| May 1, 2009 |
| Editor's Note |
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For every person, there is a perfect coffee combination. I'm a "Talll non-fat half calf latte with two Equal." (The whipped cream gets in the way of the flavor.) My wife Sandy is a "tall caramel macchiato no whip
." (She can't drink the larger sizes before they get cold.) With all the delicious coffees out there,
it's no wonder Americans are so addicted to coffee shops, even during our economic hard times.
 This newsletter is dedicated to the pursuit of homemade coffee that rivals the coffee at a coffee shop.
Megan Just's recipe for homemade specialty coffees are so easy (and tasty) that it may keep you out of Starbucks for a while.
She
calculated that a person could save almost $2,000 a year by making
these specialty coffees at home each day instead of buying a large
latte.
This includes tax and tip. I've also included a recipe for
homemade biscotti in the recipe section. They are surprisingly simple
and fast to make.
Our featured products in this newsletter are both new spins on traditional coffee makers.
The Moka Espresso Maker is an electric version of a traditional Italian stove top Espresso maker. Our featured drip coffee maker
by DeLonghi has a thermal coffee pot, along with several other innovative details.
We actually have an entire page on our website dedicated to coffee, tea, and espresso makers.
Note: The Mother's Day promotion continues with 10% off any order of more than $99. Use the coupon code "Mothers" to get your discount.
Terry Retter
Managing Editor
Your Smart Kitchen Newsletter
chef@YourSmartKitchen.com
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The Case of the Undrinkable Coffee
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| By Megan Just, for YourSmartKitchen |
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The
coffee coming from my home coffee maker has never tasted spectacular,
but lately, it has tasted so bad that three times out of five,
I end up draining the coffee down my sink and I go instead to the nearest coffee shop. I don't know why it seems to be beyond my ability to make a good cup of coffee,
but I suspect it may have something to do with the coffee maker. Now here's my confession: I obtained my coffee maker in a trade with my landlords three years ago and I suspect
it had been stored in their moldy, unfinished basement before that.
I
am more than ready for a new coffee maker, but before I actually buy
one, I want to investigate the possible causes of my undrinkably bad
coffee.
It's my duty as a
devout coffee drinker to know a few things about my favorite drink and
especially before I start fresh with a new machine. And, as it turns out,
I had been making lots of mistakes! Below are the results of my investigation:
Possible Cause #1: I'm not grinding the beans right.
This is the most important step in making coffee. Because coffee beans begin going stale and losing their flavor right after they are ground,
it is crucial to grind the beans within minutes of brewing the coffee. Even though it may be more convenient to buy pre-ground coffee,
it is worth the extra time to grind your own beforehand. Also make sure to grind to the correct fineness.
An espresso machine needs coffee ground to nearly a powder while the most basic drip coffee can be ground quite coarse.
A rule of thumb is the longer the water is in contact with the coffee, the larger the grounds can be.
Coffee grinders also need to be cleaned regularly. One way to clean an electric grinder is to run a handful of dry rice in it (which will also sharpen the blades).
Wipe clean with a dry cloth afterwards.
Possible Cause #2: It's getting burned while it sits on the hot plate.
Coffee gets stale as it sits and keeping it hot over a warming plate will accelerate the process.
Coffee only tastes fresh for the first 15 to 20 minutes after brewing. If coffee is kept on a hot plate for a really long time (overnight in an office, for example),
the water will evaporate, leaving a charred mess at the bottom of the pot.
Possible Cause#3: In avoiding Possible Cause #2, I turn off the hot plate and microwave the coffee after it goes cold.
Coffee needs to be brewed with water between 195 and 205 degrees. Notice: this is below the boiling point.
Water that is too hot will vaporize the coffee oils and leave the coffee tasting bitter.
Just a few seconds in the microwave will cross the temperature threshold. The best was to keep coffee hot without super heating it or burning it,
is to keep it in a thermal container.
Possible
Cause #4: I don't know the right way to clean my coffee maker and I
heard that cleaning the carafe with soap will make the coffee taste
soapy forever.
Fill your coffee maker with one part white vinegar to four parts water. Cycle the vinegar mixture once, then discard.
The vinegar will eat away the hard water build-ups or other impurities in the coffee maker. Cycle several more times with plain water to get rid of the vinegar taste.
Carafes can be washed with soap and should be washed regularly. One cause of an acidic-tasting coffee is the residue in the carafe from the previous pots of coffee.
Be sure to discard the coffee grounds and excess coffee when you're finished as they can gather bacteria and grow molds. (Editors
note: Coffee grounds are really good as a mulch your plants. So it not necessary to put them in the trash or down the disposal.)
Possible Cause #5: I'm not using the right coffee to water ratio.
The right ratio is two tablespoons per six ounces of water. Flat tablespoons, not heaping.
For stronger coffee, add a little more grounds. For weaker coffee, add hot water to the finished brew. (Editor's note:
It's a lot easier to tone down strong coffee with a bit of hot water than it is to strengthen it. So make the coffee to suit the heartiest drinker.)
Possible Cause #6: We're not storing our Costco-sized bag of coffee beans correctly.
Buying coffee beans in bulk is not a good idea in the first place. Coffee beans start losing flavor after they are roasted.
It is best to buy your beans frequently and in smaller amounts. Store excess beans in an airtight container.
The less interaction with air, the longer the flavor will last. If you are going to store coffee long-term, whole beans should be stored a maximum of three months at room temperature.
Ground beans should be used within a week. You can freeze beans, in an airtight freezer container in the freezer to make them last longer.
Storing
coffee in the refrigerator is not a good idea because if there is any
air exchange at all, your coffee will get moist and start tasting like
your leftover food.
Featured Products
DeLonghi 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker
Most coffee makers keep coffee warm by heating a plate under the carafe.
This
unique coffee maker's carafe is a double-wall insulated steel pot,
which will keep the coffee warm without giving it that burned taste or
smell.
This coffee maker also has a permanent gold-tone filter that will keep even the finest grounds out of your coffee. There is a pause and serve function,
as well as a programmable timer and an automatic shut off. There is even a cup storage tray to warm your cups as your coffee brews.
Moka Espresso Maker
Traditional
espresso makers make fantastic espresso, but due to their small bases,
they can be difficult to use with some types of stove burners.
Here's a solution: the electric espresso maker. It looks just like the real thing, but you keep it on your counter instead of the stove.
The
top compartment is clear, so you can see your espresso as the heated
water in the bottom compartment is forced up through the espresso to
the top compartment.
Tips
Fancy Coffee Lingo
Espresso- A very strong, black coffee made by forcing water (rather than dripping) through an extra fine grind of coffee beans.
Served in an one ounce cup and drunken like a shot.
Americano- A shot of espresso mixed with six ounces of hot water. (Tastes similar to drip coffee.)
Latte- A shots of espresso with the rest the cup being steamed milk. There is a thin layer of milk foam on the top.
Cappuccino- A shot of espresso. The rest of the cup is divided evenly between steamed milk and milk foam.
Cappuccinos are often topped with cinnamon or cocoa powder.
Mocha- A shot of espresso, an ounce of chocolate syrup, and milk foam topped with whipped cream and cocoa power.
Kona- A distinct and coveted tasting coffee grown in the southwest corner of the island of Hawaii (near the city of Kona).
Fair Trade- A third party certification that ensures growers have been paid a fair price for their coffee beans.
This ensures that wealthy nations and corporations do not take advantage of third world farmers.
Shade Grown- Coffee that is grown in the traditional way, under the shade of the rainforest canopy.
The
other alternative is coffee grown on plantations that have clear-cut
the rainforest trees to get full sunlight for the coffee plants.
Organic- Coffee grown without pesticides and under sustainable conditions. Check for a logo to make sure the claim of being organic has been certified by a third party.
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Recipes
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Cafe con Miel
Honey
has a wonderful flavor, as well as adding some natural sweetness to
your cup of coffee. It doesn't take much to change the whole feeling of
your cup.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups hot coffee
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 Tbs honey
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
Preparation:
Heat the milk in the microwave until warm. Pour 1/4 cup of the warm milk into each coffee cup. Add 2 T honey to each cup and stir to
dissolve the honey. Add the coffee, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.
Vanilla Mochaccino
Ingredients:
- double shot of espresso
- 1 - 2 spoonfuls of
Nestle's cocoa
- 1 - 2 t French Vanilla
Coffee Mate
- Foamed milk
Preparation:
In a cup add the double shot of espresso along with 1 or 2 spoons full of Nestle's cocoa mix. Add 1 to 2 t French Vanilla Coffee Mate
(or you could use a dash of vanilla extract with sugar to taste). Add foamed milk to taste and sprinkle with some of the cocoa powder.
Almond Biscotti
Makes about two dozen biscotti
Ingredients:
- 3/4 c almonds
- 2 c flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp softened butter
- 1 c sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp almond flavoring
- silicon baking sheet
Utensils needed:
- Fry pan
- Silicone baking mat
- Cookie sheet
Toast the almonds in an ungreased fry pan on medium heat until they begin to brown and you can smell their
fragrance (between four and eight minutes). Remove them from the heat. After they've cooled slightly, chop them coarsely and set aside. 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat.
Mix the flour, salt, and powder in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and flavorings. Slowly mix in the flour combination until moistened.
Add the almonds last.
Divide the dough half in the bowl.
Using floured hands, press each half into a log running the length of
the baking mat (leave several inches in the middle between the logs).
Press flat so the dough is about two inches wide.
Bake about 35 minutes or until the tops of the loaves are golden and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven to 325 degrees.
Let the loaves cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
Pull the baking mat and loaves on to a cutting board. Cut the loaves into 1/2 inch slices using a serrated knife. Put the baking mat with the cut biscotti
back onto the cookie sheet. Flip each biscotti so the cut edge is exposed.
Bake eight minutes, then flip to the final unbaked side for another eight minutes. Put the baking mat on a cooling rack and let the biscotti cool.
Coffee shop biscotti variation
This recipe, as written, will make short and squat traditional biscotti. If you prefer the long and skinny kind sold in fancy packages in the jars next to the register in coffee
shops, simply make one big, wide log instead of two. The baking time will need to be adjusted.
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Comments Received
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"You have a great selection at great prices. Looking forward to more culinary goodies from you."
MB from
Roslindale, MA
"When I saw your email, I was amazed and so happy!! What great customer service!!! Thank you for making it easy for me!!"
VR from
Capitola. CA
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| Questions or Suggestions |
If you have any questions regarding this newsletter, products, recipes or just want to express on opinion, please send us a note.
We would also like your ideas of topics we should cover in future issues of this newsletter
Lastly, if you cannot find something at your local store or on our site, send a query and we will endeavor to find it for you.
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