coffee

Kona coffee beans are grown in the ideal conditions of this region, offering the plants the optimum amounts of sun, moisture and temperature to grow the best beans possible. The blooms appear on the trees in February and March, and the small, white flowers that cover the plants are known as “Kona snow.” The beans are harvested from August to January every year, and the trees are picked over many times to ensure that the harvest is complete. Once the cherries housing the coffee beans have been picked and the beans are extracted, they will go through a sun-drying process before they are sold to roasters, or roasted by the farmer himself for a unique, customized coffee.

Where to find Kona Coffee

Many coffee distributors will offer Kona coffee, although it may not be available all of the time. It is important if you are shopping for Kona coffee to watch out for terms like Kona blend, or Kona roasted. Coffee makers who have picked up on the idea that Kona coffee is big business will try to use the terms in a variety of ways to market their coffees more effectively. Keep in mind that most Kona blends on the market are only ten percent Kona coffee, and the rest is probably Columbian or Brazilian. If a coffee is truly a Kona coffee, it will have been grown in the Kona region, and it will bear a unique stamp to that effect.

These types of flavored coffee are actually causing people to stand up and take notice of this beverage especially as people's tastes evolve.  While they start out drinking coffee that has a lot of cream and sugar in them, over time they will put less and less cream and sugar and may even start to drink it black.  With all of the different choices of flavored coffee available, maybe it is time for you to try something new.

Brief History of Flavored Coffee

In the 1990s, flavored coffee became very popular.  However, this type of coffee can actually be traced back several centuries to the Turks.  Over time, a lot of people have developed strong feelings about this type of coffee; either they love it or they hate it and only want to drink naturally flavored coffee.

Flavored coffee is made by adding flavored oils to the beans after they have been roasted and before they have been ground.  Another way in which this coffee can be made is by adding liquid flavors to the coffee while it is being prepared, in much the same was as cream and sugar are added.

Types of Flavors

100% Iced Columbian Coffee

Double strength Columbian coffee
Cracked Ice
4 tablespoons of sugar

Brew double strength Columbian coffee by simply adding 8 tablespoons of ground coffee to every 12 ounces of water.
Fill your electric blender half way with your chilled Columbian coffee and add the cracked ice.
Add the 4 tablespoons of sugar or sweetener and blend until you have a thick foamy coffee treat.
This recipe will give you approximately 4 servings, if you need more than that simply double or triple the recipe to suit your needs. This will became a fast favorite for the Columbian coffee lovers in your life.

Columbian Coffee Mousse

½ a cup of brewed 100% Columbian coffee
1 ¾ cups of milk
1 cup of heavy cream
1 package of unflavored gelatin
3 eggs; separated
¾ cup of brown sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coffee concentrates (1 cup ground to every 8 ounces of cold water)

Sprinkle the gelatin over a cup of cold water and let it soften while preparing the custard.
Heat milk to its boiling point in a saucepan. Beat egg yolks using a wire whisk or electric mixer. Pour the hot milk over beaten egg yolks slowly, beating constantly with wire whisk. Return mixture to saucepan, add brown sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until custard has thickened slightly, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and add gelatin to the hot custard and stir until dissolved. Add coffee concentrate, vanilla and almond extracts.

Black coffee is still one of the most appreciated beverages of all times; this is mainly because it tastes so wonderful and its aroma is so tantalizing.  As such, black coffee has a way in which it is able to take your spirits to the highest levels possible.  It does not matter what time of day or night it is; coffee knows no time limits.  You will want to drink it anytime anywhere, which is why this is such a great drink for all occasions.

It is interesting to note that there are more than 40 different types of coffee plants; the most popular varieties are “Arabica” and “Coffee Robusta.”  Arabica coffee beans are actually considered to be superior in quality to Robusta coffee beans.  For this reason, Robusta beans are what are usually used for mass production.

There are several ways in which coffee can be prepared with espresso being the most popular way.  Regardless of the method, coffee is prepared by forcing the steam that comes from boiling water through the finely ground coffee beans.  As such, the preparation time for espresso is a lot shorter than it is for regular coffee.

Tips to Help You Make the Best Black Coffee Possible

When making coffee, use cold water for brewing so it gets a fresher, richer taste. Ideally, try to use purified or bottled spring water to make your coffee. Clean your coffee machine thoroughly before and after each use.  The filters and brewers should also be cleaned regularly.  Remember that dirt, contaminated oils and grinds have a tendency of building up over the course of time. A lot of people prefer black coffee.  However, you can make this type of coffee a lot creamier and give it a richer look by adding milk or non-dairy creamer varieties available in a myriad of flavors such as French vanilla and hazelnut.  If you like such coffee, then you should take some time to give espresso a try.

There are many versions of how Irish coffee came into play but so far no one can prove the real origin. Some say it was invented in Ireland and was intended to help travelers keep warm while traveling the Atlantic Ocean. It is said that Stanton Delaplane brought the drink to the United States and convinced the Buena Vista bar in San Francisco to put it on their drink menu. Whatever the origin, the Buena Vista bar is one of the most popular spots to drink this Irish coffee.

Typically the Irish coffee consisted of black coffee, sugar, whipped cream, and Irish whiskey. This combination allowed for a smooth tasting drink that caught on rather quickly. Today there are different variations which contain bourbon whiskey and Baileys Irish Cream. Many health conscious people will also leave out the sugar or replace it with a sugar substitute to get the added sweetness. It was said that without sugar, the cream will settle to the bottom instead of floating on top. Later it was discovered that the cream needed to be frothed in order to produce the consistency needed to float.

Irish Festival Serves Up Best Irish Coffee

Each year in Montgomery, NY the town hosts an Irish festival to pay honor to the Irish heritage. Each year the festival offers traditional Irish crafts, dancing, food, and lots of Irish coffee. The festival takes place in Orange County Park which offers a tranquil setting for a day of fun and relaxation.

Enjoying Irish Coffee at Home