Theobromine is found in chocolate and theophylline is contained in tea. Coffee is rich in caffeine. Other sources of caffeine include cola nut, South American teas mate and guarana. Being an anti-fungal agent, caffeine protects plants from disease.

Studies suggest that ninety percent of caffeine in powdered coffee is dissolved in hot water within sixty seconds of contact. Caffeine is also vaporized into the air while roasting coffee beans. Therefore, as a safety measure smoke is ventilated out of roasters with the help of chimneys. This smoke can easily cause over administration of caffeine to workers in plants. Another study conducted in 1977 showed that there were considerable amounts of caffeine emitted from coffee-roasting factories in New York City.

However there is decaffeinated coffee available for those of us who feel uncomfortable with high caffeine levels in coffee. The novel concept of separating caffeine from coffee beans was introduced by Europe. However this idea gained popularity in the rest of the world. According to one source, approximately one cup out of every four cups of coffee is decaffeinated. It is likely that sixty percent of all decaffeinated coffee is drunk by Americans. As science continues to investigate this wonderful beverage, it may offer numerous undiscovered health benefits. However, it still offers lot of rewards if taken in moderation.

What I am drinking now: Boca Java’s Hawaiian Kona Extra Fancy

A popular type of coffee is flavored coffee. It is mixed with syrups, flavorings and spices to give it that extra punch. Chocolate is an important ingredient in flavored coffee. It can be added to your coffee in two ways. Chocolate chips can be either sprinkled over top or syrup is mixed in your coffee. Other additives include cinnamon, Italian syrups and nutmeg.

Café au Lait is similar to Caffe Latte. The difference lies in the fact that au lait is prepared from brewed coffee as an alternative to espresso. Moreover it is made up of one part milk and one part coffee. This provides a bit mild flavor.

Café Macchiato is prepared by mixing a shot of espresso with steamed milk. It consists of four parts coffee and one part milk.

Another famous type of coffee Caffe Latte is a blend of a shot of espresso and steamed, non frothed milk. There should be three portions of milk for every one portion of coffee. However latte stands for milk in Italian. Therefore you can expect a lot of milk in your latte if you order it in Rome.

Double shot is a term that you will often hear amongst coffee drinkers. As its name suggests it consists of two shots of espresso mixed with usual amount of other ingredients. For instance, if you want to order double hammerhead, then it will contain two shots of espresso with the drip blend.

Frappe is a very popular coffee in Latin America and Europe. It is in demand during the summer season. It is also known as cold espresso. However, these days it is made by blending one or two teaspoons of instant coffee with water, sugar and ice. This concoction is filled in big glass with some extra ice and milk that is optional. You can treat your friends with this coffee milkshake.

There are so many varieties of coffees available that you can have a new cup every time you go out. You can have delightful experiences with coffee. Enjoy yourself by discovering new flavors. Simply try one new flavor right now!

What I am drinking now: Green Mountain Coffee Mocha Nut Fudge K-Cup

One famous type of coffee is espresso. This is possibly the most widely drunk coffee all around the world. You can classify espresso as black coffee. During preparation coffee beans are exposed to a certain amount of steam to give it that rich flavor. This is commonly done by espresso coffee machine. Espresso coffee usually provides the perfect flavor from coffee beans. You can relish a cup of espresso with its bitter sweet flavor.

Cappuccino is another popular category of coffee. It is one of the most widespread types of coffee that is drunk by just about every one. A refreshing cup of cappuccino simply tastes too good and provides a delightful start to a new day. Cappuccino has a gentle and mild taste. An ideal cup is served with some cream, a touch of chocolate and nutmeg powder to improve its taste.

Cappuccino and Espresso are the most common categories of coffees out there. However, there are other varieties of coffees available as well. Exotic coffees are well known for their diverse flavors. Their taste is largely dependent upon the country of origin and how well they are produced. Many improvements and changes can be brought to the flavor during production process. Amongst the other varieties of coffee are Turkish coffee and dancing coffee. There are also coffees that are uniquely created by mixing local spice into them. Other variations include coffees with liquor. These are all just a few examples of exotic coffees.

Adding a great touch to the coffee family is the cold coffee. They are a fantastic way to refresh your self during those hot summer days. Cold coffee is equally liked by teenagers and adults. If you really want to treat your self then go for specialized gourmet coffee. In case all this coffee talk has given you an urge for that big creamy mug of coffee, go ahead take a break and enjoy that ideal mug of coffee at home or work.

Look out for Part 2…

What I am drinking now: Boca Java’s Hawaiian Kona Extra Fancy