When you think of coffee, you probably think of the dark, roasted beans that are ground and brewed to create your favorite drink. But have you ever stopped to consider where those beans come from? The answer, of course, is the coffee cherry, the fruit of the coffee tree.
Each coffee cherry contains two beans, which are surrounded by a sweet, pulpy flesh. The beans are the seeds of the cherry, and they are what eventually become the coffee that we know and love.
But not all coffee cherries are created equal. In some cases, a cherry will contain only one bean, a phenomenon known as a "peaberry." Peaberry beans are smaller and rounder than regular coffee beans, and they are prized by some coffee aficionados for their unique flavor profile.
The journey from coffee cherry to bean is a long and complex process. After the cherries are harvested, they are typically processed using one of two methods: the wet process or the dry process.
The wet process involves removing the flesh from the cherries using water, while the dry process involves leaving the cherries to dry in the sun before removing the flesh. Each method has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the final flavor of the coffee can be influenced by the way the cherries are processed.
So the next time you enjoy a cup of coffee, take a moment to appreciate the fascinating journey that the beans have taken to get to your cup. From the sweet, pulpy coffee cherries to the dark, roasted beans, each step of the process is an integral part of the magic of coffee.
