Coffee lovers head to their favourite cafes everyday, I know, I'm one of them and I am focused on one thing, experiencing the best coffee in the world. Most people are not that discerning at recognizing the finer qualities of a great coffee. A little coffee education goes a long way, so let's look at some basics to get started toward real coffee appreciation.
What is Coffee?
Coffee originates from a seed or bean. These beans are contained in the berries of a small, evergreen coffee bush. There are many species categorized under the botannical genus Cofea, Coffee is widely grown around the world in places like Ethiopia, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil etc. Today, the green coffee bean is one of the most traded commodities in the world market. Coffee contains a substance called caffeine, which has stimulant properties.
A brief history
The North Africans were the first to discover the effects of the coffee plant and so its cultivation spread across the Arabian areas. The history to the coffee bean is extensive and well debated. The earliest evidence of coffee drinking goes back to the 15th century monastries.
Harvest to coffee blends
Red coffee berries are harvested, dried and the bean extracted. Green coffee beans can be roasted to produce a special flavour, ground and brewed.Coffee comes in different varieties. Deciding which are the best coffee beans in the world is not an easy task. Two of the most common coffee beans used are Coffea Arabica and Coffea canephora (Robusta). Arabica is often used for espressos and Robusta in less expensive coffees. Two or more beans from different parts of the world are often blended. One of the best ways to brew these beans is a stovetop coffee maker.
The most expensive coffee in the world
Kopi means coffee and luwak is the name locals from indonesia give to the Palm civet. This little animal hunts for the reddist berries on the coffee plant. It eats the berries, digests them and excretes them. It is thought the civet's digestion process reduces the acidity of the beans and account for that special flavour! What will a cup of this unique coffee burn your wallet for? $50-$75. So next time you visit your local café haunt, take time to savour the coffee; become a connoisseur.
