In different eras and different countries, coffee has been made in a variety of ways, including boiling, steeping and filtering. Whatever the method, coffee has always been made using hot water. An alternative method that's been around since the 1960s, but is only just becoming widely known, uses cold water instead. While the idea may take some getting used to, it does seem to have its advantages. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Coffee is made by using water to extract a wide assortment of chemicals from ground coffee beans. Approximately one percent of a cup of coffee is made up of various bean compounds dissolved in the water. These include aromatics, oils, acids and, of course, caffeine.


• Chemicals always dissolve more quickly and easily in a hot solvent, so throughout history hot water has been used to make coffee. This makes sure that all the tasty chemicals get into the water and that it doesn't take too long to make the coffee. The optimum cup of coffee is reached by extracting just the right amount of chemicals and this usually requires a water temperature of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Using hotter water can get more coffee out of the same amount of ground beans, but will also extract some different chemicals that will give the coffee a bitter taste.


• Cold brewed coffee is made by mixing 1 lb. of ground coffee beans with 9 cups of room temperature water. One cup of water is added to a brewing container, followed by half the coffee, then 4 more cups of water. The rest of the coffee is then added, followed by the rest of the water. The mixture isn't stirred, although the water should be added carefully so that all the coffee is wet. The mixture is allowed to sit at room temperature for 12 hours, then filtered to produce about 6 cups of coffee concentrate.


• The concentrate can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. To make a cup of coffee, simply mix one part of the concentrate with three parts water or milk. To get a hot cup of coffee, you can preheat the water or milk so the mixture will be warm, or you can first mix and then heat the coffee in a microwave.


• Since the cold water process does not dissolve as many chemicals from the coffee beans as hot water does, levels of various bitter or acidic chemicals are lower. Some people find that, for this reason, cold brewed coffee has a milder, smoother taste and is easier on their stomach. Cold brewed coffee also keeps well when refrigerated and allows you to make more coffee from the same amount of beans.

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Coffee plants are easily grown at home. For that reason, some people grow coffee beans as a hobby. Once you grow and harvest the beans, the next step is drying them. By removing most of the moisture from the coffee beans, you preserve them. There are a few ways to dehydrate fruits and vegetables. Using a food dehydrator is a lot faster than Sun-drying which is how most coffee beans get dehydrated. A food dehydrator is a small appliance that sits on the kitchen counter. Once you dry the coffee beans, you can store them before grinding the beans to make coffee. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Wash the coffee beans in a large pan of cool water. Discard any beans that float on the surface of the water.


• Place the coffee beans on a mesh drying tray. Put the beans in one layer only. Separate the beans so they don't touch.


• Put the drying trays into the dehydrator. Turn the heat on to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (or Low if you don't have specific temperature setting).


• Stir the beans with a spoon two to three hours later. The process turns the coffee beans over so they the sides dry evenly.


• Leave the coffee beans in the dehydrator until the beans have 20 percent moisture content. This takes five to seven hours in total depending on the size of the coffee beans. You know the beans are ready when you bite into the center of the bean. The outside should be dry but the center of the bean should be soft and moist.


• Remove coffee beans from dehydrator, turn off dehydrator and let the beans cool.


• Store the coffee beans in air-tight containers. Place container in a dry and cool place until you are ready to grind the beans to make coffee.

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Roasting coffee beans at home can let you customize your coffee to your exact tastes. Coffee beans can be roasted on pans in the oven, but you will more often than not end up with scorched or burned coffee beans. The good news is that a simple coffee bean roaster can be made at home for little expense. All that you will need is a hot air popcorn popper, a high-temperature thermometer, and a digital timer. Now you can get the exact roast you want. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Set up the hot air popcorn popper as per the unit's instructions. For most models, you simply attach the plastic vent portion to the base of the unit and lock it in place. The popcorn popper will function in the exact same manner tit would if you were making popcorn with it instead of roasting coffee.


• Attach the thermometer to the popper's air vent, allowing you to monitor the temperature of the air that the popcorn popper is producing. If you are using a digital baking thermometer then you can attach the temperature sensor inside the main canister to get an even more accurate temperature reading.


• Set up the digital timer near the popcorn popper so that you can keep track of exactly how long your coffee beans roast. You may want to keep notes on the roast times to determine the exact amount of time needed to give you the coffee roast you like best.


• Place your green coffee beans in the popcorn popper just as you would popcorn kernels; use around 2/3 of a cup of beans at a time unless you want to make smaller batches. Larger batches of coffee beans can be made by repeating the process. Make sure that you put a bowl under the air vent's chute as though you were making popcorn.


• Turn the popcorn popper to its highest setting. Should the popper have a temperature control on it, set it at 550 degrees Fahrenheit.


• Let the popcorn popper run for several minutes. After around 3 minutes you should hear what's known as the "first crack," which is a cracking sound that's produced when the coffee beans really begin to roast.


• Monitor the coffee beans once you've heard the first crack, since they will roast much more quickly than they did during the first 3 minutes. A light roast should be achieved after around 4 minutes, while a dark roast can take up to 6 or 7 minutes.

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Coffea arabica and coffea robusta are flowering perennial shrubs that are prized for the flavorful coffee beans they produce. Native to Ethiopia, coffee shrubs grow best in areas where the average annual minimum temperature is warmer than 40 degrees F. Unfortunately for gardeners in the United States, this growing requirement makes it necessary to rule out the idea of growing your coffee outdoors. Luckily, both coffea arabica and coffea robusta can be grown indoors as small trees. With the proper care, your coffee tree will start to produce beans in four to five years. Does this Spark an idea?

• Purchase fresh, green coffee beans from a reputable green coffee supplier or harvest your own fresh coffee beans from a healthy coffea arabica tree. Remove the pulp from freshly-picked coffee beans and wash the beans in warm water. Spread the washed coffee beans on a paper towel to dry for at least two days.


• Soak your coffee beans in room-temperature water for at least 24. After 24 hours, drain the water and rinse the beans with fresh water.


• Germinate your coffee beans in 3-inch planting containers filled with moist perlite. Keep the perlite moist, but well-drained, while you wait for the beans to germinate. Depending on how fresh the coffee beans were, it may take anywhere from two to six months for your beans to sprout.


• Fill a 6-inch planting container two-thirds of the way full with a growing medium comprised of equal parts potting soil, aged manure and perlite for each of your sprouted coffee beans. Make a one-inch-deep depression in the growing medium in each planting container. Place one sprouted coffee bean, flat-side-down, in each depression. Cover the beans with no more than a half inch of the growing medium. Top the surface of the growing medium with two inches of grass clippings to help retain moisture; remove the grass clippings when your seedlings emerge.


• Position your coffee seedlings or trees near a south-facing window where they can receive up to six hours of filtered sunlight per day. Maintain a temperature of between 65 and 85 degrees F. in the room where your coffee seedlings or trees are kept.


• Water your coffee seedlings daily, if necessary, for the first year of growth to keep the growing medium moist, but not soggy or waterlogged. Water established coffee trees approximately twice a week, allowing the surface of the growing medium to dry slightly between watering. Water established coffee trees only once a week during the winter months to encourage them to produce flowers in the spring.


• Fertilize your coffee trees with a half-strength solution of specially-formulated orchid fertilizer every other week to ensure that your trees will have the nutrients they need to grow s...

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The aroma of freshly ground Colombian espresso or a blend of roasted Jamaican and Hawaiian coffee beans fills the air and welcomes customers into your coffee shop. Selecting coffee varieties for a specialty shop involves more than just buying the first beans you find on the Internet. To maintain consistency in your product, you need to cultivate reliable sources for quality coffee beans. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Originally called a Federal Tax ID number, this number will accompany your purchases from a distributor, allowing you to buy coffee beans and any other consumable products sold in your business at a wholesale price. You will not pay a sales tax on these products but you will charge a sales tax to your customers when they buy a cup of coffee or a latte.


• Determine the types and flavors of coffee you will offer. Many coffee shops draw loyal customers by providing a specialty coffee not available elsewhere. When choosing varieties, ask the suppliers to recommend a new or signature blend that you can market as your own.


• Establish wholesale accounts with one or more coffee bean distributors. High-end distributors may offer many blends and you can select all of your coffee beans from one place. However, this is risky should the distributor experience a problem in getting a specific bean variety. Accounts with multiple distributors require additional paperwork but you gain insurance against a shortage.


• Plan to spend a minimum amount of money on your first purchase to establish a wholesale account with some distributors. This is not always a requirement but if it is, make sure you can use the amount of beans within the time they are viable. Ask your distributor for the recommended time in which to use the beans.


• Request a sample from quality distributors. Most distributors offer sample beans free of charge to commercial clients. You may need to provide your EIN number and the name of your coffee shop when making the request.


• Develop a good relationship with the representatives that visit you from coffee bean distributors. Once you are an established wholesale client, many distributors will send a representative out to meet with you once or twice a year. This meeting is your chance to inquire about new coffee selections and negotiate better deals on larger purchases.

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Water pills, more often referred to as diuretics, help your body get rid of excess water and sodium. Water pills make your kidneys deposit more sodium into your urine. That extra sodium takes with it water from your blood. This process, according to the Mayo Clinic, thins your blood and relieves pressure in your arteries. Other People Are Reading How Do Blood Pressure Pills Work? Diuretic Joint Pain Types of Water Pills Loop diuretics are water pills that block the absorption of sodium, which will then deposit the sodium into the kidneys for urination. Thiazides affect your body much like loop diuretics. Potassium-sparing water pills keep potassium in the system while expelling the sodium through urination.

• Loop diuretics are water pills that block the absorption of sodium, which will then deposit the sodium into the kidneys for urination. Thiazides affect your body much like loop diuretics. Potassium-sparing water pills keep potassium in the system while expelling the sodium through urination.


• According to the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, doctors should prescribe thiazide diuretics as the first option to lower high blood pressure and similar conditions caused by high blood pressure. Doctors may also prescribe diuretics to treat heart failure, edema, polycystic ovarian syndrome, kidney stones, diabetes insipidus, female hirsutism or osteoporosis.


• Water pills may also be used as a dieting supplement, though that is not advised by the staff at the Mayo Clinic. Since diuretics reduce the amount of water in your system, they will reduce your weight, though not by significant amounts. Dieting techniques should not hinged on the use of dieting pills, as overusing the pills may result in severe side effects.


• There are some natural products that work in a similar manner to water pills. Coffee beans, goldenrod, parsley and juniper are some of the natural alternatives that may thin your blood or increase urination. Like all pills and medicinal treatments, there may be side effects. Some of the side effects of diuretic usage, according to the Mayo Clinic, may include: electrolyte imbalance, low blood pressure, hyponatremia, increased blood sugar, increased cholesterol, menstrual irregularities, gynecomastia, hyperkalemia, hypokalemia, gout, impotence or rashes.

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Coffee beans have a limited shelf life. The oils in the bean are what give the coffee its flavor. These oils are released during the roasting process. The oils begin to decay when the beans are roasted. Once the roasted beans are ground, they start to lose their flavor even faster. The best storage method for coffee beans will help them retain the most flavor and aroma. Air and moisture are the two most important elements to be avoided in coffee bean storage. The best storage methods differ for green coffee beans, roasted coffee beans and ground coffee beans. Does this Spark an idea?

• Green, un-roasted beans are the best choice to buy for maximum storage life. These need to be in an airtight container, but they will last for as long as a year. Coffee beans that are not roasted are difficult to find in grocery stores. You will usually have to purchase these from specialty coffee shops or suppliers. If you buy these, you will need to roast the coffee beans yourself. You also have to separate and discard the bean chaff. You could also use the bean chaff in your organic garden. Finally, you must grind the beans for use. Because of the effort involved, people typically end up settling for less flavorful coffee.


• Store the whole roasted coffee beans in any kind of airtight container that is not clear glass. Ceramic is often used successfully. Avoid storing coffee beans in clear glass. Sunlight and heat will increase the rate at which the beans will decay. Do not store more than one or two week's worth of coffee at one time. If you must store more than this, store it in the freezer. Don't allow the coffee to become exposed to any moisture while in the freezer. This is accomplished by using an airtight canister for storage. If this isn't possible, use a plastic zipper bag. Suck all of the air out of the zipper bag by pressing it out and finalizing the process with a straw. After you get as much air out as possible, seal the bag. Next you must wrap the bag in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to keep the moisture out. Only freeze a one-week supply of coffee at a time. If you freeze too much of it, you will end up throwing some away or putting thawed coffee beans back into the freezer. This will dehydrate the beans and they will lose even more of the flavor. Coffee beans should always be used within two weeks of when they were roasted. The best flavor will be coffee that has been roasted specifically two days before you use it. Do not grind your coffee beans until you are ready to brew them.


• Coffee beans that have been ground lose their flavor quickly. However, if you do store ground coffee beans, these should be kept in airtight containers as well. Store ground coffee beans at room temperature. Do not store them anywhere that th...

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Coffee makers that use liquid concentrated coffee generally are larger machines that are intended for commercial or office use. These devices have a much-higher purchase price than standard coffee makers or even the more popular "pod" coffee makers. Does this Spark an idea?

• The Bunn LCA-2 is a liquid concentrate coffee dispenser intended for commercial use. This machine is an ambient dispenser, which means it has no refrigeration components. The LCA-2 dispenses over 125, 5-ounce cups of coffee per hour at its 124-volt setting, or over 500 cups an hour on its 240-volt setting, according to Bunn's website. Features include an insulated cabinet for prolonged product life, LED warning lights for re-fills and cleaning, and "FlavorGard" technology that actively monitors extract-to-water ratio to ensure flavor consistency. The LCA-2 uses most 1/2-gallon and 1-gallon liquid coffee concentrate bags or boxes.


• The Newco LCD-2 liquid coffee concentrate machine is a commercial device designed for high-volume coffee dispensation. The unit features three different coffee-strength settings, from mild to medium. A side of the storage cabinet is also devoted to decaffeinated coffee, giving users a full range of coffee products from which to choose. A third nozzle allows users to select hot water for brewing tea. The LCD-2 also can be used as an ambient coffee dispenser for iced coffee by disengaging the hot water heater.


• The Bunn LCR-2 liquid concentrate coffee system utilizes a refrigerated cabinet which maintains a temperature of 38 to 42 degrees F . This device has an output capacity on par with other Bunn commercial coffee concentrate dispensers, though it features a slim 12-inch width to accommodate tight spaces. The majority of 1/2-gallon and 1-gallon size coffee concentrate containers can be used with this system. The machine can produce over 125 5-ounce cups of coffee per hour on its 124-volt setting and about 500 cups of coffee per hour when set to its 240-volt setting.


• The Grindmaster liquid coffee dispenser is able to accomodate most 1/2-gallon-sized liquid coffee concentrates. This machine features three dispenser heads for guests to choose a particular flavor intensity from bold to regular and decaffeinated. Digital controls allow users to calibrate water-to-concentrate mixing ratios to ensure the product is being used properly for optimal flavor. The Grindmaster's 4.5-gallon water tank is stainless steel to prevent corrosion damage. The system also has an automatic shut-off when concentrate runs out to prevent hot water spills or other leaks within the storage compartment.

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If you are looking for a homemade gift for a coffee lover, then consider making candy coffee beans. Coffee beans contain a potent taste, but dipping them in chocolate will add a sweet flavor. The coffee beans contain a high amount of caffeine, but the chocolate adds a moderate amount of saturated fat, which makes them a treat to eat--in moderation. Place your chocolate-covered coffee beans in decorative tins, and you will have an inexpensive gift for any occasion. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Buy high-quality coffee beans. When making candy chocolate beans, the beans must be fresh and not damaged or broken. Choose a brand you are familiar with to ensure you enjoy the taste.


• Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium-low heat. The chocolate is finished melting once it is a liquid and smooth.


• Place a handful of beans, around six to eight, in the melted chocolate. Carefully stir the beans around in the chocolate.


• Use the same spoon to scoop out the coffee beans. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off the spoon.


• Sit each coffee bean on wax paper. Make sure they do not touch one another.


• Dip the rest of the beans in chocolate, about six to eight at a time. You will need to allow the beans to harden overnight, or for at least eight hours.


• Store the beans in an airtight container before eating or repackaging for gift purposes.

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The green fairy, or "la fée verte" as it is known in French, is a commonly used term for absinthe. Absinthe is a very strong alcoholic drink that is flavored with various plants and herbs. The beverage became popular among bohemian French artists in the late 19th century and earned the "green fairy" nickname because of its green tint. Due to its high alcohol content and the people associated with its consumption, absinthe has been considered a controversial beverage for over a century. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Absinthe recipes can vary from one brand to the next, but the three main ingredients are always alcohol, wormwood, and anise. Wormwood is a bitter herb that has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. Anise, a strong-smelling Mediterranean herb, is the ingredient that gives absinthe its distinctive licorice taste. Other ingredients that are sometimes used in absinthe recipes include fennel, hyssop, star anise, veronica, lemon balm and nutmeg.


• There are conflicting reports as to who created modern-day absinthe. Dr. Pierre Ordinaire is often credited for the recipe, as are two sisters with the surname Henroid. Both parties were cultivating the drink in Switzerland during the late 18th century. The beverage was called absinthe because the botanical name for wormwood, the main ingredient, is Artemisia absinthium. This potent drink was often prescribed to people as a cure-all for many ailments. However, it was the drink's intoxicating effects that made it popular in the area. The first commercial absinthe distillery was established just before the beginning of the 19th century. Major Dubied, along with his son and son-in-law, opened the distillery in Switzerland and brought national attention to absinthe. Whether the men obtained the recipe from Dr. Ordinaire or the Henroid sisters is unclear. By the early 19th century, however, an even larger absinthe factory was established in France, and the drink became very fashionable among local artists and writers.


• Absinthe has been a controversial drink since it gained popularity over a century ago. This is due to a number of reasons. First, it is a very potent drink with an average alcohol content of 120 to 160 proof. The wormwood in absinthe also contains a substance called thujone, which can cause delirium if taken in high doses. Although absinthe is safe to consume in moderation, a few people have been known to overindulge and have violent fits. That, combined with the drink's association with bohemian artists, has made absinthe a notorious substance. In the early 20th century, absinthe was popular in Europe as well as America. This was also a time when alcohol prohibition movements began. Absinthe, being a very inexpensive yet strong liquor, was a t...

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