Unlike tea that is brewed from the most diverse plants (herbs, flowers or berries), coffee made exclusively from grain trees Rubiaceae family (Rubiaceae).But despite the narrowness of the species, breeders brought many varieties of this tasty, refreshing morning drink.The history of its discovery is shrouded in legend.The path, which he did from Ethiopia to the tables of European gourmets, was long and fraught with dangers.Let's learn from what makes coffee, and what process are the red beans to become a fragrant black drink with a beautiful crema.
Legend of the invention
Legend tells the following.A certain Kaldi, an Ethiopian shepherd noticed his goats after eating the leaves and reddish-brown fruit of the coffee tree, become vigorous and hardy.He spoke about plant abbot of the monastery, who decided to try the effect of grains on the monks, causing the bitter fruit chew before vespers.Later the monks learned to dry and roast the seeds, cook out of it drink.This was approximately the mid-century IX.Thus began the domestication of wild trees with beautiful grain.But for a long time, no one outside of Ethiopia did not know of what make coffee.
real story
a long time, just chewed raw berries, receiving from them cheerfulness.Then in Yemen learned how to make a drink made from dried green beans."Kishr" or "geshir" also called "white coffee".It is produced by the pressure of the grain.There was also a common method of mixing milled berries with animal fat.The weight of added a little milk, rolled balls that took the road to raise the tone and rejuvenation.By the way, Green (raw) coffee perfectly burn excess fat.And now, it is used with a variety of additives in nutrition for weight loss.So, from what makes green coffee - raw corn - then began to fry.After heat treatment, the berries were released the aroma and rich flavor, perfectly milled.Such powder Arab quenched with water and brought to a boil.Eat drink without sugar, adding a variety of spices (ginger, cardamom, cinnamon).But before the XII century the Arabs maintained a monopoly on the production of coffee.
triumphal march across the planet
of the Turkish chronicles known when opened the first specialty store beverage.Istanbul "Kiva Han" has opened its doors to customers in 1475.It is also the capital of the Ottoman Empire's idea of public coffee houses: the first one was opened in 1564.In Europe, grain brought Italian merchants, buying them in Turkish ports.But the drink is not particularly popular because it used the copying of the Arabs, without sugar.That all changed in 1683 with the next siege of Vienna by the Turks.Ukrainian Cossack Yuri-Franz Kulchytsky held Allied troops to the besieged and helped plunge the Turks to escape.The award recognized the Cossacks honorary citizen of Vienna and gave him the left enemy of Georgia - 300 bags of reddish-brown seeds.KULCHYTSKY was not enough to know what makes the coffee, he had to somehow make Viennese addicted to this drink.Therefore, quick-witted Cossack, is also considered the inventor of the advertising.It is guessed add sugar and milk drink.His first promotional event associated with the bagel, which every patriot saw fit to eat (with a cup of coffee, of course) to commemorate the victory over the Turks.Kulchytsky opened his coffee shop in Vienna in 1684.A few years later a similar institution has earned in Paris - the owner of Le café Procope was Pascal himself.France - a recognized trendsetter - simply doomed coffee worldwide success.
Expanding the range of trees
Despite the boom-European, world coffee production has been concentrated in North Africa.But the Islamic world pilgrims go to Mecca, not only in the hajj.In the XVII one such traveler smuggled sapling coffee tree in India.Around the same time, Dutch traders brought the plant on the island of Java and Sumatra.At the beginning of the XVIII century the French are attempting to impose a coffee plantation on the island of Bourbon (now Reunion).So it was not only undermined the monopoly of the Arabs.It was found that trees growing on the territory of the taste of coffee unchanged.There were varieties "arabica bourbon" (from the island of the same name), Blue Mountain (from the mountain terraces of Jamaica) and others.
What makes coffee
family Rubiaceae Rubiaceae trees totals more than ninety species.But industry uses only two.It Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora.The second type is often called the Congolese Robusta or drink.World coffee production is based on the arabica.This view accounts for about 69% of the volume of output.Arabica pleasant in all respects: aroma, taste, high foam.Elongated grains have a curved line in the shape of S. Instead Robusta contains more caffeine, and hence better bracing.It grows, unlike Arabica, at 600 meters, they are unpretentious and resistant to pests.This kind of bystrorastushy accounts for about 29% of world coffee production.The remaining two per cent is too expensive to become a mass product.So, sort of "Kopi Luwak" needs to have missed it through its digestive tract beast palm civet.About the same technological process are corn varieties «Monkey Coffee».
Where do coffee?
In this matter we must distinguish between countries who grow trees and harvest, and the state where the grains are complex technological process of roasting to grinding and packaging.After all, the taste and aroma of the beverage is largely dependent on how it is prepared grain: the optimal mixed blends, adjusted to the desired degree of calcination, have created all conditions for maximum preservation of flavor.The grains are grown in more than 60 countries around the equatorial and tropical climatic zones.Recognized leader in the production of coffee - Brazil.It accounts for about 40% of total production.In the grain-exporting countries only purified from natural shells and dried.They are transported in the green - cheese - a.
closer to the consumer
In our vain century many scientists are working on how to make the product more quick and easy to prepare.It surprised a lot of the coffee: because for them, the very process of preparing a beverage - a religious rite.However, if in a hurry to work, it is important to as quickly as possible to get the result.After all, how do instant coffee?Just pour the powder with boiling water.Who loves the sweet coffee, before adding the water pours in a cup of sugar.And then you can pour a little cream or milk.Instant coffee was released back in 1899.It was created by Max Morgentaller, a chemist from Switzerland.Since then, it took more than a hundred years, and during that time the production of instant coffee is not standing still.Scientists have worked hard to ensure the taste of the drink as close as possible, derived from a chemical powder to the natural, brewed from grains grind.
caffeine blockade
Scientists have identified a substance responsible for invigorating and "awakening" effect of this amazing drink.This series of purine alkaloids, which, by the way, if you consume the drink often, the organism produces dependence.Caffeine, theobromine and theophylline may also cause insomnia and jumps in blood pressure.Therefore, scientists conducted research into the reduction of the impact drink on the body.In this case it helped.One ship carrying coffee to Europe, caught in a storm.As a result, small holes sea water got into the hold and considerably damped load.The owner did not want to give up just like that, and brought coffee expert, German chemist Ludwig Rozemusu.He studied the grain and was surprised to find that the drink has not lost its taste and aromatic qualities, but ... completely lost unwanted alkaloids .. Now you probably figure out how to make coffee without caffeine.After Rozemus received a patent in the United States, such "harmless" grains are widely known throughout the world.
Coffee in Russia
In Ukraine, due to the Turkish conquest of coffee has been known for a long time.But in Russia, he began to penetrate only in the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich.However, then it was used exclusively as a bitter medicine for migraine and other diseases.Peter I inherent voluntarist way I am trying to implement "kofiya drink" at the court.As historians claim the king "getting closer to Europe," his boyars that forcibly shaved their beards and watering their "bitter swill."In 1703 in St. Petersburg it opened the first coffee house.But the fashion of drink - at least in the highest circles - has introduced the Empress Elizabeth.It not only kofy consumed in large quantities, but also makes him a cosmetic scrubs.
Coffee production in Russia established a very good idea.For example, in Tver in 2011, operates a powerful plant Paulig.There are full production cycle of grain from South and Central America and India.First, the raw material selection and blending takes place.Then green berries are roasted to varying degrees, are sent to the milling and vacuum-packed way.
Rare
Well, in the end, let's look at how to prepare a tasty drink.Which is better to choose a coffee?It depends on where you will prepare a drink - in the traditional Cezve, geyser or a filter machine, espresso or French-press.By way depend roasting and grinding.There are four degrees of heat treatment of grain.Roasting Scandinavian - the weakest.The grains are greenish.Stronger - Viennese, French and Italian.Scandinavian roasting is used to make the drink French-press (special flask where strainer separates grounds).Dark, almost black "Italian" grains are made for espresso machines.
Milling
The smaller FOR MORE grain, the more they give up their flavor.If you are preparing coffee Cezve (also the name of the crockery - Turk), you need to grind the grain is very small, in the dust.A coarse cereals suitable for French-press coffee maker or the filter type.It's best to buy roasted beans.After all, no matter how keep milled powder, still it after some time loses its marvelous flavor.To prepare a tasty drink, the smell of which will caress your nostrils not only households but also neighbors of the resin grains immediately before use.
Whether there is a good instant coffee?
All of the above concerns natural grains.And how such a convenient powder?Can he answer the high requirements to the taste and smell?For a long time connoisseurs drink chorus repeated categorical "No!" But now the production of instant coffee made some progress.The fact that the powder obtained in two ways.The first - a high temperature, also called spray-drying method.Finely grind the grain was treated four o'clock boiling water under pressure about fifteen atmospheres.Then this organic coffee is filtered and were dried with hot air.He receives revelation ersatz famous drink.A new method of "sublimation" is that the finished organic coffee is frozen, the ice is crushed.Then passed through a special tunnel where the snow evaporates in a vacuum, bypassing the liquid state.This method allows you to retain all the taste of natural coffee.
