INTERNATIONAL COFFEE PREPARATION TECHNIQUES

French Press Method

Also called The French Plunger, the French Press Method has been around for centuries.
Coffee is steeped, rather than filtered, which produces richer coffee.
A French Press requires a coarse grain to keep coffee grounds from seeping through the wire mesh strainer.
The carafe is rinsed with hot water then filled with ground coffee and covered with boiling water.
The coffee is allowed to steep for 5 minutes, then strained, and served immediately to prevent over extraction of the coffee.
The glass that the French Press is made of should be of high quality and the container must be cleaned thoroughly to avoid residue.

The Turkish brewing method is enjoyed by people around the world.
Turkish coffee is ground very finely, and often contains cardamom.
It is brewed in a decorative pot called an Ibrik or Cezve.
Pots are filled 2/3 full of water, then sugar and coffee is added.
It is brewed until foam appears on the top and bubbles up 3 times.
The coffee is slowly poured, foam first, into small cups; the coffee grounds should settle to the bottom of the cup.

An earthenware coffee pot is heated over coals, while green coffee beans are roasted in a pan.

The beans are then crushed with a pestle-like instrument and placed in the clay pot of boiling water.
After the coffee is steeped, it is poured into small pots.
The youngest child present often serves the coffee to the elders.
This is part of a celebration ceremony in which incense is burned and food sometimes is served.

A cheesecloth is used to line a funnel, which is put inside the glass jar.
The coffee and the water are poured into the glass jar, which is refrigerated.
Coffee is made by putting boiling water into a cup and stirring in 1-2teaspoon of the cold mixture.

The word espresso is derived from the Italian word for express, since espresso is made and served immediately.

Espresso is a 47-62.5ml (1.5-2 oz.) extract that is prepared from 14-17g of coffee through which purified water of 88-95°C has been forced at 9-10 atmospheres of pressure for a brew time of 22-28 seconds.
Coffee should be ground finely; 8-10g of ground coffee per 2oz. shot should be put into a stovetop espresso maker and 7g of ground coffee per 1.5oz shot should be put into an electric espresso maker.
While the coffee is still coming out as a golden brown liquid, it is ideal; this liquid is the ‘crema’ that lies on top of the black coffee underneath (the crema will dissipate a few minutes after the coffee is made).
Espresso brewing is defined by 4 “Ms”: Macinazione is the correct grinding of the coffee blend, Miscela is the coffee blend itself, Macchina is the espresso machine, and Mano is the skilled hand of the barista; when each factor of the 4 Ms is precisely controlled the espresso beverage that is produced is considered to be the ultimate coffee experience.

The Italian Moka pot contains an upper and lower unit, with a filter; it features a tube in the upper chamber from which the brewed coffee flows.
Boiling water is forced from the lower chamber, up through a tube and down through the finely ground coffee.
The bottom of the compartment should be filled with cold water and the filter packed with ground coffee.
The top chamber should be attached and the pot placed over medium heat.
When the pot begins to hiss, the coffee will be trickling out of the tube.
When the coffee begins to spew, it is removed from the heat.
The upper chamber should be detached and the coffee served.

Espresso mixed with chocolate and steamed milk, topped with foam or whipped cream.

A shot of espresso that is cut of at 15-20 seconds (when the crema turns light brown), yielding less that 1oz. per 7g of coffee.

“Macchiato” means spotted or marked in Italian; it is a single serving of espresso topped with a dollop of frothed ilk

An American invention that features espresso mixed with chocolate and topped with more foam and less steamed milk than a Caffè Mocha.

Cappuccino is made with espresso topped with frothed milk.
A late is made with espresso topped with steamed milk and a dab of frothed milk.
A condiment of your choice can be sprinkled on top such as chocolate powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg or vanilla.

The drip method is the most common form of coffee served in the United States.
An automatic drip brewer pours hot water over coffee grounds, through a filter, and into a pot.
Near-boiling water is poured through a filter over medium coarse coffee grounds to produce coffee.
Coffee is best when beans are ground immediately before brewing, fresh cold water is used.
The recommended measurements are 1tablespoon of coffee to 5oz. of water.
The 3 types of filters are paper, metal or plastic.
The paper filter will absorb some of the essential coffee oils.
Metal or plastic filters require a slightly coarser grind f coffee and may enhance flavor.
The coffee will be stronger initially and grow weaker as the infusion continues, so coffee should stirred before serving.

A cappuccino with foam and steamed milk; usually the espresso, foam, and milk are in 1:1:1 ratio.