Try the recipes in this book after learning about the history of coffee.
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TERRI RIMMER is a freelance writer in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
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December 2009
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Passion For Coffee—Sweet And Savory Recipes With Coffee
By Patricia McCausland-Gallo
As a coffee lover for all of my adult life, I was excited about reviewing this book and, more importantly, testing the recipes. Well, I’m pleased to say that I was not disappointed. Passion For Coffee—Sweet And Savory Recipes With Coffee by Patricia McCausland-Gallo is an amazing collection of recipes and, frankly, the history of coffee. This is Page 1 of a two-page review. Click the black links below to visit Page 2.
Chances are, you have probably never considered how much food you can cook using coffee. Aside from your morning “cup of Joe,” the coffee bean is one of the most versatile foodstuffs around. Coffee can be added to everything from drinks, breads, desserts, savory dishes and even vegetables! You may not even actually taste the coffee in the recipe itself, but the coffee can actually enhance the flavor of other ingredients in the dish that will truly amaze you.
An Introduction to Coffee
Coffee is a plant from the Rubiaceae family and bears the genus name Coffea. The first few chapters in this book describe the origins of coffee. Beginning on the continent of Africa—Ethiopia in particular—the author describes the legend of a goat herder who noticed his tired goats became somewhat frisky after eating the red coffee berries (Arabica). He also noticed that monks in a nearby monastery also ate these berries to stay awake for nightly prayers. The monks soon learned how to roast the berries, which then could be brewed into a beverage. Since most Muslim cultures forbade alcohol, the monks could turn to this drink for a stimulating effect. The story continues to describe how coffee was bought and sold all over the world.
There is also a lovely story about a family of coffee growers on a plantation in Colombia. These are people who have love and passion for the cultivation and usage of coffee. They grow the coffee, they harvest the coffee and they cook using coffee. In essence, coffee is their lives. Find out more about coffee’s early days in our History Of Coffee Section.
Coffee Recipe Basics
It’s no surprise that each recipe in this book uses coffee as an ingredient. Most call for either freeze-dried or granulated instant coffees, so choose your favorites. Find our favorites in our Gourmet Coffee Section. You’ll then be able to create the syrups, meringues, sauces, pie dough and frosting recipes outlined in the book. (For more sweet recipes, check out our Cookies, Cakes & Pastry Section.) These recipes can then be incorporated into a variety of other delicious sweet and savory recipes that will surprise and delight anyone. Follow us to Page 2 to check out the recipes we tested.
Go To Page 2: Coffee Recipe Tests
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