All Coffee is Not Alike

Many of us take for granted a good cup of coffee. We don't take the time to think about what goes into a cup of java, we just drink and enjoy. I often wonder who was the first person to taste or drink certain foods, and what possessed them, but that is a story for another time.

It seems that coffee can be traced back to the Ethiopian goat herder. The story goes that the herder discovered coffee after he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night. Which is exactly what happens to me often.

Coffee is grown in many countries even in the US, in Hawaii and California. The countries who produce the top 5 best coffees are:

• Colombia. Colombia is considered to be a giant in the coffee business, supplying 15% of the world's coffee. ...
• Guatemala. Guatemala is a country known for its production of high-quality coffee. ...
• Costa Rica. ...
• The Arabian Peninsula. ...
• Ethiopia. ...
• Jamaica

The mountains are the best place to grow Coffee beans, subtropical regions at high altitudes between 1800 ft-3000 ft. Coffee growing is lengthy and expensive and takes anywhere from 3 to 4 years from planting to harvest.

Because the regions where coffee beans grow are mostly mountainous, coffee beans are still often picked by hand and only the ripe beans are picked. Pickers will usually return every week to pick the next set of ripe beans. Places like Brazil where the terrain is more flat and even the picking process has been mechanized.

Once the beans are picked, they go thru a drying process, then are sent to a milling area where the beans are shucked. The outer shell is removed or by milling machines, this is called Hulling, then the beans move to a polishing area, then these beans, called Green Coffee, are bagged ans shipped to roasters.

Generally unroasted beans have no flavor, so the Green Coffee are shipped to Roasters around the world. The beans are not just thrown into some oven, Roasting is a Science and an Art which brings out the Aroma and Flavors of coffee. According to the Nation Coffee Association there are four basic roasting styles.

Light Roast - Mild flavor

Medium - This is the most popular

Medium Dark - Slightly Bitter

Dark Roast - Less acid, mostly sold in European countries

The flavors and consistencies of coffee after roasting is a personal preference, experiencing with each of the roast will help you find your favorite.

Fancy Shmancy coffee experts are called Baristas. It's a fancy word for coffee shop employee who received their training on the job, but did you know there are actually Barista schools and classes. The classes are anywhere for a few hours to a few days, and cost anywhere from $40 to $1000

The classes train you how to operate espresso machines, grinders, and traditional coffee brewing equipment, plus they teach proper steaming and designs. When the student completes the course, they will receive a certificate of training.

My certificate would read: will trade gossip for coffee.

Which coffee is the best you ask...if I tell you ...well you know the rest. Coffee is as personal as everything else so one persons choice would be another persons mud. I have a family member who's choice of coffee is so bad that adding creams and sugars still doesn't make it drinkable, it literally taste like mud. This person also reheats the cold cup of coffee in the microwave.

I have several brands and roast in my refrigerator which i recently found is the worse place to keep coffee. Coffee should be kept in a air tight container in your cabin or counter top.

I love fresh coffee, if I could put my face under the drip coffee pot I would. I also have several different brewing methods depends on my mood and who comes to visit.

I found an interesting video, listed below, from a Hungarian Man by the name of Gabor Laczko, which I find so interesting for a couple of reasons. First my maiden name is the same as his, I am also from Hungary and I also love coffee...Are we related? Let's do coffee!