A Whole Lotta Latte Coffee

Can you imagine starting the day without a cup of hot coffee to perk you up? A breakfast get-together with friends or an early business meeting will not be complete without mugs of coffee being passed around.

Coffee if one of the most popular beverages in the world. Its origin can be traced back centuries ago, from Ethiopa where it made its way onto Egypt and Europe. From then on, the preparation of coffee has become a tradition as well as a craze in the modern pop culture.

This stimulant drink is made of coffee beans, roasted to perfection and blended into the perfect hot or cold drink. There are basically two kinds of coffee plants: Robusta and Arabica.

Arabica is the older kind of coffee, which many think tastes better than the other variant.

Robusta, which contains almost half as much caffeine as an Arabica is much bitter tasting than its predecessor.

A lot of farmers in Central America, Africa, and Asian countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia depend on coffee planting as their main source of livelihood. Brazil is the largest coffee-producing country in the world.

Here is a quick run-through on how this addicting beverage is prepared:

1. Coffee plants are grown and once they mature enough, they are picked and harvested.

2. Once the coffee beans or coffee cherries are picked, they are sorted and dried. This is where the term ‘first pick’ came from.

3. After the coffee beans are sorted, they are either dried or aged, depending on the variety of coffee.

4. Then, the beans are either roasted or ground to make instant coffee, or the beans are sold by themselves for coffee to be made in your own home.

There are a thousand and one ways to prepare your coffee. You can use instant coffee and dissolve it in hot water for a quick, reviving cup during a long day.

It can also be prepared using the good old coffee machine where ground coffee is steeped through a paper filter, combined with hot water, to come up with the perfect brew.

There is also the more complicated espresso machines, which give the drinkers an added punch to their caffeine fix. These machines combine steam or boiling water with the ground coffee beans to produce a stronger aroma and flavor.

‘Go Loco over Latte Coffee’

When you go to any establishment specializing in coffee preparation, if you are not a coffee enthusiast, you might get confused with the unique language.

Terms like espresso, macchiato, java, espresso, shot, skim, whip, dry and foam are casually thrown around. They all relate to one’s personal preference on how they like to take their daily caffeine fix.

Café latte is one popular flavor of gourmet coffee.

This refreshing drink has three layers. First, one serving of espresso is poured over the cup or mug. This is followed by a generous serving of steamed milk. Lastly, a spoonful or more of foamed milk or cream adds the final touch to the perfect cup of café latte.

No matter how you prefer to take your coffee, be it black, with cream, or gourmet like cafe latte with all the exquisite and creamy toppings, there is no doubt that this beverage's popularity will not wane anytime soon.

By Dave Poon