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45 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Duplicating the Coffee Epiphany., September 13, 2001
COFFEE : A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying. Fifth Edition. By Kenneth Davids. 279 pp. New York : St. Martin's Griffin,
2001. ISBN 0-312-24665-X (pbk).This is a book for those who, after years of slurping what all too often passes for 'coffee,' and what far too many establishments continue to pretend is 'coffee,' have been blessed by a coffee epiphany. It is for those, in other words, who have finally realized what a sensuous, ravishing, and complete experience a perfect cup of _real_ coffee is, and who would like to learn how to duplicate that experience at will in the comfort of their own home. Brewing up a cup of coffee may seem to most of us to be a relatively simple matter, but what we quickly learn from this book is that, far from being simple, selecting the right type, form, and state of coffee and correctly employing the methods that will produce that perfect cup demand real knowledge and skill; we learn, in short, that a true understanding of coffee opens up an area of connoisseurship every bit as big, or even bigger, than that of wine itself. Davids' book is truly comprehensive. Besides giving us a fairly detailed history of coffee, from its origins in Arabia (or Ethiopia) through to its latest manifestation in the flavored espressos of the modern mall, the book includes chapters on Buying It, Tasting It, Roasting It, Grinding It, Brewing It, and Serving It. Detailed information is given on the special qualities and characteristics of all coffees of the many regions of the world which produce it (Guatemala; Honduras; Costa Rica; Jamaica; Puerto Rico; Haiti; Colombia; Peru; Brazil; Yemen; Ethiopia; Kenya; Uganda; India; Sumatra; Java; New Guinea; Hawaii, etc.), and on the merits and demerits of the many different methods of brewing and the best utensils for each of them (Open-Pot; French Press or Plunger; Drip Brewing (both with and without filters); Flip-Drip or Neapolitan Macchinetta; Pumping Percolator (now passe and the best way to ruin coffee); Filter-Drip, automatic and otherwise; Concentrate; Middle Eastern or Turkish; Soluble or Instant, etc.). There is also a very full discussion of espresso and just why it produces the ultimate cup. If you are anything like me you'll quickly realize that you have been doing many things wrong and will be seized with the urge, not only to start using better coffee, but also to start brewing it properly. Although acquiring your very own roasting machine or espresso machine may be a little too ambitious for most of us, you may decide that bringing your coffee at least one stage closer to perfection by buying a grinder and grinding the beans yourself is probably a good idea. If you do so decide, Davids will inform you just why a manual is preferable to an electric grinder (it generates less of the heat that disperses the volatile substances that give flavor to coffee), and where you can buy a good grinder if one isn't locally available. His book, besides containing much else (coffee chemistry, maps, photographs, coffee glossary, etc.), concludes with a list of companies which sell a wide range of the best coffees and coffee paraphernalia and equipment. There are few perfect pleasures in life. Davids is to be thanked for teaching us how not to spoil one of them.
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