Interested In A Professional Career In The Coffee Trade?
November 29, 2010
Coffee is the second most commonly traded commodity in the world, as measured by monetary volume, after crude oil. Coffee, without a doubt, is big business. This is good news for coffee lovers and aficionados who can turn their passion for the brew into a permanent occupation. Coffee demand goes well beyond using beans for hot or cold beverages only. Cooking with coffee is an established trendy culinary practice in many upscale and specialized restaurants. The menus feature dishes with many savory sauces which include coffee as one of the ingredients. Take a quick look at titles of published cook books, recipes, and cuisine news and you will see the use of the brew just about everywhere.
Let’s take a look at some of the occupational paths available in the coffee trade.
Coffee Supplier: a middleman between the coffee grower and the bean-buying enterprises. A coffee supplier needs to be an expert in coffee varietals, types of beans, sales and marketing trends, supply and demand conditions for the various types of coffee. Strong business and organizational skills are necessary. Coffee trading includes a complex system of packaging, shipping, export regulation, and transportation coordination. The supplier needs to have great personal skills to communicate with coffee growers on their level and also communicate with coffee buying executives using a very different business language. Foreign language skills are extremely useful, particularly Spanish, since so much coffee is produced in Spanish speaking countries.
Coffee Taster: a very “cool” occupation that requires an extremely advanced sense of taste and smell. Tasters exist for wine, champagne, beer, orange juice and many other consumable products. Coffee tasters are very important in the trade. Professional coffee tasters can distinguish differences between 100 types of coffees. The main purpose of taster is to determine the quality and usability of beans and to develop new blends. The coffee taster does not actually swallow the brew. Instead, the coffee taster sucks it from a spoon to the back of the mouth to sample the flavors with the tongue and then spits out the sample.
Coffee Trader: Arabica coffee futures and options are traded in New York on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE, formerly the New York Board of Trade). Robusta coffee futures are traded in London on Euronext.liffe. There are other international exchanges that trade coffee futures in other foreign locations. Becoming a coffee trader requires knowledge about fluctuation in prices, production and seasonal variations from country to country, keeping up with news about weather, politics and social changes that can impact coffee production. Most of all, a trader needs to have nerves of steel to withstand the emotional and peer pressure that is normal in commodity trading pools where fortunes can be made and lost in a matter of hours or minutes.
Coffee flavorist: this occupation requires an undergraduate degree in either biology or chemistry with specialized food studies at a post graduate level. Most coffee flavorists are passionate about the brew. They are also very curious individuals who love experimentation to find that “next unique flavored brew.” The coffee flavorist spends the day mixing and matching specific compounds in order to create unique flavors. Not surprisingly, many flavorists are also very good cooks.
Coffee Inspector: this occupation requires very good knowledge about the beans, ground coffee quality and ingredient testing. Most coffee inspectors work for organizations that are certified to assist with inspection and certification services at docking stations, ports, warehouses and large coffee processing centers. Coffee inspectors inspect bulk shipments and certify quality-control laboratory coffee tasting. The coffee inspector makes sure that bulk coffee buyers receive the correct quantity and quality of beans ordered.
Coffee “Barista:” originally, this term was used in Italy for uniformed bartenders or trained “mixologists” familiar with all types of drink mixtures. Due to the growth in the gourmet coffee industry, the term barista has become synonymous with an expert in producing espresso, espresso-based drinks and many other Kinds of Coffee beverages. A trained coffee barista knows precisely how much hot water should be forced through the mesh of an espresso machine and for how long in order to create the perfect froth from steamed milk or allow the espresso to form a natural dark. Many baristas also practice “coffee art” and master the art of creating shapes on the brew with milk, cream, Coffee flavorings and other ingredients available.
The list continues with many more specialized work opportunities in the trade for coffee lovers. So, what about taking a break and enjoying a delicious cup of White Chocolate flavored coffee or Chocolate Cinnamon Hazelnut flavored coffee?
Timothy (“Tim”) S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him “The Gourmet Coffee Guy.”
He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.
Come visit the author’s website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com
Also visit: http://www.squidoo.com/coffee-lensography-TheGourmetCoffeeGuy
© Copyright – Timothy S. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_S._Collins
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How to Make a Great Tasting Cup of Coffee – It’s not Rocket Science
November 25, 2010
There is good coffee and absolutely abysmal coffee. Both may start with the same elements, but one cup can taste completely different to another. Freshness is the key to great tasting coffee. Here is the play by play smackdown of how to create a fantastic tasting cup of coffee.
1. Use good beans. Go to a local coffee roaster and buy only enough coffee beans to last you a week. Buying fresh beans is one key to good taste. When you buy beans make sure the beans are all relatively the same size and same color for even grinding and flavor. If you buy beans from the supermarket at minimum, check to see if the beans are Arabica.
2. Use filtered water. Even if your coffee maker has a charcoal filter it is best to start off with filtered water to ensure there are no impurities like chlorine or minerals to alter the real taste. Use cold water.
3. For the best tasting coffee ensure you have a coffee maker which can brew up to 95 to 98 degrees Celsius, just off the boil. This temperature is the optimal temperature to get the best flavor out of the bean.
4. The grind. Only grind as much coffee as you are going to need for that moment. The finer you grind, the more flavor you will receive. The grind has to be even to ensure even taste. If you are using a cheap coffee maker you should only use a medium grind to avoid the over-extraction. However, grind to your equipment’s recommendations.
5. Use two level tablespoons of coffee per cup. If you are making more than 10-cups of coffee you should use the strength meter on its highest position possible to allow more water to penetrate the grounds evenly.
6. Use unbleached coffee filters or ensure your permanent filter is free from all coffee sludge. When it comes to coffee, cleanliness is next to Godliness.
7. Stir the pot. Once the coffee is brewed, stir the pot to infuse the taste.
At bare minimum, these steps should always be used when making coffee. Think about the farmer’s in the field, if you skip a step are you doing their hard work justice? On a selfish note, missing one of those steps will affect the taste of your coffee, even slightly. Other things important in the coffee making process are:
1. Always ensure your equipment is clean. Old coffee sludge can really change the taste of coffee. Polident can clean your equipment to almost new.
2. NEVER reuse coffee grinds.
3. NEVER grind beans just taken out of the freezer. Let them thaw first.
4. Always store Coffee in air-tight containers away from direct sunlight.
5. NEVER leave the coffee on a heater for longer than ½ an hour. It gets a burnt taste and smell.
6. Always warm your cup and never reheat coffee.
The best coffee starts with fresh beans, clean equipment and clean water. Adhering to at least those three guidelines will give you great tasting coffee. Everything else is just gravy.
Kate Simpson
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/how-to-make-a-great-tasting-cup-of-coffee-its-not-rocket-science-115783.html
Organic Coffee: Does it Taste Any Better?
November 19, 2010
Traditional coffee like Folders and the popular Spanish brand Nescafe have maintained that familiar, consistent great taste over the years. Despite pesticides and fertilizers harvested in the large, commercial coffee plantations they grow on, it manages to suit an average person’s tastes as evident by its sales. In justifying the high prices for organic coffee, many people point to its tastes as one of the main reasons. Does organic coffee taste better than traditional coffee?
To begin, organic coffee tastes better than traditional Coffee because of the growing methods farmers use. Factors that weigh heavily with improved taste include shade grown and organic farming methods that are in force today that promote healthier soil, clean water, and habitats for birds that provide pest control. As an added bonus, organic coffee receives a taste boost if it is high-grown. Organic coffee under shade trees are the definition of ‘premium’ in that fewer coffee cherries are produces unlike traditional coffee that grow under the sun. Because of this, organic coffee cherries grow slower and finer, and the difference is passed on to your I Love New York mug.
Another reason why organic coffee tastes better is because of the incentives farmers receive for producing it. With an average of 15 cents more per pound, producers are more inclined to keep their trees in top shape and harvest them better. Organic coffee producers also place a higher emphasis on harvesting, many of which is done by hand to assure the best beans are processed. This is a must, considering coffee trees have cherries going through different development cycles. The harvesting process also separates regular beans from the finer ones. All in all, because of the more intricate care placed with growing organic coffee, taste is improved tenfold.
For more information on organic coffee or for organic coffee recipes
Scott Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/organic-coffee-does-it-taste-any-better-115807.html
Guide to Single Serve Coffee Maker
November 12, 2010
For those wanting a quick cup of Coffee or simply want one to take for the ride to work, a single serve coffee maker could be ideal. They are designed to brew one cup, eight or twelve ounces, at a time and most have an automatic shut off and no warming tray.
While prices vary from about $15.00 to almost a thousand dollars, longevity may be a determining factor, along with your budget, as to how much you spend. Features, color and design are determining factors to the cost of a single serve coffee maker.
Single serve coffee makers are fairly simple, and not much different than, a larger coffee maker to use and many accept pre-measured coffee pods eliminating the mess of coffee grounds. Although most cheaper models require the use of a paper filter, some contain a permanent filter and most will accept pods provided they fit into the holding area.
Travel mugs are available with many single serve coffee maker models, which flow the finished brew into an insulated mug to take on the road filled with freshly brewed, hot coffee. The automatic shut off feature on most, prevent the risk of an overheated unit starting a fire.
Many Uses For Heated Water
Single-serve meals often require the use of hot water and instead of heating it on a stove or in a microwave, a single serve coffee maker can make just the right amount of hot water for this use as well. Running water through a single serve coffee maker can also make a cup for tea.
There also the cup of noodles meals that require only a cup of hot water, which can sit, where the coffee cup would go on a single serve coffee maker and the hot water runs right into the cup, preparing a snack quickly and without fuss.
While the single serve coffee maker is not for everyone, especially for the person who may drink several cups quickly, they can be beneficial to those wanting a cup to take with them or those trying to reduce their intake of caffeine. By limiting the amount of coffee brewed at one time, they will have to keep making one cup at a time and probably reduce the number of cups they drink in a day.
Coffee pods available for a single serve coffee maker come in many flavors from different manufacturers, giving a person the option of having different types of coffee without a lot of waste if they find they are not particularly fond of one type.
Masni Rizal Mansor
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/guide-to-single-serve-coffee-maker-115749.html
Guide to Glass Coffee Table
November 4, 2010
A glass coffee table can have a lot of power because it is the centerpiece of your living space and can be the center of discussion. You can place books on your glass coffee table and use it as a focal point for a lot of the social interaction that goes on in your home. Most people with coffee tables know that it is not just a glass Coffee table that makes the difference in a home but it is the interaction that it can foster by being a gathering place for people to be around as they converse. A coffee table of any material is wonderful, but a glass table adds a special dynamic of class to the home.
The reason glass adds the dynamic of class is that it maintains an allure through the clarity of the table and does not distract from other elements of the room. It can remain a centerpiece and a focal point without overpowering anything, including the objects you put on the table. Without a glass coffee table, you could risk having a table that overpowers and becomes an object instead of a place for objects. The distinction lies in the fact that people will notice the table first and the objects on the table second, including the conversation that surrounds it.
Designer Tips
There are great ways to decorate your room with a glass coffee table and a little bit of creativity. You may want to start with some sort of table addition such as a candle or an object to place on the table to draw a bit of attention to it. As mentioned before, however, you do not want it to completely overpower the room so the addition should be quite minute. Think about possibly adding some books or some other items to it and making sure that you maintain a specific trend in the room with the colours and other décor options. You don’t want to overdo anything if you can help it.
Finally, be sure to include the proper accessories around the table. A good idea is to put the coffee table on another small throw rug instead of directly on the rug itself. This will bring the table up a small bit and will draw it in to blend with the rest of the room. Using this technique on other end tables is good as well as it can present your room to have a very layered look. The glass coffee table is great to place in the middle of such an arrangement to gather focus to the center of the room.
Masni Rizal Mansor
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/guide-to-glass-coffee-table-111007.html
