Cuban Coffee: Excitement in a Cup

If you're looking for an exciting and soulful blend of coffee, try a cup of Cuban coffee. Cuba produces some of the finest Arabica coffee beans in the world in the Sierra Maestra Mountains.

The origins of Cuba's coffee crop have been followed through the centuries, and can be linked to a gentleman named Jose Antonio Gelabert. In 1748, Gelabert introduced the coffee plant that has found an ideal home in the climate and rich soils of the Cuban forests. Now, Cuba does not grow the majority of the world's coffee; however, they are happy to claim they produce the finest of the world's coffees.

Coffee is such an important part of the Cuban culture that its people view their daily coffee drinking as rituals or social events. Because Cuban coffee is stronger than many commercial coffees, it is often served in much smaller containers. Cubans prefer a 'jolt' of coffee over the traditional mug of the steamy brew. The Cuban after-dinner coffee is often perked on a stovetop, or prepared in an espresso maker.

Some varieties of Cuban coffee are twice as potent as American coffee and very full-bodied; which explains why it is served in smaller shots or cups. Common coffee drinks of the Cubans are cafecito, espumita, colada, cortadito, and Cafe' con Leche. Cafecito is a sweet, strong espresso served in a small cup. By mixing a few drops of cafecito with a drew spoons of sugar, a foam called espumita is made to place on top of the beverage making it sweeter and fancier. Colada is the preferred social drink of Cuban coffee. Colada comes in a larger cup accompanied by several smaller espresso cups, and is meant to be shared by many. Cortadito is a milder version of the cafecito, produced by adding milk in different proportions to the brew. Cafe' con Leche is like a latte, which is formed by pouring a single shot or jolt of cafecito into a cup of hot milk.

Imported Cuban coffee carries a richness of flavor which lends itself perfectly to drinking at any time of the day or night. Whether it is your morning java, or a social gathering of friends and family, you are sure to enjoy the flavors and aromas of this country's coffee.

This article was written by Tomira L. Rosser of CreativePenz Copywriting Services. CreativePenz creates custom, original and engaging articles, books, stories and more. For further information, please contact her at creativepenz@aim.com or visit her website at http://www.rosser-smp.net/joomla

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espresso makers 101 a guide to espresso makers and machines

As the water is heated, it forces steam up through a tube to the second chamber, then the top, making espresso that is ready to serve. There are three chambers, the top holding the ground coffee, the middle being a filter basket and the bottom holds the water. The first, and most common one to find in homes in Spain, Portugal and Italy, is the stovetop espresso maker. Believe it or not, there are eight different types of espresso makers. Ornate and exquisite, they can be made out of brass, copper, chrome or silver. This type of espresso maker comes in high end designs that can cost several hundreds of dollars. A steam espresso maker is another beast entirely. Before, the crema was thought of as an unwanted waste product. Also, the piston-driven espresso maker is what made the crema a desirable trait in a cup of the drink. The piston-driven espresso machine gave birth to its pump-driven counterpart. Small, simple and ideal for home use, it is also the most popular machine found in American coffee shops. A motor-driven pump does the work that manual force used to, making this version very easy to operate. There are also semi automatic and automatic espresso machines, the former is automatic in the way that the water is delivered from a pump instead of manual force. The latter allows the user to send a programmed amount of water through the flow meter. The antithesis of the Presso manually operated coffee press, these are more expensive but completely fool proof. Fully self contained, all you have to do is fill the water reservoir and bean hopper. From grinding to tamping and extracting, getting a perfect cup of espresso has never been easier. Super automatic espresso machines are even easier to operate, since they literally do all of the work for you.

As the water is heated, it forces steam up through a tube to the second chamber, then the top, making espresso that is ready to serve. There are three chambers, the top holding the ground coffee, the middle being a filter basket and the bottom holds the water. The first, and most common one to find in homes in Spain, Portugal and Italy, is the stovetop espresso maker. Believe it or not, there are eight different types of espresso makers.Ornate and exquisite, they can be made out of brass, copper, chrome or silver. This type of espresso maker comes in high end designs that can cost several hundreds of dollars. A piston-driven espresso maker is another beast entirely. A piston-driven espresso maker is very similar to a stovetop one, and produces a cup of espresso that is nearly identical. A piston-driven espresso maker is very similar to a stovetop one, and produces a cup of espresso that is nearly identical. A steam espresso maker is very similar to a stovetop one, and produces a cup of espresso that is nearly identical.Before, the crema was thought of as an unwanted waste product. Also, the piston-driven espresso maker is what made the crema a desirable trait in a cup of the drink.The antithesis of the Presso manually operated coffee press, these are more expensive but completely fool proof. Fully self contained, all you have to do is fill the water reservoir and bean hopper. From grinding to tamping and extracting, getting a perfect cup of espresso has never been easier. Super automatic espresso machines are even easier to operate, since they literally do all of the work for you.

coffee houses little known facts that you probably didnt know about coffee houses

Besides serving food and beverages, coffee houses are great places to interact socially with other people, read, write, do homework or just pass time. Providing coffee, tea, light snacks and lunch type food they offer a great mishmash of both. Coffee houses, when you think about it, are very similar to bars and restaurants. People would go to them to drink coffee or tea, listen to music, play games like chess and backgammon and read. In fact, since the 16th century they've been prominent in the Middle East. While one would typically think that coffee houses started in Italy, but that isn't the case. Shortly thereafter, others started springing up in places like Cairo and Istanbul. In 1530, the first coffee house opened in Damascus. It wasn't until the 17th century that coffee first made an appearance in Europe. The first recorded coffee house in Italy opened shop in 1645. This was followed by the first coffee house in England, in Oxford, in 1650. After that, they spread like wildfire, hitting America in 1670 in Boston. Charles II wasn't a fan of coffee houses, and tried to discourage people in London from going to them by characterizing them as places where the disaffected met and spread scandalous reports concerning the conduct of His Majesty and his Ministers. Instead of keeping people away, people flocked to them. Coffee houses were open to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and became associated with equality. That said, women weren't allowed into them. Also, many churches used them for outreach purposes, gaining membership and spreading the word of God. Bob Dylan got his start running the coffee house circuit, as did the Beats. In American coffee houses in the 1960s, musicians and poets had found a home. Later on, this obviously ceased to be the case.

Besides serving food and beverages, coffee houses are great places to interact socially with other people, read, write, do homework or just pass time. Providing coffee, tea, light snacks and lunch type food they offer a great mishmash of both. Coffee houses, when you think about it, are very similar to bars and restaurants.People would go to them to drink coffee or tea, listen to music, play games like chess and backgammon and read. In fact, since the 16th century they've been prominent in the Middle East. While one would typically think that coffee houses started in Italy, but that isn't the case.Shortly thereafter, others started springing up in places like Cairo and Istanbul. In 1530, the first coffee house opened in Damascus.Also, many churches used them for outreach purposes, gaining membership and spreading the word of God. Bob Dylan got his start running the coffee house circuit, as did the Beats. In American coffee houses in the 1960s, musicians and poets had found a home. Later on, this obviously ceased to be the case.