hether you’re new to the world
of specialty coffees or you just want to brush up on your coffee
preparation technique, you’ve come to the right spot.
Here
at our Perfect Cup page you’ll find the perfect recipe for just
about every coffee concoction imaginable. Simply follow the
steps listed below and before you know it, you’ll be holding
a great tasting cup-a-java. Enjoy.
tips
for perfection
Which
grind should I use?
In general,
the longer that coffee and water spend in contact during the
brewing process, the coarser the grind you should use. Fine
for espresso, coarse for drip.
Water
Always start
with fresh, cold water.
Use Freshly
Ground Coffee!
Grind coffee
right before brewing. Whole beans stay fresh longer and taste
better.
Coffee
Storage
Keep coffee
in an airtight container. If stored more than two weeks, put
it in the freezer.
brewing
methods
French
Press
The press
allows coarsely ground beans to steep in hot water. After about
four minutes a steel plunger is pushed down to separate the
coffee from the grounds.
Here is
the procedure:
Clean
the glass and plunger assembly thoroughly with hot, soapy water.
Rinse the plunger assembly and pot with hot water to preheat
them (optional).
Measure into the pot the right amount of coarsely ground
coffee: 2 tablespoons for each 6 ounces of water.
Add
water just off the boil and stir to mix.
Place
the plunger loosely on top to hold in the heat.
Steep
4 minutes.
Point
the spout away from you, hold the pot by the handle and slowly
press the plunger down with your other hand to force the grounds
to the bottom of the pot.
Pour
into your favorite mug and enjoy!
Drip Filter
This
is the most popular method. A filter holds the grounds and water
drips through. Use of a metal screen greatly
improves quality.
Here is
the procedure:
Automatic
Drip: Fill the reservoir with cold, fresh water.
Manual
Drip: Fill a kettle and bring the water to a boil.
Automatic
or Manual: Place a filter paper or a wire-screen filter in the
filter basket. Measure the right amount of coffee - fine
grind for cone-shaped filters, medium grind for most flat-bottomed
filters - into the filter: 2 tablespoons for each 6 ounces
of water.
Automatic:
Turn on the coffeemaker.
Manual:
Slowly pour the right amount of water, just off the boil, over
the coffee.
Automatic
or Manual: When all the water has dripped through, briefly stir
the pot because the coffee at the bottom will be slightly stronger
than the last coffee to have dripped through the filter.
Cold Water
Method
Steeping
grounds in cold water for 24 hours produces a rich concentrate
with very low acid content. This is a tremendous benefit for
people with sensitive stomachs and for those who prefer the
taste of less acidic coffee.
Follow this
procedure for making coffee by the cold-water method:
Soak
the filter in a solution of baking soda and water, then rinse
thoroughly with fresh water before use.
Fit
the filter in the cold-water brewing container, and place the
stopper outside. Fill the container with 1 pound of coarsely
ground coffee and 1 quart of cold fresh water.
Leave
at room temperature to steep for 18 to 24 hours.
Remove
the stopper and place the container over its carafe. Let the
concentrate slowly filter into the container.
Store
in the refrigerator up to one week or transfer to a freezer-proof
container and freeze.
To
reconstitute, for each serving add 2 ounces of concentrate for
every 6 ounces of water just off the boil. Serve immediately.
Stovetop
Espresso
The stovetop
espresso maker, also known as "macchinetta," is still
the most popular way of making espresso at home. Water is heated
to create pressure which forces the water up through the coffee
grounds, resulting in espresso coffee.
Here is
the procedure:
Fill
the bottom with cold water up to the overpressure plug (the
small nut you see on the outside of the bottom section).
Insert
the filter cone (funnel) and fill it with finely ground coffee,
smoothing it without tamping.
Make
sure the flat round filter and rubber gasket are in place at
the bottom of the upper part of the macchinetta.
Screw
the top on firmly.
Put
it on the stovetop so that the flame covers the bottom but does
not heat the handle. If you are using an electric range set
it at a low-medium temperature.
When
you hear the macchinetta gurgling, remove it from the heat and
allow it to sit for 30 seconds.
Use
a spoon to stir the coffee, then serve.
recipes
Espresso
Recipes
Cafe Latte
Add steamed
milk to a freshly drawn shot of espresso. Finish with a quarter
inch of foamed milk. Or, if you prefer to add the espresso last,
pour it slowly into the center of the cup. If desired,
sprinkle with chocolate or cinnamon.
Cafe Mocha
Thoroughly
coat the bottom of the cup with mocha syrup. Follow with a shot
of espresso and then add steamed milk. Crown with a generous
scoop of whipped cream and lightly sprinkle with sweet ground
cocoa.
Frozen
Mocha
Combine
3 or 4 cups of ice depending on desired consistency, 2 ounces
of espresso, 3 ½ ounces of chocolate syrup and ½ cup of milk.
Blend.
3 or 4 cups
of ice depending on consistency liked
Cafe
Tropicale on Ice
Brew 1-1/2
cups of espresso or dark roast coffee. Fill blender half full
with cracked ice. Add coffee and 1 teaspoon sugar, blending
until thick and frothy. Pour into tall glasses, adding more
ice if desired. Serves 4.
Quick Mocha
Brew a shot
of espresso, add skim milk, shot of chocolate syrup, whipped
cream, and sprinkle cinnamon on the top.
Iced Mochaccino
Fill a glass
with ice. Add 5 oz. steamed milk. Mix 2 oz. espresso with 1
oz. chocolate syrup and pour gently down the side of the glass.
Top with whipped cream if desired.
Cafe
Mocha
Mix
1 oz. chocolate syrup and 1 shot espresso. Fill the remainder
of the cup with foamed milk and top with whipped cream and chocolate
sprinkles.
Regular
Coffee Recipes
Chocolate
Orange:
Pour the
juice from half an orange into a large cup. Add several squares
of sweet or semi-sweet chocolate. Pour dark roast coffee over
top. Stir well to melt chocolate.
Coffee
Soda
Pour ½ cup
coffee over ice and add ¼ cup carbonated water. Garnish with
lemon, lime or orange peel.
Lazy Person's
Moca
Empty one
packet of hot chocolate mix (or a portion of the packet to taste)
into a mug of hot coffee. Stir. Enjoy!
Mexican
Coffee
Boil 1 cup
water, 1 tbsp. brown sugar and 1 cinnamon stick in a saucepan.
Remove from heat and add 1 heaping tbsp. of finely ground coffee
beans. Allow the mixture to brew for five minutes then strain
into a cup.
Viennese
Coffee
Top off
a cup of freshly brewed coffee (preferably Viennese or another
dark roast) with whipped cream. Sprinkle on cinnamon, nutmeg,
or cloves.
Iced
Coffee Recipes
Iced Coffee
Brew double-strength
coffee and pour over ice.
Iced
Coffee with Honey
Put ice
and 1 teaspoon honey in a glass. Pour over 1 cup coffee. Dust
with cinnamon and nutmeg. Serves 1.
Thai Iced
Coffee
Make some
extra strong coffee with 6 to 8 tablespoons of dark roasted
coffee and 1/2 cup boiling water. Mix with 2 tsp. sweetened
condensed milk and pour over ice.
Coffee
With a Kick (Alcoholic)
Irish Coffee
Fill a mug
with hot water to preheat. Pour out water and fill two-thirds
of the way with hot coffee. Add three cubes of sugar and stir.
Add a shot of Irish whiskey and top with cream. For best results
lightly whip the cream and use a dark roasted coffee.
Cafe Royale
Over a cup
of hot black coffee, place a sugar cube on a spoon. Pour an
ounce of bourbon through the lump (which in turn runs into the
coffee). Light the soaked sugar cube and let it burn out. Stir
and serve.
Flavored
Coffees
Hazelnut
Latte
Mix 1 shot
espresso with ½ oz. hazelnut syrup. Top with steamed milk.
Vanilla
Latte
Mix 1 shot
of espresso with ½ oz. vanilla syrup. Top with steamed milk.
Cinnamon
Espresso
Mix 1 shot
of espresso with ¼ oz. of cinnamon syrup. Serve with a ground
stick of cinnamon.
Extra
Fancy
Cafe
Mexicano
1
cup espresso
¼
cup heavy cream
1
tbsp. chocolate syrup or sauce
¾
tsp. cinnamon
Whip
1/4 cup heavy cream with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
and 1tbsp. sugar. Put a tsp. of chocolate sauce into the bottom
of four demitasse cups. Add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to freshly brewed
espresso. Pour into cups and stir the syrup. Spoon on the whipped
cream and serve. Serves 4.
Coffee
Frost
cup freshly
brewed coffee
1/3 cup
sugar
1/3 cup
brown sugar
Dissolve
all sugar in the coffee and cool. Pour into a metal tray or
bowl and freeze until almost hard. Beat well, and freeze again
to sherbet consistency. Turn into sherbet glasses, and top with
whipped cream. Serves 4.
Cafe Speciale
4 teaspoons
chocolate syrup
1/2 cup
heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon
cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon
nutmeg
1 tablespoon
sugar
1-1/2 cups
extra-strength hot coffee
Put 1 teaspoon
chocolate syrup into each of 4 small cups. Combine cream. 1/4
teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Whip. Stir remaining 1/2
teaspoon cinnamon into hot coffee. Pour coffee into cups. Stir
to blend with syrup. Top with whipped cream. Serves
4.
Mocha Frosted
1 cup freshly
brewed coffee
6 tablespoons
chocolate syrup
1 pint vanilla
ice cream, softened
1 cup prepared
cold coffee
Place hot
coffee and chocolate syrup in blender container. Blend until
smooth. Cool to room temperature. Pour into a medium bowl. Add
softened ice cream and cold coffee. With rotary beater, beat
until smooth. Spoon into tall glasses, and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
