WHAT EXACTLY IS COFFEE?

It’s a term we coffee drinkers use all the time to describe our favorite beverage.  And to carry it to the ultimate description, we turn to Lindsey Goodwin, an About.com Guide.  To begin, the coffee plant is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family. It is a tropical shrub or tree that originated in Africa and is currently produced in many of the world's hotter climates, including South America, Central America, Mexico, Hawaii and parts of Asia. While the C. arabica species produces better coffee, the C. canephora species (which is frequently referred to as "Robusta coffee") is more common. The coffee seed, or "coffee bean," comes from the coffee berry, or "coffee cherry."

Coffees made by your beloved Kona Cowboy Coffee Company include PANIOLA 100% Kona Cowboy Coffee…an estate grown Kona Coffee from the western side of Mauna Loa volcano on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawai’i.  Our CAFÉ PINON de Nuevo Mexico is made from a blend of Central American coffees fused with Pinion, or Pine Nuts.  Our newest MOKA-JAVA is a full-bodied blend of Ethiopian and Indonesian.  So, you see, we have the best available from Africa, Central America, Hawaii and Asian Pacific.  And it is all the best Arabica, too!

Definition: "Coffee" generally refers to a beverage made by the infusion, decoction or percolation of the roasted, ground seeds of the coffee plant* (genus Coffea, and usually C. arabica or C. canephora / C. robusta). Coffee is prized for its aroma and flavor, and is noted for the fact that it naturally contains varying levels of caffeine. In coffee cupping, traits of coffee like “acidity” and “mouth feel” are also noted.

In business or culinary terminology, "coffee" may also refer to coffee seeds (commonly called "coffee beans") in their wet, dry, raw, roasted, whole, ground / crushed or dehydrated state. (Used or unused ground coffee is typically referred to as "coffee grounds." Dehydrated coffee is used to prepare instant coffee.)

In coffeehouses, cafes and restaurants, the word "coffee" may also refer to a single cup of coffee, as in, "I'd like a coffee with milk, please."

In social situations, "coffee" may refer to a casual gathering or meeting, as in, "Let's grab a coffee [and chat]."

In design and the arts, "coffee" may refer to a dark brown color. Similarly, "espresso" may be used to refer to an even darker brown color.

Now you know far more than you thought you did, right?

The purpose of this blog is to unite Kona coffee lovers and perhaps learn a little about coffee and all the benefits of coffee at the same time.  Join up, become a member, comment and have fun!  You can find the Kona Coffee Fiends group on Facebook and we’d appreciate it if Facebook users would “LIKE” the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kona-Cowboy-Coffee-Company/222070817858553.  Just copy and paste to your browser.  You can also find us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/jackshuster.  And on the web at www.KonaCowboyCoffee.com to order your gourmet coffee and coffee products.

Look for the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company’s Cowboy Coffee Saloon in New Mexico at the world-famous Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium, October 12-14 at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and at the Ruidoso Oktoberfest, October 19-20 at the Ruidoso Convention Center.

You know you’re a coffee fiend when you're the employee of the month at the local coffeehouse and you don't even work there!  So enjoy your coffee, make it Kona, and remember, Kona is the home of the Hawaiian cowboy…and we had cowboys in Kona before there were cowboys in Texas!