National Gourmet Coffee Day

Over twenty years ago, almost twenty-two to be exact, I took on a management position with Gloria Jeans Gourmet Coffee.  What an experience this would prove to be.  The year was 1996, and the location was the Galleria Mall in Houston, Texas.  Working at a coffee shop during this time didn't involve all the fancy drinks people are accustomed too now: double-pump syrup, no or light froth, the explosion of different milk offerings, and so much more.  Not one for frill or flashy drinks, I stuck with regularly brewed coffee.  I learned so much, from the best type of coffee-maker, to all the different beans and how they are grown.  First is the robusto versus arabica debate.  Now that my palate is considered "sophisticated", I actually can taste the difference in all the various coffees, and indicatively the type of bean and roasting process used.  Arabica beans are grown in at least two thousand feet above sea level, and are usually hand-picked.  There are many other factors that make a coffee bean an arabica, but those are the two main points.  Robusto beans are the mirror-image of an arabica: machine-picked, thus occasionally broken in the process, and sometimes grown in less than ideal environments.  Moving on to the brewing process...the best type of coffee-maker has a cone filter.  This allows for an even distribution of water over the grounds, releasing the full potential of taste and quality in each cup of Joe.  As a side note, to discern a good shot of espresso is by noticing the crema on top, the brown milky-looking substance the drink is known for.  As mentioned previously, the coffee industry has exploded with just about any type of drink or roast of coffee available.  Please don't check your brain at the door.  Just because the description sounds good or the company on the label is someone you have heard associated with quality, doesn't mean it measures up to the standard of excellence.  For example, a national chain of immense popularity, in my opinion at least, over-roasts their beans, thus giving the coffee a burnt taste.  Or maybe it's me who doesn't know any better?!  There is so much more to coffee than what I have discussed here.  If you are interested in the world of coffee, there is a ton of reading to be had for the mere effort of using Google to find it.  Try out different coffee shops and all the varieties of coffee and coffee-based drinks.  You will find your favorite hang-out, as well as the drink you have been missing all of your life.  By the way, my favorite coffee is Guatemalan Antigua.