January seems like a month of Mondays, it just refuses to
end and at times it feels like I’m going to need a coffee cup the size of a
small swimming pool to contain the caffeine I need to get me through the
month.
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| The 7.3m high roadside attraction in Davidson known as “Canada’s Largest Coffee Pot" |
Coffee is a multi-billion dollar industry, the second most
traded commodity in the world-runner up to oil, and for many of us the first
thing we consume on any given day. Yet most of us devote very little time to
perfecting something that plays such a pivotal part of our morning ritual. I chatted to baristas to find out how to make the perfect cuppa that leaves an impression on your day.
Some like it black and strong with no sugar and others
like a little bit of espresso with their milk…I fall into the latter group as
cappuccinos and lattes are my go-to favourites. No matter how you prefer yours, you can make it better with a few simple tips. It all boils down to personal taste preference in the end :)
Perfecting filter
coffee
To get a perfect cup of filter coffee you have to start with the right beans and you need to buy those as freshly roasted as possible. As a general guide; the flavour and intensity will start to fade after two weeks of being roasted. Just as the flavour of wine varies according to its origin so too does the flavour of coffee. If you prefer fruity flavours then opt for coffee with African origins. Coffees originating in central or South America have a sweet, clean taste and those originating in Asia have a more earthy taste.
When using a French press or filter coffee machine it is imperative to measure everything
you use. The barista I chatted to recommends a ratio of 1:10 to ensure the
perfect cup; 10g of coffee per 100ml of water and increase
accordingly. They also recommend 1 minute for every 1:10 ratio used.
Once brewed serve immediately as coffee tends to grow bitter if left
too long in your coffee machine.
Any barista will tell you that if you’re
drinking instant coffee you are not drinking the best coffee out there regardless of how expensive a bottle of Jacobs (or the one I stock at home
Douwe Egberts) is. However, when you need a cuppa on the go it may be the quickest option and even baristas have the occasional instant coffee too.
A better cup of
instant coffee:
Firstly, buy the best quality instant coffee you can
afford (and no, Ricoffy and Frisco do not count).
Secondly, do not boil your water. Heat your water up to a
maximum of 90oC, you can boil the water and let it cool down a bit
to the desired temperature. There are also kettles on the market that allow you
to heat your water to specific temperatures.
Thirdly, to your teaspoon (or two) of coffee add your
milk (if you’re using milk) and then top up with the hot water.
Lastly add sugar if needed, sit back, enjoy and pat
yourself on the back for choosing instant coffee since it has less carbon
emissions than filtered coffee.
Coffee break facts:
- Coffee beans are not really beans at all but berries from the coffee tree bush.
- Darker roasts have a lower caffeine content compared to lighter roasts and espresso has a lower caffeine content compared to filter coffee.
- A single origin coffee is from a single known geographic location, so you know exactly where your coffee came from and it is of a higher quality.
- Chicory used alone or blended may be more economical compared to straight coffee. However, chicory, whether used alone or with coffee, may have negative side effects.
