For the very best cup of coffee, step up to whole beans, freshly ground in a coffee grinder!

Americans love their coffee. Some of us drink it morning, noon and night. If you now use commercially produced coffee which is already ground, there are a number of coffee manufacturers which make a more than acceptable brew for everyday use. The small growers are impinging on their market, with organically grown varieties of Arabica beans in small, 12-ounce bags of superior grades of coffee.

Now, you'll see that the major coffee companies are introducing their jugs of ground coffee, made of 100% Arabica beans, just in order to regain their edge in the market. Coffee is big business and consumers are beginning to appreciate the flavor and aroma of the smaller grower's offerings. Yes, they are a little more expensive, but make a nice weekend treat. However, there is a way to enjoy this special treat on a daily basis. From stage left, enters the coffee grinder.

No matter how small your home town, chances are you have a local coffee shop which sells whole coffee beans. Some shops roast their own green coffee beans, providing the very freshest product you can find. You'd be amazed at the difference between a commercial ground coffee in a vacuum sealed container and freshly roasted beans. Even in a vacuum sealed container, much of the original robust flavor and aroma are lost in the process of roasting, grinding, packaging and transportation time required before that coffee end up in your coffee maker. No matter how good the beans were to begin with, the essential oils evaporate in all of this processing, resulting in a subsequent loss of flavor. Let's see what goes into the perfect cup of coffee. The coffee grinder plays an essential role.

1.Find a coffee shop which roasts their own beans in house. With coffee, time is of the essence. Buy a pound of these freshly roasted beans and a coffee grinder. You can purchase a good electric grinder for about $20. A coffee grinder will last for years, so it's really a small investment in your favorite daily beverage.

2.Store the coffee beans in the freezer, with the bag folded shut tightly, with as little air remaining in the bag as possible. This prevents the loss of those essential oils, which are at the heart of a superior cup of coffee.

3.When you're ready to brew, fill the grinder to the rim with the beans. Put the lid on the coffee grinder and press down with a pulsating motion, a couple of seconds on and then off. You'll be able to see through the clear lid of the grinder to approximate the fineness of the grind. It takes but a few seconds to grind the coffee. The amount of beans that will fit in the bowl of the grinder should be enough to make 4-6 cups, according to your preference.

4.Pour the ground coffee into the basket of your coffee maker and brew. Fabulous!

To clean the grinder, all it takes is a single paper towel to wipe it out. It's all ready to go for your next pot. The only caveat? Don't use your coffee grinder for any other purpose, such as grinding herbs. Even though the bowl of the grinder is typically of stainless steel, it will pick up the flavor of other foods.

Freshly roasted coffee beans, stored airtight in the freezer and freshly ground for each pot is the perfect recipe for the very best cup of coffee you've ever had!