Discover A New Coffee Flavor Through Coffee Blends

A coffee blend refers to the combination of two or more types of coffee or flavorings as a single brew. This combination of flavors helps to give the coffee a more complex taste, as well as allowing individuals or restaurants to create their own signature blend. Blends can include various types of coffee beans, flavors, or even non-coffee additions that are added directly into the mixture.

There are two kinds of coffee bean, each with its own distinct characteristics. Arabica beans are grown at high altitudes and are the highest quality bean. They have a smooth caramel aftertaste and a rich aroma that has become characteristic with fine coffee. Robusta beans, by comparison, are grown at lower altitudes and have a much stronger flavor. This bean is generally used in making instant coffee and lower grade commercial coffees. Some coffee blends may combine both beans in the same brew to take advantage of both unique flavors.

The type of beans used is not the only factor in choosing a coffee blend's flavor. Various types of roasting methods produce very different flavors and aromas. American roast, for example, is a medium roast that has a mild flavor. French roasted beans are heavily roasted and have a very strong flavor. Often beans that have been roasted differently are combined to create a unique coffee blend.

Various other flavorings and ingredients can also be combined with the beans to create more coffee blend options. Often vanilla, cinnamon, or hazelnut will be added to give a hint of their unique flavors to the brew. Milk, either as a creamer or frothed, is also commonly added to create common coffee drinks found in cafes the world over.

Make a coffee blend at home by experimenting with various flavors and spices. This can include creamers and milks, as well as seasonings found in the pantry. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and caramel are all common additions to coffee beverages. The possibilities are endless with just a little imagination. 

Coffee beans can also be roasted or brewed together with flavorings, like vanilla, to create virtually limitless coffee blend varieties. When roasted with these flavors, the bean itself takes on a slight hint of the ingredient. This allows one to discover which flavors combine the best, as well as how to create the perfect strength.

Creating a new coffee blend is a great way to suit just about any taste, as well as to create a brand for a restaurant or café. Many chains have crafted a taste so unique, it has become the trademark of that business. Anyone can do this for themselves with a little patience and a willingness to experiment. [source : Coffee Blends]

Cappuccino : Italian Coffee Drink for Breakfast Beverages

Cappuccino is Italian coffee drink topped with foamed milk. It is made in a steam-producing espresso machine. Espresso is poured into the bottom third of the cup, and is followed by a similar amount of hot milk. The top third of the drink consists of firm milk froth prepared a minute or two earlier; this foam is often sculpted to an artistic peaked mound. Shaved chocolate, raw sugar, cinnamon or other spices are often sprinkled onto the top of the finished drink. The cappuccino is then consumed with a teaspoon.

Legend has it that when a vast Ottoman Turk army was marching on Vienna in 1683, Marco d'Aviano was sent by the Pope to unite the outnumbered Christian troops. After a prayer meeting led by d'Aviano, they were spurred to victory. As the Turks fled, legend has it, they left behind sacks of coffee which the Christians found too bitter, so they sweetened it with honey and milk. The drink was called cappuccino after the Capuchin order of monks, to which d'Aviano belonged. Needless to say, there is no mention of cappuccino in any of d'Aviano's biographies or any other contemporary historical source. Indeed, the story did not appear until the late 1980s, indicating that it was probably made up as a joke.

Espresso machines of the type used to make cappuccino were introduced at the beginning of the 20th century when Luigi Bezzera of Milan filed the first patent in 1901. Cappuccino was developed in Italy by the early 1900s, and grew in popularity as the large espresso machines in cafés and restaurants were improved during and after World War II, specifically with the introduction of the modern, high-pressure espresso machine by Italian company Gaggia in 1948. The beverage had developed into its current form by the 1950s.

In Italy the cappuccino is seen as a morning drink and is rarely drunk after 11am. In the United Kingdom, espresso coffee initially gained popularity in the form of the cappuccino, due to the British custom of drinking coffee with milk, the desire for a longer drink so the café may serve as a destination, and the exotic texture of the beverage.

Besides a shot of espresso, the most important factor in preparing a cappuccino is the texture and temperature of the milk. When a barista steams the milk for a cappuccino, microfoam is created by introducing very tiny bubbles of air into the milk, giving the milk a velvety texture. The traditional cappuccino consists of an espresso, on which the barista pours the hot foamed milk, resulting in a 2 cm (¾ inch) thick milk foam on top. Variations of the mixtures are usually called cappuccino chiaro (white cappuccino, also known as a wet cappuccino) with more milk than normal, and cappuccino scuro (dark cappuccino, also known as a dry cappuccino) with less steamed milk than normal.

Attaining the correct ratio of foam requires close attention while steaming the milk, thus making the cappuccino one of the most difficult espresso-based beverages to make properly. A skilled barista may obtain artistic shapes while pouring the milk on the top of the espresso coffee.

Cappuccino was traditionally a taste largely appreciated in Europe, Australia, South Africa, South America and some of North America. By the mid-1990s cappuccino was made much more widely available to North Americans, as upscale coffee houses sprang up.

In Italy, and throughout continental Europe, cappuccino was traditionally consumed early in the day as part of the breakfast, with some kind of sweet pastry. Generally, Europeans did not drink cappuccino with meals other than breakfast, preferring espresso throughout the day and following dinner. However, in recent years Europeans have started to drink cappuccino throughout the entire day. Especially in western-Europe (The UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium) cappuccino is popular at cafés and terraces during the afternoon and in restaurants after dinner. In the United States, cappuccinos have become popular concurrent with the boom in the American coffee industry through the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially in the urban Pacific Northwest. [source : Cappuccino]