Sublimated products are a valuable gift of science to mankind. Freeze-dried coffee

Become more and more popular. First you need to understand, In physics, this means the transition of a substance from a solid state to a gaseous state.

For this to happen with water, low pressure and low temperature are needed. Sublimation technology has been known for a long time: for example, representatives of ancient tribes left fish in the sun, thanks to which it completely dried out and could be safely stored indoors, while remaining nutritious and delicious product. In the middle of the last century, sublimated products were made by research institutes for the needs of astronauts. A little later, these products entered the diet of geologists and tourists. Today, sublimated does not mean expensive. So, in the USA, a movement is becoming more and more popular, the main motto of which is the assertion that freeze-dried foods are healthier food.

Technology

Turning a product from ordinary to sublimated is not as easy as it seems at first glance. Certain conditions must be met. So, food is frozen to the lowest possible temperatures, water becomes ice, but the crystals do not destroy. After that, the products are placed in vacuum chambers, where, under the influence low pressure ice evaporates, turning into steam. At the same time, only 3-4% moisture remains in the product. Then finished product packed in a sealed container, pumping nitrogen. Due to this, sublimated products are less exposed to the rotting process. Such a processing process can be carried out at home, but alternative way food preservation will require a lot of effort.

Advantages of processing technology

Sublimated means not subject to heat treatment, that is, it is a product that has almost completely retained all the nutritional properties of a fresh product. It even retains its unique taste and special appearance.
The technology does not use any artificial additives that enhance the taste. So, sublimated juices from beets are much tastier than freshly squeezed ones - in them, and so the taste properties are expressed quite clearly. Therefore, such products are used as the basis for baby food.
Such difficult process Only truly fresh produce survives the processing, so you can be sure you're buying quality food.
Long shelf life.
During hikes and long trips, the question of extra things in bags is especially acute. And it becomes impossible to make a balanced diet on the road, because then the food package will be unbearable. Another thing is if each product in the luggage is replaced with a sublimated one. This will not only satisfy the taste preferences of travelers, but also relieve unnecessary burdens.

How wonderful it is to drink a cup of fragrant - steaming coffee in the morning, capable of endowing with a charge of vivacity for the whole day ahead! And of course, it is best if you take a handful of fragrant coffee beans and grind them into powder. And then brew your portion of the magic drink in a small copper cezve, or in a coffee maker. Only very often we simply do not have enough time for unnecessary chores, and especially in the morning. And then, in order not to deny ourselves the pleasantness at all, we find an alternative and, instead of freshly brewed, we drink instant coffee.

Of all types of instant coffee drink, and there are three of them - granulated, powdered and freeze-dried, the latter has a higher rating and its price is an order of magnitude higher. Why does this happen and what is freeze-dried coffee?

"FROZEN-DRIED"

Coffee sublimation (crystallization) is the process during which a substance immediately passes from a solid to a gaseous state. The technology consists in instant freezing with simultaneous vacuum drying of the coffee concentrate. At the same time, frozen coffee crystals do not turn into a liquid state and bypass the melting phase, and therefore retain their taste, color and aroma.

Sublimate is also called freeze dried (“frozen-dried”). The technology was developed back in the 60s of the last century. This is a rather lengthy and expensive process. Producers of the sublimated drink claim that both in terms of properties and quality it is absolutely similar to freshly brewed, and therefore its rating is quite high. True, to be honest, the raw materials used for the production of freeze-dried coffee are chosen, alas, not of the highest grade. However, as for the manufacture of any other type of instant coffee.

PRODUCTION PROCESS

Each manufacturer tries to keep the details of the coffee drink production technology a secret. But general description process is known. So, how is freeze-dried coffee made?
First of all, coffee beans (mostly they try to use an inexpensive Robusta variety) are roasted and ground to a state of flour.

The coffee powder is then boiled for several hours in high pressure extraction tanks.
After that, part of the moisture is evaporated from the coffee extract placed in special tanks, collecting a vapor of essential oils.

Then there is a very fast freezing of raw materials with simultaneous vacuum drying. During this procedure, all the liquid evaporates in an instant, and the coffee concentrate is converted into a dry substance. It remains only to crush the dried coffee bar into small granules.

AND The final stage– enrichment of coffee granules essential oils collected at the beginning of the process, additional flavors and flavor enhancers.

WHICH INSTANT COFFEE TO CHOOSE?

When purchasing instant coffee, the question may arise: which of its types is better? To understand this, let's consider how freeze-dried coffee differs from its granulated or powder counterpart.

First, it is the production technology. Unlike the complex and time-consuming process of producing freeze-dried coffee, less effort is spent on the powder and granular version. Yes, and it can be done much faster. After roasting and grinding the coffee bean, the extract is also boiled out of it. But then the coffee extract is simply sprayed and evaporated. What remains is the powder - the basis for the cheapest version of the instant drink. And the coffee granule is obtained as a result of light wetting of this powder.

As we can see, the production process of granulated and powdered instant drinks is less labor-intensive, and therefore the price of such coffee should be different. And it is 30-50% lower than sublimated. And this is the second distinguishing point.

Also, due to the special processing, freeze-dried coffee differs from granulated and powdered coffee in its organoleptic properties. It has a richer taste. And its appetizing light caramel color and neatly shaped granules look much more attractive. Undoubtedly, it is these properties that help the freeze-dried drink to keep its rating in the coffee market.

BENEFITS AND HARMS OF COFFEE FREEZING

Doctors have long found out that instant coffee is not very useful for humans and does more harm than good. But, at the same time, it is believed that its sublimated version is less harmful. All this, again, thanks to production technology. So, freeze-dried coffee - the benefits and harms. Let's start with negative impact on the human body:

Tannins - irritate the walls of the stomach and can cause problems with the liver and gastrointestinal tract.

A large amount of caffeine can lead to an excess of adrenaline in the blood and, as a result, cause unpleasant symptoms - nausea, dizziness.
The withdrawal of the necessary calcium from the body is also very harmful to the body.
Excessive consumption of coffee drink can adversely affect male potency.
Since the composition of the instant drink includes aromatic additives, it frequent use May cause allergic reactions and dermatitis.

But, not everything is so sad. Freeze-dried coffee, the harm of which we have already found out, also has useful properties.

The same caffeine for people with low blood pressure can be a real salvation.
Nicotinic acid, which appears during processing, is necessary for our vessels, as it lowers cholesterol.
Antioxidants help us maintain beauty and youth.
In addition, coffee improves mood and performance, relieves fatigue, activates brain activity.

WHICH TO CHOOSE?

Freeze-dried coffee, which brand to prefer? Let's try to figure it out based on the ranking of the "top 5 best samples":

Bushido, manufacturer: Switzerland;
Grandos, Germany;
Maxim, South Korean coffee;
Egoiste, Switzerland;
Today Pure Arabica, British brand, prod. Germany.

As you know, instant coffee is different: powdered, granulated and freeze-dried. But what does freeze-dried coffee mean? Is it worth paying more?

Despite the fact that natural coffee is tastier and healthier than instant coffee, nevertheless, this coffee drink is quite popular among the population. It's just more convenient, because instant coffee can be prepared in almost any conditions, there is no need special devices, the main thing is the presence of boiling water. At the same time, I would like to get the same pleasure from the drink as from natural coffee, or at least close to it. It was this goal that was pursued by the developers of the technology for making freeze-dried coffee.

What does sublimated coffee mean?

Freeze-dried coffee means that it has been prepared using a special technology that is different from that used to prepare powdered and granular instant coffee. First of all, coffee beans are roasted and finely ground - this is how coffee “flour” is obtained, which is then placed in closed hermetic containers, where it is brewed for about 3 hours.

Special pipes depart from each container, through which steam containing essential oils escapes. Further, according to a special technology, essential oils are extracted from the steam. In the meantime, the digested coffee mass is frozen, this happens quite quickly due to the very low temperature. Thus, the liquid is frozen out in a vacuum - the process is about the same as what happens in the freezer with frozen foods, if they are left without packaging, they dry out.

The rest of the mass of coffee flour, almost completely devoid of moisture, is broken up and the pyramid-shaped granules that you see in jars on the shelf in the store are obtained.

Creation of smell

It is important that the instant coffee has the smell of coffee. To do this, the granules are impregnated with exactly those essential oils that were extracted from the grains at the very beginning of the process. As a rule, aromatization is not limited only to them and is also added a large number of other flavors.

According to the standard technology, instant coffee is produced using high pressure, which is extremely detrimental to the molecules of coffee "flour". In any case, manufacturing companies claim that freeze-dried coffee is much closer to natural than other types of instant coffee.

Due to the complexity of the process, the price of freeze-dried coffee is higher compared to others. But it retains the aroma better. True, this is not the smell of natural coffee ...

Freeze-dry coffee is produced using freeze-dry technology, which literally translates from in English means "by freezing". With this method of preparation, the finished product retains large quantity useful natural substances and has a much more pronounced aroma and soft rich taste. The technology for making coffee is quite complex and energy-intensive, as a result of which it is somewhat more expensive than other soluble analogues.

Freeze-dried coffee production

The initial stage of preparation of coffee beans for subsequent processing is their thorough roasting and grinding to the consistency of flour. The resulting coffee flour undergoes a brewing procedure for three hours in special hermetically sealed containers. During the cooking process, some of the essential oils contained in the coffee beans escape along with the steam. In order not to deprive future drinks of useful properties, there is a special technology that allows you to extract oils from steam.

After three hours of brewing, the finished thick coffee liquid is subjected to shock freezing at low temperatures, after which it is frozen in a vacuum to a dry powder state. The resulting coffee mass, almost completely devoid of moisture, is broken into granules and impregnated with essential oils extracted from coffee at the beginning of the brewing process.

What does quality freeze-dried coffee look like?

When choosing freeze-dried coffee, special attention should be paid to its appearance and packaging quality. So, instant coffee granules should be large, dense, have a light brown tint and resemble a pyramid in its shape. If you buy coffee in transparent, pay attention to the tightness of the packaging and - the sublimated product can be stored for no more than two years. The presence of sediment at the bottom of the can indicates a violation of the manufacturing technology, which means that, most likely, the drink will not fully convey the taste of real freshly brewed coffee from.

Who should not drink instant coffee

Coffee is strictly prohibited for use by pregnant women and young mothers during breastfeeding, children under ten years of age and people prone to hypertension, having diseases of the heart and blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and organs genitourinary system.

Sources:

freeze-dried coffee production technology

Caffeine is a psychostimulant found in tea, coffee and many other beverages. What else is known about this substance?

Instruction

Caffeine has a positive effect on short-term and long-term memory. If you take at least 300 mg of this substance per day, then this will protect you from Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment. But keep in mind that Alzheimer's prevention also requires good sleep.

Athletes who take caffeine an hour before training improve their response and increase alertness. Also, this psychostimulant helps to reduce the feeling of fatigue and improves performance.

Caffeine is able to influence the reaction rate in a positive direction. This substance crosses the blood-brain barrier extremely quickly, which is why the central nervous system is stimulated just as quickly. Everything energy drinks are based on this principle, but they should be taken in moderation, because caffeine increases excitability nervous system.

It is believed that caffeine can prevent depression. And it is true. Many studies have shown that those who drink more than a couple of cups of coffee a day suffer from low mood and depression less than those who do not drink this drink at all.

Does caffeine raise blood pressure? And that's right. No wonder people with high blood pressure rarely drink coffee, because caffeine can really raise blood pressure. But this increase is small and short-lived. healthy people and slightly faster and longer in persons predisposed to hypertension. But those who consume caffeine immoderately have a long-term effect of high blood pressure. The norm is a couple of cups a day.

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Coffee is one of the best drinks, famous civilizations. Perhaps civilization itself owes much of its prosperity to coffee. For this drink awakens thoughts, helps to write pictures and novels, solve problems at the negotiating table and even restore well-being after yesterday's party.

The story of where and how coffee spread around the world is overgrown with many legends. Here is one of them. Once, the archangel Jabrail presented an amazing plant as a gift to Allah. The Almighty brewed a divine drink from its grains, driving away sleep and sharpening the mind. And he called it "kahwa" - "exciting". One of the seeds accidentally fell on the ground and sprouted. When a shepherd named Kaldi was tending his goats, the animals came across a bush with bright red fruits and gnawed it. After that, they became unusually vigorous and mobile. And then it dawned on the shepherd: the whole thing is in the extraordinary fruits! According to another version, it took place in the Ethiopian province of Kafa. It was there that those wonderful goats grazed, which opened this magical drink to the world. Be that as it may, the rumor about the miraculous tonic quickly spread throughout the East.

For centuries it was believed that drinking coffee is a seductive, but rather harmful habit. However, the results of recent studies suggest that, if it is not abused (0.3 g per day is considered an acceptable dose of caffeine - and this is no more than two or three cups), coffee is very useful: it relieves fatigue, stimulates the brain and digestive system. It has also been proven that people who usually drink two to three cups of coffee a day have a more stable psyche and are less prone to depression.

Ripe coffee beans are harvested by hand. During the harvest period, once a week, pickers go through the entire plantation, picking ripe red coffee berries and pouring them onto a cloth spread under the bushes. In this case, the fruits are immediately sorted to remove unripe or overripe ones.

Harvested coffee berries cannot be stored for a long time, they must be cleaned immediately. There are two cleaning methods - dry and wet.

Dry cleaning is traditionally used in areas with distinct periods of rain and drought. Previously separated from debris, unripe or overripe fruits, coffee berries are spread in a thin layer on a large flat surface and left in the sun until completely dry.

They are stirred several times a day - so that they dry evenly. During this time, they ripen, chemical changes occur in them, thanks to which coffee gets taste and "fortress". If rain is approaching, as well as at night, the fruits are collected in heaps and covered with foil.

The drying process is considered complete when the water content of the harvested berries is reduced to 13 percent. This happens after about 3 weeks. Then the fruits are peeled and removed from the shells of green grains.

The wet cleaning method is common in regions where there is a lot of rain and there are not enough sunny days to dry coffee quickly and well.

Ripe coffee berries immediately after harvest are poured into large rotating drums, where under a strong jet of water most of the soft shell of the fruit is removed. Then they are unloaded into special containers and left there until the remnants of the pulp are completely soaked, after which they are washed off with running water.

The washed grains are poured onto flat areas and left to dry in the sun. To ensure that the grains dry evenly, they are constantly stirred.

The peeled grains go through several more stages of processing: peeling, polishing, sifting, sorting and roasting.

Roasting is a very important step in bean processing. Raw coffee beans are not suitable for consumption. When roasted, moisture evaporates from them, they become hard, easily crushed and change color - from green to light and dark brown. The taste and aroma of a coffee drink depends very much on the degree of roasting: the stronger it is, the more bitterness in coffee and the less sourness; with a weak roast, on the contrary, sour notes are strong and there is almost no bitterness. There are four roast levels, each of which imparts a different flavor profile to the same type of coffee (see below in the section on coffee types). To preserve all the taste and useful properties of coffee, immediately after roasting, the beans must be cooled.

Packaging is the next step in coffee production. Coffee beans release carbon dioxide as they cool after roasting, and the packaging will simply explode if the coffee is not freed of carbon dioxide. Moreover, gas is released from whole grains more slowly than from ground grains. That's why coffee beans Packed in bags with a ventilation valve that allows carbon dioxide to escape to the outside, but does not allow oxygen to enter. Such packaging is called gas-filled.

And ground coffee is placed in vacuum packaging - briquettes, from which carbon dioxide is first drawn out by vacuum, and then tightly sealed. Coffee in an unopened package cannot be stored for a long time, because under the influence of oxygen, the fats in the coffee beans are oxidized, and the drink made from them loses its taste and aroma.

For a long time, coffee has been drunk in coffee houses; different peoples and in different languages these institutions are called differently. The first coffee houses were opened in Mecca in the 12th century. Very soon they spread throughout the Arab world and turned into profitable places where visitors played chess, exchanged news, sang and listened to music. Soon they became centers of political activity, which caused dissatisfaction with the authorities. In the following decades coffee houses then banned, then allowed again. The problem was resolved after the introduction of a tax on them.

For a long time, the Arabs had a monopoly on coffee. In order to preserve it, they carefully monitored so that not a single grain was taken to a “foreign land”. To do this, they were even specially “spoiled” - they cleaned the outer shell from the grains so that they lost their germination. However, in 1615 Venetian merchants still managed to bring coffee to Europe. At first, it was sold as a drug that relieves fatigue, increases mental alertness, and sharpens perception. And only in 1683 - all in the same Venice - the first European coffee houses appeared.

Coffee came to Russia in two ways: from the East and from the West. The "Eastern Route" lay through trade routes with the countries of the Near and Middle East. However, coffee moved on Russian soil with difficulty. Much more significant was the influence of the West, or rather the decisive actions of Peter I, inspired by European customs. Returning from Holland, he simply ordered to drink coffee at his famous "assemblies".

In Russia, the first coffee house was opened in 1740 in St. Petersburg, by decree of Empress Anna Ioannovna. In Moscow, the first coffee shop was located on Tverskaya, in the same building where the famous Filippovskaya bakery was later located.

A coffee maker working in a coffee shop is called a barista in many countries.

Species and varieties

Today, coffee is grown in South and Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia - in about 80 countries located in the so-called "coffee belt". The largest suppliers are Brazil and Colombia, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam and Mexico. Some countries, such as Kenya, Jamaica and Yemen, supply coffee in small quantities but of high quality.

The family of plants to which coffee belongs includes about seventy species. However, there are only two main ones - Arabica and Robusta. They are evergreen shrubs with oval dark green leaves. In the dry period, they are covered with white flowers, flowering continues until the first rains. Then the flowers turn into dark red fruits - "coffee cherries". From the moment of flowering to the ripening of Arabica fruits, 5-7 months pass. Robusta ripens a little longer - 9-11 months.

Arabica (Arabian coffee tree) is a very demanding plant. He needs strong and regular rains, average air temperature plus 15-24 C, deep fertile soil. A drink brewed from Arabica beans has a more delicate taste and aroma than a drink made from Robusta. Nearly 80% of what is produced today ground coffee- Arabica.

The word mild (Mild) refers to the highest category of coffee varieties, including the best varieties of Arabica; this designation is assigned only to high-quality coffee harvested at an altitude of 1000-1500 meters above sea level; another, more complete name for this category is "mild coffee grown in highland plantations".

The coffee tree knefora robusta is quite unpretentious, grows in the equatorial forests and savannahs of the Congo Basin. It tolerates high temperatures and high humidity well. The drink from its grains is more bitter, without a subtle aroma. Basically, Robusta is used to make coffee blends / blends.

The third largest coffee variety in the world (after Arabica and Robusta) is Liberica. Liberica is characterized by a low caffeine content, a strong aroma and a weak, unsaturated taste. IN pure form Liberica is not intended for export, it is mainly used in growing regions. Used in coffee blends to enhance the aroma of the drink.

The fourth most important coffee variety is excelsa, the least common, not having industrial value and is used mainly in coffee blends to enhance the aroma of the drink.

According to experts, there are no less coffee varieties than wine brands. Although, until the beginning of the 20th century, only single-varietal coffee made from beans collected from one plantation was known to lovers of this drink.

Monosorts are usually named after the country in which the coffee is grown (“Kenya”, “Colombia”), or a smaller administrative unit - the city, province, state, district, or even the port from which the beans are exported, for example, the Brazilian “Santos” . There are varieties named after mountain peaks ("Kilimanjaro") and ranges ("Blue Mountain").

Over time, coffee became an increasingly popular drink, and producers began to mix beans from different trees, plantations and crops. They did this in order to emphasize the merits of each variety, create a certain taste and aroma characteristic only for this brand and maintain them throughout the entire production period. A mixture that is made from beans of different varieties of coffee is usually referred to as a blend or blend.

In fact, currently known varieties of coffee are trademarks manufacturers.

Most varieties known today are blends. Different varieties coffee is obtained by mixing from two to fourteen varieties of coffee beans. In coffee of certain varieties, a variety of flavors is especially appreciated: in some, fruit sourness prevails, in others - nutty tones, there is even coffee with a wine flavor.

Varieties of coffee differ in the degree of roasting. When roasted for the first few minutes, the grains remain light yellowish and have a "grassy" smell, then a smoke with a more aromatic smell appears and soon there is a "first crack" - a distinct sound that signals at what stage the roasting is. After that, active caramelization of the sugars contained in the grains begins, and the essential oils gradually come out. The grains increase in size and become darker. At this moment, a "second crack" is usually heard, the color of the grains becomes even darker, and the smoke is thick and caustic - at this stage, the sugars are completely burned. There are many types of coffee roasting, each imparting a different flavor profile to the same type of coffee. In general, each type of roast can be classified into one of four basic roast levels - low, medium, high, or top.

cinnamon roast (Cinnamon Roast), approximate temperature 195°C, the lightest roast, the grains are light brown in color with a slight saturation of taste, pronounced sourness and a subtle bready aroma, no oil on the surface;

Light or New England Roast, approx 205°C, light roast, where beans are light brown, slightly darker than cinnamon roast. The taste still has a pronounced sourness, but without bread notes. There is still no oil on the surface;

American Roast, approx 210°C, medium light brown color, just after first pop, oil still missing from surface; This roast got its name because of its popularity in the eastern part of the USA; often this roast (like cinnamon) is used during professional coffee tastings;

city roast (City Roast), approximate temperature 220°C; strong roast; deep brown, with a still dry surface; roasting is popular in the western United States and is also well suited for coffee tastings;

full city roast (Full City Roast), approximate temperature 225°C; drops of oil begin to appear on the surface of the grains; the taste is dominated by caramel and chocolate notes; the beginning of the "second cod";

Vienna roast (Vienna Roast), approximate temperature 230°C; strong roast; moderate dark brown color with a slightly oily surface; the appearance of bittersweet, caramel notes in taste; sourness goes to a minimum, giving way to saturation; in the middle of the "second cod"; sometimes this roast is used for espresso;

French roast (French Roast), approximate temperature 240 ° C, dark brown color, shiny oily surface; sourness is practically absent, burnt notes appear in the taste; at the end of the "second cod"; popular espresso roast;

Italian Roast, approximate temperature 245°C, very dark brown color, beans coated with oil; roasting is similar to French, only with a more pronounced taste; conventional roasting for espresso; Spanish Roast, approximately 250°C, darkest roast; grains have a very dark, almost black color and a very oily surface; very few coffees survive Spanish roasting without tasting ashy.

Coffee is sold either in beans, or ground, or instant. Ground coffee, i.e. ground coffee beans, differs by the type of grinding (see the section on making coffee).

Coffee lovers often treat instant coffee with disdain, however, in terms of sales, it is in no way inferior to coffee in beans and ground coffee. Instant coffee was first introduced to the public in 1901 - at the All-American Exhibition in Buffalo - and immediately aroused lively controversy. However, today many cannot imagine their day without this drink.

For the preparation of instant coffee, the famous arabica coffee is almost never used: fragrant, but not very strong, in the “powder” it practically loses its characteristic taste. From Robusta - a strong African variety, in which there is twice as much caffeine as in Arabica, the coffee is richer.

Those who prefer instant coffee should be aware that intense pressure changes the molecular structure of the bean - and the beneficial properties, as well as the amazing aroma and taste of coffee, are lost.

Depending on the production technology, instant coffee is of three types: powdered, granulated and freeze-dried.

Powdered coffee is a method of producing instant coffee. The fried grains are finely ground, then treated under pressure with a jet of hot water for several hours. The resulting infusion is filtered, and the extract is sprayed into chambers filled with hot inert gases. On the fly, the droplets of the extract curl up and dry out, turning into a powder.

Granulated coffee. It almost does not differ from the production of powder. The only difference is that the finished coffee powder is churned into small lumps under steam pressure, and the coffee no longer looks like a powder, but like granules.

Sublimated coffee. For the production of sublimated (this method is also called freeze dry) coffee, coffee extract is frozen at a very low temperature. It is then dehydrated under vacuum at low pressure. The dehydrated mass is crushed and uneven-shaped crystals are obtained, which we see in coffee jars. This is the most expensive way to produce instant coffee, but it allows you to maximize the beneficial properties of coffee beans, their taste and aroma.

Finally, there are various coffee drinks, such as carrot coffee or chicory coffee. They have nothing to do with real coffee, although they are very interesting in their own way.

How to cook

Grinding Like roasting, grinding coffee beans is an important step in bringing out the flavor of the coffee. It is better to brew coffee immediately after grinding. For different ways brewing requires coffee of different grinding.

Coarse or coarse grinding (coarse grind) is suitable for brewing in a piston coffee maker (French press) or in any vessel.

Medium grind can be used for different brewing methods.

Fine grinding (fine grind) is good for making a drink in coffee makers with filters.

A fine espresso grind is essential for espresso coffee makers, in which a jet of hot water is passed through the ground beans.

Powdered, ultra-fine grinding (pulverized) - coffee powder is similar to flour and is used exclusively for brewing Turkish coffee in cezve.

Over the centuries-old history of coffee, many variants of its preparation have been invented: once upon a time, balls from the pulp of crushed grains were mixed with fat, dried coffee leaves were brewed. Over time, advanced "coffee" technologies began to appear. Today, five methods of obtaining an aromatic drink are most popular: espresso, oriental coffee, French press, coffee filter, coffee geyser.

Espresso - the youngest, most modern, most fast way. No wonder in their homeland, in Italy, espresso is considered the “coffee king”. To prepare it, you need coffee beans of strong roast (then the drink will have a characteristic light bitterness) and very fine grinding (fine espresso grind), preferably a mixture of Arabica and a small amount of Robusta. The drink is prepared literally before our eyes: espresso dispenses and grinds beans in a matter of seconds, presses coffee powder, brews coffee - and gives out a cup of delicious aromatic drink. The presence of brown crema on the surface of the coffee is a sure sign that the espresso is excellent.

Oriental coffee, or Turkish coffee, also has many fans. They say that in order to prepare it correctly, you need a flair: no one will mark the line that separates a great drink from a hopelessly ruined one. It is worth missing the moment when bubbles appear along the edge of the cezve (she is also an Ibrik, she is also a Turk) - and the coffee will boil, which means that it was not a success.

To prepare coffee in an oriental way on a regular stove, a cezve with water and sugar is placed on a moderate fire. When the water boils, add coffee of the finest grinding to it, stir, put it back on the stove and bring to a boil. Just don't boil it.

As soon as along the edges of the "lid" formed from coffee grounds, small bubbles will go, the cezve must be removed from the fire. Then put it on fire again - and remove it again as soon as bubbles appear. And so two or three more times (or more). Before serving, it would be nice to let the coffee brew a little in a cezve under the lid.

For Turkish coffee, they usually take heavily roasted beans - they give the drink a pleasant bitterness. However, the degree of roast here is not as important as for espresso; if desired, you can take both light and medium roasted coffee. But the “correct” grinding (pulverized, “powdery”, the finest of all existing species grinding) is very important. Only when brewing coffee, it does not give a thick, creaking on the teeth, but a thick, dense aromatic foam, without which oriental coffee is simply unthinkable. And finally, proportions. For 200-250 ml of water "four teaspoons (32 grams) of coffee powder.

Press coffee. Making coffee in a French press - a piston coffee maker invented in France in the twenties of the last century - is like brewing tea. The coffee pot is rinsed with boiling water, coarse coffee is poured into it, poured with boiling water and the drink is allowed to brew for five minutes. Next, lower it onto the piston, thus separating the thick, and pour ready drink by cups.

Unlike the tiny cups in which espresso and Turkish coffee are served, it is customary to pour coffee from a French press into rather large cups (about 120 ml of water is taken for 8-10 grams of coffee powder).

To prevent clogging of the mesh filter, it is better to use coarse ground coffee. But for the grains themselves - mixtures or certain varieties, as well as their roasting - the French press has no requirements. This way you can brew any coffee.

This method has many advantages: firstly, you do not need to stand over the stove, and secondly, in a heat-resistant flask of a coffee pot, under a closed lid, the drink remains hot for a long time. In addition, you can cook it in almost any. There would be only water heated to the state of a “white key” or slightly cooled after boiling (in a heat-saving flask, boiling water can continue to boil, which significantly worsens the taste of the drink).

Funnel for coffee. Recently, as espresso machines, French presses, and coffee-on-the-sand machines have reached us, filter coffee is losing its former popularity. However, preparing it is quite simple: put a paper filter in the funnel of the coffee maker and pour ground coffee at the rate of 8-10 grams per cup. Water is poured into a special compartment, it heats up to 100 ° C, drips on top of the coffee powder, and after a few seconds the brewed coffee flows drop by drop into the jug. The degree of grinding is selected depending on the filtration time: the shorter the time during which the coffee is prepared, the finer the grinding required. And vice versa.

Coffee geyser. Moka (geyser) machines predated the appearance of espresso machines, and this type of coffee maker is still used especially widely in Italy. The coffee pot consists of two screwed vessels. Fresh water is poured into the lower part. Pour into the built-in filter to the top and lightly compress coffee of medium grinding (roasting - from medium to dark) at the rate of 5-7 grams per cup. Then both parts of the coffee pot are screwed together and, depending on the model, either put on the stove or connected to the mains.

When heated, excess pressure is created in the lower part of the coffee maker, and hot water is forced into the upper vessel through a layer of coffee powder. The problem is that the water temperature in such units exceeds 100 ° C, so the drink eventually turns out to be “overboiled”. And, of course, he does not have the very creamy foam that crowns a real espresso.

Here are some more terms related to the preparation and serving of coffee:

glace (from lat. glacies - “ice”) - coffee with ice cream: served in a tall conical glass with a capacity of 250 ml with a coffee straw and a dessert spoon for ice cream;

demitas (from French demitasse - “half a cup”) - a small cup for coffee with a capacity of 60-70 ml with very thick walls that retain heat well; used mainly for espresso, as well as for oriental coffee;

cappuccino - espresso with hot milk and thick milk foam (in equal parts);

cafe-o-le - coffee from beans of low roast, mixed in equal proportions with very hot frothed milk;

corto - a type of espresso, very strong and rich coffee; it is made with the same amount of coffee powder as a standard espresso, however much less water is used in corto;

Latte is a drink made from 1 part espresso and 3 parts hot milk. a small amount milk foam; as a rule, the foam is sprinkled on top with grated chocolate or cocoa; sometimes cinnamon and syrups are added, such as caramel, chocolate or vanilla; served in a tall glass;

mazbout - oriental coffee of medium sweetness (sugar is added during the brewing process: for a teaspoon of coffee - a teaspoon of sugar); - a standard espresso shot (30 ml) with a small amount of hot frothed milk (15 ml);

melange (from French melange - “mixture”) - traditional coffee with milk (how much coffee and how much milk depends on your preferences);

ristretto - very strong espresso, serving no more than a sip;

uesh - foam formed from coffee powder ground to a dusty state when brewing coffee in an oriental way; it is laid out with a spoon in cups, and then coffee is poured; wesh in the East is considered "the face of coffee";

espresso granita - in Italy it is a very cold and unsweetened espresso with sweetened whipped cream; in America it is a mixture of espresso, milk and sugar heavily chilled in special machines;

espresso con panna - hot espresso with whipped cream, sprinkled with grated chocolate.

Here are some more coffee tips:

coffee that you are going to brew in a coffee pot should not be ground too finely, but for a cezve, the grains should be literally ground into dust;

in no case should you boil coffee - the acids that are released during the boiling process can spoil both the smell and taste; however, it must be brought to a boil, otherwise aromatic substances will not have time to stand out from it;

in order for the aroma to “infuse”, wait five minutes and only after that pour the drink into cups;

you can’t store already brewed coffee for more than half an hour - there are a lot of fats in the grains that can go rancid; the coffee pot must be thoroughly washed after each coffee drinking - the fats that have settled on the walls will spoil the taste of fresh coffee.

We add that ground, as well as instant coffee, often become ingredients for various dishes- from coffee chocolate to cakes and liqueurs.

How to choose and store

A person who understands coffee first pays attention to the type of product - coffee beans, ground coffee, instant coffee. When choosing coffee, its variety is important - brand, single-sort or blend, what blend (at least - the percentage of Arabica and Robusta), type of roasting and grinding, etc.

Only coffee beans are sold by weight.

Quality natural ground coffee is usually packed in a vacuum briquette. If he is soft in places, then he is defeated.

The average shelf life of natural ground coffee is 18 months.

High-quality instant coffee is usually packaged in glass or tin can. Look at the composition of the product: there should not be any extra ingredients (chicory, barley, etc.), otherwise it is not coffee, but a coffee drink. There should be no powder at the bottom of the package of granulated and freeze-dried coffee.

It is better to keep coffee in a dark, cool place (but not in the refrigerator), in a tightly closed ceramic or glass container, while it is desirable to leave as little space as possible between the surface of the coffee and the lid of the vessel. If the coffee is stored in a soft package, it is better to squeeze the air out of it and seal it tightly, for example, with adhesive tape.

Natural coffee has always been considered the most delicious and healthy, but instant coffee remains the most popular. And this can be easily explained by the fact that for its preparation it is enough to boil water. Moreover, the taste of the drink is as pleasant as in the case of natural coffee. The article will focus on one of the types of instant coffee - freeze-dried. It gained popularity due to its rich aroma and special taste.

Sublimated coffee production technology

First of all, it is worth noting that sublimation is a process in Food Industry, with the help of which water is evaporated from products in a vacuum way.

The production technology of freeze-dried coffee consists of several stages. The coffee beans are roasted first. Then they are subjected to grinding to get flour. Then it is placed in airtight tanks and boiled for about three hours. A pipe is connected to each tank through which steam containing essential oils escapes. Their extraction takes place thanks to a special technology.

Then, by means of a low temperature, the obtained coffee mass is subjected to freezing, due to which the liquid is evaporated from the product. The moisture-free residue is broken up and as a result granules in the form of pyramids are obtained. It is in this form that coffee enters the store shelves.

In order for the smell to be coffee, the resulting granules are impregnated with essential oils extracted from the grains. Flavorings are sometimes added to enhance the effect.

It should be noted that of all the existing soluble species freeze-dried coffee as close to natural as possible.

Features of freeze-dried coffee

Its main feature is the preservation of aroma and taste, which is an important characteristic for any coffee drink. It is mainly made from Robusta. It belongs to the elite varieties of coffee, but the high cost of the product is explained by the most complex technological process production.

Selection of freeze-dried coffee

First of all, you should pay attention to the information about the product. First of all, it concerns the composition and shelf life. The maximum storage period is two years. The appearance of the coffee is also important. Dense, light brown, large granules indicate the high quality of the product. And the powder at the bottom of the jar indicates a violation of manufacturing technology.