Coffee beans are normally picked, dried and roasted before being packaged for retail. Green beans have been dried but not roasted; this allows consumers to roast coffee at home to match their taste preferences. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Coffee is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, and there are reports of coffee cherries being eaten by slaves in Yemen and Arabia. Coffee was first reported as a drink in North America in 1668; soon afterward, the first coffee houses were established.


• Green coffee beans are readily available from specialty outlets. Ensure that the beans are even in color and shape, as variation in size will affect the roasting process, and difference in color may indicate problems in drying. Buy from a reputable source, as the final cup of coffee will be influenced by the quality of the initial processing.


• The flavor and aroma of coffee beans develop during the roasting process. Green coffee beans are heated at 350 F to 460 F for eight to 15 minutes to achieve the required depth of roast. During the roasting, coffee oil (caffeol) is released, which gives the familiar flavor and aroma. Caffeol is volatile, and the flavor of roasted beans deteriorates in the presence of moisture, light and oxygen.

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Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world; however, it is much more than just a common beverage. The oil from coffee is used in skin care, to increase the skin's blood circulation; in candle making, to fragrance a room; in baking, to enhance the flavor of a food, and in gardening, to keep pests away. Making coffee oil is not very difficult, so if you're up to the challenge, making your own can be very profitable. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Pour 2 cups of olive oil into a small crock pot. Add 2 oz. of coffee beans; the beans can be either green or roasted. Cover and cook on low for roughly six hours, making sure to stir the mixture every couple of hours.


• Strain the oil by pouring it through a kitchen strainer to remove the coffee beans. Toss the used beans in the trash. Pour the remaining oil through a cheesecloth two or three times, to filter it and make it as pure as possible.


• Pour the coffee oil into small, airtight glass containers. For pure oil, 2-oz. containers work well.

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Cellulite is a condition of the skin that leads to embarrassment and feelings of self-consciousness. The dimpled, cottage cheese-like appearance created by cellulite is not exclusive to people who are overweight. Although lack of exercise can exacerbate cellulite, genetics play a role, too. Many over-the-counter and spa remedies for cellulite contain caffeine to help firm the skin and reduce the buildup of cellulite. Rather than spend money on these remedies, a home remedy made with ground coffee beans can provide the same effects at a fraction of the cost. Does this Spark an idea?

• Pour 1/4 cup coffee beans into a coffee grinder. Grind the beans so the coffee grounds are coarse, making them an effective exfoliate, in addition to helping get rid of cellulite.


• Pour the ground coffee into a bowl. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and stir the two ingredients together to make a coffee ground scrub.


• Lay a bath towel on the floor to catch dripped or spilled coffee ground scrub as you're applying it. Stand on the towel and rub the coffee ground scrub into the areas of your skin affected by cellulite. Massage the coffee grounds into your skin with alternating small and large circular motions. Continue to rub the coffee into your skin for five to 10 minutes.


• Wrap the coffee ground-covered skin with plastic wrap. Place towels around your body to hold in body heat, causing you to perspire and release toxins. Relax for 10 to 20 minutes as the coffee ground scrub works on the cellulite.


• Remove the towels and plastic wrap. Rinse your body off with warm water to wash away the coffee grounds. Pat your skin dry with a clean towel.

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Cardamom, often called the ''queen of spices,'' is used in Indian cooking and is believed to have medicinal powers. Native to the Middle East, these expensive pods are hand-picked from a perennial plant in the ginger family. The ground form of cardamom pods is called cardamom powder. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Cardamom powder is used as an ingredient in desserts, such as rice pudding, and in sweet potatoes, curries, stews and garam masala, a spice mixture used in Indian cuisine. The pungent spice lends a citrusy or minty flavor to foods. It has a strong flavor and is used in small quantities.


• Throughout history, cardamom has been used for its health purposes. Its benefits stem from its high amounts of volatile oils, such as camphor and eucalyptol. The powder is used to improve digestion, relieve flatulence and stimulate the metabolism. When cooked with garlic and onion, it is said to relieve the gas and heartburn these foods cause.


• Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians used cardamom powder as an aphrodisiac. The powder is sometimes used in herbal toothpastes. When mixed with a tablespoon of banana leaf and amla juice, it is used as a diuretic. Boiled in water with tea, it is used for treating depression. Gargling with an infusion of cardamom and cinnamon is said to cure a sore throat.


• Cardamom comes in three types: green, black and Madagascar. It can be purchased in pod or ground form in grocery stores. The seeds can be used whole or ground into powder in a food processor, with a mortar and pestle, or by crushing with a rolling pin.


• According to ''The Food Lover's Companion,'' cardamom begins to lose its essential oils as soon as it's ground, so it's best to purchase in pod form and use soon after grinding. The seeds may be removed from the pods before grinding or the entire pod may be used. The shells will disintegrate while the dish cooks.

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• The direct method is the most widely used. This process steams the coffee beans for a half hour to eliminate the waxy coating and expand the pores of the beans. The beans are then rinsed for ten hours, under pressure, with a solvent (methylene chloride or ethyl acetate) which forms a molecular bond with the caffeine. The solvent is removed and the beans steamed to remove any residual solvent. The non-caffeine coffee components are removed from the solvent and added back into the coffee. The indirect method is very similar to the direct. The difference is that water is used, rather than steam, and the caffeine is removed from the water rather than from the beans. Again, a solvent is used. This technique is sometimes called "water processed" even though chemicals are part of the process.


• In the Swiss Water Process, unroasted beans are soaked in hot water, where they release their caffeine. Once the caffeine and coffee solids are released into the water, the beans are discarded. The water is then filtered to remove only the caffeine. The resulting solution, called then has new coffee beans added. Since the "flavor-charged" water removes no coffee solids from the new beans, only the caffeine is extracted. They repeat the process until the beans are 99.9% caffeine free. When dried, the beans retain most of their flavor and aroma.


• Green coffee beans are soaked in a hot water/coffee solution, which draws caffeine to the surface of the beans. The beans are then immersed in coffee oils processed from spent coffee grounds. This is done for several hours at high temperatures. This process removes the caffeine but not the flavor elements. The beans are separated from the oils and dried. The oils are cleansed and reused repeatedly.

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A cup of coffee can be as nuanced in flavor as a fine wine. Coffee often has notes of chocolate and citrus without having any of those ingredients in it. According to the International Coffee Organization, coffee was the second most traded commodity in 2004. Coffee preferences vary from person to person. One way to ensure a quality cup of coffee is to grind the beans yourself right before brewing the coffee. One misconception about coffee is that the beans and grounds stay fresh for a considerable period of time. That is not the case. Generally speaking, coffee grounds and beans have a 10-day shelf life. After that time, they run the risk of becoming stale. If you brew stale coffee beans or grounds, your coffee will likely taste bitter. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Add cinnamon to stale coffee beans or grounds. This is an easy and inexpensive way to refresh them. The amount of cinnamon to use depends on the amount of stale coffee beans or grounds that you have. Start by adding 1 tsp. cinnamon to the coffee beans or grounds, if you have 1 lb. or more. If you have less than that, add 1/8 tsp. cinnamon to the coffee grounds or beans. Adjust the amount accordingly depending on taste.


• Refresh stale coffee beans or grounds with vanilla extract. Use true vanilla extract if possible, rather than imitation vanilla extract. Add about 1 capful of the extract to coffee beans or grounds and mix it in using a spoon. You may use more or less, depending on your own preferences.


• Add coffee-flavored syrup to grounds or beans. This is a trick sometimes used in commercial coffee establishments. Add 1-2 tbsp. coffee-flavored syrup to stale beans or grounds. It’s best to add it to stale grounds if possible. Add more or less depending on the amount of grounds or beans that you have.


• Flavor the coffee beans or grounds with black walnut and almond oils. Add 1 whole bottle of black walnut oil and 1/2 bottle of almond oil to a can of coffee beans or grounds. Take this mixture and place it in a large glass jar and allow it to sit for two weeks. It can then be used to brew coffee.

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The price of flavored coffee beans at the grocery store or gourmet food store can break the budget of even the most frugal shopper. Luckily, making the flavored coffee beans at home is simple and easy and requires no special skills. You can purchase pre-made flavoring, or you can whip up your own special flavors. Either way, you can have flavored coffee beans for a fraction of the cost of buying them at the store. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Place the roasted coffee beans in a large, shallow bowl. A cake or baking pan can be used, if a bowl isn't available.


• Drizzle the flavoring over the beans. This can be store-bought flavoring, or it can simply be an extract of your favorite flavor, such as vanilla.


• Use the wooden spoon to turn the beans in the bowl until all the beans are coated with the flavoring.


• Store the beans in an airtight container until needed. The container should be made of glass or metal, as plastic will absorb the smell of both the beans and the flavoring.


• Keep the flavored beans in the refrigerator to extend the time period that the flavor will remain strong.

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The finest coffee beans are hand-picked when fully ripe. Picking the entire tree at the same time results in some beans that are ripe and some that are over or under ripe. This produces a lower grade of coffee. Once picked, the coffee bean quality does not improve. Pick the fruits at their peak for best flavor. Does this Spark an idea?

• In most areas, coffee cherries ripen over a four-month period in the late fall to early winter, depending on your location and climate. At high altitudes with cool, wet climates, harvest can extend to year-round.


• When the coffee cherry is beginning to ripen, it changes color from green to slightly red. The best time to pick the cherry is when it is fully ripe, indicated by a shiny red appearance. Fruits of the yellow coffee varieties, such as Yellow Caturra, do not turn red when ripe. Instead, they remain yellow when fully ripe.


• When the coffee cherries are ripe, the fruit will be soft and the coffee seed or bean can be squeezed out with a little pressure on the cherry.


• Mechanical harvesters pick all beans at once. Harvest fruits in all stages of ripeness together and separate them for processing. Another strategy allows the cherries to ripen on the tree for picking all at once or gathering from the ground when they fall.

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Instant coffee makes it very easy to enjoy a quick cup without the need for equipment to brew a whole pot. Most companies make instant coffee by freeze-drying it or dehydrating it in other ways. It is also possible to make it by grinding coffee beans into a fine powder. Starbucks has done this with its Via Ready-Brew instant coffees. Many people say that it tastes much more like regular fresh coffee this way. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Scoop one scoop of ground coffee beans into the cup of the coffee grinder. One scoop is good for one cup of coffee, so increase this number if you wish to make more cups.


• Start the grinder and grind the coffee for about 30 seconds. Grind the coffee to as fine a powder as it will grind to. It will eventually begin clumping together a bit. Check the coffee, and repeat for another 30 seconds if necessary.


• Pour the coffee out of the grinder through the sieve, and all that should be left in the sieve are chunks of the finest powder. You will most likely be left with about half of the original scoop of beans.


• Discard or regrind the thicker powder, and pour the micro-powder chunks into your cup. Pour 1 cup of hot water over the fine coffee powder and stir to dissolve the powder.

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There are many reasons people drink coffee regularly. Coffee has been known for centuries to induce talkativeness, alertness and creativity. Sprinkling crushed beans over ice cream or having a few handfuls of chocolate-covered coffee beans in one sitting is not going to turn you into a caffeine addict or make you sick. However, eating coffee beans whole is the purest form of allowing caffeine to enter the bloodstream and can have negative effects in large doses or if eaten on a consistent basis. Add this to my Recipe Box.

• Coffee has a high acidity level. Eating coffee beans regularly can lead to stomach pains.


• Hot flashes over the entire body may result from eating coffee beans. Caffeine makes your body think that it has more energy, so you feel like you need to burn it off. Thus, the body crashes because it thinks the energy supply is low.


• The loss of motor skills or the inability to do normal tasks can happen when too many coffee beans are eaten. It's easy to overdose on coffee beans because of their high concentration of caffeine.


• Symptoms of exhaustion, fatigue, fever and an increased heart rate can occur with when high doses of caffeine are consumed from coffee beans. Also, once there has been a loss of motor ability, nausea and fatigue may follow.


• People who don't normally drink coffee and have other risk factors for heart disease may increase their risk of a heart attack if they drink too much coffee. If caffeine or alertness is desired, drinking coffee alternatives like yerba maté or other teas can help.

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