This illustration was created by Lokesh Dhakar and the original can be found on his blog: http://www.lokeshdhakar.com/2007/08/20/an-illustrated-coffee-guide/
The Espressione 1385R Cafe Retro Espresso Machine, combining old world design with new age features, the Cafe Retro is made to perform while lending an element of fun to your kitchen. It offers commercial quality steaming and frothing and continuous brewing, perfect for entertaining or as an added perk at your place of work. Other highlights include ESE adaptability for grounds or pods, Precise C/F gauge temperature indication, Maximum two-minute warm time, Pull-out knock box and cup warmer, .7 liter heavy-duty aluminum boiler and 18 bar pump, 1050 watt heating element, Solid steel body and chassis with chrome plating and 1- and 2-cup filter, spoon, tamper and instructions.
Coffee is a tropical tree that produces fleshy berries which contain the actual coffee bean. Generally, coffee grows in two tree varieties, Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is more sensitive and requires more attention while Robusta is more hardy and stronger of the two. While Arabica trees yield less beans than Robusta, their berries are more flavor-able and generally more expensive. Robusta has more caffeine content and generally a stronger aroma and more acidity. Robusta being the less expensive variety is used as the main ingredient in commercially blended coffees (the supermarket variety), it is also used in stronger European espresso varieties. The largest coffee growing countries are Brazil, Columbia, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Coffee beans are hand picked, de-fleshed and then air dried, they are only roasted within weeks of their actual consumption.
| 8-ounce Cup | milligrams |
| Coffee, Drip | 115-175 |
| Coffee, Brewed | 80-135 |
| Coffee, Espresso (2 ounces) | 100 |
| Coffee, Instant | 65-100 |
| Coffee, Decaf, brewed | 3-4 |
| Coffee, Decaf, instant | 2-3 |
| Tea, iced | 47 |
| Tea, brewed, imported brands (avg.) | 60 |
| Tea, brewed, U.S. brands (avg.) | 40 |
| Tea, instant | 30 |
| Tea, green | 15 |
| Hot cocoa | 14 |
SOURCE: Food and Drug Administration
Chic style and efficiency team up for one terrific espresso machine. Designed by Italian architect and designer Lucca Trazzi, this shapely espresso machine looks more like sculpture than kitchen equipment. It’s more than a pretty face – the enamel-coated steel machine makes magnificent espresso with unbeatable crema, using either ground espresso beans or ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) pods. A temperature gauge lets you know precisely when the machine is ready. The professional steam mechanism provides ample power for light, frothy milk. Includes ground coffee holder, coffee pod holder and one package of Illy® coffee pods. Removable 48-ounce water reservoir. $799.99 from Amazon.com
These are some rough approximations:
This however does not tell us anything about the cost of producing a cup of coffee for commercial purposes, the actual numbers vary greatly depending on so many variables. We will tackle these estimates in future posts.
Coffee.info went online this week in soft-mode and for the initial post we thought that an explanation of where we want to take this blog is in order. Needless to say, coffee is one of those topics that has not had a shortage of coverage in the blogosphere! This makes it pretty hard to come up with an enduring and novel concept, so we decided that we will try our hands at a bit of everything from the promotion of coffee as a small-business vehicle to the review of things that add flare and enjoyment to the art of brewing one’s own cup. Feel free to drop us a comment with feedback, ideas and or tips.
