Are you tired of your regular Joe life and your regular Joe cup of
coffee that you start your day with? Then it’s time to reward yourself
with something different. Why not jazz up your morning ritual with cup
of rich gourmet coffee.
The dictionary defines gourmet food like this, “Gourmet food is that
which is of the highest quality, perfectly prepared and artfully
presented.” If you want the highest quality food you go to a top notch
restaurant but if you want the highest quality coffee, you can do that
at home yourself. That gourmet meal is probably going to stay at the
restaurant unless you invite a chef over but gourmet coffee can be made
in the comfort of your own home with just a little practice.
Gourmet coffee is more expensive than say, supermarket brands but the
taste is also much richer. Unless money is no object, why not save the
gourmet cup of coffee for the weekends. Make it an end of the week
tradition. Stick with the supermarket coffee for when you’re rushing
off to work.
To make your own gourmet coffee start with the beans. Gourmet Coffee
beans can be bought by the pound and there are many varieties to choose
from. Some of the most popular gourmet beans include Kona, Jamaican
Blue Mountain, and Sumatra types.
Coffee beans are similar to wine in that they name the beans after the
region. In the world of wine you have the popular Sonoma wines which
come from Sonoma Valley in California. In the world of coffee the
equivalent would be Kona beans which come from Kona, Hawaii.
Kona coffee beans are grown in rich volcanic soil and the mild tropical
climate of the Kona coffee belt on the western side of the Big Island
of Hawaii. It has a wonderfully full, rich and smooth flavor with
little or no bitter after taste. Be sure that you buy Kona beans and
not a Kona blend. A Kona blend can legally be labeled as Kona with as
little as 10% of actual Kona beans in it.
Next you’ll need to grind your beans. Ground coffee begins losing it’s
flavor once it’s exposed to air. So you’ll want to grind just enough to
make your desired amount. Store any leftover grinds in an air tight
container. You’ll want to grind you coffee beans very fine but don’t
pulverize them into dust. If you over grind them the heat and friction
will vaporize the oils that give the coffee it’s distinct flavor.
When was the last time you cleaned your coffee maker? A clean coffee
maker makes a significant difference in how your coffee tastes. At
least once a month pour a mixture of half vinegar and half water into
your coffee maker. Let the mix run through the full brew process.
Repeat the process again using only water this time to rinse it out. Do
this one more time if a vinegar smell is still present.
Now you’re work is done and it’s time for the coffee maker to pulls
it’s weight. Use clean filtered water and fill the coffee maker to the
desired level. Use about 6 ounces of water for every 2 heaping
tablespoons of coffee. Turn it on and hang around while it brews.
You’ll want to be there to enjoy the delightful aroma.
Everyday coffee is perfect for everyday life. But every once in a while
you should treat yourself to something special. And what better way to
start a special than that with a special cup of coffee. Gourmet coffees
can really jazz up your day.
