It's National COFFEE Day!

Can I get a hoorah?


Yup, a day dedicated to the love of the java, the jo, the pick me up, the get me going, the brew, the liquid we all love SO much!


While checking out the National Coffee Association of the USA's website (see, the things I read for you! LOL), I learned some interesting facts about coffee STORAGE. If you're like us and paying $7 a bag for great coffee, you want it to LAST! So here they are:

• Do NOT refrigerate or freeze your daily supply of coffee because contact with moisture will cause it to deteriorate.
• Store coffee in air-tight glass or ceramic containers (the containers you purchase your coffee in don't work), in at dark and cool location. Remember that a cabinet near the oven is often too warm, as is a cabinet on an outside wall of your kitchen usually. it will keep ONLY for 1-2 weeks, before loosing freshness, after being placed in the container.
• Small portions of coffee, wrapped in airtight bags, can be stored for up to a month in the freezer (in case you get an unbelievable sale and stock up).  Once you have removed them from the freezer, however, do not return them. Instead put them in an air-tight container, like above.

 
And here's some guidelines for making a great cup of java:

• If you get your coffee ground when you buy it and then at home it tastes bitter, it may be overextracted, or ground too fine.  On the other hand, if your coffee tastes flat, it may be underextracted, meaning that your grind is too coarse.  The next time you get it ground, have it changed accordingly.
• If you want to grind your own beans at home, use a burr or mill grinder, because all of the coffee is ground to a consistent size.  A blade grinder will grind some coffee more finely than the rest.  (oops, we're guilt on this one!)
• If you are using tap water let it run a few seconds before filling your coffee pot. This helps keep any impurities and odors from getting into your coffee!
• The proper ratio of coffee to water is: 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water (NOT cups, ounces).
• The amount of time that the water is in contact with the coffee grounds is another important factor affecting the taste of your coffee: in a drip system, the contact time should be approximately 5 minutes. So if you coffee maker is making a super quick pot of coffee, you may not be getting a good cup of coffee!

I don't know about you, but that was pretty interesting stuff!


And here's a super recipe from them, that can be used on many desserts, cakes and ice cream!



Coffee Rum Sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1-½ cups (12 oz) strong coffee
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cold coffee
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons rum

Slowly melt sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.  Gradually add strong coffee, continuing to stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved.  In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the cold coffee and combine with heated mixture. Cook combined ingredients until they boil and thicken. Remove from heat.  Add butter and rum. Stir until butter melts. Let cool to room temperature.




Thanks to the National Coffee Association of the USA' for all the great info and recipe!