DECATUR - It almost goes without saying that the world of coffee has changed dramatically during the years that David Cooper, Dennis Cooper and Duane McCoskey have been affiliated with it.

David Cooper, chief operating officer of Marquis Beverage, has been in the coffee business 45 years. His brother, Dennis, sales manager at Marquis, has 43 years, and McCoskey, project manager, has 21 years experience. Marquis Beverage itself was started about 30 years ago, the trio said.

So what do the Cooper brothers and McCoskey see as the biggest changes in their years of roasting coffee?

For David Cooper, what strikes him is the specialty coffee arena, which has developed primarily because of Starbucks, in his opinion.

He feels that corporation's coffee push took the young consumer and told them coffee was good while turning coffee into a beverage of choice. Coffee was already being served and sold differently in Europe, while in the United States, he said, "We sell coffee here by the big gulp."

"(Starbucks) awoke a sleeping giant," he said.

"Pre-Starbucks, varietal coffee was almost unheard of."

McCoskey, on the other hand, sees the biggest change being the introduction of espresso-based coffees. That change was another that brought younger people back in as coffee drinkers with the increased taste intensity, he feels.

"My generation, we missed out on all of this," McCoskey said. "You didn't drink (coffee) because you didn't like it."

For Dennis Cooper, the change has been that the pendulum has swung back in favor of coffee, a sort of "What goes around comes around."

For a time, those selling coffee looked for ways to make it cheaper, often turning to using less as a solution to not changing prices. But to Dennis Cooper that indicated less pride in the quality being served. However, he said, that has changed to where the coffee being sold is better and being promoted as a good product.

Arlene Mannlein can be reached at amannlein@herald-review.com or at 421-6976.

Health benefits

While even more studies are being conducted, recent indications are that coffee may be more beneficial to health than has been reported in recent years.

It may even be the health drink of the 21st century, said David Cooper, chief operating officer of Marquis Beverage.

Here are some findings from various studies:

* Coffee may help cut the risk of type 2 diabetes.

* Coffee may help in cutting the risk of colon cancer, help drop the risk of liver cirrhosis, reduce the possibility of gallstones or even cut down on the possibility of developing Parkinson's disease.

* Coffee may - or may not - increase the risk of heart disease.

* Coffee can be a source of antioxidants (which protect from toxic free radicals). But it also appears, as some studies indicate, that the decaffeination process might remove those antioxidants.

* Coffee - actually the caffeine in it - can raise blood pressure.

* In terms of health benefits, drink coffee black; it's 2 calories per cup but only if no sugar, cream, powdered creamers or coffee flavorings are added.

As with all things, moderation is suggested.

- Sources: men.webmd.com; mayoclinic.com; Andrew L. Rubman, director of Southbury (Conn.) Clinic for Traditional Medicines.

Recipes

Coffee recipes

While coffee can stand alone as a beverage of choice, it can also be the basis of other recipes. Here are some coffee-based recipes.

Christmas Coffee

Brew a 10-cup pot of coffee.

Stir the following ingredients together in small saucepan.

1 /2 cup granulated sugar

1 /4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 /4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 /3 cup water

Over medium heat, boil for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add coffee, stir and serve immediately. Stir again if served later. Serve with whipped topping, milk and sugar.

Source: www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/

Mexican Coffee

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 /2 teaspoon dried orange peel

1 /4 teaspoon cinnamon

Reddi-whip topping

Hot coffee

Cinnamon stick and fresh orange peel for garnish

Put sugar, peel and cinnamon in an 8-ounce heatproof cup. Fill cup half full with Reddi-whip. Add boiling hot coffee to fill cup and stir to blend. Garnish with cinnamon stick and strip of fresh orange peel.

Makes 1 cup.

Source: www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/

Iced Coffee Latte

1 /2 cup boiling water

1/3 cup instant coffee granules

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

2 cups cold water

1 quart chocolate milk

Put water in small bowl and microwave until water just about boils. Add coffee granules and whisk until dissolved. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk until fairly smooth. Add cold water and whisk again until well blended. Measure chocolate milk into pitcher and add coffee mixture. Stir until well mixed. Chill several hours if possible and serve over ice. Mix before each pouring.

For an interesting twist, add some of your favorite flavors (hazelnut, almond, etc.).

Source: www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/

Russian coffee

1 /2 cup ground chocolate

4 tablespoons sugar

Dash salt

1 cup water

3 cups milk

2 cups hot strong coffee

Sugar

Ice cream

Mix chocolate, sugar, salt and water in a saucepan; cook, stirring constantly about 2 minutes or until smoothly blended. Add milk and heat just to boiling point; cool. Sweeten coffee to taste with sugar; cool. Mix the chocolate and coffee together; chill thoroughly.

For each serving, put two big spoonfuls of vanilla, chocolate or coffee ice cream in a chilled tall glass. Fill with the coffee-chocolate mixture and serve at once with straws and spoons.

Source: www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/

Caf© au Lait

2 cups milk

1 /3 to 1 /2 cup cream

4 to 6 cups Luzianne coffee with chicory or CDM coffee with chicory, strongly brewed

Combine milk and cream in a saucepan. Bring just to a boil (bubbles will form around the edges of the pan). Remove from heat. Pour a little coffee in each of four mugs or coffee cups. Then pour coffee and steamed milk together until cups are ¾-inch filled.

Makes 6 to 8 cups.

NOTE: Skim milk can be substituted for milk and cream.

Source: www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/

Frozen Black Coffee

2 1 /2 cups strong black coffee

1 1 /4 cup basic sugar syrup (recipe follows)

Basic Chantilly cream (recipe follows)

Combine coffee and syrup, mixing well. Pour into refrigerator tray and freeze until icy crystals form. Dip the edges of tall glasses in cold water and then into sugar to frost. Spoon the coffee mixture into the glasses and top with Chantilly Cream. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Basic sugar syrup: Place 6 cups water and 8½ cups sugar in a large pot over low heat. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Raise to a slow rolling boil, then reduce temperature and simmer for 3 minutes. Chill, bottle and store.

Basic Chantilly cream: Whip 1 cup whipping cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating in gently. Whip cream. Add 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating in gently. Add 1 teaspoon apricot or peach brandy (optional) a small amount at a time. Fold in 1 stiffly beaten egg white gently but thoroughly.

Source: www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/

Coffee Liqueur

1 1 /2 cups sugar

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 cups water

1 /2 cup instant coffee granules

3 cups vodka

1 /4 cup whole coffee beans

Combine both sugars and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until sugars dissolve. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coffee granules. Let cool. Combine coffee mixture, vodka and coffee beans; pour into 1-gallon jar. Cover tightly and store in a dark place at room temperature for at least 2 weeks. Shake jar gently once daily.

Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer lined with two layers of cheesecloth into jars, discarding coffee beans. Cover tightly. Store at room temperature.

Use in beverages, eggnogs or cake fillings and batters.

Source: www.recipezaar.com

Coffee-Flavored Liqueur II

3 cups white sugar

4 cups water

1 /4 cup instant coffee granules

1 (750-milliliter) bottle vodka

1 vanilla bean

In saucepan, combine sugar, water and instant coffee. Bring to a boil and let simmer gently for 1 hour. Remove from heat and cool completely. When mixture is cool. Stir in vodka. Place vanilla bean in a bottle and fill with coffee/vodka mixture. Allow liqueur to set for 4 to 6 weeks after preparation.

Source: allrecipes.com

Thai Coffee

2 tablespoons ground coffee beans

1 /4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Water

2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Place coffee and cardamom in coffee filter. Use enough water to make 2 cups of coffee; brew. Pour coffee in 2 cups and stir milk into each cup. Serve.

Source: allrecipes.com

Coffee Frappe

18 crushed ice cubes

7 ounces coffee, double strength and chilled

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons syrup (vanilla, hazelnut, raspberry, etc.)

Whipped cream (garnish)

Place ice, coffee, sugar and syrup in a blender. Blend until the frappe is smooth. Pour into large tall glass. Garnish with a drollop of whipped cream.

Source: www.recipezaar.com