C is for Coffee

There is a legend of a goatherder who noticed how energetic his flock was after nibbling only the red berries off a certain bush, not the green berries because they weren’t ripe. He sampled the berries himself and was surprisingly energized. He shared his discovery with a monk who threw them in the fire disapprovingly. An enticing aroma billowed from the roasted beans and the goatherder quickly pulled them from the fire and dropped them into water to save them. Thus, the first cup of hot java!

Light, Medium, Dark: What’s The Difference?

Coffee roasting is one of the most influential factors of coffee taste. Roasting transforms green beans into the aromatic and flavorful coffee that wakes our senses in the morning. You’ve likely heard the terms light, medium, and dark roast before but do you know how the roasting process affects the flavor and potency of your coffee? Pour yourself a cup, settle in, and get ready to drink in the roasting details.

Light Roast:
Light Roast coffees are characterized by their light brown color, lack of oil on the beans, and light body. These beans are allowed to reach a temperature of about 350º–400º. When roasting, beans typically pop at around 350º. This popping sound (known as the “first crack”) serves as the signal that the beans have reached a Light Roast. A common misconception is that Light Roasts don’t have as much caffeine as their darker, bolder counterparts. However, the truth is exactly the opposite! As beans roast, the caffeine slowly cooks out of the bean. Therefore, because lightly roasted beans cook for a shorter time and at a lower temperature, they retain more caffeine from the original green coffee bean.

Medium Roast:
Medium Roast coffees are brown and have a little thicker body than a Light Roast. Unlike Light, Medium starts to take on a bit of the taste from the roasting process. They tend to carry much more of a balanced flavor with a medium amount of caffeine. A Medium is roasted until just before the second crack, usually at about 410º–430º.

Dark Roast:
Dark Roast coffees are dark brown, even close to a blackened color. The beans are characterized by drawn-out oil that glosses the surface. Coffee made from a Dark Roast has a robust, full body. To be considered Dark, beans roast to a temperature of about 465º or essentially the end of the second crack. If beans roast much hotter than this, the coffee will start to taste more and more of charcoal.

When it comes to roasts, personal preference plays a huge part in what you might like. The best way to learn? Try them out for yourself!

Gingerbread Pancakes 

Adapted from Sweet on Texas: Lovable Confections from the Lone Star State
Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Difficulty: Easy · Yield: 16 pancakes

Ingredients
2 eggs
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup brewed coffee (regular or decaf), cold or at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the buttermilk, coffee, and 1/2 cup water. Stir in the vegetable oil.
2. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined — don’t worry if there are a few lumps.
4. Lightly grease a large sauté pan or griddle with nonstick spray oil. Heat the pan until hot, and then spoon out 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Cook the pancakes until the tops look dull and a few of the bubbles pop, about 3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another minute or so.
5. Serve immediately or transfer the cooked pancakes to an ovenproof dish in a warm oven until the entire batch is finished. Serve garnished with butter and syrup.

Note: For an even greater flavor depth, try these with inventive syrups. I’m thinking cozy cranberry-orange or pomegranate would be especially nice during the holidays or winter. A light citrus one would complement them on warmer days.