Coffee
is made from the seeds of the Coffea plant. The two
most commonly grown varieties of the coffee plant are
robusta and arabica. Coffee berries and their seeds
undergo multi-step processing before they become a beverage
ready for consumption. The berries are picked, processed,
and dried. The seeds are roasted at temperatures around
200°C (392°F), during which the sugars in the
bean caramelize, the bean changes color, and flavor
develops. The beans are roasted to a light, medium,
or dark brown color, depending on the desired flavor.
Then, the roasted beans are ground and brewed in order
to create the beverage coffee.
Coffee has played a role in many societies throughout
history. In Africa and Yemen, it was used in religious
ceremonies. In the 17th century, it was banned in Ottoman
Turkey. In Europe, it was once associated with rebellious
political activities. Today, the trade of coffee has
a large economic impact. Coffee is one of the world's
most important primary commodities, as it is a popular
beverage world wide; in 2003, coffee was the world's
sixth largest legal agricultural export in value. 6.7
million tons of coffee were produced annually from 1998–2000,
and it is predicted that by 2010, production will rise
to 7 million tons annually.
The health effects of coffee have been questioned, and
many studies have been performed on the relationship
between coffee consumption and many medical conditions.
Studies have suggested that the consumption of coffee
lowers the risk of certain diseases, but coffee consumption,
especially when it is excessive, may have negative effects
as well.
A beverage as black as ink, useful against numerous
illnesses, particularly those of the stomach. Its consumers
take it in the morning, quite frankly, in a porcelain
cup that is passed around and from which each one drinks
a cupful. It is composed of water and the fruit from
a bush called bunnu.
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| Roasting
coffee transforms the chemical and physical properties
of green coffee beans into roasted coffee products.
The roasting process is integral to producing a savory
cup of coffee. When roasted, the green coffee bean expands
to nearly double its original size, changing in color
and density. As the bean absorbs heat, the color shifts
to yellow and then to a light "cinnamon" brown
then to a dark and oily color. During roasting oils
appear on the surface of the bean. The roast will continue
to darken until it is removed from the heat source.
At lighter roasts, the bean will exhibit more of its
"origin flavor" - the flavors created in the
bean by the soil and weather conditions in the location
where it was grown. Coffee beans from famous regions
like Java, Kenya, Hawaiian Kona, and Jamaican Blue Mountain
are usually roasted lightly so their signature characteristics
dominate the flavor. |