CoffeeBean Chronicles - Summer Coffee - what a treat!

Well... it is now officially summer and the focus for drinking will be cold.  Ah, yes.. in the morning it is still the best way to start the day with a good cup of hot coffee but as the day progress, so does the temperature!   When it is 90 degrees or hotter and you have been working outside it is always a good idea to drink plenty of ice water but when you are finished and enjoying the fruits of your daily labor; sit down, put your feet up and and enjoy a tall glass of ice coffee.  Ice coffee can be as fancy or plain as you like it.  I prefer ice coffee over vanilla ice cream and crushed ice.  It is like a coffee slurpee but with ice cream.  AH!!!  It is so good.  Some may like ice coffee with chocolate syrup and crushed ice.  Mmmmmmmmmmm.....  that is so good and it cools you down fast.  

It is easy to make ice coffee and anyone can do it.  Make a pot of your favorite non-flavored coffee.  Flavored coffee does not taste as good cold( my opinion).  Pour the coffee in a glass or plastic pitcher and place it in the refrigerator for a 2-4 hours.  A good time to make the coffee is in the morning, so it is ready when you are in the afternoon or evening.

Add you favorite sweeter, syrup. ice cream or just drink it straight with cream.  It is a great summer drink!

Enjoy your coffee and your summer!

Check out our website for great coffee prices We have slashed our roasted and green bean coffee prices because our cost have fallen!  
                                                  Fresh Roast...Fresh Coffee...Fair Price
                                                           BlackGold Coffee Company

The Morning Cupper
     Deanna

CoffeeBeans Chronicles - Decaf Coffee is not what you think!

The thought of drinking decaf. coffee makes some people's nose turn up and back off a little.  The thought of a cup of coffee with very little caffeine is unheard of for many but the awful aftertaste would make people run for the hills.   Most people who drink decaf. coffee are required to drink non-caffeine drinks due to various health reasons and one of them is breast cancer. 

Decaf. coffee is not 100% caffeine free. It is totally impossible with our current processes of decaffeinating.  There are three major ways to decaffeinated coffee.  The chemical process is probably the cheapest and the taste of the coffee tells all!  If you like the taste of chemicals in your month, go for it.  I prefer the Swiss Water process.  It does not use chemicals and it may be more expensive that the chemical process but the taste is better and acceptable.   The new kid on the block is the CO-2 process.  This process  removes 99% of the caffeine, just like the other two processes but the beans are not as cooked, thus the coffee beans are not as dark.

 I looked into this and did some test roasting of coffee beans of CO-2 and Swiss Water process.  The CO-2 beans were lighter in color that the Swiss Water but the end results was extremely close.

The taste of both batches of beans, bold and medium roast were the same.  I could not taste any difference.  The difference is the way the beans are roasted.  Since the beans are semi-cooked due the decaffeinated process, the roasting time is slower and shorter.  

Good decaf coffee is fantastic and if the coffee beans are roasted right and grind to a medium texture( sand between your fingers), you will enjoy a great cup of coffee and probably will not miss the high-octane coffee.

Afternoon  is the good time for decaf coffee for many.  You get some caffeine, the great smooth, rich taste of coffee and you don't have to worry about staying up all night!!

Try a cup of decaf. coffee, but be warn that now all decaf coffees are good, so do your research.

 BlackGold Coffee Company sell high quality decaf. coffee beans, both green and roasted.  Try some today and enjoy the change.. 

Enjoy your day and coffee...

The Morning  Cupper

         Deanna

http://www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com/

CoffeeBeans Chronicle - Spring is around the corner

For some of us, spring is finally here and for others it is a few more weeks of cold and snow.  This has been a cold and long winter for all and I hope you have enjoyed the strong balanced South American coffees during these months of winter.  When I think of winter, I think of comfort food and South American coffees because the two represent the bold, rich, warmth of sitting in front of a fire or enjoying the friendship of a few during the winter evenings.

Spring is the awakening of the sleepy bear or lion and the feel of warmth from the sun and longer days.  It is the light stepping of people that  remind me of the lighter body coffees.  The African and Asian coffees remind of of spring and summer, lighter in taste yet they hold the same outstanding richness of the South Americans.  They do not have the heavy body as their couisins across the sea but they are equal in richness and taste.  Start your spring by tasting the lighter body coffee and expand your horizon of coffees today. You never know what you are missing if you don't explore today!

Ethiopian Yirgatheffe, Tanzania Highland Peaberry, Indian Monsoon Malbar, the Indonesia twins, Sumatra Lintong and Sulawesi are just a few that have a rich coffee taste but a lighter body.

Enjoy your coffee and your day!

Deanna Helie

Morning Cupper

http://www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com/

Visit our website for fresh roasted coffee at a fair price and coffee green beans for the home roasters.

CoffeeBean Chronicles - Coffee isn't just for drinking!

A recent study published by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry has found that the smell of freshly brewed coffee can actually lift the spirits.  So sniff and sip away and enjoy your coffee in the morning.  Not only is this good for you but doing it the 'simple way' can also perk up our garden and your plants.  Here is a gradening tips from an avid gardener(me!) who hates to throw anything away that may help my backyard!

Perk up your Plants

 Coffee gounds are only slight acidic and most of the acid is removed when brewing the coffee.  Worms love this ground mess, so add your grounds(cold of course) to the soil or if you have a compost pile, add the filter and all.   I mix my grounds with the soil around my roses and they love it.  If you are a tea drinker, do the same with the tea bags.  The tea is nitrogen-rich and a boost to the compost pile.  I have a small compost pile and the worms seems to sniff it out because when I place my coffee grounds in the pile with some leaves or cabbage leaves, it is packed with worms within a month

If you are not going to feed your compost pile or plants with your coffee grounds after making coffee, store them is a glass plastic container in the refrigrator for a few weeks.  Just make sure they are cool when you store them.


On that note.... enjoy your coffee, enjoy your day and enjoy your garden.
Check out our website for store coffee specials, information and great prices.
We sell green coffee beans to home roasters as well as fresh roasted coffee!

Deanna
Morning Cupper
http://www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com/

Coffee Bean Chronicles - Coffee New Perks for Cancer Prevention

You have heard and read many times about how various fruits, vegetables, drinks, and exercise are good steps for prevention of cancer. I would like to pass this bit of information about coffee.

For those of you who drink 4-6 cups a day and have been told to cut down the coffee, REJOICE!!! You are on the right track for cancer prevention.

A new study of 60,000 women shows that those who drink 4 or more cups of coffee a day cut the risk for endometrial cancer by 25 percent. Not bad for the morning brew, ah!

Men benefit too, a recent research suggests a 60% drop in the risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer among those who drink 6 or more cups of coffee daily, compared with men who don't drink coffee.

Coffee has been ranked 6th. within the top 10 food with the highest antioxidant content per serving. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

1. Blackberries
2. Walnuts
3. Strawberries
4. Artichokes ( prepared)
5. Cranberries
6. Coffee
7. Raspberries
8. Pecans
9. Blueberries
10. Cloves (ground)

enjoy your day and your coffee!

The Morning Cupper

Deanna

Coffee Bean Chronicles - French Press Coffee

The new year has rolled around again and it is time to try something new. Brew your coffee with a French press instead of your old way. If you have not tried this method of making coffee, you are in for something fantastic in taste, easy to clean and not expensive.

For single or two person households, this is a perfect match for a cup of coffee in the morning without a lot of fuss and time. It is a fast, convenient way of making a good cup of coffee. You can buy French Press coffee makers for 1 to 8 cups, multiple colors or plain glass and thermal. This is great way to entertain your guests when you have a small group and wish to serve fresh coffee fast. French Press coffee makers has been around for years and are becoming more common.

We, Americans are big drip coffee drinkers for a long time but I feel this year is the year that not only the use of the French Press for coffee making will be greatly increase in the household but coffee shops will embrace this as a single table server for their customers. What a better way to serve hot, fresh coffee!




Here are some tips on making a good cup of coffee using the French Press.

1. Grind your coffee to a medium/fine texture(sand texture). Remember the finer the grind the less amount of coffee to use. Experiment to find your level of grind texture. There is no such thing of a perfect grind. People's taste are different and so are their coffee grind!

2. Scoop 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of coffee per cup into the French Press.

3. Heat your water to boiling and fill the French Press to the full cup level mark. Less water in the French Press produces stronger coffee.

4. Put the French Press plunger on the top of the grounds and let it brew for 4 minutes. When 4 minutes have arrived, gently and slowly press the plunger down to the bottom of the press and let it sit there for a few seconds. You will noticed that the coffee is settling down.

5. Reward yourself with a good cup of fresh coffee. Refrigerate any leftover coffee for later.


I enjoy a bold roast of Brazil Santos or medium roast of India Monsoon Malabar.

Remember to choose your coffee and experiment to find your perfect cup.

Sincerely, The Morning Cupper

Deanna

Visit our website for the best prices for green beans and fresh roasted coffee!http://www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com/

Coffee Beans Chronicles - Winter Season Warmers

Winter is here in full force and in some areas of the world, it is a lion! This is the best season to slow down the pace of your life,enjoy your friends, family, and good comfort food. I think coffee is one of the best comfort food that one can enjoy. It is simple, yet complex. It can be serve with an assortment of sugar, milk, cream, cinnamon, spices from the east or thick, black and strong(Turkish coffee). There is no proper time to drink coffee, for it is an anytime drink. It is one of the most universal food we have to enjoy and so many ways to enjoy it. You can drink, bake and cook with it. You can feed your plants with the coffee grounds after you have finished your brew (recycle 101 - jack up your plants with caffeine!).

Home Roasters can take time to experiment with roasting a blend of coffee beans for their own signature and enjoying the taste of rick, robust coffee, only days young. The art of roasting is one of skill, curious and the unknown.

I would like to wish everyone, a peaceful and plentiful end of year rites. Think of what you have and not want you have not, for there are those who are worse off than you. Enjoy your coffee, keep warm and always remember; the simple things in life are the best.

Winter Solstice to all!

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Fresh Roast...Fresh Coffee...Fair Price