My favorite gourmet coffee drink by far is the iced caramel macchiato. However amatuerish this makes me sound, I assure you that my credit should not take a hit. The iced caramel macchiato has to work twice as hard to taste as good as any other gourmet coffee drink. The espresso has to have the right taste and bite to contend with the over powering sweetness that is caramel. To make the perfect iced caramel macchiato, you need to have a more than an astute grasp on the espresso machine you're using and the amount of experience that would put most baristas to shame. I have tried and tried to make the perfect iced caramel macchiato however I still have not produced the perfection that our local baristas turn out on a daily basis.

My quest for the perfect iced caramel macchiato introduced me to the world of flavored sauces and syrups. You wouldn't believe the amount of Torani, Big Train, and Ghirardelli flavored liquids there are. I came to the realization as we began to do some testing in our office. I realized that if we had to test machines we might as well make good use of the opportunity to gain a good caffeine buzz. The only caramel I could find was a syrup. Not really knowing the difference I felt that this was good enough and continued on. I made good espresso (thanks to the ever so fantastic Miss Silvia) and mixed in the caramel. Anticipating the extreme satisfaction of making my very own iced caramel macchiato, I poured in the milk to cool it down and then poured the mixture over ice. I added just enough milk to top off the glorious looking cup and took the first sip.

The gag reflex that ensued was not what I had envisioned as the reaction to the masterpiece I had devised. The drink tasted like espresso and caramel. Gross! I put in caramel and espresso expecting the result to taste better than caramel and espresso. Where did I go wrong? What on earth did I mess up? What would the most experienced baristas serving the most gourmet coffee drinks identify as my fatal flaw? The disappointment that was caused by pouring my drink forced me to do research. The reason that the two flavors didn't mix was because I was using the wrong kind of caramel.

The wrong kind of caramel? Caramel is caramel, or so I thought. The professionals use caramel sauce, not syrup. The difference is pretty simple. The sauce is much creamier and substantial. That's why the iced caramel macchiatos that the baristas make taste so perfectly blended. The sauce really knocks down the espresso bite yet allows the taste to still hit your mouth full force and make you realize why life is beautiful and gourmet coffee is great.

The Torani Caramel Sauce gets my vote of approval and no home barista should be without it. You'll thank me later.

-Kyle

*Look for the big bottle!

"Where, oh where, are you tonight?
Why did you leave me here all alone?
I searched the world over and thought I found true love.
You met another and PTHHP! you was gone."

Does that bring back any memories?  I thought of it when I was pondering where exactly the different coffees of the world come from.  I found a map on Wikipedia to show you.

r = robusta
m = both robusta and arabica
a = arabica

Here are all of the different drinks that you can make with your favorite Espresso Machine like your Capresso, Saeco, or Rancilio.

Espresso
The classic espresso recipe: a single shot of espresso, approximately 1-1/2 ounces. Best served in a pre-heated espresso cup.

Espresso Dopio (Double Espresso)
Double the quantity of espresso to about 3 ounces for double the pleasure.

Espresso con Panna
A single or double espresso shot topped with whipped cream.

Espresso Macchiato (True Macchiato)
A single shot of espresso topped with 1-2 tablespoons of milk foam.

Caffe Americanno
Espresso diluted with hot water to drip coffee strength.

Cappuccino
Espresso with 1/3 part steamed milk and 2/3 milk foam from the frothed milk. Cappuccino can be garnished with a light sprinkle of ground chocolate, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla powder.  Typically one shot (1-1 1/2 oz. per 8-12 oz. beverage).  You may always add more espresso to taste!

Example for 12 oz. cup Cappuccino:

1 shot (1-1 1/2 oz. espresso), 3 oz. steamed milk, remainder milk foam

Caffe Latte
Espresso with 2/3 steamed milk and 1/3 milk foam from the frothed milk.  Less or even no foam can be added to the top.  Typically one shot (1-1 1/2 oz. per 8-12 oz. beverage).  You may always add more espresso to taste!

Example for 12 oz. cup Latte:

1 shot (1-1 1/2 oz. espresso), 8-10 oz. steamed milk, remainder milk foam (or none)

Cafe Mocha 
Espresso with steamed milk and cocoa or chocolate syrup to taste.

Caramel Macchiato (Strictly American popular beverage)
Prepared as a latte with thick caramel sauce to taste and caramel sauce drizzled over whipped topping.  

Flavored Lattes/Cappuccino
Prepared as a latte or cappuccino and add flavored syrups (usually available in grocery stores near coffee section) to taste.  Most popular flavors:  Vanilla, Hazelnut

I've been in the coffee business for a very long time now.  I started as a barista slinging drinks on Purdue's college campus and haven't looked back.  I have trained our employees on coffee too many times to count and it's definitely my favorite subject.  Here are the Top 10 facts that I encourage all JL Hufford employees to know:

1. There are two main cultivated species of coffee:  Robusta and Arabica.  Robusta beans are small, bitter beans that have less flavor than Arabica coffee beans but twice the caffeine.  They are used in many commercial coffee blends because they abundantly grow in less favorable environments than Arabica coffees.  JL Hufford sells only the top 3% of Arabica coffee.
   
   
2. Beans from different countries or regions usually have distinctive characteristics such as flavor, aroma, body, and acidity.  Single-origin and varietals are generally known by the region in which they are grown, such as Colombian Supremo, Mocha Java Harrar, and Hawaiian Kona.  A coffee blend such as House Blend, San Francisco Blend, Peaks of the Andes, Louisiana Blend, etc. is made of two or more varietal coffees.  Coffee is blended to produce different coffee characteristics for a more balanced cup.
   
   
3. The life cycle of coffee starts with a small coffee tree that takes 3+ years of highly maintained care before its first harvest.  The coffee tree blooms white flowers that yield coffee cherries which start green but turn a bright red.  The coffee cherries are usually hand-picked when ripe.  Inside the coffee cherry is a green coffee bean (2 distinct halves) or a green peaberry (1 bean).  After an extensive process to extract the green coffee bean or peaberry, it is dried and then a special machine removes the parchment from around the green coffee bean or peaberry.  At this point, the green coffee beans or peaberries are graded using number or letter scales where #1 or AA are the finest beans (such as Kenya AA).  The green coffee beans or peaberries are then roasted.
   
   
4. The roasting process changes the coffee bean both physically and chemically, thereby influencing its taste characteristics. Coffee roasting begins when the internal temperature reaches 200°C.  The bean decreases in weight as moisture is lost, causing it to become less dense.  This explains why French Roast coffee fills a one pound bag more than House Blend coffee.  Darker roasts are generally smoother because they have less fiber content and a more sugary flavor. Lighter roasts have more caffeine, resulting in a slight bitterness and a stronger flavor.  
   
   
5. Coffee does not grow decaffeinated.  There are several processes that decaffeinate unroasted, green coffee beans.  The international standard is that decaffeinated coffee be 97% caffeine-free.  Drinking five to ten cups of decaffeinated coffee approximately equals as much caffeine as one or two cups of regular coffee.
   
   
6. Regular or Flavored coffee has no nutritional value – no calories, no carbs, no fat – no matter how decadent the coffee sounds.  It is flavored during roasting with flavoring oils.  Flavoring oils are combinations of natural and synthetic flavor chemicals.  Natural oils used in flavored coffees are extracted from a variety of sources, such as vanilla beans, cocoa beans, and various nuts and berries. Cinnamon, clove, and chicory are also used in a variety of coffee flavors.  Coffee does contain antioxidants and is the #1 source of antioxidants in US diets.
   
   
7. Air, moisture, heat, and light are the most notable factors responsible for coffee beans to go stale.  For these reasons, coffee should be stored in an air-tight container in a cool, dry, dark place such as a kitchen cupboard or pantry.  The refrigerator is not recommended because the coffee beans will absorb any odors present much like baking soda.  The freezer is not recommended because the coffee beans must be thawed (approx. 3 hours) before grinding.
   
   
8. Coffee beans rapidly go stale after grinding.  Within minutes of grinding, the coffee loses 90% of its flavor if not brewed.  Coffee shops always smell so good because they are continually grinding coffee, which shows how much flavor escapes from the bean during grinding. 
   
   
9. Espresso yourself. Espresso is pressure-brewed coffee in 1 oz. per shot that is more concentrated (10-15 times) than regular brewed coffee.  Medium to dark roasted beans that are specifically blended are necessary to produce good espresso.  Good quality Robusta beans are in fact generally used in espresso blends because they have better body and produce excellent crema. A well-prepared espresso has a tall crema on top and is considered the essence of the espresso.  After brewing a shot of espresso, it has a short lifof .  You can watch the shot “die” as the crema disappears.
   
   
10. Hawaiian Kona coffee is expensive for several reasons:

    a.  It is grown in one specific region of Hawaii – in Kona on the Big Island.

    b.  Because the Kona growing region is on the side of a volcano, the coffee trees receive natural shade (vs. full sun cultivation by other coffees).  This causes the coffee beans to take longer to ripen and the tree’s yield is considerably less, but the coffee is far superior and less bitter than most coffee beans.

     c.  JL Hufford sells 100% Extra Fancy Hawaiian Kona which is the top grade of Kona coffee available.  Lower grade Kona coffees use smaller, inferior Kona beans and are typically even blended with other coffees.  A bag of “Kona Blend” coffee may actually contain less than 10% of true Kona beans!  

JL Hufford’s Build your own coffee is can be perfect for those looking to match an existing flavor or the adventuresome who want to try something new!  With four choice options each consisting of 15 possible coffees the number of combinations possible is over 28000! If you have never used a pick your own coffee system and are worried you would not pick something that does not blend well there are some rules of thumb that can help

v  Pick similar origins can be an easy start, for instance pick only Central American coffee (Costa Rican, Honduran, Salvadorian, Guatemalan, Mexican.…

v  Pick similar roasts.  Keep dark with darks mediums with mediums and light roast with light roasts

v  Pick based on similar tastes.  Coffees that have Acidy undertones or that have berry blends .

Granted these are only suggestions but part of the fun of picking your own coffee is making something that may not have ever been mixed before!

With all make your own coffees you can chose the grind type and of course they are made with the finest Arabian coffee!

The White Russian drink is one of my favorite cocktails so when it came to the White Russian flavored coffee from JL Hufford it, I could not wait to try it.  It has been my beloved flavored coffee of theirs so far.  It smells wonderful and tastes fantastic.  When I started drinking coffee I wanted to add more sugar and milk then coffee to be able to down the beverage.  This was unnecessary with the White Russian flavor.  To me, its flavor is a mix of chocolate and vanilla smoothness that makes drinking more than one cup an easy task.  Although it is non alcoholic I think its flavor is fittingly named a White Russian. On top of that @ 11.99 per lbs it beats out Starbucks prices and does not have the over roasting that many of their beans tend to have.

When I first started working at JLHufford, I refused to try coffee! Now I drink it every morning! It might not be straight black coffee or a shot of espresso, but it is perfect for me! I use my BonJour Lucie Unbreakable French Press, to and do a cold brew with JLHufford’s White Russian coffee. I make sure that I let it sit for a good 24 hours to bring out the entire flavor. I then pour it into my glass, filling it only ¼ of the way full sometimes half way full, it just depends on my mood in the morning. I add half and half, Torani’s Chocolate flavor and Torani’s Vanilla flavor. I always make sure that I am careful, when I add the Torani’s because a little can go a long way.  I never forget to top it off with some whipped cream or add in some ice cubes.  I think that after some time, I will eventually get to drinking straight black coffee, but it will take some training.

I remember taking trips to the Ghirardelli chocolate shop and sampling their suburb chocolate.  So when I saw that JL Hufford carried a coffee by Ghirardelli I could only wait in eager expectation for a rich, outstanding, chocolaty cup of coffee.   As the coffee pot brewed I could easily smell the chocolate aroma released by the brewing beans.  The coffee itself was very delicious strong and chocolaty. To me it made me feel like adding flavored syrup would not only be unnecessary but damaging to its flavor.  I was sad after I had used the last of it and now enthusiastically look forward to the arrival of my new Ghirardelli coffee. The Ghirardelli flavors currently offered at JL Hufford are Chocolate Almond, Double Chocolate, Chocolate Carmel, Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Praline, Chocolate Raspberry and White Chocolate Almondine.  I look forward to trying them all.

Coffee seems to be one of the most fascinating beverages. The phenomenon of the coffee boom hasn’t been by marketing hype alone. Coffee comes in so many different varieties, its appeal is wide. Coffee ships well, stores well and has vast appeal throughout the world. Not only that,  but coffee’s most prized properties is the CAFFEINE content. One thing I learned is that BREAKFAST BLENDS, which as a lighter roast, have MORE caffeine than darker roast. Italian, French, or Espresso roasts have been roasted longer, and more of the caffeine is cooked off.  Different places allow variations in ACIDITY, BITTERNESS, AROMA, etc. Volcanic areas make smoother, more acidic coffees, whereas, areas with loamy soil are devoid of that bite in the flavor. JLHUFFORD sells a really nice selection of coffees. Sumatra Mandeling is my favorite. Kona coffee is always tasty, but too expensive. My brother uses their Superautomatika for his espresso maker.

This is the season for Weddings and coming up with an appropriate gift can be tricky. There seems to be a need for a formula on what to buy for people. Excluding the ubiquitous “gift card”, it is becoming harder to find unique and affordable items. Based on how well you know the couple, how old they are, their preferences, what they already own, etc. The need for a registry is under-emphasized. We decided that for an older couple who had been married before & had kids, it was going to be difficult to find something they didn’t already have.  Good wine is a staple as a gift, but they don’t drink, so the only thing that would work was well, COFFEE. The website JLHUFFORD has fabulous selection of coffee.  We chose a selection of coffees that would work for both the BRIDE & GROOM. We gave them :

      Hawaiian Kona

      Sumatra Mandheling

      Ethiopian Yrgacheffe

      French Roast

When I started working for JL Hufford I was not a big fan of coffee. I would drink it but it would consist of more sugar and cream then coffee. As time has progressed I have become accustom to its taste and now enjoy it without sugar or cream.  I am willing to try about any coffee and now that I have access to literally hundreds of blends and flavors I have had the chance to experiment and find what I really enjoy. I have learned a couple things about coffee since working here.  I feel that to judge something to a standard of “taste preference” may be huge in variation and not very scientific so take this blog for what it’s worth, a new coffee drinker’s opinion.  One insight that I have learned is that the best smelling bean is not always the best tasting. So initially when I smelled the flavored blend “Banana nut crème” I was not very optimistic because it smelled wonderful.  After grinding up 2.2 fresh ounces, and filling up my cup with a freshly brew pot, my hesitations were quickly put to rest.  Banana Nut Crème is my new favorite flavored coffee.  It smells and taste just like freshly baked banana but bread.  It had a smooth rich coffee undertone that was easy to drink.  I had two large 16 ounce cups back to back and was sad to see the bottom of the thermal carafe.  I have had enough coffee for the day but I will remember this blend as one of my new favorites and would advocate it to any flavored coffee lover.

My roommate and I are big flavored coffee fans.  We have tried a plethora of flavors and when we stumbled upon Blond Bombshell at JL Hufford, adequately name, this flavor rocked our worlds .  The combo could not have been more perfect for our immediate needs.  A mixture of French Vanilla and Turtle Sundae, this flavored coffee hit the spot this morning.  It was strong, like a good cup of French Vanilla, and sweet from the very flavorful Turtle Sundae.  I have found from my experience, there seems to be a scale of “flavor vs. coffee taste” and this combo would fair on the coffee taste end.  I found it unnecessary to add flavor to it but I am not a big fan of liquid flavoring. I think that this would be a big hit at your next breakfast!

Do like to personalize your favorite things? Did you know that you can also personalize your coffee? JL Hufford has Build Your Own Decaf Flavored, Espresso, Flavored Coffee or Blended Coffee. Now you can really personalize it however you’d like.  First you choose if you want a 1 pound or a 2 pound bag. Next decide how you would like it ground. Finally, you can choose 4 different flavors, if you wish, to create your own signature coffee! If you want to read about each specific flavor you can type the flavor name into the search box at the top of any webpage. Now, you are ready to create your own signature coffee!

This morning I had one of JL Hufford flavored coffee’s of the months.  It was the Cappuccino Fudge flavoring.  I have been thoroughly impressed with JL Hufford’s flavored coffee variety and once again this Flavor did not disappoint. What’s really great about the coffees of the month deal is that you can get a really quality pound of coffee that normal would sell for $13.00 for $10. I love cappuccinos and this coffee tasted very similar to the espresso drinks I sometimes make. With a little milk this drink turned out wonderful  I can’t wait to try the Sugar Cookies and Chunky Money coffees of the month later this week!

• Light Roast Blend
• Medium Roast Blend
• Dark Roast Blend

• Cappuccino Fudge
• Chunky Monkey
• Cinnamon Almond Macaroon
• English Toffee
• Gooey Caramel Fudge Brownie
• Sugar Cookies

Our church offers free coffee and doughnut holes after the service every Sunday.  It’s a nice time to meet friends and catch up on the churches events as well as enjoy a snack and a drink.  The free coffee is good but I have been spoiled with great coffee.  JL Hufford has been supplying me coffee for a while and it out shines the Folgers that they currently purchase at the church.  I mentioned to the person who is in charge of the after service refreshments the idea for putting in for a better coffee brand and he was intrigued.  The coffees I purchase at JL Hufford are priced at $11.99 per pound. I know that they have a budget but at that price they could and decided to try some of their Breakfast Blend after the next service.  They make the coffee in 5 gallon vats of decaf and regular.  I can’t speak for the rest of the church but I could tell the difference and it made that cheerful time that much more joyous. 

I love the pumpkin spiced latte that Starbucks serves but I am not a fan of spending $5 each time on one. I looked online and found a very cost effective recipe substitute using a coffee from JL Hufford. They have a pumpkin pie coffee that makes this recipe but here how I make it!

• 3 cups of milk
• 4 teaspoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6  ounces of JL Hufford Pumpkin Pie Coffee
• 3 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream