Different ways coffee is made
Coffee connoisseurs have their own special ‘tricks’ when it comes to brewing coffee. Coffee shops all over the world have made their fortunes sometimes on just one special and different recipe. And have you noticed that no matter what, a cup of coffee tastes different in every home?
Well, there are two major differences in coffee which influence how it is made. You have the instant coffees where all you need to do is to open the pack, put in the amount you want into boiling water, add milk or sugar if you want to and drink. Now, the only difference in taste will come from the brand you buy, how much of coffee you put into it and the how much of sugar or milk you add (make that cream for so many who just love their creamy coffee!) And of course, you can have it hot or cold.
Now coffee beans or as aficionados like to call it, the ‘real’ coffee is a different story altogether. You can get coffee beans and grind them at home or buy ground coffee. This powder has then got to be brewed. For this, you could use a burr mill which is an electric grinder with blades that chop the beans, after which it is powdered with a mortar and pestle. Or you could use a Turkish grind to get a really fine powder. The French press and the coffee percolator give you a powder that is coarser. The grinds that are commonly used at home give a medium grind.
Coffee is brewed by steeping, boiling, gravity or pressure. Automatic coffee grinders and percolators use gravity to help grind the coffee. A percolator forces boiling water into a chamber where the coffee grounds are, then the water drips through the coffee into a jar below. In the cafetière or French press, the coffee and boiling water are left to steep for a while, then a plunger separates the ground coffee from the liquid. This method makes for stronger coffee. Turkish coffee is made by bringing the ground coffee and water to a boil in a vessel called the cezve. In a coffee filter, the boiling water is made to drip through the ground coffee which is on a paper or metal filter and into a collection vessel. Espresso coffee forces hot water with great pressure through the coffee so the coffee is stronger and has foam on top.
You can buy coffee as coffee beans, ground coffee, instant coffee, canned coffee, coffee in packs, bottled coffee, liquid coffee concentrates or from a vending machine. Any which way you want it!