WaterFilter.com

Coffee-So Darn Expensive

I always cringe when that is the first question from a restaurateur, and my response is always the same - "Is price more important than taste"?

Consider the following - restaurants usually sell a cup of coffee for about one dollar. And when they pay $6.00 per pound for coffee, their cost per cup is about ten cents, (which means their profit is ninety cents). So the difference in their profit between $6.00 per pound and $3.00 per pound is the incredible sum of five cents per cup. However, the real difference will be in the taste of the coffee.

The taste difference is even greater with coffee brewed in an espresso machine since an espresso machine is an amplifier. It will highlight a really good coffee, but conversely, it will also amplify any faults with that coffee.

Remember, espresso is not a type of bean, but is a method of brewing coffee. Espresso coffee is tightly packed (7 grams), through which hot water (198 degrees F) is forced at high mechanical pressure (132 psi). The resultant one and a half fluid ounces is the elixir known as espresso, and many countries could be conquered before 9:00 am if their population were to be deprived of this magic "elixir"!

A commonly mistaken thought is that coffee used in espresso machines should be dark roasted - WRONG! When beans are darkly over-roasted, all the oils come to the surface giving the impression that the roasted coffee has been coated with grease. These oils contain much of the flavor of the coffee and when brought to the surface by over-roasting, they will be lost when handled, stored, and of course, when they are ground. Since coffee is really "cooked" three times, (the first during roasting; second when ground since the grinder creates heat; and thirdly when brewed), over-roasting will produce a bitter/burnt taste when brewed as an espresso.

Let me return to my original point as to why better coffee beans cost more. Coffee beans are an agrarian product, and like all crops they are subject to climate, soil, and growing and harvesting methods. Coffee plants that are treated better will produce a better crop.

Coffee harvested by hand will produce a higher quality product. A mechanical harvester only goes through once plucking ripe and unripe berries simultaneously. Manual harvesting takes place over a period of time and the pickers only pluck the ripe fruit, avoiding the unripe berries.

Sorting takes place at the plantation AND at the roaster. The better the sorting, the better the coffee. This process begins with the removal of stones (which can ruin your grinder), branches, leaves, poisonous spiders, (just joking, I think), and continues with the removal of broken, misshapen, and bad beans. This is critical since a broken or misshapen piece could roast quicker than the other beans, and will affect the quality of the finished batch.

Blending must take place after roasting. Different batches of beans from different plantations and countries will roast at different times and temperatures. Throwing different green beans together will result in some beans being under-roasted while others are burnt. Expert blending (or cupping as it is known) of roasted beans will ensure the best and most consistent flavor.

Packing the perfectly roasted and blended beans will ensure that you are sold the product in peak condition. Coffee begins to oxidize and lose its flavor and aroma as soon as the roasting process is finished. It's essential that the coffee is packed in lightproof and airproof bags that have been nitrogen flushed and/or vacuum packed. The bag should also have a unilateral valve to allow carbon dioxide to escape.

From the rambling monologue above, it's easy to see that short-cuts can be made to the coffee preparation process, but quality will only cost a few pennies more per cup. And remember - your coffee may be the last item that your customer tastes before leaving your restaurant.

JH Reynolds is a coffee enthusiast who travels around the world in search of the best beans and exotic flavors. To find out more about the exquisite art of coffee, please visit http://www.coffeekingsite.com

MORE ARTICLES:

Ten Tips for Healthy, Beautiful African American Hair
African-American hair is more adaptable to a variety of styles that do not involve braiding or chemical relaxing, thanks to a new product called Curlaway® Curl Relaxer that gradually reduces curl without the brittleness or breakage that can result from chemical relaxers. Natural and moisturizing, Curlaway Curl Relaxer modifies the hair's structure by breaking hydrogen bonds and rotating disulfide bonds, rather than breaking them as chemical relaxers do.

2005 Honda Odyssey: Honda Factory Replacement Parts at Partstrain for High Power
The 2005 Honda Odyssey has high power with efficiency, economy and lower emissions. For better mileage, three cylinders shut down at cruising speeds.

Water, The Magical Drink
Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple water does it effectively.

How to Bypass School and Workplace Filters to Access Any website Using Proxies
This article explains how to access popular websites such as myspace, utube, friendster, etc from schools and workplaces which often block such websites. Readers will learn how a proxy work and how it can help them not only to access blocked websites but also to hide their identity on the web. Workplaces and schools generally install a kind of filter to restrict access to certain popular websites in hope that employees and students can concentrate on their work. This is counterproductive as we are humans and not robots, simply meaning that we need to "TAKE A BREAK!" inbetween classes and meetings. There is nothing wrong with recharging oneself by visiting one's favourite websites such as myspace, friendster to check out how friends are doin...

Positive Self Development In Finding The Key To Healthy And Sport Living For Life
Positive thinking is the key to success. This statement holds cent percent true in the 21st century for each and every man. The competition to succeed is so high, that even though everyone tries to work extremely hard and diligently, success still evades them. Constant failures and a negative attitude may drive a person to become permanently disillusioned with life.

Costa Rica White Water Rafting Trip
Costa Rica's mountainous topography and copious rainfall are both responsible for one of the best white water rafting river choices in the world. Experienced rafting outfitters regularly run about half a dozen of rambunctious rivers, and those river trips not only provide plenty of excitement, but also allow enjoying gorgeous scenery.

Rainsoft Water Filters Add To Your Health And Your Family's Health
If you consider yourself health conscious, you probably watch what you eat and exercise often. You probably even drink lots of water, just like all the fitness mags tell you to. However, have you ever given any thought as to what is in your water, exactly? Have you ever thought that there may be things in your water, albeit microscopic, that could potentially damage your health and the health of your family?

New CookTop Cover Helps Users Create Additional Countertop Space
Designers, homeowners and remodelers can expand kitchen serving space with sleek panache using the brand new CootTop Cover. This enhancement fits easily over an existing cooktop to create a seamless serving space. Cooktop cover is also an invaluable safety enhancement, keeping pets and children away from control knobs.

Personal Chefs Encourage Heart Health Through Private Cooking Classes
NY Metro area Home Cooking Consultant chefs are eager to teach clients heart-healthy cooking techniques and support awareness of the "Go Red for Women" program of the American Heart Association.

How To Properly Clean Your Water Distillation Unit
The best way to get the longest use out of your water distillation unit is through routine cleaning. If you stay on top of it and periodically clean the water distiller, you can avoid having any mould build up and get the most efficient use out of your filter. It is really quite simple to clean the water distillation system, but it all depends on the kind of system you have.

Try Cappuccino From Fair Trade Coffee Beans
Fair Trade Coffee is an organization that protects the laborers who work hard to bring you great coffee. Fair Trade Coffee is produced a bit differently from regular beans, but still ensures that the beans are of the highest caliber.

Keep Your Pet Strong & Healthy with the Right Diet
Diet is one of the most important aspects of our pets every day life. What we allow them to eat provides the stepping stones on which their health depends. Healing, growth and metabolism cannot advance sufficiently without adequate energy, which all begins with the animal's diet. The same concepts we apply to our every day life with regard to physiology and nutrition can also be applied to our pets. The best diet for animals is made up of organic wholesome foods. Try to allow for plenty of variety. Fish, poultry, beef, fruits and vegetables should be included in the cat or dog's diet. Nearly all food, in moderation, is acceptable for an animal. Giving your animal only one type of food, whether it is home made or commercial, can predi...

Product Review: Quick and Easy Ways to Instantly Mine Pure Gold from WordTracker
The other day I was surfing the net looking for resources relating to WordTracker. WordTracker is, in my opinion, one of the top two market research tools on the net.

Boat Cleaning Business - Bilge Clean-up Tips
These areas, like any other car engine and compartment that you may come across, can either be very clean, or be extremely greasy, dirty and grimy. Remember to mention the difficulty in locating fuel, oil or water leaks on a dirty leaky bilge.