Gourmet Coffee - Make Your Own

By Tom Lykes
Looking for something different than your ordinary cup of coffee? You can make your own gourmet coffee, and you can be on your way with just a few ingredients.

There are two different ways to get this accomplished: by adding flavored syrups or by using natural ingredients. In the case of flavored syrups, there are a few general rules to bear in mind. Most flavored syrups are flavored with cane sugar which is generally sweeter that other flavorings that may be used such as fructose or corn syrup. Read the label contents and purchase according to your personal preference. Another thing to be aware of is that some syrups are preservative free. While the flavor may be more intense with these syrups, the shelf life will be shorter than other syrups that use preservatives.

Less is more in the case of flavored syrups- before you pour the coffee adding just a small amount of syrup to the bottom of the cup. More can always be added according to your personal taste. There are many syrups available: Almond, Vanilla and Hazelnut are some common ones, but then there are other interesting flavors such as Macadamia Nut , Crème de Banana, or Black Currant.

Adding natural flavorings is a great way to make your own flavored coffee without adding any extra calories. Adding a whole vanilla bean to your canister of coffee or adding a cinnamon stick can add a new dimension of flavor to your everyday cup of coffee. You could also add these flavorings in powdered form as well to your coffee before you brew if you didn’t want to flavor all of your coffee at once. Try adding a citrus peel such as lemon or orange for a different twist. Adding a bit of liqueur such as Irish Crème or Amaretto can be a wonderful surprise to your guests at the end of a wonderful meal.

These are just a few suggestions- get out there and experiment. Mix and match your flavors- try some caramel syrup with some vanilla flavored coffee. Almond syrup with a dash of Irish Crème added Cinnamon coffee with a twist of orange. The combinations and flavor variations are endless. Happy brewing!