Home made coffee Vs Coffee shop coffee

Nearly every evening after a tedious day at work, we often find ourselves dragging our tired feet into a coffee shop. Usually, just like typical human beings, it is curiosity that drives us there for the very first time. We enter one wanting to know the difference between the coffee we prepare ourselves in our homes and the one that is made by the professionals, the baristas who make a miracle of a cup of coffee that comes with all sorts of executive names like the famous cappuccino, latte and espresso. We enter those coffee shops and so begins the trend. We enjoy what they offer us and cherish and relish every sip of it to the last drop, and end up asking for more. Usually it is a smaller cup because such an expensive taste does not come cheap. And with the credit crunch, our pockets can only manage to buy a smaller cup for round two or three. We enjoy all this, but do we know where this delicacy comes from? Ok, for starters…it’s from the garden. Well, I did further research and discovered that it is derived from the Latin name coffea for the coffee tree. Its discovery is still a mystery. But there is a famous tale that is often told about a goatherd named Kaldi who saw his goats leaping about after eating coffee beans and tried them himself and found these berries gave him a renewed vigour. So before you think about anything when enjoying that cup of coffee, thank the heavens for that poor goatherd because if he hadn’t, the coffee we take, would not be as perfected as it is. That same perfection of the taste and aroma is the one that makes us return to the coffee shops day after day, and on the way recruiting our friends to come along. I know many of you out there are always thronging these places including me for that unique taste on our tongues. So I decided to study a little bit more and I discovered a key ingredient in the coffee that could explain this near addiction that will soon result into an addiction if we are not careful. Caffeine: Coffee, due to its caffeine content has a stimulating effect in humans that keeps us going back for more and more coffee usually resulting into an addiction. I talked to several coffee faithfuls who told me that it’s the caffeine that keeps them going back, because usually they have a lot to do and the caffeine acts like a power up to their body system leaving them in shape to do their work efficiently. I happened to talk to a Canadian to whom I put this same question because coffee is in their blood. And he happened to confirm what I had been told by our new coffee disciples. So, does that put a question mark on how much coffee we should consume? Well, coffee has been studied for more than a century and for every report that alleges a potential health risk, another may discredit or show benefits. But it’s however generally agreed that pregnant women should limit their coffee consumption. However, it is said that drinking a cup of coffee can help calm an acute attack of asthma. So coffee also has many positive effects. And so it looks like we shall continue with this new coffee trend of ours but maybe, we might reduce on the cost by becoming our very own baristas. Here are some ways you can prepare yourself a good cup of coffee at home: When purchasing coffee, always ask when it was roasted. Many common misconceptions exist when it comes to judging the freshness and optimum time to experience roasted coffee at its peak of perfection. Never store your coffee in the refrigerator because it will absorb flavours and aromas from other food products in your refrigerator. Freezing coffee can also have a damaging effect, and is not recommended unless you will not use-up your supply of coffee for a prolonged period of time [two weeks or more]. It should be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool, dark place. When making brewed coffee, allow 2 to 2 1/2 level tablespoons for each 6 ounces of water [3 tablespoons for 8 ounces]. For espresso, allow 7 to 8 grams for a single shot, and 14 to 16 grams for a double shot. Then use a machine that will drive the water through the coffee with the aid of a pump vs. a steam driven machine. A good pump machine will usually cost USD200 to USD 1, 000. But the investment is worth it if you are serious about enjoying tasty espresso. So, I am looking forward to knowing if you are enjoying your own coffee at home. nmranne@yahoo.com