In Italy  we are all professed coffee experts or we like to think so and a coffee that has a specific brand on it- like a designer label ..is always looked upon with favor, so we are somewhat coffee snobs and have designer brands we  favor..most are coffees that are roasted right in Italy and brought in from Africa or South America.

But have you ever imagined or thought of trying a coffee from Hawaii?.well think of it - a strong beautiful sun is there to nourish those beans with a rich soil to flourish in.

Well if you profess to be a coffee snob and think of South America & Africa having the best coffee beans in the world try Kona Luna Coffee.  It is smooth and no bitter after taste, so no ‘acida’ (acid stomach).  This company gives their coffee plants tender loving care and you can taste it in the quality of their coffee. Always perfect.. And roasted equally to perfection not burnt but roasted to bring out the flavor of the bean..

One of  the secrets of true not bitter ,superior taste is that  the coffee is made from 100% Kona Luna Beans, they’re not mixed with other beans of less quality that would diminish the quality of the taste. And this is evident of the clarity of the flavor.

 My Kona Luna Coffee blend of choice is Mahalo Mudslinger- it works well in my recipes & can be substitued for espresso. It comes across as a bold wake your senses up type of taste and..is the perfect morning eye opener or afternoon pick me up..which brings to mind my recipe for a ‘lighter Tiramisu’. I have included the recipe here, enjoy Mahalo Mudslinger in the recipe as well as a cup of it with it…

Tiramisu

1 1/2 cups Mahalo Mudslinger or  espresso coffee

2 teaspoons sugar

4 medium eggs
1/2 cup and 2 tsps. sugar
1 lb mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
35-40 savoiardi (ladyfinger cookies)

2 tablespoons bitter cocoa powder

4 ounces of dark dark chocolate shaved (for top of cake)

Prepare a strong  coffee. Dissolve two teaspoons sugar in it, while the coffee is still hot. Let the coffee cool to room temperature. Seperate egg yolks from egg whites into 2 different bowls.

Add ¼ cup sugar to egg yolks and beat till creamy. In seperate bowl, beat mascarpone cheese till creamy. Continue beating while adding in (a little at a time) egg yolk/sugar mixture.

Then beat egg whites with ¼ cup sugar and pinch of salt till soft peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into mascarpone mixture with wooden spoon.

Dip half of the ladyfingers in the coffee and place in the pan in a single layer.

Spread half of the mascarpone cream on the layer of ladyfingers..

Dip the remaining ladyfingers in the coffee and

Spread the remaining mascarpone cream on top of second layer of ladyfingers.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder and decorate with chocolate shavings and refrigerate for about three to four hours.

This is the original tiramisu recipe. If you want to make this a bit lighter, I find that a mixture of 1-8 ounce container of plain lowfat yogurt whipped together with 1-8 ounce pakage of non-fat or lowfat cream cheese makes a great lower calTiramisu

orie substitute for the mascarpone cheese and eggs.orie substitute for the mascarpone cheese and eggs.

Substitute artificial sweetener for the sugar although there is not that much sugar I nteh recipe.

Ladyfingers are not high claories and the small amount of cocoa and chocolate are fine and not loaded with calories.

So either way you can enjoy the dessert!

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm

Editor: Sara A. Harris

There’s nothing quite comparable to the first sip of a steaming morning cup of willpower. The vitalizing awareness flows richly alongside its heady scent that billows throughout household hallways, bistros, and office corridors worldwide, teasing the senses of coffee aficionados everywhere. With a fluctuating economy, coffee is indeed a commodity to be reckoned, as reportedly, over 500 billions cups are consumed every year.

Once referenced as taking a ‘coffee break’… cappuccino, café au lait, espresso, café noir, lattes, regular, and decaf, has initiated its universal appeal that doesn’t appear to be slowing anytime soon. While most familiar are the caffeinated temptations of Seattle’s Best, Starbucks, and Dean & DeLuca, the essence of Italy is mimicked with every grande, venti, and double-shot known to man. In light of this stimulating replication, on July 6, 1998, the Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano (The Italian Espresso National Institute) was founded in the protection of this mini pleasure cup called, Espresso. http://www.espressoitaliano.org And let’s clear the air on the misconception that’s contrary to popular belief, it’s not called, Expresso.

The evolution of coffee has catapulted us from brewing pots of freshly ground beans, sinful 20 ounce concoctions of iced, nonfat, extra whip treats, and all the way back to that stout little shot of espresso. Discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia, the allure of coffee spread like wildfire among various countries and eventually found its place in Italy as well the Americas. Not only used as a pleasing habitual stimulant, societies in Africa and Yemen once utilized coffee as a vital part in religious ceremonies… and in the 17^th century, it was actually banned from Ottoman Turkey as a contributing factor for unfamiliar political reason. Known for its Italian name, Cappuccino– a preparation of hot milk, espresso, and milk foam– was termed from the order of Franciscan Minor friars (Franciscans), called Cappuccini. Some hypothesize the drink’s name is based on the Italian word cappuccio, meaning hood. Nonetheless, we’ve managed (somehow) to take a historically delicious original and Americanize it with chain-inventions better known as, Frappuccinos. The dessert industry smartly capitalized on the notion of coffee and confection lovers, as the bean itself has become largely popularized as a decadent chocolate-covered treat. However, when eaten in great moderation, the antioxidants prove beneficial to healthier lifestyles. True enthusiast of the drink may wish to indulge their bold palates with a taste of Italy while visiting Grand Café & Tre Marie or for those desiring a hint of java flair that’s closer to home, try your local bistro for featured drinks.

In the end, the coffee-crazed, Cup of Joe’s, and java-junkies will inevitably keep these robust textures and rich aromas from ever dissipating. Served with breakfast and dessert or even a mid-afternoon pick-me-up… the craving keeps some marveling the idea of ‘coffee patches’.

Related sources:

http://www.grandcafetremarie.it

http://www.deandeluca.com

http://www.starbucks.com

http://coffeebean.com

Don’t forget to check out Maria Liberati’s favorite coffee recipe (Coffee Frullato) http://marialiberati.com/blog2/?p=189

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati at http://www.marialiberati.com

  copyright 2008, Maria Liberati

To every caffeine junkie who has ever stumbled into their favorite coffee bar at 7A.M. on a desperate quest for a morning fix it may seem improbable that espresso (the beverage that began our collective obsession with designer coffees) emerged from very humble origins.  The seemingly endless variety of espresso based drinks available to us today may make it difficult to believe that espresso itself was created to address a very functional need, one that we can all identify with. That being the need to cram ever more time into our increasingly busy days.

Invented at the turn of the 20^th century by Italian Luigi Bezzera, the first espresso machine was decidedly utilitarian in design.  The owner of a Milanese manufacturing company, Bezzera was eager to increase the productivity of his employees. Believing that the best way to do this was to reduce the length of his workers coffee breaks, he set out to create a machine that would brew a cup of coffee in less time than conventional machines of the day. His final product was the world’s first espresso machine, a crude and gigantic contraption that produced a cup of coffee by forcing a combination of water and steam through coffee grounds at high pressures.

While the new process did produce a much quicker cup of coffee, it also caused the coffee to taste very bitter. It was not until 1905 when Desiderio Pavoni purchased Bezzera’s patent rights to the machine that this problem was solved. Realizing that the bitter taste was a result of the high temperature steam and water passing through the coffee, he set out to find the ideal water temperature and pressure to make the perfect cup. His findings concluded that brewing a cup at 95C and between 8-10 BAR of pressure produced the best espresso. These standards remain today.

Problems still existed however; the primary one being consistency. Because espresso machines were steam operated, it required a considerable amount of skill on the part of the operator or “barista” to ensure correct water temperature by constantly monitoring the open flame heat source. This meant that all but the most skilled baristas had a very difficult time maintaining consistent steam pressure and water temperature.

Also, this system relied on the barista to regulate how long the water valve was open which allowed the heater water to pass through the grinds. This determined the volume, consistency and overall quality of the espresso and was difficult to keep uniform as well. These dilemmas made it a tricky and expensive process to produce high quality espresso consistently and in significant volumes.

These problems too, proved solvable however. In 1948 Achille Gaggia revealed to the world the first modern espresso machine. By replacing the water valve with a spring loaded piston operated by a hand lever, he was able to create a machine that did not rely on steam to drive the water through the grinds. Water was pulled into a chamber which was pushed down slowly past the grinds directly by the operator. This allowed the water to move faster and harder through the grinds, eliminating the finicky and time-consuming business of relying on steam. As a result of the added pressure, this process also produced the now famous crema, a thin layer of reddish-brown foam that floats on top of the coffee and contains the proteins, vegetable oils and sugars from the beans themselves.

Although there have been other developments in espresso production since the Gaggia machine was introduced, the process remains essentially the same and it is Gaggia’s developments which are credited with bringing espresso to the mainstream.  Hence, making a shot of espresso is still referred to as “Pulling a shot”.

Arguably the most important ingredient in the recent designer coffee fad that has taken North America by storm, espresso is the foundation upon which companies such as Starbucks have built their army of non-fat, soy based whipped cream and caramel covered concoctions.  It is ironic that something of such humble and utilitarian origins should have sparked the creation of one of the largest growing luxury industries in the world today. The development of espresso has been a uniquely Italian marriage of form and function. It is no wonder that, from a culture that prides itself on cultivating the beauty and elegance in the function of the everyday, the undisputed king of coffees has emerged. 

For more information on the history of espresso visit:

AABREE Coffee- http://www.aabreecoffee.com/articles.cfm?articleID=10

Coffee Review- http://www.coffeereview.com/reference.cfm?ID=192

For great coffee recipes, get your copy of the bestselling book- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking .Go to http://www.marialiberati.com and receive $5 off retail price.

Next Week: What makes a perfect cup? Reviewing the elements of great espresso.

copyright 2008,. art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc

Ciao for now!
Maria

http://www.marilaiberati.com

Get more recipes and info on coffee, Italy and more in the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking order your copy  at http://www.marialiberati.com

Copyright, 2008, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc 

Editor: Dave Clancy 

 To every caffeine junkie who has ever stumbled into a Starbucks at 7A.M. on a desperate quest for a morning fix it may seem improbable that espresso (the beverage that began our collective obsession with designer coffees) emerged from very humble origins.  The seemingly endless variety of espresso based drinks available to us today may make it difficult to believe that espresso itself was created to address a very functional need, one that we can all identify with. That being the need to cram ever more time into our increasingly busy days.

Invented at the turn of the 20^th century by Italian Luigi Bezzera, the first espresso machine was decidedly utilitarian in design.  The owner of a Milanese manufacturing company, Bezzera was eager to increase the productivity of his employees. Believing that the best way to do this was to reduce the length of his workers coffee breaks, he set out to create a machine that would brew a cup of coffee in less time than conventional machines of the day. His final product was the world’s first espresso machine, a crude and gigantic contraption that produced a cup of coffee by forcing a combination of water and steam through coffee grounds at high pressures.

While the new process did produce a much quicker cup of coffee, it also caused the coffee to taste very bitter. It was not until 1905 when Desiderio Pavoni purchased Bezzera’s patent rights to the machine that this problem was solved. Realizing that the bitter taste was a result of the high temperature steam and water passing through the coffee, he set out to find the ideal water temperature and pressure to make the perfect cup. His findings concluded that brewing a cup at 95C and between 8-10 BAR of pressure produced the best espresso. These standards remain today.

Problems still existed however; the primary one being consistency. Because espresso machines were steam operated, it required a considerable amount of skill on the part of the operator or “barista” to ensure correct water temperature by constantly monitoring the open flame heat source. This meant that all but the most skilled baristas had a very difficult time maintaining consistent steam pressure and water temperature.

Also, this system relied on the barista to regulate how long the water valve was open which allowed the heater water to pass through the grinds. This determined the volume, consistency and overall quality of the espresso and was difficult to keep uniform as well. These dilemmas made it a tricky and expensive process to produce high quality espresso consistently and in significant volumes.

These problems too, proved solvable however. In 1948 Achille Gaggia revealed to the world the first modern espresso machine. By replacing the water valve with a spring loaded piston operated by a hand lever, he was able to create a machine that did not rely on steam to drive the water through the grinds. Water was pulled into a chamber which was pushed down slowly past the grinds directly by the operator. This allowed the water to move faster and harder through the grinds, eliminating the finicky and time-consuming business of relying on steam. As a result of the added pressure, this process also produced the now famous crema, a thin layer of reddish-brown foam that floats on top of the coffee and contains the proteins, vegetable oils and sugars from the beans themselves.

Although there have been other developments in espresso production since the Gaggia machine was introduced, the process remains essentially the same and it is Gaggia’s developments which are credited with bringing espresso to the mainstream.  Hence, making a shot of espresso is still referred to as “Pulling a shot”.

Arguably the most important ingredient in the recent designer coffee fad that has taken North America by storm, espresso is the foundation upon which companies such as Starbucks have built their army of non-fat, soy based whipped cream and caramel covered concoctions.  It is ironic that something of such humble and utilitarian origins should have sparked the creation of one of the largest growing luxury industries in the world today. The development of espresso has been a uniquely Italian marriage of form and function. It is no wonder that, from a culture that prides itself on cultivating the beauty and elegance in the function of the everyday, the undisputed king of coffees has emerged. 

For more information on the history of espresso visit:

AABREE Coffee- http://www.aabreecoffee.com/articles.cfm?articleID=10

Coffee Review- http://www.coffeereview.com/reference.cfm?ID=192

Next Week: What makes a perfect cup? Reviewing the elements of great espresso.

For great coffee recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati at http://www.marialiberati.com

Ciao for now!
Maria

http://www.marialiberati.com

http://mariandco.blogspot.com

  Coffee has a high level of antioxidants thanks to its’ high levels of a special acid, which gives a protective action against  type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. It has been shown to slow down the natural decline of the cerebral function in the elderly according to the latest studies NFI (Nutritional Foundation of Italy). It is also a powerful antioxidant to counteract the free radicals in the human body.

Coffee is the most consumed beverage around the world, with a variable of consumption from country to country but has been shown to have about 24 pounds per person per year in Finland, to 4 lbs per yr. per person in the UK to 12 lbs per year per person in Italy (figures from the International Coffee Organization).

It is a great daily habit to have -of course everything in moderation. Even decaffeinated coffee was shown to have some antioxidant properties.

But to keep that cup of cappuccino healthy use only skim milk or low fat milk if possible and only a small amount of sugar or sweetener.

Here is one of my favorite coffee recipes:

Coffee Frullato

2 cups of espresso coffee

4 tblsps sugar or sugar substitute

1/2 cup skimmed milk

½ cup low fat or no-fat vanilla ice cream

2 cups chopped ice

1 tblsp amaretto flavored or almond flavored syrup

Place all ingredients in a blender. Serve in 4 chilled glasses.

Do you have any favorite coffee recipes to share with our readers?  Send in your favorite coffee recipes with your name so that we can post here to share with our readers. Or you can email them to our editor at: editor@marialiberati.com

Ciao for now!
Maria

http://www.marialiberati.com/

http://mariaandco.blogspot.com