i kava je lijepa

Znam da mnogi ljudi pokušavaju izbjegavati kavu zato što je "nezdrava", ili je piju ali se osjećaju kao da imaju lošu naviku koje se trebaju riješiti. Mislim da ništa nije samo po sebi zdravo niti nezdravo i da je puno faktora uključeno u zdravlje pojedinca, a ne tiču se svi samo konkretne namirnice koja je proglašena zdravom ili nezdravom. Kod napitaka kao što su kava ili čaj, koje ne konzumiramo zbog nutritivne vrijednosti već zbog nekakvog užitka, može se djelomično primijeniti ona dobra stara Paracelzijeva da samo doza čini otrov. Sa svime u životu je dobro biti umjeren. Svjesno konzumiranje hrane i pića uz poštivanje sebe i okoline i slušanje vlastitog tijela sigurno ne vodi u pretjerivanje, pa onda uglavnom i ne možemo niti pričati o nezdravom. Problem je u tome što danas previše namirnica koje ljudi konzumiraju vodi u neku vrstu ovisnosti ili navike pa je često teško znati "što nam tijelo govori" i kada je dosta. Ukratko, ako pijete deset šalica kave dnevno, vjerojatno imate nezdravu naviku koje biste se možda trebali htjeti riješiti ako marite za svije zdravlje u budućnosti, ali ako popijete jednu šalicu kave dnevno i osjećate da vam ne šteti na bilo kakav način, vjerojatno je sve u redu i ne trebate brinuti. Kava je jedna od namirnica koje zakiseljavaju organizam, a ljudsko tijelo najbolje funkcionira kada je blago lužnato. To je jedan od glavnih razloga za svrstati kavu u "nezdrave" namirnice. Ali ako se hranite kvalitetno i jedete dovoljno svježeg, sirovog voća i povrća (koje tijelu povećava lužnatost), jedna šalica kave vam sigurno neće toliko narušiti ravnotežu u organizmu. Ako ste pak malo osjetljiviji na bioaktivne tvari (ja recimo jesam) pa vam je i ta jedna šalica kave ponekad previše, u ovom postu ću napisati ponešto o različitim vrstama kave i načinima pripreme, od kojih su neki dovoljno blagi i za one "preosjetljive".

Oduvijek sam voljela okus kave. To mi je još od djetinjstva jedan od omiljenih okusa, a pijenje kave sam uvijek doživljavala kao neku vrstu rituala, ili jednostavno svojih pola sata čistog užitka. Znam da puno ljudi pije kavu zbog kofeina, da ih razbudi ili "digne", no meni je upravo kofein predstavljao problem kod kave. Nakon jedne do dvije kave iz kafića dnevno, koliko sam najčešće bila pila do prije nekih šest godina, osjećala bih se previše nervozno, ubrzano, budno, bila bih toliko žedna da bih bez problema popila litru vode u manje od sat vremena, osjećala bih čudnu nelagodu u želucu i prsima, a navečer ne bih mogla zaspati. S turskom kavom koju sam si kod kuće kuhala je bilo malo bolje i ponekad ne bih osjetila cijelo ovo ludilo, ali često niti od nje ne bih mogla zaspati. Ipak mi je trebalo dugo da prestanem piti kavu jer sam toliko voljela njezin okus. Nakon što sam napokon odlučila da se ne želim dan za danom loše osjećati i prestala piti svoj omiljeni napitak (usput, nisam osjetila nikakve simptome odvikavanja, kao niti nakon godina pušenja cigareta, niti nakon prestanka konzumiranja hrane životinjskog porijekla i kuhane hrane; mislim da kada čovjek ima jasan cilj i razlog zašto prestaje s nekom navikom koju doživljava kao štetnu, može biti dovoljno svjestan i uporan da ostane pri svojoj odluci), problemi sa spavanjem su mi se malo ublažili (nestali su tek godinama kasnije, ali to je materijal za neku drugu priču), bolovi u želucu koje sam do tada znala imati su s vremenom nestali, i sve u svemu sam se osjećala zdravije i ugodnije. Bilo mi je malo žao što ne mogu piti kavu, ali osjećaj bez popratnih simptoma je bio toliko dobar da sam imala dovoljan razlog da mi pijenje kave više ne uđe u naviku. Znala sam popiti kavu jednom mjesečno, ili čak jednom u nekoliko mjeseci, ali svaki put bih imala istu reakciju kao i prije, i jedva bih čekala sutradan da prođe taj neugodan osjećaj (ili prekosutra, ako tu noć ne bih uspjela zaspati).

Kada sam prešla na sirovu hranu, još sam bolje osjećala utjecaj svake namirnice koju bih stavila u svoje tijelo, bilo hrane ili bioaktivnih tvari, vjerojatno zato što mi se tijelo na tako "čistoj" prehrani i samo dosta očistilo. Tada sam još jasnije osjećala djelovanje kave i napokon odlučila da jednostavno više neću piti kavu kada mi i jedna šalica toliko omete dan. Trebalo mi je oko godinu dana (možda i više) bez kave uopće da bih se opet usudila krenuti u eksperimentiranje s tim ukusnim napitkom. Ovaj put su na redu bila razne arabike.

Kava koju danas možemo kupiti dobiva se uglavnom iz dvije različite biljne vrste iz roda Coffea. To su Coffea arabica i C. canephora, poznatija kao robusta. Robusta je jeftinija zbog lakšeg uzgoja, većih prinosa i veće otpornosti na bolesti i štetnike, okus joj je "grublji" i pomalo nedefiniran i gorak u odnosu na arabicu. Robusta je kava koja je u Hrvatskoj još uvijek najzastupljenija u kafićima upravo zbog cijene, a naša sirova balkanska nepca su navikla na takvu kavu, tako da je dosta ljudi voli više nego arabicu. U mnogim europskim zemljama je popularnost arabice zadnjih godina dosta narasla, pa tako već u Budimpešti možete u svakom kvartu naići na male kafiće i pržionice speciality kave u kojima ćete popiti vrhunsku arabiku i gotovo zaplakati od ugode. I u Hrvatskoj ovo postaje sve popularnije; zadnjih godina su se otvorile neke zaista kvalitetne male pržionice i kafići, i mislim da će kroz nekoliko godina u i Zagrebu na svakom koraku moći popiti kvalitetna arabica. Zašto je arabica takav hit? Za razliku od robuste, ima relativno nizak sadržaj kofeina (čak do 50% manje nego robusta), kompleksnu i bogatu aromu (različite arabice mogu imati primjerice kiselkaste, voćne ili orašaste, zemljane, čokoladne note, dok se kod robuste najčešće osjeti samo gorčina i jednostavno "okus kave") i sve u svemu lakše sjeda na organizam, pogotovo ako inače imate problema s kavom.

Kada sam ušla u svijet raznih arabica i otkrila prekrasnu novu raznolikost okusa i aroma bez štetnih posljedica, moj odnos s kavom bio je spašen. Napokon sam mogla popiti šalicu kave u 3 popodne i otići spavati u ponoć, i... zaspati! Osim ako bih pretjerala s količinom, od arabice ne bih imala onu nelagodu u želucu i nervozu koju sam do tada bila povezivala s kavom. Prošle godine sam iz nekih poslovnih razloga trebala isprobati više različitih arabica i bila sam oduševljena kada čak niti nakon tjedan dana svakodnevnog pijenja kave (ok, pazila sam na količinu ali svejedno!) nisam osjećala nikave neugodne posljedice. Uskoro sam otkrila i cold brew metodu (hladno pripremljena kava) i opet se do kraja zaljubila u kavu.

Što je cold brew?

To je metoda pripreme kave kod koje se ne koristi povišena temperatura za dobivanje napitka, već se mljevena zrna kave namaču u hladnoj vodi kroz dulji vremenski period. Zrna kave za cold brew trebaju biti nešto krupnije mljevena nego zrna za tursku kavu jer se tako dobije bistriji napitak, ali i bolji okus s manje gorčine. Hladno pripremljena kava ima ugodan i kompleksan okus, a djelovanje joj je također ugodnije jer ne izaziva klasičnu kavom izazvanu nervozu. Ovakva kava lakše sjeda na želudac i manje zakiseljava tijelo nego kuhana kava. Spojite arabicu i cold brew i dobili ste kavu iz snova. Barem mojih snova, ali pokušajte i sami, stvarno je odlična.

što/

60 g arabica kave (prilagodite količinu vlastitom ukusu i toleranciji)

500 ml vode

kako/

Najbolje je koristiti pržena zrna kave koja ćete sami samljeti, ali ako ne možete naći zrna ili nemate mlinac, kupite što krupnije mljevenu kavu. Kava za hladnu metodu trebala bi biti mljevena na veličinu kristala šećera ili krušnih mrvica, dakle nešto krupnije nego što je kod nas uobičajeno za tursku kavu. Mljevenu kavu stavite u staklenku, prelijte hladnom vodom, promiješajte i zatvorite staklenku. Ostavite staklenku na hladnom (ja je zimi ostavljam u kuhinji jer nemam radijatore, a po ljeti je dobro staviti u hladnjak) 12-24 h i zatim procijedite kroz platnenu krpu ili gazu. Ovako pripremljenu kavu možete čuvati u hladnjaku i više od tjedan dana, što je dosta praktično ako želite ujutro popiti kavu a ne da vam se kuhati (iako je kuhanje kave tako lijepo i mirisno...kome se to ne da..?). Eksperimentirajte s omjerima kave i vode, duljinom namakanja, stupnjem mljevenja zrna i različitim kavama kako biste pronašli aromu koja vam najbolje odgovara. Sada sam dosta mljela slova po tipkovnici, ostavljam vas da sami istražujete i dalje otkrivate prekrasni svijet kave. 

Ćao bok!

[ENG]

about coffee

In today's somewhat health-obsessed world, many people try to avoid coffee consumption because it is generally said to be unhealthy. Some drink it, but feel like they have a bad habit they should get rid of as soon as possible. The truth is, most of the things cannot be considered as healthy or unhealthy per se; there are many factors that can determine one's health, and not all of them are related to a specific foodstuff that was declared healthy or unhealthy. When it comes to beverages such as coffee or tea, that we don't consume for their nutritional value, but rather for some kind of pleasure, I guess we could apply that famous old quote by Paracelsus - that only the dose makes the poison. Generally in life, it is good to do things in moderation. Conscious consumption of food and drinks with respect to yourself and your surroundings and listening to your body cannot be thought of as unhealthy.. The problem with today's food and beverages is that many foodstuffs that people consume lead to some kind of addiction or at least habit, so it is not always easy to know "what our body is telling us", or when it is enough. In short, if you drink ten cups of coffee a day, you most probably have an unhealthy habit you might want to get rid of if you care about your future health. But if you have one coffee a day and don't feel like it does you any harm, then you probably don't have any reasons to worry about it. One of the main reasons to consider coffee "unhealthy" would be the fact that it is one of the foodstuffs that can make human body acidic, while human body thrives when it's slightly alkaline. If you have a balanced diet and consume enough quality, fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods that keep your body's acidity in balance, then this one cup of coffee a day probably isn't enough to get you out of that balance. If, however, you feel that you are really sensitive to bioactive substances (I am for example..) and that even one cup of coffee is too much for you, keep reading, I'll share some thoughts and facts about different coffee varieties and how to prepare the beverage that will be mild enough even for over-sensitive people.

I have loved the taste of coffee since I can remember. It was for sure one of my favourite flavours since childhood, and I still consider drinking coffee a nice ritual or my half an hour of pure pleasure. The only problem for me was, funnily, the main reason why most people drink coffee - its crazy amount of caffeine. After one or two cups of coffee from a café I would feel nervous, too awake, weirdly accelerated and so thirsty that I could drink a liter of water in less than an hour. I would feel strange discomfort in my stomach and chest, and in the evening it was impossible to fall asleep. It was a bit better with turkish coffee that I used to make for myself at home, but that too often didn't let me sleep. Still, enjoying that beautiful taste somehow made me keep consuming it every day, until some six or seven years ago, when I decided that I'd had enough. I just stopped drinking it (no problem, just like with cigarettes and animal and junk foods; when you have a clear reason to stop doing something that causes you harm and really, but really want to stop, it is fully possible to stay conscious and persistent enough to stay with your decision) and my sleeping improved with time, my stomach pain went away and I generally felt better and healthier. After some time I started drinking a cup of coffee on occasion (once in a few months or so) just for the pleasure of tasting it, but the physical effect was the same every time. It wasn't until I discovered arabica that I could fully gain my love for coffee back.

Coffee that we consume today usually comes from two most common species from plant genus Coffea, that are Coffea arabica and C. canephora (more commonly known as robusta). Robusta coffee is cheaper because it is easier to grow, more resistant to pests and disease and has higher yields. Its taste is more "rough" and bitter compared to arabica, with less delicate aroma to it. In Croatia, where I come from (but also I think in most of the world, correct me if I'm wrong), the most common coffee is still robusta. Besides being cheaper, our wild balkan taste buds don't deserve anything more delicate and subtle for the most part, so why even try introducing other varieties? Ok, that has not been completely true for past...I think five, six years or so. There are some new trends that have been popular in western Europe for years and came to Croatia too, luckily for me and other coffee freaks. There are more and more speciality coffee shops and roasteries emerging, and those places are offering only arabica - different kinds, different brewing styles, quality blends and single origin coffee... all in all, little taste explosions. But why arabica anyway? I'm not saying that robusta is not a good coffee. Most of croatian people actually prefer robusta... Still, good arabica can have really complex and rich aroma, and different varieties can have a whole range of different flavour notes - from acidic and fruity to nutty, earthly or chocolate-like flavours, which you can't really discern in robusta because of its bitterness. Arabica also has a low caffeine content (up to 50% less than robusta), which makes it easier to enjoy for people who can't stand a lot of caffeine from coffee. 

When I entered the world of various arabicas and discovered wonderful new diversity of flavours without unpleasant consequences to my body, I think my relationship with coffee was finally saved. After years of painful love for coffee (so much coffee drama..), I could finally drink a cup of this beautiful beverage at 3 PM, go to sleep at midnight and... fall asleep! Unless I exaggerated with the amount, I would never feel that nervousness and discomfort in my stomach after drinking arabica coffee. Soon I also discovered cold brew method and fell in love with coffee all over again.

What is cold brew?

It is a method of coffee preparation in which no heating is included in the brewing process; instead, ground coffee beans are soaked in cold water for a longer period of time. Coffee beans for cold brew method should be coarsely ground, that way you will get clearer beverage with nicer taste (less bitterness). Cold brewed coffee tastes really pleasant and has complex aroma. Its effect on human body is also pleasant and mild, it doesn't cause the typical coffee nervousness. It is easier on the stomach as well, and acidifies the body less than coffee that was brewed in heated water. Combine your favourite arabica and cold brew and you get coffee of your dreams! Well, works for me at least, but I really recommend that you try it if you never have, it is well worth the effort.

what/

60 g arabica coffee (adjust the amount to your own taste and tolerance)

500 ml water

how/

It would be ideal to use whole coffee beans and grind them on your own, but if you can't get them like that, get as coarsely ground beans as you can. Coffee for cold brewing should be ground to a size of sugar crystals or bread crumbs. Put the ground coffee in a jar, add the water, mix a bit and close the jar. Leave it in a cool place (if it's really hot where you live, it is good to put it in the fridge) for 12-24 h and strain through a kitchen cloth or cheesecloth. You can keep this coffee in the fridge for a week, probably even longer, so it's pretty practical if you don't want to make coffee every day. You can experiment with coffee to water ratios, brewing time, size of ground beans particles and different coffees to find what works the best for you. 

Enjoy playing! 

Bye

:)