Coffee and Tea Training

Teas:
Tea is prepared from the leaf bud and top leaves of a tropical evergreen bush
called Camellia sinesis. It produces what is regarded as a healthy beverage
containing approximately only half the caffeine of coffee and at the same time
it aids muscle relaxation and stimulates the central nervous system. It is
regarded as a profitable beverage with caterers serving over 10 billion cups of
tea a year.
Remember also, good tea sales should lead to an increase in food sales.

Origin of Tea:
Producing Countries:

1. China: Is the oldest tea growing country and best known for its more
fragrant and delicately perfumed teas of which Lapsang Souchong is one
of the most well known.

2. Ceylon (Sri Lanka): The teas originating here are inclined to have a
delicate, light, lemon flavour. They are regarded as excellent afternoon
teas that also lend themselves to being served iced.

3. India: Is the world’s largest tea producer, its best known teas being
Darjeeling which is delicate, rounded mellow flavoured tea, and Assam
a stronger and more full-bodied and flavoured tea.

4. Kenya : Produces a medium flavoured tea of consistent quality and is

looked upon as a good all rounder.

Speciality teas:
Tea Description Accompaniment
Assam A rich full and malty flavoured tea, suitable for service Milk
at breakfast
Ceylon A pale golden colour with a good flavour Milk if preferred
Or slice of lemon
Darjeeling A delicate tea with a light grape flavour Very little milk or lemon
Earl Grey* A blend of Darjeeling and China, flavoured with Milk if preferred or
Bergamot lemon
Jasmine* Has a fragrant and scented flavour Slice of lemon
Kenya A consistent and refreshing tea Milk
Lapsang A smokey, pungent and perfumed tea, delicate to the Slice of lemon
Souchong palate that may be said to be an acquired taste
Orange Pekoe Similar to Lapsang Souchong, but with a slightly Slice of lemon
fruity aroma and flavour

Jasmine Tea and Earl Grey *

These teas are part of the perfumed teas, they are aromatised with
“bergamot” (earl grey) with roses, lotus, jasmine etc.
Bergamot:
A four-metre high citrus tree (Citrus bergamia) grown in southern Italy that
produces a bitter, orange-like fruit. The fruit is not eaten fresh, but can be
made into marmalades and liqueurs. Bergamot oil is the key aromatic
ingredient of the famous
Earl Grey (1764–1845)*
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey was Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834. He was a great
reformer, but best-known for the blend of tea that still bears his name. The
blend was a gift from a grateful Chinese mandarin. When his original supply
ran out, Earl Grey asked his tea merchants to recreate it for him.

Fruit Teas or Tisanes

These are fruit flavoured teas and herbal infusions and are very popular in
today’ s market, due partly to the current trends towards more healthy eating
and drinking.
They are often use for medicinal purposes. Also they do not contain caffeine,
which is a stimulant. They should always be served in china pots in order to
preserve the delicate flavour, and served without milk or any other additions.

Herbal Teas Fruit teas

Camomille Lemon
Peppermint Blackcurrant
Verbena tea Mango
Mint Passion Fruit

Herbal teas Virtues:

Tilleul (lime tea): calming
Mint: stimulating good for digestion
Camomille: good for digestion
Orange: relaxing

Green Tea
A type of tea in which the leaves are withered, rolled, and fired but, unlike
black or oolong, is not subject to a process of oxidation. Green tea originated
in China. Production is still confined to a few Asian countries.

For reasons of taste or religion, green tea is not fermented. It is excellent

mixed with fresh mint tea and aromatised with jasmine.
It is the best tea to accompany Chinese food.

Green tea is not bitter and is mainly consumed by Japanese people.

The principal varieties are:

v Gunpowder
v Chun-Mee
v Natural Leaf
v Matcha
Coffee

Coffee is a totally natural product that is grown in the tropical and sub-
tropical belt in South and Central America, Asia and Africa. The climates
within these defined areas can vary enormously, as do the soils, altitudes etc.
but the common factor is the warmth needed for the coffee plants to grow and
produce coffee beans.

What is Coffee?
The coffee producing tree belongs to the Rubiaceae family and is of the
Coffea genus. There are over 50 different species but the two most important,
in terms of commercial factors are Coffea Arabica and Coffea camephora
(referred to as robusta). It is worth noting that Arabica accounts for
approximately 75 per cent of world production.

Coffee trees need to be between 3 to 5 years old before they start to yield
crops and can continue producing coffee beans for up to 15 years.

Blends
Each coffee producing company has their own house style of coffee and they
employ tasters who blend the different coffees, which can very from each
batch, to achieve the house style. (The green coffee beans are roasted first so
that a certain level of roasting is achieved). Most blends of coffee are infact
made up from more than one type or blend/batch of coffee).

Green coffee beans have no smell or taste and so they are blended to achieve
more aroma and flavour. The degree of roasting results in different blends.

The main blends. There are four main categories of coffee blend, these being:

1. Light or pale roastings

Suitable for mild coffee beans in order to maintain their delicate aroma

2. Medium roastings

Achieve a stronger, fuller flavour and are usually used for coffees with more
of a coffee character.

3. Full roastings.

These have a far more bitter taste and are widely drunk on the continent.

4. High roasted coffee.

These coffees over-emphasise the bitter qualities of the coffee, but a lot of the
original flavour is lost.
Note: The higher the roast of the coffee beans, the less acidity and the more
bitterness there is in the coffee.

Grinding Coffee.
Roasted coffee beans must be ground before they can be used to make a coffee
brew. Different grades of fineness are used to grind the coffee and these may
suit different brewing methods.

Examples of grinds and brewing methods are identified below:

Grinding Grade Method

Fine to medium Filter/drip

Coarse Jug

Pulverised Turkish

Medium Cafetiére

Medium fine-to-fine Vacuum infusion

Very fine Espresso

Medium (Can be course ground) Percolator

Characteristics of Good Coffee

Coffee is made by the infusion method (that is to say that the coffee is infused
in water). It is very important that the method used to make the coffee suits
the requirements of the restaurant. At Gordon Ramsay, it is absolutely
essential that the coffee served is fresh and full of flavour (It must not be
forgotten that coffee is served at the end of the meal and so this is usually the
part of the meal that the customer tries, and therefore remembers).

Key elements of Good Coffee:

· Good flavour
· Good aroma
· Good colour
· Good body (not too weak or thin nor too thick).
Coffee beans can be bought in either roasted or unroasted and ground as
required. The beans should not be ground until just before they are required,
as this will ensure maximum flavour and aroma. When ground coffee is
bought in already ground, then it is usually in vacuum packs so that the
freshness is sealed in.

Coffee Storage.
Coffee is an expensive commodity and so care should be take n when storing
it.

Points to bear in mind to ensure correct storage of coffee:

· Well ventilated storeroom

· Air-tight containers (to ensure that the oils, that give the coffee flavour
and aroma, do not evaporate)
· Moisture free
· Away from strong-smelling foods, as the coffee will absorb the odours

Making Coffee.
Factors to consider when making coffee:

· Use freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee

· Use the most appropriate grind to go with the coffee machine
· Ensure that all equipment is clean before use
· Ensure that a set measure of coffee is used with a set amount of water
· Add boiling water to the coffee and allow to infuse
· The infusion time must be carefully controlled depending on the type
of coffee being used and the method used to make it
· Do not over heat the coffee as it spoils the flavour (it develops a bitter
flavour)
· The best service temperatures for coffee are: 180 degrees F (82 degrees
C)

Reasons why bad coffee is produced:

Weak coffee

· Water has not reached boiling point

· Insufficient coffee
· Infusion time too short
· Stale or old coffee used
· Incorrect grind of coffee used for the equipment in operation

Flat coffee
· Coffee left in the urn (if used) too long
· Dirty equipment used
· Water not fresh, or boiled too long
· Coffee reheated
Bitter coffee
· Too much coffee used
· Infusion time too long
· Coffee not roasted correctly
· Sediment remaining in storage/serving compartment
· Infusion at too high a temperature

Know Your Coffees:

Espresso: Ristretto:

Classic Italian black coffee A short espresso

1 shot of coffee 1 shot of coffee
approx. 45 – 50ml of water approx. 30ml of water

Macchiato: Espresso Doppio:

Standard espresso with a dash of cold Double espresso

milk to mark the surface 2 shots of coffee
approx. 90- 100ml of water

Americano: Cappuccino:

Standard espresso topped up with Classic Italian “frothy” coffee

hot water 1 shot of coffee
1 shot of coffee 1/3 coffee
approx.100 – 120ml of water 1/3 steamed milk
1/3 frothed milk

Latté: Mocha:

“Flat” white with a dab of foam Coffee and chocolate

1 shot of coffee 1 shot of coffe
¼ coffee 1/3 coffee
¾ steamed milk shot of chocolate syrup
dab of foam 2/3 steamed milk