Iced Coffee: The Cold Brew Process

Iced coffee has probably been around more or less for as long as hot coffee has. The recipe varies from country to country. The Australians drink it as thick, milkshake- like beverage spiced with chicory that is brewed with milk, not water. One might think that ice coffee would only be popular in hotter parts of the world. But in Japan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, India, Europe, and even Canada, ice coffee enjoys a popular status that almost seems to run independent of climate. What's interesting to note is its particular appeal among the young. With the possible exception of Australia - where iced coffee has been the rage for over a hundred years - this cold beverage seems to be associated with a laid back, carefree lifestyle.

In the United States, the iced coffee craze started as recently as the mid eighties. Many coffee enthusiasts believe that the trend came from Italy, where a cracked or chipped-ice coffee drink called "granita" had been around since the fifties. The Granita is most likely the predecessor to Starbucks Frappuccino; the epitome of the commercialized iced coffee drink.

Yet for all its popularity, true coffee specialists insist that iced coffee is routinely prepared incorrectly. They contend that true iced coffee must be cold brewed. In the cold brewing process, coffee grounds are mixed with cold water and allowed to sit between 12 and 24 hours. The coffee is then filtered through like a typical brewing process. Coffee connoisseurs claim that this process yields a coffee that is lower in acidity and caffeine, with more bouquet and character. The lower acidity not only allows more flavor to come through, it is also easier on the digestion. Many cold brew enthusiasts have noted a markedly lower incidence of acid reflux; a classic symptom of too much hot coffee consumption. Perhaps the only disadvantage of cold brewing is that it's not an instant gratification process. Cold water takes much longer to absorb coffee grounds. Conventional hot brewing is much faster - minutes as opposed to hours - and you don't have to contend with a large, ungainly pitcher of soaking coffee grounds taking up space in your refrigerator overnight.

That said there are cold brew systems on the market today that make the process entirely painless. Over forty years ago, a chemical engineer named Todd Simpson had ordered some coffee at a cafe' in Guatemala. He received a small container of cold, concentrated coffee syrup accompanied by a glass of boiling water. This gave Simpson the idea to invent what came to be known as The Toddy. It quickly became the most popular American cold brewing system. It remains so to this day. The Toddy is essentially a filtration device that attaches itself to a mason-style jar. This dedicated cold brew system takes much of the mess out of the cold brew process. And remember, cold brewed coffee can be served hot as well!

While Americans still love their iced coffee, they may One of the most popular cold brew systems today is called the Toddy. still feel that hot water brewing is the only game in town. As cold brewing gains more publicity, keep a future eye out for a cold brewing coffee craze. It might be just around the corner.

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The Process of Egg Production and Distribution

Birds and eggs have existed since before Man and the first recorded history of domesticated wild fowl were found in East Indian history as early as 3200 BC. Records show domesticated hens throughout history but it has been believed that Columbus, on his second trip to the Americas in 1493, brought with him the ancestors of the chickens we see today. There are close to 200 breeds and varieties of chickens worldwide, but the most common laying hen is the Single Comb White Leghorn.

Over the centuries, the processes used for egg production and distribution have changed and improved drastically. The process is broken down into seven basic steps, with some of the steps containing more detailed work within them:

Laying: The hens need to have well balanced and nutritious meals in order to be good egg producers. Their diet plan is researched on a constant basis to ensure the best diet is given as much as possible. They have free access to fresh water and the food is distributed by computer controlled feeders. The more modern hen houses are computer controlled with the temperature, humidity, and ventilation systems all run by means of these computers. The lighting too is on a timed system since light seems to be what triggers the hens to lay the eggs. The highest and most common egg laying happens between 7 and 11 am. The cages are raised off the floor so that waste can drop out of the cage and to keep air flow open to the floor of the cage which prevents sores from forming on the hens' feet or bodies, as well as keeping various diseases at bay.

Collecting: In most instances, collection is performed by the eggs automatically dropping onto a conveyor belt, below the hens' cages. They travel along this belt to the washing station.

Washing: The eggs need to be cleaned and sanitized by washing them with a special cleaning solution and water that is more than 100 F or 38 C. Once washed, they are then rotated past 16 individual cameras, which inspect them for any remaining dirt spots. If spots are found, the egg returns back to the beginning of the process to be re-washed. Once the washing has been completed, the eggs are sent to be graded according to size, and weight.

Packing: Machines automatically place the eggs in separate sections; lining them up in accordance to the grade they have been given. To lessen the chance of breakage during shipping, the eggs are placed in foam or fiber cartons. The cartons are labeled appropriately and a "best before" date is printed on the carton as a guide for the consumer. Each carton is then packed into boxes for later shipping.

Cooling: The boxes of eggs are then placed in a climate controlled warehouse for storage until they are shipped out. The eggs are stored at 45 F or 7 C to maintain the egg quality. When they are ready for shipping, the boxes are loaded into refrigeration trucks to keep the temperature at the same level. Once shipped and in the stores, the grocer also maintains the temperature of the cartons by keeping them in a refrigerated unit until they are sold.

In Canada, there are approximately 1050 egg producers in operation, all following these procedures. In comparison, there are about 280 million producers in the United States and just one of them can produce as many eggs as all those found in Canada.

Eggs were once seen as a springtime food because of many of the older Easter traditions, but now they have become more versatile and a mainstay of most meal plans.

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