Coffea arabica

Coffea arabica (pronounced /əˈræbɪkə/) is a species of coffee indigenous to Ethiopia and Yemen. It is also known as the "coffee shrub of Arabia", "mountain coffee" or "arabica coffee". Coffea arabica is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated, being grown in southwest Arabia for well over 1,000 years. It is considered to produce better coffee than the other major commercially grown coffee species, Coffea canephora (robusta). Arabica contains less caffeine than any other commercially cultivated species of coffee. Wild plants grow to between 9 and 12 m tall, and have an open branching system; the leaves are opposite, simple elliptic-ovate to oblong, 6-12 cm long and 4-8 cm broad, glossy dark green. The flowers are white, 10-15 mm in diameter and grow in axillary clusters. The fruit is a drupe (though commonly called a "berry") 10-15 mm in diameter, maturing bright red to purple and typically contain two seeds (the coffee 'bean').

Cultivation
Coffea arabica takes about seven years to mature fully and does best with 1-1.5 meters (about 40-59 inches) of rain, evenly distributed throughout the year. It is usually cultivated between 1,300 and 1,500 m altitude, but there are plantations as low as sea level and as high as 2,800 m. The plant can tolerate low temperatures, but not frost, and it does best when the temperature hovers around 20 °C (68 °F). Commercial cultivars mostly only grow to about 5 m, and are frequently trimmed as low as 2 m to facilitate harvesting. Unlike Coffea canephora, Coffea arabica prefers to be grown in light shade.
Two to four years after planting Coffea arabica produces small, white and highly fragrant flowers. The sweet fragrance resembles the sweet smell of jasmine flowers. When flowers open on sunny days, this results in the greatest numbers of berries. This can be a curse however as coffee plants tend to produce too many berries; this can lead to an inferior harvest and even damage yield in the following years as the plant will favor the ripening of berries to the detriment of its own health. On well kept plantations this is prevented by pruning the tree. The flowers themselves only last a few days leaving behind only the thick dark green leaves. The berries then begin to appear. These are as dark green as the foliage, until they begin to ripen, at first to yellow and then light red and finally darkening to a glossy deep red. At this point they are called 'cherries' and are ready for picking. The berries are oblong and about 1 cm long. Inferior coffee results from picking them too early or too late, so many are picked by hand to be able to better select them, as they do not all ripen at the same time. They are sometimes shaken off the tree onto mats, which means that ripe and unripe berries are collected together.
The trees are difficult to cultivate and each tree can produce anywhere from 0.5-5 kg of dried beans, depending on the tree's individual character and the climate that season. The real prize of this cash crop are the beans inside. Each berry holds two locules containing the beans. The coffee beans are actually two seeds within the fruit, there is sometimes a third seed or one seed, a peaberry in the fruits at tips of the branches. These seeds are covered in two membranes, the outer one is called the 'parchment' and the inner one is called the 'silver skin'.

Drawing of Coffea arabica
In perfect conditions, like those of Java, trees are planted at all times of the year and are harvested year round. In less ideal conditions, like those in parts of Brazil, the trees have a season and are harvested only in winter. The plants are vulnerable to damage in poor growing conditions and are also more vulnerable to pests than the Robusta plant. Gourmet coffees are almost exclusively high-quality mild varieties of coffea arabica, like Colombian coffee.
Arabica coffee production in Indonesia began in 1699. Indonesian coffees, such as Sumatran and Java, are known for heavy body and low acidity. This makes them ideal for blending with the higher acidity coffees from Central America and East Africa.

Coffea arabica plantation, São João do Manhuaçu, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Unroasted coffee(Coffea arabica) beans - Brazil

History and legend
Main article: Coffee
According to legend, human cultivation of coffee began after goats in Ethiopia were seen mounting each other after eating the leaves and fruits of the coffee tree. In reality, human consumption of coffee fruits probably began long before humans took up pastoralism. In Ethiopia there are still some locales where people drink a tisane made from the leaves of the coffee tree.
The first written record of coffee made from roasted coffee beans comes from Arabian scholars who wrote that it was useful in prolonging their working hours. The Arab innovation of making a brew from roasted beans, spread first among the Egyptians and Turks and later on found its way around the world.

Research
Brazilian biologists have found an Ethiopian Coffea arabica that naturally contains very little caffeine. Maria Bernadete Silvarolla, a researcher of Instituto Agronomico de Campinas (IAC), published findings in the journal Nature about these strains of Coffea arabica plants. While beans of normal Coffea arabica plants contains 12 milligrams of caffeine per gram of dry mass, these newly found mutants contain only 0.76 milligrams of caffeine per gram with all the taste of normal coffee. ln addition, coffee beans have been discovered in the North-eastern part of Nigeria, a region called Sardauna.

Structure of coffee berry and beans:

1: center cut

2:bean (endosperm)

3: silver skin (testa, epidermis),

4: parchment (hull, endocarp)

5: pectin layer

6: pulp (mesocarp)

7: outer skin (pericarp, exocarp)

Janpanese Tofu Soup

Ingredient : 1 pkg. (8 oz.) oriental egg noodles2 tbsp. olive oil5 scallions, including tops, sliced diagonally1 tsp. minced fresh ginger5 c. chicken bouillon1 sm. head cabbage, thinly sliced12 oz. firm tofu, diced into 1/2 inch cubes1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. black pepper

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.

In 12 inch wok or large skillet heat the second 1 tablespoon of olive oil over moderate heat for 30 seconds, then add scallions and ginger and stir fry for 2 minutes, or until crisp tender.

Add bouillon and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cabbage and reduce heat to moderate and cook until crisp tender (about three minutes). Stir in the cooked noodles and tofu, salt and pepper. Serves 6.

Espresso

Espresso is nothing more than coffee that is brewed a certain way. It is finely ground to almost a powdery consistency then almost boiling hot water is forced through the grounds under intense pressure.

This brewing process is timed so that the flavorful and aromatic oils are extracted from the coffee and not the bitter components. The results are a full-flavored, strong but not bitter, concentrated shot of coffee.

Espresso Brewing Process

The Dose and the Tamp:
The dose is the amount of ground coffee deposited into the portafilter. Typically, about 8 grams (approx. 2 tablespoons) is used for a single shot and around 16 grams for a double. Most portafilters have a fill line which indicates the proper amount (after compaction) to use.
The compaction of the grounds is known as the tamp. This is accomplished with a round, weighted tool that is flat on the bottom and is also referred to as a tamp. First, run hot water through the portafilter so the cold metal will not cause the brewing temperature to be lowered.
Fill the portafilter with the ground coffee and tamp the grounds with an even, downward, twisting motion. Then tap the sides of the portafilter causing the coffee on the sides of the portafilter to fall off of the side wall. Tamp again until an even, level and firm compaction is accomplished.

If the grounds are not firm and level, the pressurized water could blast a hole through the grounds and the water would follow the path of least resistance and not pass through all of the grounds evenly. This would over-extract the grounds surrounding the hole(s) and under-extract the other grounds.

Now brush any coffee on the rim of the portafilter to ensure a snug fit before placing back on machine.

Extracting the Espresso:
First thing you’ll need is a clear shot glass with marks for 1, and 2oz. With the tamped grounds and the portafilter locked in the espresso machine and the shot glass in place, hit the brew button.

After a couple of seconds, the espresso should slowly start to fill the glass. As it is pouring, the streams should look like the consistency of maple syrup and be about the size of cooked spaghetti.

The ideal brewing time for a 1 oz. single shot of espresso is about 22 seconds from the time the brew button is pressed. If it reaches the 1oz. mark before 19 seconds or after 25 seconds, it’s best to pour the shot out and start over.
If the brew cycle was too fast, adjust the grind to be more fine or try tamping a little harder. If too slow, make the grind a little more course.
Trial and error is really the only way to tell if the grind is correct. Keep trying until it takes around 22 seconds to extract one ounce.
If a 1.5 ounce shot is desired, I use the same amount (4 tablespoons) as a double shot. Then the extraction time should be about 30 seconds.
A double shot should take around 38 to 40 seconds to brew.

The Crema:
As the streams of espresso are pouring into the shot glass, observe its appearance.
After about a half an ounce, you should see a layer forming on top that is light brown in color. This layer is called crema. Crema is a fine celled foam of oils that have the best taste and aromatic properties of the coffee.

The perfect shot of espresso has a layer of crema that is thick, consistent in color and remains intact for at least a couple of minutes before settling.
Poor crema production is usually a sign of under-extraction but can also be caused by stale coffee, or a low brewing temperature from not preheating the portafilter.
A good test is to put a teaspoon of sugar on top of the crema. It should float for a few seconds before sinking into the espresso.

Another thing to observe during extraction is its color. Initially the color will be light brown in color, but after all of the good oils in the coffee have been extracted, the color will change to a whitish color.

If you notice a white ring forming on top of your crema, stop the brew. All of the good oils are extracted and this marks the beginnings of over-extraction which tastes bitter and acidic.
That's pretty much it! You can now call yourself the barista of the house (barista is the term used to identify the person who prepares the espresso in a coffee house).

Beer

Beer is the world's oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage. Some of the earliest known writings refer to the production and distribution of beer. It is produced by the fermentation of sugars derived from starch-based material — the most common being malted barley; however, wheat, corn, and rice are also widely used, usually in conjunction with barley.

The starch source is steeped in water. Enzymes in the malt break down the starch molecules, producing a sugary liquid known as wort, which is then flavoured with hops, which acts as a natural preservative. Other ingredients such as herbs or fruit may be added. Yeast is then used to cause fermentation, which produces alcohol and other waste products from anaerobic respiration of the yeast as it consumes the sugars. The process of beer production is called brewing.

Beer uses many varying ingredients, production methods and traditions. Different types of yeast and production methods may be used to classify beer as ale, lager or spontaneously fermented beer. Some beer writers and organisations differentiate and categorise beers by various factors into beer styles. Alcoholic beverages fermented from non-starch sources such as grape juice (wine) or honey (mead), as well as distilled beverages, are not classified as beer.

Nigiri-zushi

Nigiri-zushi (hand-formed sushi). This is the most typical form of sushi in restaurants. It consists of an oblong mound of sushi rice that is pressed between the palms of the hands, with a speck of wasabi and a slice of topping called neta draped over it. This is possibly bound with a thin band of nori, and is often served in pairs.

Gunkan-maki (warship roll). A special type of nigiri-zushi: an oval, hand-formed clump of sushi rice that has a strip of "nori" wrapped around its perimeter to form a vessel that is filled in with topping(s). The topping is typically some soft, loose or fine-chopped ingredient that requires the confinement of nori such as roe, natto, oysters, and quail eggs. Gunkan-maki was invented at the Ginza Kyubey (Kubei) restaurant in 1931; its invention significantly expanded the repertoire of soft toppings used in sushi.

Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice (: ข้าวหอมมะลิ; kao hom mali), sometimes known as Thai fragrant rice, is a long-grain variety of rice that has a nutty aroma and a subtle and pandan-like (Pandanus amaryllifolius-leaves) flavor caused by 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. Jasmine rice is originally from Thailand. It was discovered as the Kao Horm Mali 105 variety (KDML105) by Sunthorn Seehanern, an official of the ministry of agriculture in the Chachoengsao Province of Thailand in 1954.[citation needed] The grains will cling when cooked, though it is less sticky than other rices as it has less amylopectin.

Jasmine rice is a particularly fine, medium-grain type of rice. It is fragrant when cooked, hence the name. The polished white rice is prepared without salt to balance the Thai flavors. Please do not serve ordinary rice from the supermarket with Thai meals!

The secret of perfect rice lies in the quantity of water used-measure holding your finger on top of the rice-the water should reach just below your middle finger's first joint. All the water should be absorbed during cooking, leaving the rice firm and fluffy.

Rice only takes 20-25 minutes, with little attention (but don't let it burn!).

Traditionally cooked in an aluminium pan over a charcoal burner, here in the West, we use a modern stove. With the introduction of electricity across the country, today the electic rice cooker is more common in Thailand.

• 2 1/2 cups Thai jasmine rice
• 3 cups water
  

Place rice in a small saucepan (approx. 2-1/2 qt). Rinse rice by running cold water over two or three times to cover and pouring the water out. This rids the rice of excess starch powder and broken rice which makes the cooked rice mushy and sticky. Add just enough water to cover the top of the rice by 1/2-inch (approximately 3 cups).

A convenient trick is to place your middle finger, just touching the top of the rice in the pan. The water level should be just below the first joint of your finger, from the tip. No measuring needed.
Cover the pot with the lid. Place over medium to medium high heat. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, another 10 minutes, until the water has completely evaporated.

Turn off the burner and allow rice to sit, covered, for at least another 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature (especially with spicy curries). Serves 2 to 3.

Nescafé

Nescafé is one of the world's top-selling brands of instant coffee, made by Nestlé. It comes in the form of many different products. The name is a portmanteau of the words "Nestlé" and "café". Nestlé's flagship powdered coffee product was introduced in Switzerland on April 1, 1938 after being developed for seven years by Max Morgenthaler and team.

It was called Nescafé in its U.S. TV ads throughout the '50s and '60s, as well as in store packaging. Later, Nestle introduced a new brand in the United States called Taster's Choice, which supplanted Nescafé for many years. In 2003, the company reintroduced the Nescafé brand, and the product is now known as Nescafé Taster's Choice.

In 2003 and 2004, fashion gurus Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine became the faces of Nescafé when they were featured in advertisements promoting the brand of coffee.
In Australia, it is known as Nescafé Blend 43.