Coffee Tips

Give The Gift Of Gourmet

The increasing popularity of gourmet coffee has made gourmet coffee gift baskets a popular gift for any occasion, from a birthday to the holidays.

Specialty coffee shops in shopping malls dedicate more space to coffee-related products than they do to the beans or the coffee counter. These include prepackaged gifts at the holidays.

Specialty coffee companies sell their gourmet signature roasts and blends, but many go beyond the bean to provide gifts that complement the coffee. Some also sell food, mugs and products made in the countries that produce gourmet coffee beans.

Are you buying a gift for a dessert coffee drinker? Gourmet coffee companies make it easy to pair it with chocolates, dessert baking mixes, hot chocolate and a mug to drink their evening beverage in.

Gourmet coffee has made coffee a more personal gift because of the many different roasts, flavored coffees, whole beans, fine grinds and coarse grinds. Getting just the right beans shows that you know something about the person to whom you are presenting the gift. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has gourmet coffee gifts for people who drink a little or a lot of coffee, coffee enthusiasts, coffee drinkers who like to make their own mocha by combining coffee and hot chocolate. There is a better world gift basket with organic and fair trade products, coffee cakes, insulated glasses, coffee presses and more.

You Are Not Alone In Your Love Of Gourmet Coffee

If there is any question whether gourmet coffee is growing in popularity, check to see how many coffee houses are in your town.

Seattle, Wash. gave birth to the café or latte culture in the 1970s to a café or 'latte' culture. This has improved the general quality of the coffee Americans drink, according to the National Coffee Association.

Coffee franchises no longer focus on major metropolitan areas. Today, most public place have at least one coffee cart. Suburbs outside cities, as well as those in more rural areas have some major chains serving coffee. It just took a little longer to get to t hem.

The specialty coffee sector has improved the image of coffee in the eyes of American consumers.

In 1991 it was estimated that there were just 500 gourmet or specialty coffeehouses. By 2005 there were an estimated 10,000 or more. This number excludes coffee carts, kiosks, vending machines and cafes in bookstores, sporting arenas and transportation facilities, which have also grown.

The National Coffee Association predicts that gourmet coffee consumption grew from 12 percent in 2003 to 14 percent in 2004, according to 2004 National Coffee Drinking Trends . Consumer awareness of the origins they drink does lead to product loyalty and the development of a brand image, which only leads to the belief that the gourmet coffee drinking public may continue to grow.

Brew Up Your Favorite Gourmet Coffee Beverage

Gourmet coffee makes a great coffee beverage. Here are a few recipes you might enjoy:

Iced Coffee Recipes

Flavored coffees and decafs make nice great iced coffee cocktails.

Nutty Rainforest Freeze

Flavors: caramel and brazil nuts

To make:

• 1 cup (6 oz.) Fair Trade Rain Forest coffee (brewed strong)
• 2 tbsp. cream or half & half
• 2 tsp. Sugar, or two packets of Splenda
• Brew fresh coffee, add sweetener to hot coffee.
• Fill a shaker with ice, add milk or half & half over ice. Add coffee, shake, strain and serve in chilled glass.

• 1 cup (6 oz.) blueberry coffee (brewed strong)
• 2 tbsp. cream or half & half
• 2 tsp. Sugar, or two packets of Splenda
• Brew fresh coffee, add sweetener to hot coffee. Fill a shaker with ice, add milk or half & half over ice. Add coffee, shake, strain and serve in chilled glass.
• Garnish with fresh blueberries.

• 1 cup (6 oz.) Southern Pecan coffee (brewed strong)
• 2 tbsp. cream or half & half
• 2 tsp. Sugar or two packets of Splenda
• 1 tsp. coffee caramel sauce
• Brew fresh coffee
• Add sweetener to hot coffee.
• Fill a shaker with ice, add milk or half & half over ice.
• Add coffee, shake, strain and serve in chilled glass.
• Then swirl caramel sauce into chilled martini glass before adding strained iced coffee mix.
• Want a Southern Turtle? Swirl caramel and chocolate sauces in the glass!

What Makes A Coffee Gourmet

Gourmet, or specialty coffee, is made from beans grown in ideal coffee-producing climates. Start with checking to see if your coffee is made from Arabica beans.

Gourmet coffees tend to feature distinctive flavors, which come from the soil of the coffee growing region that produces them. Beans become gourmet during the “green bean” phase and those beans must have no defects.

Next, comes the roaster's talent. He or she must bring out the coffee's distinctive quality and it the roasted bean must be aromatic. Master roasting involves matching roast temperature and time with a given bean to maximize its potential, so that it does not obscure the coffee's origin flavors and aromas.

There are several things to look for in a gourmet coffee: fragrance, aroma, acidity or brightness that leaves a pleasant taste on the tongue, flavor, body, finish and balance. Truly great specialty coffees have distinct flavor profiles without flavor additives.

In 2005, approximately 15 percent of the adult population in America said they enjoyed a cup of specialty coffee. Gourmet coffee comes from many places. You can get it from a coffee shop, a specialty coffee company or, in come cases, the supermarket.

How Do I Care For My Coffee Machine?

For optimal brewing, it is important to keep your coffee maker clean.

The manuals of coffee makers recommend regular cleaning of the brew basket and carafe. For KitchenAid coffee makers, the recommendation is daily cleaning.

Some new machines come with cleaning needed indicators that alert you that it is time for descaling.

Descaling removes the calcium deposits, or scale, from water can build up in your coffee makers heat pump and can affect the quality of your coffee. Cleaning indicators sense the build up of scale.

To descale your coffee maker, KitchenAid says to ensure the brew basket is empty and then remove the water filter. See manual for instructions.

Run coffee maker through a brewing cycle using a full carafe of a descaling solution or a vinegar/water solution.

If your machine has an indicator, repeat this process until the light goes off.

Rinse the coffee maker by running two full brew cycles using fresh water.

Wash the brew basket and carafe with soapy water and rinse with hot water – or wash in the dishwasher if your coffee maker is dishwasher safe.

Reinstall the water filter. The filter should be replaced every two to three months for regular use.

According to manuals from a Braun coffee maker, using a water filter and exchanging it regularly might eliminate the need to decalcify. If your coffee maker takes longer than usual to brew, consider descaling.