Home Coffee Roasting for the Holidays

Been doing a little home coffee roasting for the holidays. Part of my family gift giving this Christmas season. I ordered three pounds of green coffee beans from Sweet Maria's a few weeks ago.

Roasting your own coffee is a cool way to experience and get involved in what goes into making a decent cup of mud. I picked up the hobby a couple of Octobers ago, when I met Howard Rice at the Sail Oklahoma Messabaout. During the course of a few days, he talked extensively about his current project in the waters of Micronesia, his adventures around Cape Horn and the simple pleasure of roasting your own coffee aboard a small sailing vessel.

I think I've got it pretty well down, now. I roast mine cowboy-style, with a high-sided pan over a flame. Usually my camp stove in the garage, but last night I used the gas stove top and opened the windows up. I still set off the smoke detector. Can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.