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"Coffee" comes from the Latin form of the genus Coffea, a member of the
Rubiaceae family that includes more than 500 genera and 6,000 species of
tropical trees and shrubs.
There are about 25 major species within Coffea, but the typical coffee
drinker is likely to be familiar with two: Coffea arabica and Coffea
canephora (robusta).
The best coffee in the world comes from the Coffea arabica plant, which
grows at high altitudes throughout the equatorial regions of the world.
Coffea robusta is also grown commercially (primarily in Africa) but this
plant is used mostly for the lower grades of coffee that are on the
market today.
At Coffee World Mills our coffee is 100% Arabica imported from the heart
of South America.
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What is Arabica Coffee Exactly? |
Arabica coffee represents approximately
70 percent of the world's coffee production. The arabica plant is
typically a large bush with dark green, oval-shaped leaves that can
reach a height of 14 to 20 feet fully grown. Its fruits are oval and
usually contain two flat seeds.
After planting, arabica trees mature in 3 to 4 years, when they produce
their first crop. The arabica plant can continue to produce fruits for
20 to 30 years. Arabica trees prefer a seasonal climate of 59-75 degrees
Fahrenheit and an annual rainfall of 60 inches.
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So How Does a Small Seed become a Great Tasting Cup of Rich Coffee? |
There are 10 steps through which a coffee bean passes from seed to cup:
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• Harvesting the beans
• Processing the beans
• Drying the beans
• Hulling
• Polishing
• Grading and sorting
• Exporting the beans
• Tasting
• Roasting
• Grinding |
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Tips for Making the Best Cup of Coffee |
Here are a few tips for making the best cup of coffee possible with the
equipment that you have:
1. Always use fresh water; your cup of coffee is only as good as the
water that’s used to make it. 2. In
general, you should use 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6
ounces of brewed coffee that you want to make. To make espresso, you
generally use about 1 tablespoon of coffee for every 1 ˝ ounces of
espresso. 3. Always use the proper grind
for the equipment that you’re using. Too fine a grind will cause over
extraction, clogging of your filter, or small particles of coffee beans
getting into your cup of coffee. Too coarse a grind will lead to under
extraction and a weak, bitter cup of coffee as the water will go through
the coffee too rapidly. 4. If you are
using a manual device, use water that is just off the boil, so as not to
“burn” the coffee 5. Always serve your
coffee immediately after you make it; never reheat your coffee or reuse
coffee grounds. (If you want to use your hot coffee later, pour it into
a preheated thermos right after it’s brewed.)
6. Be sure to clean your equipment regularly, so that coffee residues or
mineral deposits don’t build up that can ruin your future cups of
coffee. 7. Never leave your coffee on the
burner for more than 20 minutes. That will ruin it.
Coffee Recipes
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