you start your day with? Then it's time to reward yourself with something
different. Why not jazz up your morning ritual with cup of rich gourmet coffee.
The dictionary defines gourmet food like this, “Gourmet food is that which is of
the highest quality, perfectly prepared and artfully presented.” If you want the
highest quality food you go to a top notch restaurant but if you want the
highest quality coffee, you can do that at home yourself. That gourmet meal is
probably going to stay at the restaurant unless you invite a chef over but
gourmet coffee can be made in the comfort of your own home with just a little
practice.
Gourmet coffee is more expensive than say, supermarket brands but the taste is
also much richer. Unless money is no object, why not save the gourmet cup of
coffee for the weekends. Make it an end of the week tradition. Stick with the
supermarket coffee for when you're rushing off to work.
To make your own gourmet coffee start with the beans. Gourmet Coffee beans can
be bought by the pound and there are many varieties to choose from. Some of the
most popular gourmet beans include Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain, and Sumatra
types.
Coffee beans are similar to wine in that they name the beans after the region.
In the world of wine you have the popular Sonoma wines which come from Sonoma
Valley in California. In the world of coffee the equivalent would be Kona beans
which come from Kona, Hawaii.
Kona coffee beans are grown in rich volcanic soil and the mild tropical climate
of the Kona coffee belt on the western side of the Big Island of Hawaii. It has
a wonderfully full, rich and smooth flavour with little or no bitter after taste.
Be sure that you buy Kona beans and not a Kona blend. A Kona blend can legally
be labeled as Kona with as little as 10% of actual Kona beans in it.
Next you'll need to grind your beans. Ground coffee begins losing it's flavour
once it's exposed to air. So you'll want to grind just enough to make your
desired amount. Store any leftover grinds in an air tight container. You'll want
to grind you coffee beans very fine but don't pulverize them into dust. If you
over grind them the heat and friction will vaporize the oils that give the
coffee it's distinct flavour.
When was the last time you cleaned your coffee maker? A clean coffee maker makes
a significant difference in how your coffee tastes. At least once a month pour a
mixture of half vinegar and half water into your coffee maker. Let the mix run
through the full brew process. Repeat the process again using only water this
time to rinse it out. Do this one more time if a vinegar smell is still present.
Now you're work is done and it's time for the coffee maker to pulls it's weight.
Use clean filtered water and fill the coffee maker to the desired level. Use
about 6 ounces of water for every 2 heaping tablespoons of coffee. Turn it on
and hang around while it brews. You'll want to be there to enjoy the delightful
aroma.
Everyday coffee is perfect for everyday life. But every once in a while you
should treat yourself to something special. And what better way to start a
special than that with a special cup of coffee. Gourmet coffees can really jazz
up your day.