GOURMET COFFEES; A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE FINDING A TASTE FOR FANCY COFFEES

Coffee isn't just coffee anymore.

Names like French vanilla, Irish creme and hazelnut tell the tale that more than cream and sugar is going into the beverage already known for its enticing aroma.

Jane Healey wasn't a coffee drinker before she tried a fancy coffee made from Kona beans. "It smelled so good, I thought I'd try it," she said. The flavorful Hawaiian blend won her over.

Kona coffee is a favorite also of Carol Dougan-Stephenson, who, like Healey, discovered her enjoyment of gourmet coffee not too long ago.

Both Cape Girardeau women are among the growing number of people who at least occasionally purchase gourmet coffee beans and grind them at home. Healey uses a coffee grinder, while Dougan-Stephenson uses a spice grinder to do the job.

"I always keep gourmet beans at home," Dougan-Stephenson said. When it comes to grinding the coffee beans, both women noted that weekends are tailor-made for just such an occasion.

"The aroma in the house, it just fills it if the beans are at their peak," Dougan-Stephenson said. "The flavor is just exceptionally good."

"On the weekends, it's a real treat," Healey said.

But gourmet coffees can be enjoyed without the extra work. Prepackaged fancy coffees of many flavors and types are available.

Laura Younghouse, owner of Ye Ole House, a gift shop in downtown Cape Girardeau, said there is interest in the prepackaged, gourmet coffees.

"Coffee is just getting bigger and bigger," she said. "It starts at the college age and goes on up. You have regulars that come in each week, and sometimes people just want to treat themselves, or, maybe they want to have it as an after-dinner coffee."

A growing number of dining establishments are looking to satisfy that customer curiosity, or desire, for the fancy coffee taste. The St. Louis Bread Co. in West Park Mall offers some five flavored coffees plus a line of espresso-based drinks.

Port Cape Girardeau has been serving cappuccino and espresso for more than two years. The gourmet coffee beverages are particularly popular in the colder months, noted Christine Roussel, office manager at the downtown restaurant. Calling espresso a hot, shot of energy, Roussel said patrons will often "order one when they come in and order one when they leave."

Likewise, cappuccino is particularly popular in the cooler months among university students and others on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, noted Dougan-Stephenson, director of cash operations at the University Center. This will be the second year cappuccino has been available in the cafeteria of the University Center.

Roussel, too, has developed a taste for fancy coffees. "I drank coffee before, but I always had to soak it with milk and sugar," she said, chuckling.

"For Christmas and my birthday," Roussel said, "I ask for people to buy me samples of coffee."

Many people sample dozens of different fancy coffees daily at Gloria Jeans in West Park Mall. French vanilla coffee is the most popular choice, said Donna Shoemake, manager of the business that specializes in gourmet coffee.

There are plenty of misconceptions about gourmet coffees, Shoemake noted. Many people think that the flavored coffees must be loaded with fat, but that's not the case.

For instance, with the French vanilla, she explained, "The beans are roasted with oil, so there's no added calories, no fat."

Most flavored, decaffeinated coffees have less than two calories in a cup.

Another common myth involves espresso, Shoemake said. "Most people believe it has more caffeine than other coffees, but it has less," she noted. That's because arabica beans have less caffeine than robusta beans; highest quality arabica beans are a key ingredient in gourmet coffees.

Commercial coffees are generally made from either arabica or robusta beans.

Dougan-Stephenson offers these tips for those interested in grinding their own coffee beans:

-- Buy in small quantities, store at room temperature in a sealed container.

-- Grind the coffee beans immediately before the coffee is desired.

-- Purchase small quantities until favorite flavors are found.

Coffee chat

Talking coffee can be confusing. Here's a short course on some of the most popular types of gourmet coffees:

-- Espresso -- a rich, concentrated coffee topped with a dense, golden-brown foam called crema. Espresso is made from a special blend of arabica coffee beans, which are finely ground, firmly packed and extracted under pressure.

-- Cappuccino -- an espresso-based beverage topped with equal parts of steamed, foamed milk.

-- Doppio -- a double shot of espresso with one shot of water.

-- Americano -- made by pouring one or two shots of espresso over a 6-ounce cup of hot water. The crema from the espresso floats to the top.

-- Latte -- another espresso-based beverage. A thick mixture of foamed-steamed milk is poured down the side of a cup containing a serving of espresso. The pour allows the milk and espresso to marbleize, forming a dense mixture. May be flavored with syrup.

-- Flavored Coffees -- made from coffee beans infused with flavors such as French vanilla or Irish creme.