Creating the perfect cup of coffee is not easy. Sometimes, it is burned or the grinds are not brewed long enough. In the United States, millions of people start their day with a simple cup of black coffee. Some individuals prefer their coffee black, others like sugar and cream, but different recipes and coffee beans are necessary to have a more invigorating coffee experience.

Caffeine is the primary ingredient in coffee; an ingredient that heightens our senses and rejuvenates our body. However, to create your own personal favorite cup of coffee you need to know the basics. It all starts with the bean. Unlike teas, there is a virtually unlimited amount of different coffee beans available around the world.

Beans are grown in Asia, Africa, South America and a variety of other places. Although you can purchase coffee beans already ground, the best cup of coffee comes from freshly roasted beans. The Arabica coffee plant produces one of the most popular coffee beans in the world. Many coffee experts suggest using the Arabica coffee bean for a premium gourmet coffee. The Arabica bean is considered to be superior in quality when compared to virtually all other types of coffee beans. In addition to the Arabica bean, the Robusta is also a very popular type of coffee bean. If you prefer a higher caffeine content coupled with more acidic taste, then the Robusta coffee bean is perfect for you. It is also inexpensive and will save you money when making your personal gourmet coffee.

Once you have chosen the right coffee bean it must be roasted at the perfect temperature. If it is not roasted correctly, the beans will lose their freshness and taste. A perfectly roasted coffee bean batch will bring out the rich and full flavors. Their are two methods of roasting coffee: light roast or dark roast. Lightly roasted coffee beans hold their original, unique and natural taste. Darkly roasted coffee beans expose the taste of the actual roasting, rather than the natural taste of the bean itself.

Once the right coffee bean and type of roast has been chosen, one must remember to always grind the coffee beans immediately before brewing the coffee which helps maintain the freshness of the beans.

Now that you have your personal favorite type of coffee bean, selected your type of roast and just ground the coffee, you have a variety of recipes to make a gourmet coffee. Recipes include cakes, alcoholic drinks, desserts, ice cream, cookies and of course coffee drinks. Coffee is a versatile ingredient in a variety of recipes. However, if you prefer just the coffee, you can make iced coffees, mochas, espressos, cappuccinos and my favorite, Irish coffee.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coffee Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell