ICED COFFEE

Warm weather and a serious caffeine habit can make it hard to resist those fancy iced java jolts from the coffee shop. But shelling out all that cash to suck down all those calories can thin your wallet while plumping your waistline.

So I started tinkering with at-home versions, trying to come up with something equally enticing, less expensive and at least a little healthier. And if they were fast and easy, all the better.

TRY THIS:

Don't use regular ice. As it melts, it waters down the drink, and watered-down coffee is tasteless at any temperature. Instead, pour brewed coffee into ice cube trays and freeze it. Keep a bag of these cubes in the freezer for use whenever the mood strikes.

While you certainly can brew a pot especially for this, it's easy (and economical) to freeze the remnants of each morning's pot.

Ditch skim milk in favor of fat-free half-and-half. Most standard skim milks lack body and taste. Fat-free half-and-half is remarkably creamy and works well in frozen drinks (including smoothies).

Invest in flavored syrups. These are what the coffee shops use to juice up their pricey drinks. A 750-milliliter bottle can be had for about $6 and gives you 50 one-tablespoon shots of flavor — caramel, vanilla, peppermint, and many more.

No espresso maker? Pick up a jar of instant espresso powder. It's an easy way to add tons of flavor to an iced coffee drink. It's also great mixed into baked goods, such as chocolate cakes and brownies.

COFFEE PRICES

Prices of the 2008-2009 coffee crop. The pricing was not falling too low because of the possible shortage of coffee. That the low supply forecast of coffee and steady consumption has kept coffee prices not as low as they were in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.

Let's hope this statement continues to be true throughout this year, as many growers are already suffering today. Because of the lower prices, the cost of production for many growers can no longer be met. For instance, on a farm in Marilandia, located in San Pedro Necta province in the northwest part of Guatemala, the closing C Market price was $1.08 per pound that day. If at least this price was received the farmer could possibly make it. In addition, the crop yield of his farm was down by 40%, putting more pressure on his final cost of production for the year.

The network of local buyers called “Coyotes” (local buyers that usually buy coffee based on a price that works for them) impact the rate at which the grower’s are paid. In addition, most growers are disconnected from the outside world. For instance, the C market drives prices up and down, making the local prices even more vulnerable. Not to mention, the ‘middlemen’ and logistics costs between the producers and the roasters deduct a lot from the final value received by the growers.

The final price per pound of parchment (green bean + husk), paid was around $.96 to $.98 (US Currency). After converting this to the green bean alone, he received an average of just $.70 to $.72 cents per pound. As you can see, this is very low compared to the $1.08 per pound on the C Market and even below cost of production. So, the question remains, what steps can be taken to help farmers become a more sustainable, profitable business? From previous experiences, before the next harvest starts, I do believe millions of other growers should do the following:

-Assess the quality of the coffee at different stages of the farm, investing as much as possible in good fertilizers

-Find a buyer in importing countries, building direct relationships with international buyers. A good way to build a direct relationship is through programs such as Cup of Excellence, SCAA Guild Origin Competition or any national competition.

-Closely follow the cash flow of the farm to assess the cost of producing one pound of coffee

THE COFFEE PLANT

The first coffee plant of economic importance was Coffea Arabica. It grows to the height of 7-8 meters but the cultivated plants are cut to the height of 2-4 meters to get more width. The leaves of the coffee are 10-15 cm long ellipsoids, lustrous dark green with lighter underside. The flowers emerge from the branches together with the leaves.

The white coffee flower has five petals and a scent resembling that of jasmine. The flowers last only 2-3 days. The coffee berries are cherry-sized and green at first, turning dark red later on. The ripening takes eight months. The coffee tree starts flowering at 2-4 years old and it can simultaneously have flowers and berries in all stages of development.

The coffee tree requires a mean temperature of 66-77 degrees farenheit (19-25 degrees celsius). Thus, the coffee tree is a tropical plant. It is not a coincidence that coffee and humans thrive in the same temperatures. Our original home is the same - Africa. It is quite possible that Eve and her contemporaries (about 2.8 million years ago) munched coffee beans for pleasure.

The coffee plant cannot stand frost but does not die from an occasional cold night. It needs lots of water requiring annual rainfall of 59 inches (1500 millimeters). Coffee plantations are normally situated in the altitude range of 984-6562 feet (300-2000 meters) around the Equator.

A coffee tree can be harvested from the 5th year and harvesting can occur many times throughout the year. At 25 the tree becomes old but it may live to be a wiry centenarian.

HEATED COFFEE MUG

Here is a must for the commuter coffee drinker. A heated coffee mug.
Sturdy stainless steel mug keeps coffee or soup hot on long journeys using a 12-volt car adapter. No-spill lid! Holds 14 fl oz. 5" x 3 1/2" x 6 5/8" high. Specially designed for cup holders of modern vehicles. Makes a great gift all year long!

CLICK HERE
http://www.travelcoffeemug.totalwarehouse.com

BAKED BEANS OR ROASTED BEANS ???

Coffee roasting. bringing the flavor from a bland bean. Beans boast all of coffee’s acids, protein, and caffeine—but none of its taste when its roasted. Heat causes the chemical reactions that turn carbohydrates and fats into aromatic oils, burn off moisture and carbon dioxide, and alternately break down and build up acids, unlocking the characteristic coffee flavor.

LIGHT ROAST: Cinnamon roast, half city, New England

After about seven minutes the beans “pop” and double in size, and light roasting is achieved. American mass-market roasters typically stop here.

MEDIUM ROAST: Full city, American, regular, breakfast, brown

At nine to eleven minutes the beans reach this roast, which U.S. specialty sellers tend to prefer.

Flavor: A bit sweeter than light roast; full body balanced by acid snap, aroma, and complexity

DARK ROAST: High, Viennese, French, Continental

After 12 to 13 minutes the beans begin hissing and popping again, and oils rise to the surface. Roasters from the U.S. Northwest generally remove the beans at this point.

Flavor: Somewhat spicy; complexity is traded for rich chocolaty body, aroma is exchanged for sweetness

DARKEST ROAST: Italian, espresso

After 14 minutes or so the beans grow quiet and begin to smoke. Having caramelized, the bean sugars begin to carbonize.

Flavor: Smokey; tastes primarily of roasting, not of the inherent flavor of the bean

BAKED BEANS OR ROASTED?