The Coffee Plant

The coffee plant or Genus Coffea, comes from the Rubiaceae family. The two most commonly cultivated species of coffee for commercial purposes are the Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta.

Arabica or high grown coffee, thrives in high dry cooler altitudes from 600m to 2000m. The Arabica bush takes approximately 5 years to mature and is harvested at most twice a year. Arabica beans have a wider taste range between varieties. They range in taste from sweet-soft to sharp-tangy. Their roasted smell is perfumey with fruity notes and sugary tones. They contain about 1% caffeine by weight.

Robusta , the lower grown species, does well in humid tropical climate from sea level to 600m. Robusta has a higher yield per shrub and is more resistant to diseases as compared to Arabica. Their taste range is neutral to harsh and they are often described as tasting grain-like, oatmeally, and sometimes even rubbery. Robusta beans contain twice as much caffeine as compared to Arabica beans.

Cultivation

Coffee is generally propagated by seeds, or cuttings – planted in special, shady nursery beds. After germination, the young seedlings are transplanted into the fields. When the shrubs are between 3 and 5 years old, the first flowering and fruits will be produced, continuing for 50-70 years.

Harvesting

Coffee cherries take between 6-9 months to mature depending on the altitude, the longer they take to ripen the more dense the beans become. This makes the coffee flavour more intense. Coffee cherries are almost always handpicked as soon as they ripen to avoid letting them get over ripe and produce fermented flavours.

Preparing and Curing

All coffee cherries are covered with an outer skin that covers a layer of sweet pulp, which contains two coffee beans. These beans are encased in a brittle husk which is called the parchment. Covering the bean is a delicate layer called the silver skin, not always visible to the naked eye.

Wet Method

Using a machine called a pulper, the outer pulp of the cherry is broken, exposing the parchment. The coffee beans are then soaked in tanks and fermented. This process eliminates all remaining pulp, which is washed away with fresh water. The washed beans are then dried in the sun before being placed in a huller to remove the parchment.

Dry Method

Freshly picked cherries are laid out in the sun to dry, which takes about 2 to 3 weeks to complete, afterwhich they are placed in hullers to remove the dried pulp.

Coffee Growing Regions of the World

All coffee is grown within 1,000 miles of the equator, from the Tropic of Cancer in the North, to the Tropic of Capricorn in the South.

Each region of the world produces coffee with its own special characteristics and taste profiles. Some of the best coffee in the world comes from Latin America, which gives off coffee that has medium to high acidity, light body and well-balanced sweet, intense, tangy flavours. Examples of some very special single-origin Latin American coffees include Brazil Santos, Costa Rica Tarrazu and Colombia Supremo. Latin American coffees go really well with scones, muffins and bagels!

Some excellent and wonderful coffee come from Africa and Arabia as well, the birthplace of coffee…which give us medium acidity, medium syrupy body, and flavours which are spicy, wine-like, reminiscent of berries and fruits. Some examples of famous African and Arabian coffees include Ethiopia Harrar, Kenya AA. These coffees pair really well with cheese and fruit, milk chocolate, cheesecake!

Much nearer to home, are the coffees that are grown in the Asia Pacific region – India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hawaii and Papua New Guinea. They are generally low in acidity, have strong, bold, heavy body, and the flavours are intense, earthy, smooth, flowery and hearty, with bitter tones. These coffees go pair well with dark chocolate, caramel, rich intense desserts! Some famous coffees from these origins include India Monsooned Malabar, and Sumatra Mandheling.

Regions of Coffee

Latin America

• Countries of Origin: Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Honduras
• Acidity: Medium
• Body : Light
• Flavour: Well-balanced, sweet, tangy, intense
• Food Pairing: Scone, muffin, bagel – think breakfast

Africa and Arabia

• Countries of Origin: Yemen, Ethiopia, Kenya
• Acidity: Medium to High
• Body : Medium, Syrupy
• Flavour: Spicy, wine-like, cocoa, citrus, fruits & berries
• Food Pairing: Cheese & fruit, milk chocolate, cheese cake – think afternoon tea

Asia Pacific

• Countries of Origin: Indonesia, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Thailand, India
• Acidity: Low
• Body : Bold, Strong, Heavy
• Flavour: Intense, earthy, smooth, flowery, hearty, bitter tones
• Food Pairing: Dark chocolate, caramel – think rich intense desserts