Skip to content
  • About
    • Collaborate
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Kitchen Tools
  • Meet the Team
  • Travel
  • Video
  • Press
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Youtube

Savory Experiments

  • Recipe Index
  • Cooking Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • BBQ
    • Casserole
    • Cast Iron
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Kid-Friendly
    • No-Bake
    • No-Cook
    • One-Dish
    • Slow Cooker
    • Under 30 Minutes
  • Cuisine
    • Asian
    • Creole
    • French
    • German
    • Indian
    • International Cuisine
    • Irish
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
    • Middle Eastern
    • Polish
    • Spanish
    • Thai
  • Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Patriotic
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Ingredient
    • All Ingredients
    • Beef
    • Butter
    • Cheese
    • Chicken
    • Eggs
    • Pork
    • Salt
    • Tomato
  • Order My Book!

Savory Experiments

  • Recipe Index
  • Cooking Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • BBQ
    • Casserole
    • Cast Iron
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Kid-Friendly
    • No-Bake
    • No-Cook
    • One-Dish
    • Slow Cooker
    • Under 30 Minutes
  • Cuisine
    • Asian
    • Creole
    • French
    • German
    • Indian
    • International Cuisine
    • Irish
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
    • Middle Eastern
    • Polish
    • Spanish
    • Thai
  • Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Patriotic
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Ingredient
    • All Ingredients
    • Beef
    • Butter
    • Cheese
    • Chicken
    • Eggs
    • Pork
    • Salt
    • Tomato
  • Order My Book!

Savory Experiments

Coffee

Coffee is that sassy, caffeine-laden, sent from heaven above brewed beverage that so many of us know, love, and can’t live without. Did you know that coffee is almost 14 centuries old and is a big part of both Ethiopian and Yemenite history? (Now you do!)

close up of whipped dolgona coffee

Coffee Beans

Before you can talk about the beverage, you have to talk about the beans. Fun fact, they aren’t beans at all. They are actually the seeds of berries of the Coffea plant. We call them “beans” because they look so gosh darn much like the beans we put in soups and succotash.

The plants that grow these “beans” are tropical evergreen shrubs and the two most common plants are Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta. Arabica beans are prized for their rich, deep flavor while robusta is known for a more bitter and earthy flavor.

Arabica coffee beans are grown in places like North and Central America, Eastern Africa, and Asia, and Robusta beans are grown in central Africa, Southeast Asia, and Brazil.

Getting to Your Cup

Before you have a steaming hot cup of life in your mug, there are lots of steps coffee producers go through. First, the beans are harvested. Most coffee is grown in mountainous regions where beans are picked by hand. That is not the case in Brazil which has a much flatter landscape for growing these plants and these can be harvested mechanically.

The beans are then dried out. They are then milled and hulled which removes the outer berry and reveals the beans aka seeds. These beans are then sorted and graded based on color and size.

Last but certainly not least, the beans are roasted. Roasting the bean is where you get an abundance of flavor and the type of roasting and the length of the roast will determine the flavor. During the roasting process, the heat caramelizes the tannins, the proteins, and the sugars inside giving you a distinct flavor profile.

After roasting, the beans are packaged and then they sent on their way to stores.

Knowing Your Roasts

We’ve all been there. You are standing in the coffee aisle and your eyes cross. How are there this many choices?! Knowing your roasts will help make this decision-making process less stress-inducing and it will make your morning routine more enjoyable. Here is a quick guide:

Light Roast – These beans will have a blond or cinnamon color and will not be shiny as the oils in the bean have not risen to the surface during the roasting process. This type is big on complexity in terms of flavor and light on body in terms of mouthfeel which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, err coffee.

Medium Roast – These are a medium brown colored bean and are slightly sweeter than their light roast counterpart. They have balanced flavor, aroma, and acidity, and all that means is that they are a solid middle ground cup of joe.

Medium-Dark Roast – This type is has a rich, dark color with some oil on the surface of the beans themselves. It will have a more pronounced flavor and aroma paired with a bittersweet aftertaste.

Dark Roast – These beans will be shiny and almost black in color. The aftertaste will be bitter, and the original flavor of the bean almost gone. This type of coffee is all about the roasting method and that flavor is at the forefront of each sip.

Here are some crazy good recipes using coffee:

  • Dalgona Whipped Coffee
  • Mocha Cream Pie
  • Coffee Crusted Beef Tenderloin
  • Tiramisu Cups
  • Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Cocktail

What are the side effects of coffee?

Coffee is one of those “consume in moderation” type drinks. The main issue is the caffeine in it which can cause insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, and more if consumed in large quantities. In most cases, you will be just fine.

Is coffee a vegetable or fruit?

Trick question! Neither. Coffee beans are part of a fruit (a berry) but they are actually the seed of the plant.

How much coffee a day is good for you?

The general consensus is that 400mg of caffeine a day is acceptable. This translates to about four cups of brewed coffee. And let’s be clear, we are talking about normal-sized mugs of coffee not those giant cups from your favorite local coffee shop.

 

            stack of nutella pancakes with strawberries

Nutella Pancakes

Breakfast
            starbucks vanilla sweet cream cold brew

Starbucks Copycat Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Drinks
            A close up of a piece of cake covered in chocolate

Chocolate Pound Cake

Cakes + Cupcakes
            collage of coffee drink recipes

16+ Coffee Drink Recipes

Drinks · Recipe Collections
            close up of whipped dolgona coffee

Dalgona Whipped Coffee

Drinks
            A close up of a coffee drink

Coffee Cooler

Drinks
            Homemade creamer pouring into coffee

Homemade Coffee Creamer

Drinks
            Vanilla Mocha Biscotti are easy to make and perfect for pairing with coffee or tea. Subtle coffee, vanilla and chocolate flavors make them suitable for any occasion. #homemadebiscotti #biscottirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

Vanilla Mocha Biscotti

Brownies + Bars
            Bailey's Irish Cream Coffee is sweet and comforting Irish cream drink recipe. This coffee cocktail perfect for busy mornings or brunch year-round. #baileysirishcreamcoffee #irishcreamdrinkrecipes #coffeecocktails www.savoryexperiments.com

Bailey’s Irish Cream Coffee

Drinks
            Salted Caramel Cookie Frozen Latte has the best of all worlds. Fresh coffee flavor with lightly sweetened latte froth, salty, gooey caramel and soft chocolate chip cookies.

Cookie Salted Caramel Frozen Latte

Drinks
            This is a classic Coffee Cake Recipe. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast, brunch or serving with afternoon tea.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Cakes + Cupcakes
            plate of seared beef tenderloin with tomatoes and scallions

Coffee Crusted Beef Tenderloin

Dinners + Entrees
subscribe via bloglovin

Posts navigation

1 2
Welcome!
Welcome!
Jessica is an author, blog coach, photographer, recipe creator and spokesperson, TV personality, globetrotter and contributor to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Mashed and The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more! Let her help you create restaurant quality family meals using the four S's.
What are the Four S's?
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
FREE Email Course
CLICK: 7 Days to Being a Better Home Cook!
Looking For Something?
Buy My Book!
Jessica is the author of the new book Beef It Up! 50 recipes showcasing classic beef recipes all made in the comfort of your kitchen and without special equipment.
Get Your Copy!
book cover for beef it up

FREE 7 Day Email Course- How to be a Better Home Cook!

Click to Subscribe
Breakfast
Breakfast
Desserts
Desserts
Dinner
Dinner
Salads
Salads
Sandwich
Sandwiches
Side dishes
Side Dishes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Media Kit
  • Kitchen Tools
  • Shop
  • Travel
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Copyright © 2022 Savory Experiments, All Rights Reserved.
Design by Lindsay Humes.
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers + Snacks
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Dinners + Entrees
    • Dips, Dressings, + Sauces
    • Side Dishes
  • Cooking Method
    • Baking
    • BBQ
    • Casserole
    • Cast Iron
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • No-Cook
    • One-Dish
    • Slow Cooker
    • Under 30 Minutes
  • Cuisine
    • Asian
    • Creole
    • French
    • German
    • Indian
    • Irish
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
    • Middle Eastern
    • Polish
    • Spanish
    • Thai
  • Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Patriotic
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Travel
  • About
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Kitchen Tools
    • Press
    • Work With Me
  • Order My Book!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Youtube