For centuries, coffee has been one of the most beloved drinks worldwide. Whether in a coffee shop, a restaurant or at home, People around the world drink it and enjoy it. Coffee has many varieties and tastes. One drink of coffee does not always resemble another.
Coffee beans make a huge difference when it comes to the taste of coffee. Good quality beans are the first and most important step to achieving a great quality drink. But with so many varieties on offer, it might be a daunting experience to make your selection. That’s why while choosing coffee beans you should have at least a basic knowledge about the subject and make sure your supplier is a professional and only offers good quality ingredients.
The main types of coffee beans come from Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta. Coffea Arabica is considered a higher quality ingredient, but Robusta may also produce a decent drink. Other species like Coffea Liberica and Coffea Stenophylla are less commercially successful.
Another important factor to consider when buying beans is their geographic origin. Coffea Arabica growing in India may produce a totally different flavor than the ones raised in Central America. Even within those regions you may find “sub-regions” that will produce various flavors. So consult your supplier as to the source of the ingredients and their respective flavors.
The roasting process is also a very important influencer on the ingredients’ quality. While you can find good commercial coffee beans, artisanal coffee roasters produce the best quality ones. Blends potentially produce better flavors.
Once you have established the source and types of coffee beans that you want to buy make sure you follow these steps, which will help you ensure you buy good quality ingredients:
1.Predetermine what kind of flavor you enjoy: mild or full-bodied, floral-tasting, nutty or winy, and so on, and select the products accordingly
2.Buy freshly roasted beans, for the best quality drink
3.Smell them Good quality beans look and smell appetizing
4.Taste before you make your purchase You can tell which ingredients taste well even in their “raw” shape
5.Check whether they are broken or splintered “Damaged” ingredients will also damage the quality of the drink they make
Paying attention to the advice offered in this article will help you make a better, more educated purchase when you start your journey towards the best coffee for you. However, there is nothing better than experimenting. After you try a few types of beans, from various sources and roasters, you will eventually land on the one best suited for you.
Showing posts with label food n Drinks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food n Drinks. Show all posts
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Good enough to eat
We are all familiar with vegetable flowers in the form of Cauliflower, Broccoli and Artichokes, but other, more ornamental flowers have been used in the cuisine of cultures all over the world for thousands of years. The Romans were keen on them, as were the ancient Chinese, and European medieval writings talk about feasts of venison cooked with marigolds and violets in salads.
Using peppery Nasturtium flowers in salads and sweet, perfumed rose petals in desserts is quite well known, but did you also know:
• The young shoots of Hostas are good spinach alternative – Hostakopita is a Greek spinach pie made with hosta shoots and in Japan nori maki sushi is filled with parboiled hosta shoots marinated in soy sauce, sugar & salt. They can also be steamed like asparagus. Only use young shoots though as older leaves are too tough.
• Hemerocallis – Day Lily – the flowers and buds have a sweet nutty flavour and look pretty in salads. (Don’t use other types of lilies though as they are poisonous!)
• Violets & Pansies – the sweet, fragrant flowers can be used in salads, desserts and drinks and can be crystallised for cake decoration.
• Sunflowers – we all know you can eat the seeds, but did you know you can also eat the buds & petals? The petals have a bitter-sweet taste and can be used in salads. The unopened buds can be steamed and have a flavour similar to artichokes.
• Lilac – the flowers have a floral, slightly lemony flavour and can be used in salads.
• Honeysuckle – the flowers have a sweet honey flavour and can be used as a garnish for salads and desserts. (Don’t eat the berries though as they are poisonous).
• Fuchsias – the vibrant flowers look great as a garnish.
• Campanula – the narrow leaves make a sweet addition to salads.
• Yucca – the white flowers have a thick and crunchy texture and a sweet flavour. Be careful of the spines at the tips of the leaves when picking though!
• Typha – Reed Mace – the young shoots taste similar to water chestnuts and the rhizome can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried and ground into flour!
• Even the humble Daisies and Dandelions in your lawn can be picked and used as garnishes.
N.B. It’s fun to use some of these more unusual edible garden plants, but do be careful you are sure what they are, as so many of our common garden plants are in fact poisonous. If in doubt, leave it out!
Also, never use insecticides or chemicals on plants you may want to eat, and make sure you wash them carefully first – not least to get rid of the creepy-crawlies!
Using peppery Nasturtium flowers in salads and sweet, perfumed rose petals in desserts is quite well known, but did you also know:
• The young shoots of Hostas are good spinach alternative – Hostakopita is a Greek spinach pie made with hosta shoots and in Japan nori maki sushi is filled with parboiled hosta shoots marinated in soy sauce, sugar & salt. They can also be steamed like asparagus. Only use young shoots though as older leaves are too tough.
• Hemerocallis – Day Lily – the flowers and buds have a sweet nutty flavour and look pretty in salads. (Don’t use other types of lilies though as they are poisonous!)
• Violets & Pansies – the sweet, fragrant flowers can be used in salads, desserts and drinks and can be crystallised for cake decoration.
• Sunflowers – we all know you can eat the seeds, but did you know you can also eat the buds & petals? The petals have a bitter-sweet taste and can be used in salads. The unopened buds can be steamed and have a flavour similar to artichokes.
• Lilac – the flowers have a floral, slightly lemony flavour and can be used in salads.
• Honeysuckle – the flowers have a sweet honey flavour and can be used as a garnish for salads and desserts. (Don’t eat the berries though as they are poisonous).
• Fuchsias – the vibrant flowers look great as a garnish.
• Campanula – the narrow leaves make a sweet addition to salads.
• Yucca – the white flowers have a thick and crunchy texture and a sweet flavour. Be careful of the spines at the tips of the leaves when picking though!
• Typha – Reed Mace – the young shoots taste similar to water chestnuts and the rhizome can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried and ground into flour!
• Even the humble Daisies and Dandelions in your lawn can be picked and used as garnishes.
N.B. It’s fun to use some of these more unusual edible garden plants, but do be careful you are sure what they are, as so many of our common garden plants are in fact poisonous. If in doubt, leave it out!
Also, never use insecticides or chemicals on plants you may want to eat, and make sure you wash them carefully first – not least to get rid of the creepy-crawlies!
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