Coffee Cocktail Party

Now that Thanksgiving is over it is time to start thinking about the Christmas Cocktail Party.  One might think, why on earth is the barista talking about cocktail parties!?  Well I'll tell you why.  There are a lot of great cocktails and desserts out there that have the key ingredient of coffee!  Here are my favorites:

Espresso Martini
The Espresso Martini is a contemporary alternative to a classic drink.  The basic recipe for this drink is 1 shot of espresso, 1 shot of liqueur and 2 shots of vodka.  My favorite liqueurs to use are; Godiva liqueur, Kahlua, Bailey's Irish Crème, or Frangelico.  You can use any vodka plain or flavored.  I know that martinis are sometimes made with gin instead, but this is a bad idea - it will not taste good with espresso.  These can be shaken or stirred and taste best in a chilled glass.  It is greatest when topped off with a couple of chocolate covered espresso beans. 

Caribbean Coffee
For those of you who prefer a little more rum in your life, there is always the Caribbean Coffee.  You start with 5 ounces of coffee and add 1 tsp sugar, 1 ounce of rum and top it off with whipped cream.  This will be a little lighter on the alcohol but it is a perfect addition to a nice and rich dessert.  If you don't have a dessert planned, just add a little ice cream and voila - instant dessert.

Cloud 9
This one will send you straight to - you guessed it - Cloud 9!  First you must gather ingredients.  1 ounce Frangelico, 3 ounce Vodka, 1 ounce chocolate syrup, 4 cups coffee, 1 cup milk, 10 ice cubes and 2 tbsp sugar.  Mix it all together in a blender and when serving add some whipped cream on top.  This will put any future blended coffee drinks to shame.


Cafe Affogato
This little beauty is a dessert I first tasted at Macaroni Grill.  It is a scoop of vanilla gelato with fresh espresso and a shot of Frangelico liqueur poured over it.  It may just be the best thing I have ever tasted in my life!  Of course the gelato starts melting once you pour the hot espresso over it.  Once you eat what little gelato is left, you can then drink the melted gelato with the left over espresso and liqueur.  I did a home version where I used gelato, an espresso shot that I got from a local coffee shop and added some Crème de Cacao (since I ran out of Frangelico) and it was still amazing.

Tiramisu
When making a list of coffee desserts, one cannot leave out Tiramisu.  The key ingredients in Tiramisu are coffee, alcohol, cocoa, cream cheese and ladyfingers.  As Alan Jackson once said, "Too much of a good thing… is a good thing."  There are so many variations of this dessert and I suggest you try them all!  Here is a great recipe to get you started.  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tiramisu-IV/Detail.aspx

Espresso Bark
If you're a simple person, you're going to love this simple dessert.  Espresso Bark is basically chocolate with coffee beans.  It's a great dessert that you can make any time and whip out when a party erupts.  It is also a great addition to hot coffee and It's a Wonderful Life.  Here is a recipe to start with but I suggest you try adding little things that you enjoy like nuts, sprinkles, etc.  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Espresso-Bark/Detail.aspx 

There you are.  Now you know how to feed the coffee addicts at a Christmas party.

Coffee Beans: Around the World

Coffee beans have different flavors depending on where they are grown.  The soil, climate, altitude and many other factors play a key role in the flavor.  Now when I say 'flavor' I mean the aroma of the bean and the different tastes that you can sense when drinking the coffee.  Coffee that has a hint of chocolate is different from chocolate flavored coffee which is coffee with chocolate flavoring added.

The beans that are most often found in a can are from Peru, Santo Domingo, Bahia, Ecuador and Vietnam.  Don't be confused by their exotic names, these areas mostly grow Robusta beans which as you may remember from an earlier post, have a flavor resembling that of a paper bag.  We're going to look instead at the countries that harvest Arabica beans.  Arabica beans are the highest quality beans and are what most coffee roasters sell to specialty coffee shops. 

On coffee bags you will find many terms and names for coffee.  These won't help you.    Watch out for words like:
•    Peaberry: that just means there are two beans per flower and has little to no effect on flavor.  Also caracol in Spanish.
•    Maragogipe: a variety of bean meaning  jumbo and has little bearing on what the flavor will be.
•    Excelso and Supremo: these terms make it sound like that coffee will be supreme, but this is also just talking about the size of the bean and has no effect on flavor.

The best way to find a coffee that is just for you is to find out what country or region the beans were grown in.  Here is an overview of different countries and what their beans taste like. 

Yemen and Ethiopia
Yemen is where you will find the Mocha Java blend and the only place true Mocha Java comes from (similar to how real champagne only comes from Champagne.)  Mocha Java received its name because it was shipped through the port of Mocha in Yemen and were the first popular beans to reach Europe.  Mocha port became synonymous with coffee and when chocolate arrived from The Americas they tasted alike.  Today the beans have changed and taste nothing like chocolate but the blend is still called Mocha Java.  These beans have a wild taste full of fruit and wine flavors. 

Beans from Ethiopia are similar in their wild taste but carry more of a blueberry flavor.  Most of the beans from Ethiopia are dry-processed and can sometimes carry more of a dirty flavor which covers the fruitiness.  The wet-processed beans have more of a floral flavor which some say resembles tea.

Kenya
Beans from Kenya are usually wet-processed and have high acidity.  Kenyans have been growing beans for centuries and have certainly kept their traditions of growing high in the mountains, which is how their beans get their acidity. Much like Costa Rica, Kenya's coffee industry is backed by the government and flourishes.  There are many coffee farms throughout the country, the majority of which grow amazing beans.  Surrounding countries also offer high quality beans such as; Burundi, Malawi, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Indonesia
Most of the coffee from Indonesia is full of body and is dry-processed which creates an herbal and earthy flavor in the bean.  Whereas the previous beans had fruity flavors, this has more of an earthy wild mushroom.  There are three islands which produce the best coffee in the area; Java, Sulawesi (or Celebes), and Sumatra.  The Java bean is not the great bean it used to be because many of the Arabica trees have been replaced by higher yielding Robusta.  The beans from Sulawesi and Sumatra still provide full bodied beans with little acidity and are highly regarded.

New Guinea
Beans from New Guinea are often lumped together with Indonesia but they have more acidity than their neighbor's.  The beans still carry a full body and are heaviest of any wet-processed Arabica bean.  This bean is ideal for espresso. 

Costa Rica and Guatemala
Beans from Costa Rica and Guatemala are regarded as having the most complete flavor.  The coffee from Costa Rica even tastes great as it cools, which is when most coffee will show its defects.  Some will say though that Costa Rican coffee is too perfect, too balanced, so they turn to Guatemala.  Beans from Guatemala have a slight smoky or chocolaty flavor but still remain in great balance.  The processing here is not as regulated so there are slightly more defects.  Coffee from the city of Antigua, when processed just right, can lead to the best cup of coffee.

Hawaii
Hawaii is the only state in the USA that can produce coffee.  Real Kona coffee is high quality and always carefully processed.  It is difficult to come by and not often found outside the state of Hawaii.  Most places will ship the best coffee away, but Hawaii keeps it in the state where they can fetch a higher price from locals and tourists alike. 

Now you know how to find a coffee bean to fit your taste.  For example, if you don't like that acidic bite in your coffee, don't buy Kenyan coffee and instead head for Indonesian or Costa Rican variety.  Most coffee is not a single origin blend because most coffee beans don't stand well on their own - Costa Rican, Guatemalan, and some Kenyan coffees are the exception.  Most coffee you will find as blends, but you should still be able to find what countries the blends came from.

Brewing Tea: a lesson on how to buy and brew loose leaf tea.

 

Buying Tea
The best part about purchasing loose leaf tea is that you buy it out of a can.  You can sniff the tea before you buy to get a good idea if you will like it.  You then get to chose exactly how much of it you would like - all the way down to 1 ounce.  This allows you to try a lot of new teas without emptying your wallet at the counter.


These are my favorite places to buy tea:
Fava Tea Company
1656 N. Casaloma Drive
Appleton, WI 54913
http://www.favatea.com/
(they will be moving in November to 706 N. Casaloma Drive)

Teavana
Mall of America
128 W Market
Bloomington, MN 55425
http://www.teavana.com/
(Teavana has many other locations around the country)

Once you have your tea you will need to steep it.  You should start with cold tap water (water heaters can sometimes add contaminates that will cause the flavor to change in your tea.)  Heat your water to a rolling boil.  At this point you will either add your tea or wait for the water to cool slightly.  The package your tea is put in should state the temperature and steep time.  If it doesn't, here is a start.  It is not super important that the water is exact.  For instance if you are making a white tea, let the water settle for 30 seconds and you will have approximately 180 degrees.  For green tea wait 60 seconds.

Tea:    Water Temperature:    Steep Time:
Green Tea    160 degrees    1-3 minutes
White Tea    180 degrees    4-8 minutes
Oolong Tea    190 degrees    1-8 minutes
Black Tea    Rolling Boil    3-5 minutes
Herbal    Rolling Boil    5-8 minutes
 
While the water is boiling you should prepare your tea.  You will usually want 1 teaspoon of tea per 8 ounces of water.  It is important to remember that if you want a stronger cup of tea that you should add more leaves instead of letting the tea steep longer.  Over steeping the tea will drastically change the taste.

Here are various ways of steeping the tea:

Traditional Tea Pot
Every tea drinker should have one of these.  It is ideal for serving one or many.  I will use the tea kettle to not only heat my water for morning tea but use the extra in my oatmeal!  This method is more timely but you really get to experience the process this way.


Paper Filters
This allows you to make your own bags of tea.  Just remember to leave room for the leaves to expand.  This could be used in a tea pot or in a single cup.






Strainers
These come in a lot of different variations.  Some are called infusers which are open top strainers that sit on top of a tea pot or cup.  There are also some that are "egg" style or balls.  These are either on chains or have handles.  Again, they can be used in a tea pot or cup.  I prefer to use these rather than paper filters because these are reusable. 

IngenuiTEA tea pot
This pot is made by Adagio Teas and is one of the most convenient ways to make tea.  All you do is fill the pot with water, pop it in the microwave to get the water boiling, add your tea and when it's done steeping you place the pot on top of your cup and the tea strains through mesh in the bottom into your cup!  It is even dishwasher safe.



Press
This is usually used for coffee but can also work for tea.  You pour your water and your tea into the same chamber and when it is done steeping you press the mesh disc down and all the pieces are pushed to the bottom and you are left with your tea.  This is considered a "dirty" method because you will get more leaves in your tea than you would with other methods, but it tastes just as good.  Bodum makes my favorite presses, including this traveling press. 

My favorite tea accessory brands are Bodum and Adagio.  Bodum can be found at Target while Adagio is usually found at places that sell loose leaf tea.

Review: Paciugo Gelato & Caffe

Paciugo Gelato & Caffe
Mall of America
392 West Market
Bloomington, MN 55425
http://www.paciugo.com/

Cuisine: Gelato
Dress: Casual
Cost: $3-$6

I had recently heard a lot about Paciugo through all my food following on Twitter and decided that I really needed to get there.  It hasn’t been at the Mall of America for more than a month and it is already quite popular. 

It is a very open store right on the corner – it doesn’t even have any walls.  Once you’re in the mall it is easy to find, but getting to the mall isn’t always the easiest of tasks.

The first thing that happens is you are greeted by very happy (obviously sugar high) employees that encourage you to taste test any of the flavors you want!  No worries about sample abuse.

All of the Gelato is made fresh on a daily basis and the flavors are constantly changing.  Once you decide on your flavors (That’s right, its plural) they pack the gelato into your cup.  I went with Mocha, Café Hazelnut and Amaretto and they were so good together!  I didn’t get to try their drink menu but they have a nice and simple coffee selection along with some blended drinks.

This place was amazing and I can’t wait to go back and try a new combination.  Paciugo might actually be replacing Cold Stone for me.

Drinks for the Holidays

 

Now that the holidays are just around the corner you are going to start seeing fun new drinks pop up everywhere.  Here is a list of drinks that you can't miss out on.

Eggnog Latte
If you don't like Eggnog you are crazy.  The Eggnog Latte is what I look forward to every year - I get the elastic waistband just for it!  Some say that spiked nog is the way to go.  I say they're wrong.  I usually cut my nog with a little bit of skim milk and so do many coffee shops.  This way you can still have great taste and feel less guilty about having a couple every day.  All you have to do is ask and the coffee shop can usually do it either way.  (Except at Starbucks where they refuse to let you have just eggnog because they're mean.)  No matter what though it still tastes amazing.  I would also suggest not adding any flavor shots because the eggnog itself has a lot of flavor and goes really well with espresso.  If you still think you need flavors added, go for something nutty like hazelnut or amaretto.

Peppermint Tea
Nothing warms you up quicker than a cup of tea.  Peppermint does such a good job putting you in the Christmas spirit too.  This is usually found as an herbal tea but can also be found as an added flavor to black teas.  It tastes best as an herbal tea because that is what it naturally is but then it has less caffeine.

Caramel Apple Cider
This might fall outside the caffeinated realm but it is still within the coffee shop realm.  Hot Apple Cider has always been a holiday staple and frequently spiked for the adults.  Next time add a little caramel instead and you have liquid sugar sweetness.  The spice and sweet work so well together!  My favorite comes from Mugby Junction (Winona, MN) where they add chai mix to their apple juice and use Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce (not syrup).

Pumpkin Pie Latte
I'm pretty sure that pumpkin tastes good no matter what you do with it.  The best if definitely in a latte though.  It's so smooth and caffeinated!  Of course you should be sure to top it off with whipped cream and a little nutmeg too.  Be sure to resist the urge you will feel to stick your face into the pumpkin and whipped cream goodness, because people will look at you funny and you'll probably burn your face.

Apple Pie Black Tea
This is one example of a tea that is much better when its loose leaf.  If it is a bagged tea it's just going to be flavored whereas  in loose leaf you will get your black tea leaves with pieces of actual apples along with all the spices.  This tea will make you feel all warm and fuzzy without having to go through the work of baking a pie!


Peppermint White Mocha
A lot of people like some peppermint in their latte but until you try it in your white mocha you ain't tried nothing yet!  The sweetness of the white chocolate goes so well with the spice and cool taste of peppermint.  My favorite variation is the Ho Ho Mint Mocha at Caribou where they put pieces of broken candy canes on top of the whipped cream.

Be sure to check these out this season because many of them are only carried through the holidays!

Coffee Beans: From the soil to the roaster

I'm very passionate about coffee and find everything about it interesting, including where coffee comes from.  No, there is not a coffee stork.  Coffee usually originates in countries nearest to the equator in mountainous regions like Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Yemen and Kenya.  These are the best places to grow Arabica beans.

Arabica vs. Robusta *ding ding ding*
In one corner, we have Arabica boasting it's rich flavors, but complicated harvesting.  In the other corner we have Robusta boasting it's simple harvesting, but as Corby Kummer said in The Joy of Coffee, "The chief flavor attribute of Robusta… is that of a brown paper bag."  Looks like the coffee shop is going to chose the Arabica beans!  But don't worry Robusta, I'm sure you'll find your way into a can on a grocery store shelf.

To illustrate how coffee beans go from soil to roaster we will look to a model plantation in Costa Rica called La Minta which is owned and operated by Bill McAlpin.

Here the coffee trees look like bushes because they are kept so small.  This makes them easier to pick and easier to keep shaded by larger trees.  All of the picking is done by hand because the beans do not all ripen at the same pace.  The workers will only pick ripe ones and come back a day or two later for the others.  The beans are actually the seed of the cherries that are found on the tree.

The pickers bring in their cherries to be weighed, and get paid according to how many ripe berries the bring in.  The pickers are given a fair wage that makes many boarding countries jealous.  McAlpin also gives a variety of benefits to his employees including free vegetables from the La Minta plantation.

After the pickers have all turned in their cherries, the cherries are bagged and loaded onto trucks and  are taken 25 miles down a winding road to the processing mill.  If the truck driver loses any beans he will be charged accordingly.  That is why the drivers drive so slowly and don't finish until nearly midnight.

The cherries will begin to ferment quickly - which will give the beans an undesirable flavor - so everyone must keep working through the night.  Since these cherries are high quality, they will go through a "wet" process for cleaning. In this process the cherries stay in constant contact with water using a carefully planned Rube Goldberg machine.

After the washing is complete the cherries no longer have their skin and are left with the pulp and the bean.  They are then dried on a patio for 1-3 weeks and are constantly raked so they dry evenly.  Sometimes however, they are dried in a mechanical drum for 2-3 days.  After drying, the beans resemble a pistachio with their light brown shell and green bean within. 

When an order comes in for the beans, they are put through a final sorting.  The beans are not polished but have a matte finish.  A group of women sort through every single bean since there is no machine that can detect the color and ripeness of a bean.  After sorting, the beans are shipped by boat and only take about 3 weeks to get to the roaster.

An interesting side note to all of this is that any bean that isn't perfect isn't thrown out but instead sold to Costa Ricans.  Many coffee producing countries serve the worst coffee because all the good stuff is shipped out of the country.

The whole process needs many skilled workers and is timed perfectly.  Arabica beans are given the most care and have the best flavor.  Robusta beans are grown in full sun, picked and sorted mechanically, and are rarely fair-trade.  When you know all that goes into the process, it is not hard to see why a cup of coffee at a shop costs more than a cup brewed from a can at the grocery store.

For a more detailed explanation I would highly recommend you read The Joy of Coffee.

Information for this article taken from The Joy of Coffee, Corby Kummer, 2003, Pages 5-21