YumSugar

Roast Coffee Beans with a Hot-Air Popcorn Popper

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:22:57 -0800

Want to roast your own coffee beans, but don't want to splurge big bucks on a home coffee roaster? Then try using a hot-air popcorn popper. Sweet Maria's has a full how to, and the folks at KK just put it to the test.

You order unroasted green beans, and put them in the popper like you would popcorn. As the beans roast (they're not going to pop like the popcorn does), the bean casings separate. The skins will float up and make a big mess. However, after a few minutes, you'll have wonderfully roasted beans - they'll need to be cooled, but you can use them like you would normal.

At least, this is how it works in theory. I personally haven't tried it, and I don't have an air-popper at the moment. But I might just have to go out and get one. How about you? Would you try to roast your coffee beans this way?

YumSugar Gift Guide: Crazy for Coffee

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 08:19:18 -0800

Whether it's an aunt or an uncle, seems like everyone has a coffee addict on their holiday shopping list. My coffee addict doesn't actually need any other gadgets - although the Bravi Home Coffee Bean Roaster would probably be well received - so I'm opting for a monthly coffee subscription from Blue Bottle Coffee Co. If your coffee addict has enough java to last a lifetime, treat him or her to a book like I Love Coffee! that will help hone their barista skills. Scroll through for more coffee gift ideas.

I Love Coffee! ($16.95)	Blue Bottle Coffee ($17.75)
Dunk Mug ($24.95)	Coffee for One French Press ($26)
Bodum Santos Vacuum Pot ($129.95)	Bravi Home Coffee Bean Roaster ($369)

Citizen Bean's Coffee of the Month Club

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:30:48 -0700

I've heard of beer of the month clubs that let you sample different microbrews, as well as wine of the month clubs, which are a great way to discover small wineries. Now, I've just discovered a similar service for coffee lovers, called Citizen Bean. Guided by the principle of "coffee with a conscience," Citizen Bean sends its subscribers a new organic or fair-trade coffee each month, selected from micro-roasters all over the US.

The service ranges from $79.99 for four months to $199.99 for an entire year. Each month, you get a full pound of coffee, sent within days of its roasting date, along with assorted coffee-related accessories and treats. Plus, Citizen Bean asks each of its featured roasters to designate a charity, to which CB donates a portion of sales. This would be a great way to branch out from your supermarket offerings, and it would also make a delicious gift for any coffee aficionados in your life. What do you think? Would you use a service like this?

All the New's That's Fit to Eat - June 11, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:15:14 -0700

Padma Lakshmi is the anti-Martha Stewart. Here's what she has cooking. - Los Angeles Times
"Wine cooler" isn't a bad word. Reinvent the wine cocktail this Summer with these light recipes. - Washington Post
Or, mix up a pitcher of sangria to cool off on hot days. - Sacramento Bee
Meet Lee Brian Schrager, the celebrity chef wrangler of the food-festival world. - New York Times
Caffeine fiends spill the beans about their favorite small-batch roasters. - San Francisco Chronicle
Meanwhile, coffee lovers get into the home-roasting trend. - Boston Globe
Get to know vanilla by going straight to the source. -Chicago Tribune
The humble hot dog gets its due. - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Make the season's best produce last with these tips for freezing fruits and veggies. - Dallas Morning News

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