Coffee, cuatro

It is interesting to note that without any roasting or preparation, coffee beans do not taste anything like coffee. Unroasted coffee beans have many of the same nutrients and caffeine, but the roasting and heat begin a chemical reaction that changes the carbohydrates and fats into oils, burns off moisture, and breaks down the acids that eventually leads to the coffee aroma and flavor that we know today. The longer you roast coffee affects the strength and characteristcs of the aroma and flavor or the batch. One source says that Light roast happens at around 7 minutes, and this is where most American coffee roasters stop the process. A medium roast is achieved around 9 to 11 minutes, and in the US this is where specialty sellers normally roast to. Dark and Darkest roasts occur in the 12 to 14 minute range and each of these have a very distinct mix of flavors. I think that the coffee we drink at our host family's house in the morning is more of a dark roast because the flavor is sharper and more distinct than any coffee that I have normally in the US. Ticos definitely appreciate and enjoy coffee more than many Americans, most likely because it is a homegrown product here that many people are very proud of. Our host mother seems shocked or surprised sometimes if one of us does not want the coffee she is offering... good thing I love it.