Gourmet coffee is a specialty coffee which is known for its unique features like high quality, special flavors, exotic tastes, etc., all of which contribute in a significant way to make it quite different from regular everyday coffee. It is priced higher than regular coffee. The distinguising factor for the coffee can be its special flavor, for example chocolate or caramel, the process of growing the coffee, like organic coffee, or belonging to a special rare variety containing fruity flavors, etc. The high quality of the coffee is ensured by strict qualtiy standards of growing and processing. The gourmet coffee recipe is often unique and specific to the type of specialty coffee in question.
Types of Gourmet Coffees
Here are some popular categories into which gourmet coffee can be classified-
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Organic Coffee- This is the type of coffee is grown in natural conditions, without use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, which is detrimental to the health of the coffee consumer as well as to the environment. The coffee has been much in demand after increasing awareness in this field.
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Decaffeinated Coffee- In this type of coffee, the caffeine content is artificially removed. It is preferred by health conscious people who want to enjoy coffee but without the ill effects of caffeine.
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Coffee from Higher Altitudes- Coffee grown at higher altitudes has a better taste and quality due to slow maturing of the beans; hence it is much in demand.
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Estate Coffee- This type of coffee originates from a particular estate, and has a unique taste due to specific soil and climatic features of the estate.
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Special Varieties of Coffee Beans- There are special varieties of coffee beans that are genetically enriched with special tastes and flavors.
Some Examples of Specialty Gourmet Coffees
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Arabian Mocha Java: The gourmet coffee is known for its bittersweet chocolate flavor and exotic taste.
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Italian Roast: It is a dark blend made from full bodied coffee varieties of Latin America and the Pacific region.
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French Roast: It is a dark roast with bold taste and smoky tones. The flavor is sweetly pungent.
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Fair Trade Blend: It is a blend of coffees from Indonesian and Central American varieties, known for its full bodied and tangy flavor.
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House Blend: This coffee from Latin America has medium bodied taste and wonderful balance of flavors.
Gourmet Coffee Recipe Overview
Here are some recipes that are extremely popular in the specialty coffee segment-
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Mocha Cinnamon Shake: The drink is prepared by combining coffee of gourmet variety with milk, ice cream and crushed ice. It is garnished with cinnamon sticks.
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Mexican Coffee: The drink is prepared with specialty coffee, chocolate syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream abd sugar.
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Breakfast Coffee Drink: It is made with espresso, milk, protein powder, vanilla extract and honey.
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Cafe au Lait: It is prepared by pouring dark roasted gourmet coffee along with hot milk into the coffee mug.