Top 100 Coffee Recipes: a Cookbook for Coffee Lovers Read online

  Frederick Fell Publishers, Inc

  2131 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 305

  Hollywood, Fl 33020

  Copyright © 2009 by Mary Ward. All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address to Frederick Fell Subsidiary Rights Department, 2131 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 305, Hollywood, Florida 33020.

  For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Frederick Fell Special Sales at [email protected].

  Prop/food stylist: Mary Ward

  Graphic Design: Elena Solis

  Photographer: Barney Taxel

  Introduction: Tomothy J. Castle

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Ward, Mary, 1940-

  Top 100 coffee recipes / by Mary Ward.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN 978-0-88391-163-1 (paprback : alk. paper)

  1. Coffee brewing. 2. Cookery (Coffee) 3. Coffee. I. Title. II. Title:

  Top one hundred coffee recipes.

  TX817.C6W8723 2009

  641.8’77–dc22

  2009024101

  ISBN 13: 978-0-883-91163-1

  eISBN: 978-0-883-91223-2

  Table of Contents

  INTRODUCTION

  CHAPTER 1

  …And Then There Was Coffee

  CHAPTER 2

  Brewing and Serving the Perfect Cup of Coffee

  CHAPTER 3

  Hot Coffees

  CHAPTER 4

  Iced Coffees

  CHAPTER 5

  Espresso and Cappuccino

  CHAPTER 6

  Coffee with Spirits

  CHAPTER 7

  Coffee Break Recipes

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  INDEX

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to all those wonderful people with whom I’ve shared a cup.

  A big thanks to San Francisco Examiner Food Editor, Jim Woods, who suggested I write this book.

  Without the help of Donna Jean Morris, Barney Taxel, Vicki Heil, Donald Lessne, Brian Feinblum, Ted Lingle, Mike Carouso, and Tim Castle, this book would never have happened.

  —Mary Ward

  Gentleman’s Coffee Snack

  Coffee and a bagel … sure to refresh, revitalize and rekindle.

  PHOTO CREDITS

  Enamel tin cup from The Wilderness Shop, Cleveland, Ohio; wire glasses courtesy of Barney Taxel’s Prop Room; antique books courtesy of Mary Ward; blue ceramic and white plate from Pier 1 Imports; brass plate from Antiques in the Bank, Cleveland, Ohio; pipe courtesy of Tinder Box, Cleveland, Ohio.

  RECIPE CREDITS

  Mocha Mugs, page 64

  Quick and Easy Herb Crusted Bagel: in a small skillet, saute 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion and 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley. When onion has browned slightly, place whole bagel (fresh or day old) into the skillet. Coat all sides of bagel, sauteing until it is crusty. Repeat with any remaining bagels. Cool, slice, toast and serve with additional pat of butter.

  Introduction

  This book is a celebration of the flavor of coffee. It joyously explores hundreds of possibilities for hot and cold coffee drinks, simple and complex, sweet and sophisticated. The author’s expertise in blending flavors and aromas into delicious combinations inspires confident experimentation by the reader as well.

  as beverages go, coffee is pretty new stuff. Coffee, in the form we know it, has been drunk for only a little under six centuries. Tea, by contrast, goes back a few thousand years, and wine may well be close to five-thousand years old. Once discovered though, coffee spread quickly, and today it is just beginning to challenge tea as the most popular beverage in several far-cast nations.

  It makes sense then that people are still exploring the taste of coffee and how it gets along with other flavors. There may be rules about which wine to drink with which food but, so far, there are no rules about what to do with coffee. In fact, the tradition of flavoring coffee, or sweetening it, or mixing it with other beverages goes back to the first time coffee was drunk in the Middle East and Europe.

  To this day, throughout much of the Middle East, coffee is served flavored with cardamom. In Vienna, coffee’s first stop in Europe, shopkeepers served complex coffee drinks which included steamed milk, whipped cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate.

  Probably the one thing most responsible for coffee’s popularity is its gregarious nature: its boisterous flavor and aroma. There aren’t a lot of flavors that coffee doesn’t get along with. The recipe for Icy Java Mint, for example, is a surprising combination and a delicious drink.

  Today, in the United States, coffee is undergoing a renaissance; Americans are rediscovering what a really good cup of coffee is and learning the importance of freshly roasted quality beans and proper storage and brewing. So intense is this resurgence that it has been predicted that by 1994, over one-third of the dollars spent on coffee in the U.S. will be on specialty coffee bought in the whole bean form. Of these sales, it has been predicted that over half will be flavored coffees, such as almon and chocolate raspberry.

  among coffee experts, there are purists who would argue that coffee should be drunk hot, black and unsweetened. Mary Ward, though, loves coffee too much to let it lead such a grim existence. Through her many years of experience in teaching consumers and retailers how to brew the best cup of coffee possible, she has learned that coffee can blend successfully with hundreds of flavors and surprising ingredients. A surprise to me was Cafe au Vin, a recipe which dares to blend a port wine with strong French Roast coffee. It reminded me that the original Arabic word for coffee was, in fact, the same word for wine: Qahwah. Cafe au Vin brings out the fruity complexity of the coffee, and the coffee adds a fullbodied yet silken texture to this amazing taste experience.

  mary Ward also understands that everyone is not a coffee connoisseur. Her style is down-to-earth, and she presents things in a clear, easy-to-read tone that belies her enthusiasm for the subject matter. So, while the recipes are new and even sometimes surprising, they are also easy-to-prepare, with readily obtainable ingredients.

  Before getting into the recipes, however, Ms. Ward takes the reader through the basics of coffee. Her second chapter is indispensable to anyone who to sharing a few of her favorites. She even shows you how to roast your own coffee.

  One feature completely unique to this coffee book is a nutritional analysis at the end of each recipe, which allows diet-conscious readers to choose drinks to suite their own particular regimen. Not only calories are counted, but carbohydrates, fat, percentage of calories from fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, caffeine, and calories from alcohol if alcohol is used.

  ms. Ward also points out that all of the ingredients listed above, one of the most suspect, caffeine, is in moderation, probably the least harmful.

  This book can be an important first step for any reader who has yet to discover the pleasures of a truly extraordinary cup of coffee. It will show you how to enjoy coffee much more and how to share it with your friends and family in new and scrumptious ways. But even if you’ve been reading everything written on coffee, I guarantee you’ll find at least a few surprises, and some enjoyable ones at that.

  Timothy J. Castle

  President, Castle & Company

  Former President, Specialty Coffee

  Association of America

  Author: THE PERFECT CUP

&nbs
p; Coffee Blends

  Blending and grinding different varieties and roasts of coffee is a great idea. It is discussed in several sections of this book.

  PHOTO CREDITS

  Turn of the century coffee grinder from Antiques in the Bank; enamel coffee cup courtesy of Roberta Hardacre; cutting boards from Barney Taxel’s Prop Room and Ed nano; burlap coffee bag courtesy of Mike Caruso of Bernardi’s Coffee Roasting; coffee shovel from Barney Taxel’s Prop Room.

  RECIPE CREDITS

  Coffee Blending, pages 26

  Coffee Blends, pages 91

  …AND THEN THERE WAS COFFEE

  no wonder coffee is so important; it’s the first thing you drink in the morning!

  Coffee…America’s breakfast beverage! And it’s no wonder because coffee is not only a tasty refresher; it is also a safe but powerful stimulant. Yet, when you sip a cup of hot coffee, you’re taking part in a tradition believed to be only a few centuries old: 1425 A.D.

  Prior to this time, coffee cherries were eaten in various forms. A fermented drink, made from a sweetened tea of brewed leaves and fruit of the coffee tree, was popular as an intoxicant and stimulant. This was also drunk freshly brewed and unfermented.

  as coffee houses became popular in Arabia in the mid-fifteenth century, the idea of these particular social gathering places moved into Europe. Viennese and Italian coffee houses were popular by the 16th century, and by the 17th century, coffee houses were being introduced into the new world, particularly into North America.

  Coffee has since become America’s favorite breakfast beverage, as Americans drink one-third of all coffee consumed. The peak years for coffee consumption were the early 1960s, when 75 percent of all adults drank at least one cup a day. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, consumption leveled off, but we are now seeing growth in the area of gourmet coffees, specialty coffees, and decaffeinated coffees. Currently, 100 million people in the United States are coffee drinkers.

  The taste of the ‘90s? Although Americans drink less coffee, they are drinking better coffee. The specialty and gourmet coffee industry is growing at the rate of 13 percent per year in this billion dollar industry. Specialty and gourmet coffees use the most select of coffee beans which have been grown in exotic parts of the world. They are roasted in small batches and sold through specialty and gourmet stores. Generally, specialty and gourmet coffees are 50 percent to 125 per cent more expensive than canned coffees and according to coffee aficionados, “worth every penny.”

  Good coffee starts with good coffee beans. Here’s a brief description of the growth process:

  FROM BUSH TO BEAN

  The coffee tree looks a little like a camellia…with broad, dark, and shiny leaves. The leaves are camellia-shaped and two to five inches long, lining up in pairs on either side of the central stem. The jasmine-type flower is small, white, star shaped, and placed in clusters at the base of the leaves. The coffee tree or bush is generally planted from a seedling, which has been cultivated from selected coffee cherries. In three years, the pruned and tended coffee tree will start to produce coffee cherries on a yearly cycle. A mature coffee tree can produce up to a pound and a half of coffee per year, depending on soil, climate, and general weather conditions.

  There are hundreds of varieties of coffee trees, but 92 percent of these belong to either the Arabica or Robusta categories. Arabica beans are the select bean, lower in caffeine, flatter on the side, and generally more dense. Robusta beans are generally used for supermarket coffee blends, for internal consumption in countries where they are grown, and for instant coffee.

  Coffee trees love the warm soil and balmy rainfall of countries located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. There, in the high altitudes, coffee thrives. Variations in soil, sunlight, and altitude produce changes in the coffee beans. Generally, the finest coffees are grown above three thousand feet, in rich soils, with an abundance of sunlight, and with soft, gentle rainfall.

  The best coffee cherries are harvested when they are at maximum ripeness. At this point, they have taken on the appearance of a cherry. However, some Arabica and all Robusta beans are picked indiscriminately. This results in lack of uniformity in coffee product-some beans are overripe, some are underripe, and some perfectly ripe. Almost all coffee cherries are handpicked with a proficient coffee picker able to pick ten to twenty bushels of coffee cherries per day.

  Once picked, the coffee cherries go to a local processing mill. Here, a process called pulping takes place. During this process, the coffee seed is washed, squeezed from the cherry, and sorted into sizes. In order to develop flavor, parchment coffee (as it is now named) is fermented for up to thirty-six hours in a water tank.

  This being a critical part of the production process, fermentation is carefully attended by the mill owner. After fermentation, parchment coffee is hulled into the more familiar-looking coffee beans. These “washed” coffee beans are then sun dried. Although a lengthy sun dry period is preferred, many processing mills will speed the drying process by removing up to 8 percent of the moisture in mechanical dryers. Coffee processed in this way emphasizes the brightness of coffee flavors. When green coffee is ready for the market, it contains 12 percent moisture.

  In countries with little water and lots of sun, another type of processing takes place. Called natural process coffee, the coffee cherries are pulped then spread to dry in the sun. This process results in coffee with an earthier taste than the above method.

  Once coffee has been processed and bagged, it is ready for distribution. Green coffee has a shelf life of only a few months. During this period, it constantly changes: maturing, mellowing, fading and staling depending on the time of year, the climate and the particular coffee.

  a farmer sells coffee to an exporter, the exporter sells to an importer, and the importer sells to a roaster. Once coffee has been delivered to an importer and again after delivery to a roaster, the coffee is “cupped” (tasted). Three small samples of coffee are identically roasted and finely ground. Next, seven and one-half grams of each are placed into three, five and one-half ounce cups. Boiling water is added to the cup and the coffee allowed to steep for one minute. With the cuppers’ nose just above the crust or surface of the coffee, the cups are stirred with a stainless steel soup spoon.

  This is called “breaking the crust,” and a “burst” of aroma is emitted. Then, each cup is carefully tested by the coffee dealer as a means of quality control through taste. In the trade, it is called “slurp and spit.” This is quite an interesting sight to watch… and to listen to. Incidentally, this process was developed in San Francisco by Folger’s during the early 1900s.

  Coffee, therefore, develops its unique flavor from a combination of type coffee plant grown, altitude, soil, amount of sun, and the method and quality of processing and milling.

  BREAKFAST COFFEE AND WAFFLES

  Start the day with freshly brewed coffee and a delicious Belgian waffle.

  PHOTO CREDITS

  Fork, ceramic cup, saucer, and plate from Pier 1 Imports; napkin provided by Dillard’s; ceramic surface from Barney Taxel’s Prop Room.

  RECIPE CREDITS

  Spiced Viennese Coffee, page 87

  Quick and Easy Fruit Topped Belgian Waffles: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place 4 frozen Belgian waffles on a baking sheet and bake until hot and crispy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries (or other berries) with ¼ cup sugar in a blender cup. Pulse several times until syrup is blended. Top waffles with fruit syrup.

  SERVES: 4

  THE ROASTING PROCESS

  The traditional American roast is very light as this roast tends to emphasize acidity and fruitiness. In American roast the body is less developed. Dark roasted include French, Italian, and Espresso with darkness varying widely from coast to coast. Gourmet and specialty coffee shops will carry coffee by categories such as country of origin (e.g. Costa Rican, Hawaiian, Sumatran, Kenya), by darkness of roast (French Roast, Italian Roast, Light Ro
ast), and by flavor (Amaretto, Irish Cream). Quality coffee shops take pride in their roasting.

  The coffee roaster has the ultimate responsibility in producing great coffees for the customer. Coffee is placed in a coffee roasting drum and heated, while rotating, at over four hundred degrees. The master roaster will know exactly when the coffees have reached their peak flavors or their “roasting points.” At this point, the coffee is quickly cooled and allowed to cure for two to three days before being sold.

  many Americans are interested in the roasting and flavoring of coffee beans. Gourmet and specialty coffee shops often carry green (or unroasted) coffees and recommend using a hot-air corn popper to roast coffee. If you roast coffee in this way, don’t forget to cure it for two or three days before grinding and brewing. (I have included a recipe for oven-roasted coffee, see page 98).

  flavored coffees are roasted, then sprayed with artificial agents to give them different flavors. Currently, flavored coffees are almost 50 percent of specialty whole bean sales. These coffees, often Colombian in origin, are easy to make and several are listed on page 94 of this book.

  a coffee roaster may be a large operation which roasts several thousand pounds a day, or it may be a specialty roaster who roasts only a few pounds a day. Because roasting is an art, master roasters oversee the process with care.

  SELECTION

  at the gourmet coffee shop or in many markets, you will see coffee labelled one of two ways: