BUY COFFEE BEANS FOR VARIETY OF CHOICES
Enjoying that morning cup of coffee at home is a simple and enjoyable task. Put a couple of scoops in the appropriate container, pour a potful of water in the proper compartment, turn on the switch, and a few minutes later there’s a fresh and fragrant beverage ready to be consumed. But if coffee connoisseurs decide to branch out and buy coffee beans that they might grind and sample for a different flavour, they’ll be overwhelmed by the huge variety that is available.
From the two main types of coffee beans, which include Arabica and Robusta, there are a dizzying number of side products. Arabica is considered by many to be the superior coffee bean, but it cannot be grown in as many locations as the more-bitter and higher-caffeinated Robusta. From just these two, many sub-varieties have been produced and offered for sale to those suppliers who buy coffee beans for distribution around the world.
Standing near the order counter at a coffee house will soon educate the coffee enthusiast on the combinations of related beverages. Caffe latte includes espresso and milk. A cappuccino adds cinnamon and chocolate. Cafe breva, on the other hand, is made with half-and-half cream instead of the milk, adding a creamier flavour. The restaurant may buy coffee beans of the Arabica variety but many consumers prefer the quick energy of a Robusta variety, tempering the stronger flavour with a choice of sugars or creams. And there are many more choices available.
Coffee making machines for the home come in all varieties as well, some making the standard brewed cup, while others are great for those who wish to buy coffee beans, grind them in their home coffee grinder, and then make espresso, lattes or cappuccino for themselves and their guests. Today some domestic machines come with pre-packaged, ready-to-go individual sized packages of coffee as well, allowing the enjoyment of that first cup of coffee of the day in their pyjamas or sweats at home.
A growing number of people buy coffee beans that are still in the green stage and roast them in home roasters. This is not a new phenomenon as throughout history connoisseurs who desired to have total control over their favourite beverage have preferred to do as much of the preparation themselves as they could. During pioneer times or in the years of the great depression, rural people enjoyed considerable savings on their grocery bill when they realized they could buy coffee beans and roast them in various front-porch devices. The beans would then be processed in a hand-operated grinder and made into coffee.
There is a blend of coffee for everyone, especially as the much-maligned caffeine can be removed. Whether a coffee drinker decides to buy coffee beans and start the process from scratch at home, or goes out to one of the many coffee houses that proliferate our streets today, it’s become a habit that’s not likely to go away anytime soon!