September 18, 2012 in The Ingredient, Coffee Bean: 1 Ingredient, 3 Chef Creations. Vote for your favourite.
The Magic of the Coffee Bean
Which of these three recipes look most appetising to you? Vote on your favourite now!
Coffee Cured Ahi Tuna Salad with Turrialba Cheese and Lime Dressing
Michael Brough
Executive Chef of Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Coffee Crusted Brangus Beef Tenderloin, Sweet Corn Puree and Valley Vegetables
Michael Brough
Executive Chef of Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Costa Rican Coffee Ice cream
Michael Brough
Executive Chef of Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
I like using coffee in my work as a chef in Costa Rica for a few reasons. Costa Rica has some of the world's best coffee (not to mention being a huge part of Costa Rican history and culture) and visitors often say that you just can't find a bad cup in this country. The majority of coffee in Costa Rica comes from the Central Valley, where it is in season in different places at different times. However, the coffee bean is mainly considered in season from November through March.
| SEASON: | Coffee beans grow during the wetter spring/summer season and ripen to maturity during the drier fall/winter months. |
| REGION: | South America is now responsible for approximately 45% of the world's total coffee exports. |
| TASTE: | Strong, earthy, full-bodied and bitter. |
| SELECTION: | Pickers manually choose the red cherry fruit containing the coffee bean. |
| PREPARATION: | The berries are processed by a wet mill, which strips the pulp off the bean. The beans are then dried on specially-outfitted drying floors. |
Flavour Profile
Michael Brough
Executive Chef
The best thing about cooking in Costa Rica is discovering new ingredients and the places and people that produce them. The country is small, but very diverse and interesting. Almost 5 years here and I'm still finding new things.
Culinarily, at least from the savoury side, coffee represents a real challenge. It is a strong ingredient that needs to be used in the correct way to keep in balance with other components and ingredients. In order to select the best coffee, I suggest experimenting with many different kinds and finding one that suits your particular taste. Always go with a top coffee producer such as Cafe Britt.
Benefits
The health benefits of coffee include the high level of antioxidants that it contains. Drinking coffee also lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes and there are fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and stroke amongst coffee drinkers. New data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research conference shows that consuming coffee could help ward off basal cell carcinoma, the most common cancer in the world. The caffeine found in coffee reduces muscle fatigue and boosts endurance. Finally, coffee does not dehydrate, but instead quenches thirst as well as any other liquid.
COMMENTS
No comments yet