Coffee is not only an invigorating drink, but also a symbol of psychological comfort and well-being. Sometimes the art of making delicious coffee becomes one of the components of a warm relationship. How to brew classic black coffee correctly?
Brewed coffee differs from instant coffee in the same way as a hastily smoked cigarette differs from a flavored cigar. Many people do not know how to prepare black classic coffee in such a way that a drunk cup would bring vigor, have an excellent taste, and the use of this drink would turn into a pleasant ritual.
Correctly selected coffee
- Choosing the right coffee beans will ensure half the success. When choosing coffee, it is better to use the services of trusted suppliers.
- High-quality coffee beans are never dry or moist, they have a pleasant aroma without any burnt or moldy odor.
- Before buying coffee beans, break one bean with your fingers. The break point should be flat, not rough. When breaking, the grain should not resemble dense rubber, on the one hand, and should not crumble, emitting a brittle dry crack, like seeds when cracked, on the other.
- Good coffee has a homogeneous structure, an even dark brown color without foreign inclusions. Too dark color indicates that the beans are overcooked. And coffee is often roasted in the hope of hiding defects or removing a damp moldy smell.
- There should be no excessive, "polished" gloss - good-quality coffee has a characteristic matte sheen.
Correctly ground coffee
- You can grind the beans in a simple electric coffee grinder. Gourmets prefer to grind coffee in a manual mechanical coffee grinder. The difference is that a manual coffee grinder, where the beans are ground in the "old fashion" way, allows you to maintain the optimum grind. Of course, if it is serviceable and does not only arouse antique interest.
- When grinding coffee, keep in mind that the strongest aroma is retained in the ground coffee at medium grinding. A grind that is too coarse will not allow all the flavors and aromas to be extracted during the brewing process; coffee may not brew well. Too fine grinding will reduce the taste, neutralize the aroma or give it an artificial nuance, so you should not grind the coffee beans "into powder".
- It is better to grind the grains just before you decide to prepare this wonderful drink. Beans ground for future use lose their aromatic properties very quickly, and the presence of ground coffee in an open space leads to taste loss.
- If you need to grind coffee for future use, place it in an airtight jar - preferably a glass or ceramic one with a tight-fitting lid. Never store ground coffee in a plastic bag or plastic container, it will absorb the artificial smell and lose its taste.
- Brewing coffee in a coffee machine requires a finer grind, but when brewing coffee in a Turk, the grind may be coarser.
Properly matched coffee brewing utensils
You can prepare coffee in different ways using different accessories and containers. But coffee brewed in an ordinary metal mug or small saucepan will be very different from coffee brewed according to all the rules, in the "correct", specially designed for making coffee, dishes.
- An electronic coffee maker automates the process and will not allow coffee to escape, burn. In addition, the instructions clearly dictate the proportions, so it is almost impossible to spoil such coffee.
- The common way to make coffee in a coffee pot is simple and pleasant, but this method is fraught with the fact that the coffee can "boil over" and the taste of the finished drink will deteriorate.
- It is convenient to prepare coffee in a light, special "mobile" glass cup with a piston. In this case, the coffee is not boiled, but is poured with boiling water (with or without sugar), pressed a few minutes later with a piston and poured into cups. The piston serves as a good filter, and coffee particles do not get into the finished drink. All the cake will remain in the glass. Such a device is easy to clean and convenient to use, and the cooking method is simple and does not require special skills.
- Gourmets of coffee drinks prefer classic Turks. The real "chic" is the preparation of coffee on hot sand. A set of several small portioned Turks on a pallet with sand or just a heating metal surface - allows you to prepare a drink without haste, moving the Turks on a hot surface. With such an exquisite method, coffee is obtained thick, with a pronounced aroma and rich texture.
- A lighter way is to prepare coffee in a Turk over a fire or an electric stove. Turku should choose a quality one with a heavy, thick bottom and a comfortable handle (ideally a wooden one). Cheap aluminum Turks impair the taste and aroma; it is more difficult to prepare truly delicious classic coffee in such Turks.
Correctly brewed coffee
- Freshly ground coffee, while still warm, is poured into a warm container (turkey or coffee pot). You can warm up the container on a hot surface, over a fire or with boiling water, which is poured over the inside of a coffee pot.
- Add coffee to an empty preheated container, sugar if desired, stir and pour hot water in the correct proportion. Experienced "coffee lovers" do it "by eye". But usually the proportions are: 2 teaspoons of coffee powder in 150 ml of water.
- Water is poured in a thin stream so that the powder remains at the bottom, and does not float to the surface of the water. The container is placed on low heat and brought to a boil, but not boiled. You can guess that the coffee is ready by the rising foam. As soon as the foam has risen and crawled to the edges of the Turks, the coffee is removed and set aside so that the coffee crema settles. The drink can then be poured into cups.
- Those who are irritated by the particles of brewed ground coffee beans can use a special filter, a strainer.
Additives in coffee
You can add aromatic and flavoring seasonings to coffee - for example, cinnamon and other spices. Many people are accustomed to adding milk or cream, lemon wedges and sugar to hot coffee. Some people like coffee with salt or pepper. But all the variations are a departure from the "classic" recipe.
Real classic black coffee has no additives. And especially pedantic gourmets believe that even sugar is better to add only after the coffee is brewed and removed from the heat.
