The Joy of Coffee: The Essential Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying

by Corby Kummer

If coffee from a can or jar is your idea of purgatory, THE JOY OF COFFEE is the book for you. Its author, Corby Kummer, originally came to the subject of coffee while writing a series of articles for the Atlantic Monthly, and he found so much to say about the bean that he decided to write a book. Kummer began with some basic "What matters most in buying coffee? How can you sort through the jumble of place names and whimsical labels on beans and blends? Is a dark roast better, more sophisticated, than a light roast? Is it essential to grind coffee beans at home?" What he learned in response to these queries comprises the bulk of THE JOY OF COFFEE. Starting with a tour of a coffee plantation and ending in the reader's own kitchen, Kummer leads a lively and informative discussion of all phases of coffee production, from harvesting to roasting to brewing. He discusses different roasts and the different types of coffeemakers, and he even talks about caffeine consumption and methods of decaffeination that preserve the bean's flavor. At the end of THE JOY OF COFFEE is a chapter chock full of recipes for tasty treats that either go well with coffee or include it as an ingredient. Like a great cup of Joe, THE JOY OF COFFEE is good to the very end.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Culinary

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1995

Reviews

[Peter Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very outdated, especially the chapter on grinding & storage. Originally published in 1995, this is supposed to be updated, unfortunately some parts haven’t been updated. I gave it two stars as it’s got some great recipes.
If you want to buy a book to learn about coffee there are many that are better than this.

[Nick Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I realized as a coffee lover, how much I didn't know about the bean. This covers the process from plant to cup, including the different ways the beans can be picked, washed, dried, and roasted. This has pique my interest even more about coffee and wanting to brew and try it more ways than I currently do.

This is a book for people more into the specialty coffee, rather than already ground supermarket canned coffee. Not trying to be a snob, but this is a difference quality, price, and how the coffee will then be brewed. Therefore, this could be dry or off putting for someone not really into coffee, or fine with anything cheap from the supermarket. But, if you're curious and want to improve your daily cup, this is a great starting point.

Due to when this book was written, there are some things out of date, mainly equipment and coffee technology. Some of the simple ways to brew coffee, haven't changed in decades, but other more sophisticated ways to brew (like espresso) have changed greatly.

[John Noll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot from its pages. I really like the recipes and have used the Banana Bread recipe too many times to count. I highly encourage any coffee drinker to read this book.

[Hua · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be your best choice of first coffee book. From coffee growing, harvest, cupping, roast, brewing choices and coffee cake recipe (yes, cake recipe), it covers all the bases. Enjoy your cup!