Description
Coffee Arabica, Coffea arabica, is the plant behind many of the world’s most familiar cups of coffee.
The glossy green plant produces fragrant white flowers followed by coffee cherries. Inside each ripe cherry are the seeds we know as coffee beans.
Turning fresh coffee cherries into a cup of coffee involves harvesting, processing, drying and roasting, so this is one Homestead Box ingredient with a slightly longer side quest attached.
Arabica generally performs best in suitable higher-elevation growing conditions and is particularly sensitive to excessive heat.
A little tip: Coffee cherries should usually be harvested when fully ripe and red.
Beginner Home-Roasted Coffee
Ingredients
Dried green coffee beans
Method
Place the green beans in a dry, heavy pan over medium heat.
Stir continuously so the beans roast as evenly as possible.
The beans will gradually darken and begin to crack.
Continue roasting until they reach your preferred colour, then immediately remove them from the hot pan.
Spread them out to cool completely.
Leave the roasted beans to rest before grinding and brewing.
Tammy’s tip: Your first home roast may not threaten Seattle’s coffee industry. That’s okay. The beans are learning and so are you.
