Mrs. Catherine Theodorakis

Catherine Theodorakis is a slight, careworn woman. She loves her two sons, Christos and Theo. She runs the coffee shop with her husband, George.

WHAT IS COFFEE?

"Coffee" comes from the Latin word Coffea, which includes more than 500 genera and 6,000 species of tropical trees and shrubs.

Today botanists still disagree on the classification because of the wide variations that occur in coffee plants and seeds. Species of Coffea range from small shrubs to trees as tall as 32 feet high and the leaves can range in color from purple to yellow, however, green is the predominant color.

There are 10 steps through which a coffee bean passes from seed to cup:

  • Harvesting the beans
  • Processing the beans
  • Drying the beans
  • Hulling
  • Polishing
  • Grading and sorting
  • Exporting the beans
  • Tasting
  • Roasting
  • Grinding

Following is an example of 10 ways that may be used to describe and categorize coffee:

  • Type -- robusta, washed, arabica
  • Taste -- Strictly soft, harsh
  • Body -- lacking, too heavy
  • Acidity -- some, too much at the top
  • Age -- old to fresh
  • Defects -- sour, grassy, musty
  • Cup -- roast, watery, burned, old
  • Overall assessment -- neutral, spicy, hard
  • Aroma -- weak to strong
  • Fullness -- slight to considerable


    What is the caffeine content of coffee beverages?

    Caffeine is a natural substance that is present in the leaves, seeds or fruits of more than sixty plant species worldwide. Many food and beverage products made with these plant species contain caffeine. Sometimes caffeine is sometimes added to foods and beverages during the manufacturing process in order to enhance flavor or, in the case of medications, to enhance effectiveness.

    Unless they are decaffeinated, coffee beverages all contain caffeine.

    The amount of caffeine in any single serving of coffee depends on a number of things, including:

    • the variety of coffee bean
    • where the bean was grown
    • the particular coffee "grind"
    • how the product is manufactured
    • the method of preparation, e.g. the length of brewing, and the proportion of coffee to water
    • the size of the cup, mug, etc. in which the coffee is served

    Full-bodied, dark-roast coffee may contain less caffeine than coffee made from milder, more lightly-roasted beans. Arabica beans tend to have less caffeine but are of milder flavor than robusta beans. Also, the caffeine content of prepared coffee beverages may vary depending on the supplier's recipe formula.

    The majority of literature on caffeine shows that there are no health consequences associated with coffee consumption. However, for individuals who may wish to limit their caffeine intake, it is useful to know the caffeine content of the different coffee beverages.

    Coffee Product
     
    		 Caffeine Range
    (in milligrams)     		Average
    (in milligrams)
    Coffee (8-oz cup)
    Brewed
    Instant
    Decaffeinated, brewed
    Decaffeinated, instant
    Espresso, 1-oz. cup
    Cappuccino and Latte, 1-oz shot
    Moccachino, 1-oz shot

    65-120 mg
    60-85 mg
    2-4 mg
    1-4 mg
    30-50 mg
    30-50 mg
    35-55 mg

    85
    75
    3
    3
    40
    40
    45

    For more information about coffee shops, see Mr. Theodorakis' page.

     

     

     

     

     

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