An Insider's Guide to Coffee

American Coffee:

This is basically the stuff you drink daily. Sanka and Maxwell House both qualify as part of the American Coffee genre, but the bean quality is obviously not the same as brand name coffee beans.

Details, Details:

Very fresh beans should look oily. My favorite beans come from and Central America (Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama) Sumatra, Java, Kenya and Ethiopia. Central American beans tend to be "tangier" and slightly "acidic;" Indonesian beans are "earthy," and "mellow;" African beans may taste like "berries" and are somewhat "winey."

The best way to brew coffee is with a French Press, a.k.a. Plunger Press. This nifty devise is very natural-- the grinds and the water become one-- there is no paper filter to interrupt the brewing process.

A variation on American coffee is a "caffˇ au lait," which is coffee and steamed milk. Steamed milk gives the coffee a more subtle, creamier taste.

Espresso:

Puts hair on your chest. Italians and most Europeans prefer this smokey, almost "burnt" tasting coffee. Plain espresso comes in a tiny mug, and you should definitely consider putting sugar in it. This is the perfect coffee if you are full from dinner, and just want a boost of energy.

Variations on Espresso:

single/double:

This may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people can't figure this one out. A regular cup of espresso is a single (or solo); if you want twice the amount, ask for a double (or doppio).

Cappuccino:

(pronounced cah- pu- chee- no) Espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk. (Foamed milk is frothy, whereas steamed milk is simply hot milk). The steamed milk and foamed milk are equal in proportions, so its a fairly hearty drink. The foamed milk sometimes forms a mustache on the upper-lip, so check the mirror before exiting.

Caffe latte:

(pronounced la-tay) Espresso, steamed milk and a touch of foamed milk. If you aren't crazy about the taste of espresso, but want to get a subtle coffee taste, I suggest this. It isn't as strong as cappuccinos because it has more steamed milk than cappuccinos. This is my favorite drink in the morning because it tastes the least acidic.

macchiato:

(pronounced ma- chya- toe) This is espresso with a scoop of foamed milk on top. It is good for those who find espresso too bitter, but don't want something as filling as a cappuccino or caffˇ latte.

Caffe mocha:

(pronounced moe-kah) Espresso, steamed milk, mocha syrup and whipped cream. (The whipped cream can be replaced with foamed milk). Now this is a yummy drink.

Red eye:

Espresso and American Coffee combined. This drink will guarantee sweaty palms, shaky hands, and increased heart rate.

Note: all espresso drinks usually come in caff/decaf, as well as regular or skim milk. A decaf-skim cappuccino is called a "why bother" in barista lingo.

Crazy Coffee Facts:

Espresso has less caffeine than American coffee. The only difference between an espresso bean and regular coffee bean is espresso beans are roasted longer. The roasting process also takes the moisture out of the bean, so the caffeine evaporates with the rest of the moisture. True, espresso tastes stronger, but stronger coffee does not equal more caffeine.

Blue Mountain beans from Jamaica used to be the best stuff around. No longer, thanks to tired soil that has been over-cultivated.

Flavored coffee, such as vanilla, hazelnut, etc., are flavored because the plain old beans are soaked in syrup. In other words, they are not natural.

If you put coffee in the freezer, it can get freezer burn. I personally have never noticed, but we're supposed to tell you that.