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Another Great gourmet tea gift Article
The History of Coffee



The History of Coffee

Coffee was discovered in Eastern Africa in an area known as Ethiopia. A popular legend tells of a goat herder named Kaldi. One day he noticed his goats acting frisky after eating berries from a bush. Kaldi tried the berries. He found he had renewed energy. The news of this amazing fruit spread throughout the region. Monks started drying the berries to transport to distant monasteries. They reconstituted the berries by soaking them in water. They would eat the fruit and drink the liquid to provide stimulation for a more awakened prayer time. The berries were transported from Ethiopia to the Arabian peninsula and were first cultivated in Yemen. Then coffee travelled to Turkey where beans were roasted for the first time over fires. The beans were crushed and boiled in water, creating a crude version of the coffee of today.

Coffee arrived on the European continent through Venetian trade merchants. The catholics were totally against drinking coffee. In fact they thought the Pope should ban coffee, calling it the "Drink of the Devil'. However the pope had already become an avid coffee drinker. He liked it so much that he blessed it. Coffee houses spread quickly. Many great minds gathered in them for thought and creativity. In the 1700's coffee made its way to the America's by means of a French infantry captain. He travelled with a small plant. It was then transplanted to the Carribean Island of Martinique. There grew 19 million trees within 50 years. Coffee was declared the national drink of the colonized U.S. by Congress. Today coffee is a giant global industry employing more than 20 million people. This commodity ranks second only to Petroleum in its dollars traded worldwide. There are 4 billion cups consumed every year. Coffee is the worlds most popular beverage. In Brazil, over 5 million people are employed in cultivating and harvesting over 3 billion coffee plants. Sales of premium speciality coffees have skyrocketed. Sales have reached the multi-billion dollar level and increase annually. Well that is the history of coffee. It all started with a farmer wanting more energy. Even today most of the world wakes up to a cup of coffee to start thier day. I am one of those people who can't live without coffee, especially in the morning. Due to it's popularity, I am sure I am not the only one.
The History of Coffee

Coffee was discovered in Eastern Africa in an area known as Ethiopia. A popular legend tells of a goat herder named Kaldi. One day he noticed his goats acting frisky after eating berries from a bush. Kaldi tried the berries. He found he had renewed energy. The news of this amazing fruit spread throughout the region. Monks started drying the berries to transport to distant monasteries. They reconstituted the berries by soaking them in water. They would eat the fruit and drink the liquid to provide stimulation for a more awakened prayer time. The berries were transported from Ethiopia to the Arabian peninsula and were first cultivated in Yemen. Then coffee travelled to Turkey where beans were roasted for the first time over fires. The beans were crushed and boiled in water, creating a crude version of the coffee of today.

Coffee arrived on the European continent through Venetian trade merchants. The catholics were totally against drinking coffee. In fact they thought the Pope should ban coffee, calling it the "Drink of the Devil'. However the pope had already become an avid coffee drinker. He liked it so much that he blessed it. Coffee houses spread quickly. Many great minds gathered in them for thought and creativity. In the 1700's coffee made its way to the America's by means of a French infantry captain. He travelled with a small plant. It was then transplanted to the Carribean Island of Martinique. There grew 19 million trees within 50 years. Coffee was declared the national drink of the colonized U.S. by Congress. Today coffee is a giant global industry employing more than 20 million people. This commodity ranks second only to Petroleum in its dollars traded worldwide. There are 4 billion cups consumed every year. Coffee is the worlds most popular beverage. In Brazil, over 5 million people are employed in cultivating and harvesting over 3 billion coffee plants. Sales of premium speciality coffees have skyrocketed. Sales have reached the multi-billion dollar level and increase annually. Well that is the history of coffee. It all started with a farmer wanting more energy. Even today most of the world wakes up to a cup of coffee to start thier day. I am one of those people who can't live without coffee, especially in the morning. Due to it's popularity, I am sure I am not the only one. Understanding the sales process to close more salesAndre PlessisUnderstanding The Sales Process To Close More Sales

You may not have put much thought into it but if you are a business owner and sell products and/or services to consumers or/and businesses then you are a sales person. Have you spent enough time understanding the sales process and what it takes to close more sales for your business? If you havent this October Newsletter will help you understand the sales process, how your prospects think and how you can close more sales.

There are two things in your business you need to master and those are marketing and selling skills.

Most marketers dont give a lot of thought to the buying processes of their clients. Thats very unfortunate. Paying attention to the buying process can have a dramatic effect on your revenue. It is extremely important to understand that although people inquire about your products/services, it doesnt mean they are the ideal prospect. There are many reasons why people may not buy your stuff which has nothing to do with you.

Each and every one of us goes through some sort of buying process when we make a purchase decision. At times the process is long as when making a big purchase. At other moments it happens almost without thought when buying an inexpensive item. Sometimes we may be seeking information on a products or service but that doesnt mean we are ready to buy right away. May be we need to be convinced that we are making the right decision.

It is very important that early in the sales process you differentiate the prospect that is on the market to buy and the one WHO DOESNT KNOW WHAT HE WANTS. Dont spend much time on the second one; you will be wasting your time and energy.

Generally speaking, the buying process consists of four steps.

Do they really need it?

During this step, shoppers realize they WANT or MAY need something. They realize that they have a problem or a desire, and they choose to find a solution. If this need is strong enough chances are that they will make a quick decision and buy from you or your competition. If the need is not really there, they will just shop around and wont be making a quick decision. That decision could be made in a few months or may be never. It is extremely important that you identify the real prospect to the undecided shopper. It can be very frustrating to deal with those undecided people. You should focus your energy on the real buyers. I consider this stage interview the most critical part of any sales process. The interview is the stage where you try to get to know your customer's needs, concerns, issues, objections, and real desires. It's from the interview that you have enough information to determine how to present your products and services.

Information Search

Once the choice has been made to fill a need or want, the prospects begin to search for information in order to make the best buying decision that is in his/her best interest. Make sure you give all information necessary to help them make a buying decision. You should offer some way for the prospect to remember you, such as brochures and catalogs, a way to bookmark your site, newsletter etc.) Free samples, test drives, free report and other means of trial work extremely well to guide the prospect through the information search stage and onto the evaluation and purchase stages. In this particular state of the buying process make sure to educate the process as much as and make sure you differentiate your company from the competition.
In that particular stage you will need to do two things. Educate your prospect and create an interest.

When educating your prospect on your products/services, be sure to present reasons for them to buy. Remember...solve a need, problem, or improve a current situation. The Key: Give them reasons to buy.
Your recommendation shows the customer your personal efforts and interest in helping him. He will be able to compare your products and services to the competition, and see the difference (if there is any). This should bring out his final objections, giving you the opportunity to answer all his questions.

Your recommendation should be designed to relate value to your customer. Here is where your product or service begins showing logical and practical solutions to the customers problems, needs, and goals. This is where you lay out your plan of action and explain how the process will work for your prospect. This step will also uncover and give you the opportunity to handle objections.

Find out about their objections

Often the trial close will lead to objections. You might say, "So which program do you feel most comfortable with?" (That's a soft form of the trial close.) Your customer will probably respond with objections (e.g., price, features, delivery, no time, or no need). During this step, don't' try to counter the objections. Continue the interview and learn all you can about their objections and challenges. You need to help them make a decision and they need to be reassured they are making the right decision. Try to learn whether the objections are honest or made up because the prospect doesn't want to hurt your feelings, or genuinely isn't interested in buying at this time.

Handle objections

Your options are to rebuttal an objection, change your offer, or provide other incentives. But make sure you do the homework and actually follow up with the prospect. Occasionally, you will find an objection is legitimate and you really can't meet the prospect's needs. Be honest, wish him luck then walk away. Dont waste your time with undecided people who do not know what they want.

Evaluation

After your prospects have collected all the information they feel is necessary and you have answered all their objections, they begin to evaluate their options and narrow their choices until they finally pick the one thing that they are comfortable with, and that they can afford. This is the time to follow-up with your prospects. Is there additional information they need in order to choose your company? Did they have any issues with the free sample that can be corrected? Your presence during the evaluation stage is important, so do your best to retain customer contact information in order to offer any additional information the buyer might need.

Purchase

Once all the information has been evaluated, a purchase is made, and your customer walks hopefully happy.

Why people really buy.

People buy for their own reasons, NOT FOR YOURS. Until you know your customers reasons for wanting, or not wanting, to buy your product/service...you are in the dark! It doesnt matter how many reasons you give for believing your product/service is a great buy, they will mean nothing unless your customer has VERY GOOD reasons to buy from you. Customers face new challenges every day that can alter their needs for your products/services. The key is to stay in contact with your prospects...and ALWAYS ask questions to learn where they are in terms of needing your product/service.

If a prospect avoids making the decision to buy from you, its typically because they have no sense of urgency to buy or they may not be convinced that your products/services will solve a problem they have. Your challenge is to prove to the prospect that buying now is best for them and you must be able to offer support and real reasons why. What will they miss if they wait even one more day? What will they miss if they dont buy from YOU? Make sure you emphasize on the potential opportunities if they go ahead and get started on the program NOW. WHY is it important for them to buy now? In other words, whats in it for them? Remember...the reason a customer buys your product or service is because of what it can do for them. JUST TELL THEM.

Know Your Competition

We all have competition. When you call on a prospect, you will likely encounter a situation where the prospect knows your competitors. In order to sell all the reasons why YOUR product or service is best for the prospect...you need to know as much as possible about your competitors. This allows you to explain why your product/service is better than the rest to solve a specific need of your client.

Why is my product/service best?

In order to make a decision to buy your product and/or service, a buyer will need specific information about you, your company, your products, services, etc. Provide them with specifics on your reliability, special features of your products and services and where you stand in your industry. Tell a complete story of why they should buy from YOU rather than your competition. TESTIMONIALS ARE POWERFUL. CREDENTIALS ARE IMPORTANTL. If you belong to a specific organization such as BBB, it may help you tremendously close a deal.

What about those prospects that is not ready to buy?

Simply follow up regularly with them through direct mail, phone calls, or newsletters. That allows you to build credibility which you may not have been able to build earlier. Many individuals are not ready to buy right away but after, 6, 7, 8 follow up they may be ready.
Understanding each step in the buying process can help you structure your selling process and your marketing materials to cater to the prospects. Take the time to consider what your customer goes through when making the choice to buy, and alter your business accordingly. In doing so, you will increase your chances of making more sales.

In the sales profession you are the company, the product, the service. What you do and how you do it will impact your success. Perfect your sales skills by asking and answering questions, overcoming objections, and provide reasons to buy your products/services. Tell your story, create a need, solve a problem, handle follow-up procedures correctly and you will be on your way to great success.

Golden rule: PEOPLE BUY FROM PEOPLE THEY LIKE AND TRUST.

Andre Plessis
Author & Marketing Expert
SmartBizConnection
http://smartbizconnection.com
The Smartest Way To Grow Your Business!

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This Newsletter was submitted By Andre Plessis -- Marketing Expert. Get your monthly dose of Email newsletter, marketing tips, promotion, by joining our free Newsletter "The Smartest Way To Grow Your Business": visit http://smartbizconnection.com.

Andre Plessis
Author & Marketing Expert
SmartBizConnection

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Copyright 2003 - 2004 SmartBizConnection. All rights reserved.
Phone: (888) 872- 2285 / Direct: (818) 341- 2972 Sell at the top -- enjoy greater success!Frank Williams
As a former CEO of a good size industrial company, I always found it strange that I didn't have more salespeople call me directly. Did they know I always answered my own phone? Did they not intuitively understand that, at some point, I would be involved in any major buying decision? Did they not grasp that getting to know me and understand my thinking would be a smart move in closing any sales with my firm? And, to me, starting at the top seems to be the best place to begin any sales cycle, yet my phone rarely had salesman attached to the other end and many studies on sales techniques confirm this.

Would you be surprised to find out that more than seventy-five percent of high-level decision makers are involved early-on in any major buying process? A more shocking statistic yields that less than five percent of all salespeople talk to the high-level decision maker. Why is this?

Global Marketing, Inc. held discussions with many salespeople about this inhibitor to greater sales achievement. Lack of business knowledge, low confidence or no experience connecting with high-level decision makers is the most common feedback as to why these sales people don't start at the top. Global Marketing suggests that if you have these individuals in your organization - route them out fast or train them how to approach and close on high-level decision makers, or your competitor will!

Selling at the highest level in any account makes good selling sense. Calling on these top-level people means talking to someone who has the ability to say "yes" or "no" to your idea. Going straight to the top means shorter sales cycle, better treatment, and will create additional pull for your idea. Those that sell at the top usually find there is less competition because (as earlier stated) most salespeople are too intimidated to call on the top decision maker. And when was the last time you heard a top decision maker suggest that they don't have the budget for an idea they like.

Failure to call at a high level within a targeted business come with a variety of salespeople rationalizations. Many individuals we spoke to said they were afraid to go over the head of their lower-level contact in fear of offending them. Others stated they feel intimidated by the top level decision makers.

Other on-going ‘myths' surrounding senior level decision makers:

I'll never get by the screener to gain an appointment.
These people have more important things to do.
These are smart people with Yale or Harvard MBA's.
Most high-level decision makers hate salespeople.
Successful sales people I know don't buy-into these or other myths. Remember, that high-level decision makers did not reach the top by being aloof. Many organizations promote from within and these top people usually recognize the importance of meeting with key decision makers. Besides, in today's business, most organizations are flatter making the key decision maker more accessible. However, the bottom line for any solid sales approach is to bring something of value to the high-level decision maker - this will ensure you will always get their attention.

Working and connecting with high-level decision makers takes a practice and a willingness to plan your sales call. Recognize that you must understand how high-level decision makers operate. Typically, they are more direct. No long-winded chat-chat for these guys. They like to control meetings and are more strategic in their thinking and decision making. Something that may take lower-level contact months to decide may be acted on immediately by the high-level decision maker. They take measured risks and make calculated decisions, so don't waste their time by presenting canned presentations, or lack an understanding of their business -- usually these high-level decision makers are looking for you to make a difference in their business, not just make a deal.

As a young salesman, a person I came to respect gave me some sage advice -- "begin as you mean to continue". Have your salespeople start at the top. Your business will achieve more and your competitors will envy you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frank Williams is a marketer. With many post graduate courses in management, leadership, marketing and technology to his credit, Williams is a widely respected speaker, author and technologist. He has significant knowledge in marketing strategies and is the founder and CEO of Global Marketing, Inc. - a leader in business, marketing and sales consulting
Other valuable articles can be found at:
http://members.cox.net/glmarketing/glmarketing/index.htm

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gourmet tea gift in the news
Take your time with a meal at Gourmet Junction - Joliet Herald News

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:07:30 GMT

Take your time with a meal at Gourmet Junction Joliet Herald News, IL - Nov 21, 2008 Owner Mary Ann Waldorf has created a destination that is part tea room, part deli, part gift shop. Above all else, though, it is a place where they know ...

Holiday memories in the making - Kawartha Media Group

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Communication is needed in all walks of life. This is the reason for us to write this article on expresso machines for sale; to communicate it's meaning to everyone.

Today's expresso machines for sale Article

Pure Kona Coffee

Pure Kona Coffee is gourmet coffee grown only on the Island of Hawaii. It is grown on the dark volcanic lava rock slopes of Kona which is located on the west side of the Big Island. This area is approximately one mile wide by thirty miles long. It is situated between two volcanoes, Hualalai and Manua Loa. The elevation ranges from 500 to 3000 feet.

Pure Kona Coffee is gourmet coffee grown only on the Island of Hawaii. It is grown on the dark volcanic lava rock slopes of Kona which is located on the west side of the Big Island. This area is approximately one mile wide by thirty miles long. It is situated between two volcanoes, Hualalai and Manua Loa. The elevation ranges from 500 to 3000 feet.

The unique island microclimate distinguishes pure Kona coffee from all others. Special care is taken throughout the process of creating the Kona coffee bean. The sunny mornings, cloud-covered rainy afternoons and mild nights create an ideal growing condition for the best Kona coffee.

The trees thrive in the fertile volcanic soil and natural shade provided by the mango and macadamia nut trees. This allows the Kona coffee bean to mature slowly and flourish.

Kona coffee is hand picked, pulped, dried and hulled then sorted by size and shape. It is sun dried and then roasted depending on desired results. A good roasting process can make a big difference in taste. Roasting is referred to as an art form by many in the trade.

Dark roasts are typically French Roast, Italian, or Expresso. Medium roasts include Vienna. Flavored coffee is usually sprayed immediately after roasting for the best absorption of flavor. Just after roasting the oxidation process begins and coffee is at its freshest.

Kona coffee is grown and processed with attention to every detail creating an end result of extraordinary coffee, delicate yet rich in flavor and aroma. This quality has made pure Kona coffee one of the most highly famous and valued coffees in the world.

Copyright 2005 Perfect Coffees.com. All Rights Reserved

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This article is supplied by http://www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase quality coffee online, tea, cups, mugs, coffee makers, delicious desserts and sugar free desserts online. For a free monthly coffee newsletter with articles like these go to: http://www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html

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Chefs invest in Muskegon downtown's future with bistro - Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com

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Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com

Chefs invest in Muskegon downtown's future with bistro Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com, MI - Jul 20, 2008 Gourmet coffee and downtown's only espresso machine at this point support its breakfast business. As for the bistro, the restaurant features lunch-sized ...

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Sunbeam grinds its way to perfect Father's Day - Current.com.au

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Tags: kauai coffee | kauai coffee

We have not left any stone unturned in compiling this article on coffee month. If you do find any unturned stones, do contact us!

Today's coffee month Article
The Coffee Pot And Its Variety Of Shapes And Styles

The shape and size of a coffee pot will vary. When coffee makers were introduced in the late 1950s, the look of the coffee pot changed.

Before that time, the family coffee pot was often a percolator, which was made of metal. The percolator was patented in 1865 by James Nason. Gravity funnels boiled water through the coffee pot until it comes in contact with coffee grounds.

Gravity then separates the beverage from the grounds, leaving the residue in a small basket of the coffee pot. The coffee was served from the same pot that brewed it.

Still, some people made coffee in a pot on the stove before the modern coffee maker came along, making a simple boiler their family coffee pot.

Most often the family coffee pot in today's homes is the carafe that is attached to the coffee maker. These drip coffee makers became popular in the early 70s. The coffee is placed in a filter. You pour the water from the coffee pot into the filter. Then the coffee is brewed and funneled down into the coffee pot.

The coffee pot that will come with the coffee maker you purchase is usually made of glass but many are made of Pyrex. A coffee pot made of Pyrex is very durable and will not break if it is dropped.

Some families have a coffee pot that have survived generations and is considered a family heirloom.

This coffee pot may be a part of the family china service and may be ceramic. The ceramic coffee pot often reflects the china pattern chosen an older member of the family. Some silver tea services that are handed down from generation to generation may include a coffee pot as well. Some of these tea services may be pewter instead of silver.

Some high-scale restaurants and coffee franchises use decorative carafes as a coffee pot. Some of the art deco coffee pots may look more like a vase than a coffee pot. This type of coffee pot may have a design and may be more colorful that a traditional coffee pot.

One of the latest trends is a coffee pot that resembles a thermos-like vessel. This type of coffee pot can brew coffee and is served from the coffee pot. The coffee pot is made of stainless steel that keeps the coffee hot. It is also convenient for travel. This type of coffee pot is great from those addicted to their daily dose of java and need to keep the beverage flowing.

Online auction sites and retail stores a coffee pot for almost any taste. If you are looking for a collector's item, look for a coffee pot at an antique store. Many pottery companies have a coffee pot that is unique and is considered a collectible. You can search for a collectible coffee pot online. The price collectible coffee pot could reach hundreds of dollars.

A coffee pot is often more than just a container for your java. Whether you need a practical coffee pot or you have a family heirloom, your own individual taste will determine your coffee pot.

About the Author:

Still looking for the perfect coffee? Try visiting http://www.AllCoffeeSite.com, a website that specializes in providing coffee advice, tips and resources to including information on coffee pot.

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coffee month in the news
Nice photo of the meeting

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:34:13 -0800
Hi everybody! Look at this photo in a nice coffee store.       

Harping Sounds of AM 950 MUSIC/GOLF CONNECTION - El Dorado Hills Telegraph

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:22:18 GMT

Harping Sounds of AM 950 MUSIC/GOLF CONNECTION El Dorado Hills Telegraph, CA - 40 minutes ago He will be out at Courthouse Coffee next week for Harmonica Lessons on Thursday. ON The GOLF CONNECTION Loyce's guest was Author/Class A PGA Pro John ...

We Heart Caffeine

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:59:36 -0700
So here we are, with a gallery of folks proclaiming their love of all things caffeinated. Ladies first, as always. Elizabeth is here sporting a bit of chocolate. Just a bit, but it counts. Not to be outdone, Diana is partaking of the nectar of the gods while holding her own chocolate in preparation for its delicious destruction. Cindy's mug speaks for itself. And Cosette is on hand with various and sundry brands of coffee, many of which can be consumed over the course of a day in th

Ever wonder how come you never got to know so much existed about shade grown organic coffee? Now you got to know, utilize this knowledge well.

Another Great shade grown organic coffee Article
Secrets of Coffee Roasting, De-Mystified

I started my coffee roasting career as a home roaster. Getting started was easier than I thought. And as I did so, it occured to me how a relatively simple concept, roasting coffee beans, has been made to appear to be an arcane art, with a variety of roast types held out as arcane knowledge. How many different names have you run across for different types of coffee roasts? Light, Medium, Dark? Espresso? Continental? Vienna, French, Italian, Spanish? City? Full-City? C'mon, who's thinking up these things?

Well, the dark secret (pardon the pun) of the coffee industry is that, well, there really isn't full agreement on which roast is which. So basically, we all pretty much get to hunt around, try different coffees from different sources and pick the one(s) we like. In this article, I'll try to use the standard nomenclature, and map it to a process of observing the color and texture anyone can judge for himself.

The roasting adventure begins with green coffee beans. These are stored at room temperatures, at 12-15% moisture content. Roasting is done at temperatures of up to 450+ degrees F. Duration and temperature determine the roast.

A coffee bean will take on heat until the internal temperature of the bean reaches approximately 212-240 deg F. At this point, the outer layer of the bean(s) will discolor, turning a nice cinnamon color. Here, steam will start being released from the bean.

As the bean heats up further (approx 250-300 degrees F, again depending on the variety), the external membrane of the bean will dry up and start separating from the bean itself. At approximately 350 degrees F, the continuing heating of the bean forces a 'first crack.' This cracking occurs as moisture within is released through the existing seam in the bean. This essentially blows this small crack open, forcing the separation of the remaining bean 'chaff'.

Coffee at this stage is a light brown color; entering the 'light City Roast' stage. City Roast is usually achieved at a slightly higher temperature (above 370 deg F), where the sugars within the bean start melting or carmelizing. This gives the distinctive 'coffee brown' color. City Roasts are usually stopped around 400 deg. or so. At this point, the sugars are not fully carmelized, and flavor of the beans at this stage are very much determined by their origin; not by the degree of roast.

The 'Full City Roast' stage occurs at higher temperatures, just as the bean reaches the 'second crack' stage. This stage happens at different temperatures for different beans based on variety. The second crack comes as the temperatures of the bean reach the point where the cellular composition of the bean starts breaking down. To obtain the Full City roast, roasting is stopped just at the point where this second crack starts (approx 425-435 deg F.) At this point the bean is darker brown, but 'dry' looking, as the oils of the bean have not started to emerge through the molecular breakdown of the bean.

Going into the second crack, we reach the Vienna, Continental, French and/or Italian roast stages. These are sometimes also referred to as "Espresso Roast", although strictly speaking, there's no such thing. Italian espresso blends actually vary - northern blends are typically roasted to the 'Vienna' stage, well into the second crack, where the sugars within the bean are almost fully carmelized and many beans within the roast will appear dark brown with hints of fissures. Espresso blends in southern Italy are usually roasted into the "French Roast" stage, where almost all of the beans will be about one shade removed from black and oils will start emerging from some beans.

Beyond this point, beans will start releasing oils and their soluble compounds - mainly as a lot of smoke; but the beans will be left quite dark with a very oily sheen. Assuming they have not fully burnt yet, this can be specified as "Italian Roast". I've observed different temperatures (within the roaster) for all of these stages depending on the bean variety - so as my roasts reach the second crack, I tend to trust my eyes and ears more than I trust my probe thermometer.

One interesting note of coffee roasting is that as beans reach into the second crack, they tend to lose any distinctive varietal flavors. Is this a bad thing? Well, for some, perhaps... I for one will mutter a bit if my Ethiopian Yirgacheffe goes past Full City and I lose the distinctive flavor notes; and in my early roasting career I almost cried as a batch of prized Puerto Rican select went unheeded into the Italian Roast realm before I managed to get back to it. But... some varieties do better at the distinctive French Roast stage. De gustibus non disputandum est - it just doesn't pay to dispute the results in the cup!

And that is coffee roasting. I have seen a fair amount of advertising of 'slow-roasted' or 'deep-roasted' coffee, which always gets me to wondering. I suppose if you roast a huge amount of beans in a low-temperature environment... why, yes, that would in fact be a slow process! Certainly for a roaster to get beans to a certain roast point and no further, it does pay to be precise and not rapidly incinerate his product. But I can't say I'd want to purposely take any longer than necessary to do so.

As for 'deep' roasting? Hmm. Can't say as I've ever heard of 'shallow' roasting; but whatever it is, 'deep roast' must be the opposite! Seriously, the only 'trick of the trade' that I can think of runs counter to the notion of holding beans at any given temperature... and that is, once a batch reaches the desired point, get it out of the roaster and cool it down FAST! As described above, the quality of a roast depends on those sugars and soluble materials within the bean getting 'cooked' very specifically. Keeping the beans near additional heat (yes, even other beans nearby, releasing their own heat energy) will continue to cook them.

To some extent this is unavoidable, so the experienced roaster will compensate for this by knowing his roasting environment; and ideally provide a cooling location where beans can cool as rapidly as possible by the flow of cool (i.e., room temperature) air over the freshly-roasted beans. This allows them to 'coast' into their final characteristic color and taste.

Andy White, Roastmaster for Coudy Coffee. For more coffee and espresso information and resources, visit http://www.coudycoffee.com

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free of charge, provided the credit and copyright paragraph and this paragraph remain intact. If you use this article in HTML form, please set resource link as a hyperlink. Please e-mail me the URL of any place where the article is posted, or a copy of any electronic newsletter or eZine, etc. A copy of any printed publication using this article would be greatly appreciated (contact me via e-mail for mailing address!)

Andy White is the Owner and Roast-Master for Coudy Coffee, proudly serving his small-batch roasted gourmet coffees to wholesale and retail customers. He can be reached through the Coudy Coffee web site http://www.coudycoffee.com

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