Joe: the Coffee Book by Jonathan and Gabrielle Rubinstein

Joe: the Coffee Book is a beautiful, hip guide to the world of coffee brought to you by New York City’s popular connoisseur coffee chain, Joe. Written from the point of view of owners (and siblings) Jonathan and Gabrielle Rubinstein, the reader is welcomed into the tight-knit international specialty coffee community of committed growers, buyers, roasters, entrepreneurs, baristas, and drinkers. Their mission: to source, purchase, roast, serve, and drink the world’s finest coffees.

By explaining how exemplary coffee is produced—and revealing the actual brewing techniques used to create great coffee at home—this book provides all you need to explore and enjoy the vast world of coffee. Illustrated with fresh and quirky photos, Joe will have you sipping your favorite brew with even greater pleasure and appreciation. (description from publisher)

Frugal Librarian #12: Joe is thicker than water

2207162644_bf88558cb2Those two cups nobody wanted from this morning have lost their aroma and flavor as a straight beverage. They’re not good for anything except tomorrow’s 6AM supercharge, with the characteristic post-slurp wince.

This neat tip from the May 2009 Consumer Reports’ Shop Smart magazine: “Coffee is a great flavoring, says chef Steve Petusevsky, of Roundy’s Supermarkets.”

-Freeze leftovers in ice-cube trays and add to iced coffee. This trick keeps your iced coffee from getting watery as the cubes melt.

-Substitute coffee for the water in brownie or chocolate cake mixes. It imbues a richer flavor.

-Replace part of the liquid in stews or barbecue sauce with strong coffee. Again, the coffee adds to the flavor, and you can save your wine for drinking!

-Substitute coffee for water in your favorite baked-beans recipe or add a litle when heating canned baked beans.

-Use coffee as a meat marinade. it imparts a subtle flavor, its acidity helps break down tougher cuts of beef or pork, and it adds a nice earthy flavor to poultry.