Gourmet Retailer Magazine Personnel Trainer 2008 - (Page 12) DRIP COFFEE MAKERS O ne thousand years ago, Arabians started to experiment with coffee, and by the 14th century, the whole of Arabia drank coffee. The first coffee maker prototype was created at the beginning of the 19th century, and from then on, the whole world has been drinking coffee. In the last 15 years, coffee has attained a cult status in all its different variants. Coffeehouses like Starbucks are booming, and this new ‘coffee culture’ has spread to the rest of the world. l What features should I seek in an automatic drip coffee maker? • Sturdy housing • Glass or insulated pot for 10-12 cups • Compact design • Protective keep-warm function • Drip-stop function • Removable filter Coffee, Café, Caffé, Kahve, Kahvia, Kaffee, Koohii, Please! Finland still holds the record for drinking coffee. Kahvia is served there at all opportunities from the crack of dawn until midnight. In the U.S., it is a routine part of the service to offer a refill on coffee. In Japan, there is a public holiday dedicated to coffee and, without any regrets, people in Tokyo are willing to pay $55 for a good cup of Koohii (coffee). At famous places in Austria, the coffee menu is longer than the menu for food, but the biggest passion for coffee is definitely to be found in Italy. Drinking coffee in Italy is more a celebration than anything else. The classic version of brewing coffee is still a drip coffee maker, although the market for high-end premium fully automatic coffee makers is growing significantly from year to year. l What are some of the important features available on high-end drip coffee makers? • Stainless steel pot — keeps the coffee hot for a very long time • Removable water tank — easy and convenient handling • Lighted water tank — easy to read water level • Shower head with 12 nozzles — guarantees the best aroma development of coffee • Timer — wake up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee • Drip-stop function — keeps everything clean • Swing-out filter basket — for easy access • Stainless steel heating system — food-safe, long lasting, better taste • Stainless steel housing — beautiful high-end design l What is the advantage of having a stainlesssteel thermal carafe? In addition to the appealing look of a stainless steel carafe, coffee stays warm longer without additional heating. Because of consistent heat from a heating plate underneath, when using a glass pot, the coffee begins to evaporate after a while, creating a bitter taste. filters and water-filtration cartridges are the most frequently needed replacement parts. Remind customers that your store is their source for any of these products. If your customers decide to purchase a machine with a water-filtration cartridge, remind them that they need to be replaced after six weeks or 60 uses to prevent the buildup of bacteria. If you don’t offer replacement parts, make a list of your automatic drip coffee makers’ manufacturers’ toll-free numbers for your customers. l How do I get the best coffee from my machine? Here are some tips on how you can brew really good coffee with a drip coffee maker: • Use fresh-ground coffee — guarantees more aroma • Use filtered water — protects your machine from calcification and the coffee tastes better • If your machine has a stainless-steel thermal carafe, rinse it with boiling hot water right before brewing to keep your coffee hot for a longer time • Decalcify your coffee maker on a regular base l How should I care for my machine? Coffee contains oils, acids and other chemicals that will eventually wear down a coffee maker. If properly cared for, an automatic drip coffee maker should last five to seven years. A simple home remedy that will keep your drip coffee maker clean calls for filling the pot with three parts vinegar and one part water run through the machine twice a month. Once the coffee maker cools off, run a pot of clean water through to rinse away the vinegar. Basic maintenance tips include: removing the grind immediately and cleaning coffee stains from the heating plate and plastic parts. Also be sure to clean permanent filters thoroughly after each use. Certain parts, such as the filter holder, gold-tone filter, drip grids and water or milk containers, are dishwasher-safe. l Are replacement parts available? Glass carafes, thermal carafes, paper filters, gold-tone 52 The Gourmet Retailer Magazine | February 2008
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