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A cup of tea can help you get your morning started or aid in relaxation after a long and stressful day. You can warm up on a cold winter day with a steaming mug of your favorite tea, or you can cool down on a summer afternoon with a tall, refreshing, glass of iced tea. Not only does it taste great hot or cold, but it can also help you stay healthy. Witha variety of tea that seem to come in ever color of the rainbow and every flavor possible, walking down the tea aisle at your local grocery store can be a perplexing event. The truth of the matter is that there are basically four groups of tea and most of your favorite will fall into those categories.

Black Tea: The process of making Black tea is a long process that eventually results in the oxidation and fermentation of the tea leaves. This fermentation process results the darkening of the tea leaves to a deep red or black color. Black Tea is one of the more common flavored teas. Under the umbrella of black teas are some common flavors such as Darjeeling and an assortment of breakfast teas.
Benefits: It is believed that black tea can help digestion, improve cholesterol, and possibly reduce tooth decay. While there is caffeine in black tea it’s not as potent your morning cup of coffee and can often give you that needed boost without the jitters.

Green Tea: Green tea is made from leaves that do not go through oxidization. They are picked and then steamed or pan fried to prevent any fermentation. Although it doesn’t sound extremely appetizing this popular tea is often described as tasting earthy like grass. It has a light and refreshing flavor and depending on the type, can range from sweet to a little bitter.
Benefits:Green tea is credited with helping your body fight off cancer, some types of arthritis, and high cholesterol. It also can be a great boost to your immune system.

Oolong Tea: Oolong Tea is less oxidized than black tea but does go through some oxidation unlike green tea. Most tea drinkers describe oolong as having a earthy/grass taste similar to Green tea, however it’s slightly stronger.
Benefits: While it’s not yet proven, there is some research being done into the impact oolong tea has on weight control. Besides that, oolong tea is credited with aiding digesting and cleansing the body from the inside out.

White Tea: White tea can be thought of the unripe fruit of the tea world. Made from young or immature leaves that have yet to undergo oxidation, white tea is probably the most expensive and rarest form of tea. Although it recently has become more available in the United States, it was originally hard to find anywhere else besides China. White tea is often said to have a smooth sweet flavor.
Benefits: The flavor alone isn’t a reason why white tea is becoming so popular in the US. This tea is credited with being the healthiest form of tea because it’s so close to its natural state. Some of the benefits of white tea come from the high amount of cancer fighting anti-oxidants as well as its ability to aid your immune system in fighting off bacteria and viruses.

“He proudly shows us the branches of the coffee trees, bent under the weight of their crop. He touches them tenderly, as a father would his children . . . his eyes shining with happiness. ‘Do you know, doctor, why these branches curve so toward the earth? They are grateful to the farmer, and bow before God.’” José Corvetti, describing a visit to the farm of Italian immigrant T. Malavasi,Tres Ríos, 1935 Coffee and Costa Rica were meant for each other, and they have grown and prospered together, complementing each other in the pursuit of excellence. Costa Rica repealed the death penalty in 1870 and abolished the army in 1948, and coffee supported those reforms with its high productivity and environmentally friendly disposition. In a country which has enacted laws protecting 21% of its territory in order to preserve the 5% of the world’s biodiversity it shelters, Costa Ricans are encouraged by their environment to love what they do, and to do it well. In its desire to protect the environment, Costa Rica has carefully tended the soils and climate that are best suited to coffee production. As Costa Rica’s soils have been enriched by volcanic ash, they contain a slight degree of tropical acidity. They are also rich in organic matter, which makes for good distribution of the coffee plant’s root system, enabling them to retain humidity and facilitating oxygenation. This combination of factors invigorates the coffee plants and is one of many elements contributing to the quality of Costa Rican coffee. Over 70% of the country’s coffee is produced in the mountains, which vary in altitude from 3,280 to 5,580 feet above sea level. Mountain temperatures range from 63 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Sunlight is stable, and precipitation levels are ideal. All this makes for as dependable and high-quality a coffee crop as any produced in a greenhouse. Costa Rica is the only country in the world which has issued an executive order (N°19302-MAG, 4 December 1989) banning the production of any variety of coffee other than Arabica. This standard is made possible by the expertise, experience and favorable physical conditions which converge in this remarkable land. The story of Costa Rica’s coffee is the story of the nation that saw it come to life over two centuries ago. Throughout the years, it has been the yardstick by which the country’s life and economy have been measured. Our grandparents tell us… Coffee was first brought to Costa Rica during the last decade of the eighteenth century. So we are told in a letter sent by Panamanian trader Agustín de Gana to the Governor of Costa Rica, Don José Vásquez y Téllez, announcing that he was sending two pounds of coffee.
The history books tells us that Father Felix Velarde was the first Costa Rican coffee grower; his will, dated 1816, refers to a plot of land on which coffee had been planted. Tradition has it that he bequeathed the seeds to his neighbors, inviting them to plant them. His suggestion must have taken hold, because the first recorded export of Costa Rican coffee, a one-hundred pound shipment to Panama, took place in 1820. By 1832 coffee was also being exported to Chile by Jorge Stiepel, a German businessman living in Costa Rica. In Chile, the coffee was repackaged and sent to England, where it was sold as “Valparaíso Chilean Coffee”. Meanwhile, a group of forward-looking coffee producers, including Mariano Montealegre, who was the main promoter of the crop between 1830 and 1840, decided to take on the task of exporting it directly to England. The first shipment was made in 1843 thanks to the efforts of the captain of an English ship, The Monarch, which transported 5,505 one-hundred-pound sacks to Europe. The first two Heads of State of Costa Rica, Juan Mora Fernández and Braulio Carrillo, strongly supported the coffee trade, as they sensed that it could generate economic growth and enhance Costa Rica’s position on the international market. As coffee production developed further, the country’s economy, society, and culture flourished. But that is another story . . . The story of Costa Rica’s coffee is the story of the nation that saw it come to life over two centuries ago. Throughout the years, it has been the yardstick by which the country’s life and economy have been measured. Coffee bears fruit . . . What does coffee have to do with the theater? What does the tax year have to do with the coffee harvest? In Costa Rica such relationships are essential, and are part of the benefits obtained from the “Golden Grain”, as it is called in Costa Rica. Coffee exports to Europe during the mid-nineteenth century brought many opportunities for Costa Rica, opening a window to the Old World that would eventually bring in railroads, a postal service, printing presses, the country’s first university, and what is perhaps the region’s greatest architectural treasure: the National Theater. Designed as a miniature copy of the Paris Opera House, the National Theater, located in the center of the capital city of San José, became a symbol of coffee-driven prosperity because it was initially financed by coffee taxes. Coffee did not simply transform the Costa Rican economy and its landscape, it also changed consumer behavior and working patterns. The development of a taste for coffee was, perhaps, a reflection of the democratic society that was being forged. In the words of historians Peters and Samper, “Drinking coffee became a ritual of Costa Rican society, a society that was free of economic and social distinctions; everyone drank it, from the simplest farmer or laborer to the most prominent politician.” And, just as Costa Rica lives and breathes democracy and peace, it also lives and breathes coffee. It is no coincidence that per capita consumption of this drink is the highest of all coffee-producing countries in the world. The close relationship between coffee and daily life led Costa Ricans to plan their calendar around the harvesting, processing and sale of coffee, to such an extent that the Costa Rican tax year is based on the coffee trade: it begins in October and ends in September of the following year. For a long time, in fact, even the school year revolved around the coffee harvest. But that did not prevent education in Costa Rica from becoming in 1886, what it still is today: free and mandatory. Textbooks and teachers arriving from Chile during the early years of the coffee trade, and later on, from Europe, became part of a tradition which also included a unique land ownership structure, in which small and medium-sized properties have remained a part of the rural landscape to this day. That landscape has changed over the years. What has not changed is Costa Rica’s continuing love affair with coffee.

Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, West Africa.
According to popular legend a local goat herder going by the name of Kaldi, was watching his flock as usual when he noticed that his goats were acting unusually frisky and were very alert. Further observation revealed that the affected goats were eating berries from a certain type of bush that he has never noticed before. Kaldi′s curiosity led him to eat some of the berries himself and he found that these berries gave him renewed energy and concentration.

The news of this energy-giving fruit quickly spread throughout Africa. Monks, hearing about this amazing fruit tried it for themselves and were keen to distribute it to other monasteries far and wide. Unfortunately the berries would not last the long journeys involved. The monks soon discovered that if they first dried the berries they would last much longer and would survive the long journeys to distant lands.

Upon reaching their destination they reconstituted the dried berries in water, ate the fruit, and drank the liquid. They found that consuming the beverage and fruit gave them more energy enabling them to pray for longer periods of time.

Coffee berries were transported from Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula, and were first cultivated in what today is the country of Yemen. From there, coffee travelled to Turkey where beans were roasted for the first time over open fires. The roasted beans were crushed, and then boiled in water, creating a crude version of the beverage we enjoy today.

During the early 17th century, coffee houses spread quickly across Europe becoming centres for intellectual exchange and commerce. Many great minds of Europe used this beverage, and forum, as a springboard to heightened thought and creativity.

In 1700, coffee found its way to the Americas by means of a French naval officer, Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu. De Clieu was on leave from Martinique in Paris and asked if he could take a clipping from King Louis XIV’s coffee plant to take back with him. This request was denied, but undeterred De Clieu later crept into the Kings botanical gardens late at night and stole a seedling.

On his return journey he carefully nurtured the young coffee seedling on the long arduous journey across the Atlantic. He survived terrifying storms and attacks by pirates, sharing scanty rations of water with his precious plant. This one plant, transplanted to the Caribbean island of Martinique, was put under armed guard in his estate and incredibly became the predecessor of over 19 million trees on the island within 50 years.

It was from this humble beginning that the coffee plant found its way to the tropical regions of South and Central America, then on to Indonesia and Asia, becoming the vital beverage enjoyed by most of the world today.

Have you ever heard someone order a macchiato or ristretto in the coffee shop queue and wondered what it was? Don’t know a doppio from a mocha? Never fear, help is at hand with our quick guide to speciality coffees below.
All speciality coffees can be made from a standard espresso machine.

Espresso - The base from which all speciality coffees are made - Hot water is forced through finely ground coffee to produce a maximum of 1 to 1.5 fluid ounces of beverage.

Crema ? Thus is the golden head of the espresso, which is made of the oils extracted from the coffee during the brewing process.

Doppio - A double shot of espresso. (doppio is Italian for double)

Espresso Con Panna - A shot of espresso topped with whipped cream.

Romano - Espresso served with a twist or slice of lemon.

Ristretto - A restricted or short shot of espresso for an intense espresso taste.

Macchiato - Espresso with a small amount of steamed milk dappled on top to give a spotted effect.

Cappuccino - One shot of espresso, one part steamed milk, one part foamed milk with an optional dusting of chocolate or cinnamon.

Mocha - Cappuccino with a shot of chocolate sauce or syrup.

Americano - A standard sized cup of coffee made by dispensing a double espresso into hot water. Add milk to taste.

Latte - One shot of espresso mixed with steamed milk.

Skinny - A term used before all coffee drinks containing milk e.g. Skinny Latte - Means served with low fat skimmed milk.

With Wings - A term used to ask for a take-away drink e.g. a cappuccino with wings (originates from the early take-out paper cups which had folding paper handles resembling wings)

Lungo - Meaning ′long′ in Italian e.g. Espresso Lungo, a long espresso with more hot water.

Corretto - Means ′corrected′ or laced with an alcoholic spirit or liqueur.

Dry - A cappuccino with no steamed milk - just foamed milk.

Flavoured - A latte or cappuccino with a dash of flavoured syrup added such as vanilla, hazelnut, mint, almond or many others.

As you can see, many of the terms originate from Italy, where the first espresso coffee machine was patented in 1938 by Achille Gaggia. The Gaggia name has been synonymous with quality traditional espresso coffee machines ever since.

Spend a few moments familiarising yourself with these terms, and then next time you glance at the coffee shop menu board you will know exactly what to order.

On the subject of coffee and baristas – Vanuatu will host the first international Barista competition in the South Pacific islands at the end of next month. The barista competition will coincide with Vanuatu’s 2007 national Salon Culinaire where both the Australian and Fijian Culinary Olympic teams visit the island nation. Chefs of the Australian Culinary Olympic team will prepare their Olympic menu for a gala six-course gourmet dinner. Fast earning a reputation as the gourmet capital of the South Pacific, Port Vila is home to a range of fine dining experiences and good coffee is always a key feature. The aim of the barista competition is to showcase the café life of Port Vila to international baristas and visitors as well as encouraging Vanuatu’s up-and-coming baristas. Organisers have created an independent website, www.baristavanuatu.com and all information including accommodation packages and event details can be sourced from the web.

Robina barista Kylie Pennicott has out-brewed some of Australia’s best baristas to be crowned The Coffee Club’s Barista of the Year for 2007. The 21-year-old coffee-making sensation had the audience in a spin in Brisbane’s Queen St Mall last Sunday. The Coffee Club’s annual Barista of the Year competition brings together eight of the best baristas from across the country. Kylie kicked off the competition serving up two cappuccinos and two short blacks before blowing the judges away with her signature beverage, Sugar and Spice – a short latte infused with a little maple syrup and all spice, which essentially enhances rather than overpowers the coffee blend. Kylie, who lives at Southport, has been a barista for two years, working between The Coffee Club Broadbeach and The Coffee Club Robina, both owned by Jeremy Swift.

Coffee lovers find they spend a lot of money at the local coffee house, purchasing their favorite cup of espresso. These people would greatly benefit from owning their own espresso coffee machine. Of course, there are several varieties of espresso coffee machines available, which can make things very confusing.
Different Types of Espresso Coffee Machines

In order to choose the right espresso model for yourself you need to decide how much control you want over the brewing. Of course, there is a fine line between how hard the machine is to operate and how much control you want to have. Here are a few of the models of espresso coffee makers that you should consider:

Manual

The manual type is the hardest to use but once you learn how to use it you will have a great cup of espresso. Here you will have to actually fill up the porta-filter handle and compact the coffee down. Once you have done this you will need to brush away any loose grounds that may be left there and then you will need to lock the handle into place. This is not the complicated part; the complex part is pulling the handle. If you pull it at the wrong time, your espresso will not be as good as it could be. You also need to know that there is no electric pump with such an espresso maker, hence the term “manual.” This is something that you should take into consideration before making your purchase. Nevertheless, this is amongst the first type of espresso machine available for producing the beverage that so many people know and love.

Automatic

The semi automatic type is more popular because a pump is used instead of your arm. As such it is more user friendly, giving you more reliable results. So, before long you can expect to sit down to enjoy wonderful espresso.

Full automatic espresso coffee machines came onto the market just a few years ago. They are a hands- free device, which will make the perfect espresso for you. As such, this is what most professional coffee houses and cafés use.

The super automatic types of machines will take charge of your espresso making for you. Everything is programmed into the machine so that all you have to do is press a button and out comes a perfect cup of espresso. The simplicity and speed is why these machines are so popular. Roland Parris Jefferson III is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, California. For free tips, recipes and expert advice on Coffee, please visit our Coffee Machine Resource.

Beans are classified into two botanical types — Arabica and Robusta. The coffee used in commercial production, which you usually see in instant coffees are Robusta. Arabica, on the other hand, is the older type of coffee that could give you premium-tasting cups.
Roasting

Although the growing factors of each coffee bean provides their distinctive taste, the process in which the beans are roasted will have a greater affect on the overall flavor. Generally, when the beans are roasted lightly, it will taste milder and when roasted darker, gives a richer, stronger and more flavorful taste.

Depending on the type of beans used, some coffees are best when lightly roasted while others taste better when darkly roasted. Professional roasters can identify coffee bean traits and use these them to produce different kinds of coffee flavors. During the roasting process, some manufacturers add chocolate, cinnamon, nuts and other blends to enhance the coffee’s flavor. For this reason, you should look for natural coffee products to avoid chemical coloring or flavoring.

Many people prefer to roast their beans at home to produce the freshest coffee possible. This can be done on your oven, stove or roasting machines. To take advantage of the freshly roasted beans, you should let them sit for at least 24 hours before brewing. Although home roasting usually results in inconsistent tastes, you have the choice of customizing it based on your taste buds.

Understanding Coffee Blends

Blends will affect the overall taste of the coffee because they enhance certain tastes and balance the traits of different beans. The most common coffee blend is mocha-java, which combines the smooth and rich Indonesian Java and the Yemen Mocha to provide a sharp and distinctive taste. The great thing about blends is that your can mix the beans to suit your taste. Most companies who sell beans allow you to mix and match different blends, which they usually record for your next purchase.

Some people have health problems that require they reduce their caffeine intake. If this is your case, you can still drink coffee by choosing decaffeinated types. Most decaf products taste lighter than the original blends; however, if you purchase decaf coffee from an experienced roaster, you will get the same taste as the ‘real’ thing.

Unfortunately, people with heart disease as well as pregnant women should not be drinking very strong coffee. Consult with your doctor for recommendations on the appropriate types of coffee for your health condition. Roland Parris Jefferson III is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, California. For free tips, recipes and expert advice on Coffee, please visit our Coffee Resource.

Studies show that throughout the world, people consume more than 330 million cups of coffee each and every day. This makes black coffee the most popular drink after water and soda. It even beats tea as people’s favorite drink. As such, black coffee is the third favorite beverage of people throughout the world.
Black coffee is still one of the most appreciated beverages of all times; this is mainly because it tastes so wonderful and its aroma is so tantalizing. As such, black coffee has a way in which it is able to take your spirits to the highest levels possible. It does not matter what time of day or night it is; coffee knows no time limits. You will want to drink it anytime anywhere, which is why this is such a great drink for all occasions.

It is interesting to note that there are more than 40 different types of coffee plants; the most popular varieties are “Arabica” and “Coffee Robusta.” Arabica coffee beans are actually considered to be superior in quality to Robusta coffee beans. For this reason, Robusta beans are what are usually used for mass production.

There are several ways in which coffee can be prepared with espresso being the most popular way. Regardless of the method, coffee is prepared by forcing the steam that comes from boiling water through the finely ground coffee beans. As such, the preparation time for espresso is a lot shorter than it is for regular coffee.

Tips to Help You Make the Best Black Coffee Possible

When making coffee, use cold water for brewing so it gets a fresher, richer taste. Ideally, try to use purified or bottled spring water to make your coffee. Clean your coffee machine thoroughly before and after each use. The filters and brewers should also be cleaned regularly. Remember that dirt, contaminated oils and grinds have a tendency of building up over the course of time. A lot of people prefer black coffee. However, you can make this type of coffee a lot creamier and give it a richer look by adding milk or non-dairy creamer varieties available in a myriad of flavors such as French vanilla and hazelnut. If you like such coffee, then you should take some time to give espresso a try.

The only complain coffee drinkers have with their beverage of choice is that they need their ‘coffee fix’ and how they feel lost if they can not get it. Even caffeine is not a big issue as many coffee lovers have switched to decaf varieties; it’s just the aroma and the feelings associated with coffee that make it so popular across the globe. Roland Parris Jefferson III is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, California. For free tips, recipes and expert advice on Coffee, please visit our Black Coffee Resource.

Through the years, coffee has been that quick and easy beverage that offered a kick but very few options other than cream or sugar. As the consumer has become more sophisticated; so has his coffee. Instead of simply a choice of brewed or instant, coffee now comes in just about any flavor, strength or combination to please even the pickiest of drinkers. Instead of being a rare treat, more and more coffee drinkers keep gourmet coffee stocked in their cupboard for any and all occasions.
Where Do I Buy Gourmet Coffee?

Gourmet coffee is readily available in most grocery stores as well as café’s but the easiest way to buy and get the best selection and price is by doing a search on the internet. There are many gourmet coffee websites available with something for any taste along with a price range from fairly inexpensive to over $100 a pound.

Does Gourmet Coffee Make a Good Gift?

Gourmet coffee makes a great gift - in fact many couples are adding it to their bridal registry! Gourmet coffee gifts are always a hit for housewarming or business gifts as well. Many coffee makers even offer their own gift registry along with gift baskets that include not only the gourmet coffee but also accessories to go along with it. Once again these gifts can range from under $20 to well into the hundreds of dollars depending on what kind of gift you want.

It is pretty clear with all of the gourmet coffee houses that are springing up on almost every street corner of every main business and college town that gourmet coffee is not only here to stay but is also good business. Starbucks comes out in the top ten most popular stocks on a regular basis and over the holidays they are as packed as any department store with shoppers looking for the perfect gift.

Gourmet coffee is not just for special occasions anymore and with the wide variety available there is no reason that you can’t enjoy a cup in the morning, at your desk or when sitting back and watching television. Look around and try out some the many varieties that are available until you find the gourmet coffee that is right for you. You are sure to find at least one favorite but it is more likely you will find several to suit your many moods. Roland Parris Jefferson III is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, California. For free tips, recipes and expert advice on Coffee, please visit our Gourmet Coffee Resource.