Cooking School
USE THIS COFFEE GLOSSARY TO HELP YOU BUY, BREW,
AND STORE YOUR JOE FOR A GREAT-TASTING CUP EVERY TIME.
By Ananda Eidelstein
ROAST
Like toasting spices,
applying heat to green
coffee beans intensifies
their natural flavor.
A light roast preserves the
most flavor and tends to
be slightly acidic. Medium
roasts have caramel
notes, while dark roasts
can taste smoky with
hints of cocoa.
GRIND
The coarser the grind,
the longer the brew time.
Use coarsely ground beans
for cold brew or pour-over
coffee; use medium-grind
beans for drip machines.
You can store grounds in an
opaque container for up to
a month, but for a premium
cup, brew just after grinding,
before the coffee starts to
lose aroma and complexity.
INSTANT
A powdered or crystallized
coffee made by spray-
or freeze-drying freshly
brewed coffee. The category
has expanded to include
single-serve packets, some
from specialty coffee roast-
ers, that can be mixed with
hot or cold water (iced cof-
fee at the ready!).
COLD BREW
A mild-tasting concentrate
made by soaking ground
coffee for 12 to 24 hours.
Stir 12 ounces coarsely
ground beans into 6 cups
cold water. Let sit overnight,
strain, and discard grounds.
Mix equal parts concentrate
and water; serve over ice.
Reusable or single-use mesh
bags make for easy cleanup.
FAIR TRADE
Purchasing fair-trade
coffee supports small
producers and their
communities. Brands
that earn this certifica-
tion guarantee coffee
growers a minimum price
for their beans, giving
them economic stability
in a volatile market.
SINGLE ORIGIN
These beans are trace-
able to a single country
and sometimes a single
farm. The unique char-
acteristics of the soil,
climate, and elevation
shine through when the
beans are brewed.
DRIP
Standard countertop
machines employ this
common brewing method,
in which hot water settles
through a bed of ground
coffee. Use 2 rounded
tablespoons of coffee,
ground medium-fine,
for every 10 ounces of
(preferably filtered) water.
POUR OVER
This trendy method yields
a delicate yet complex cup,
thanks to the slow pouring
process that extracts more
flavor from the grounds.
Fill a pour-over filter with
3 tablespoons coarsely
ground beans. Boil 11/2 cups
water and let cool slightly.
Add a little water to the
filter to bloom the grounds;
stir and let settle for 15 sec-
onds. Slowly add remaining
water in a circular motion. MORE FROM OUR KITCHENFind videos, lessons, shortcuts, and strate-
gies to help you get dinner (and breakfast,
and lunch, and dessert) on the table with
ease at realsimple.com/cookingschool.
Illustrations by Adam Cruft
THE REALIST
38 REAL SIMPLE SEPTEMBER 2019
