Favorite Coffee Brews

My Four Favorite Brews in order:

Latte - espresso and steamed milk. steaming of the milk makes it a little sweet and keeps the drink warm
Americano - espresso and hot water. like brew coffee but much richer
Macchiato - espresso with a dash of steamed milk. a minature desert version of the latte
Mocha - a latte with a little mocha added. when you want something a little different and the extra pounds don't matter

Roasting levels can be briefly defined by these four categories:

Light - After several minutes the beans “pop” or "crack" and visibly expand in size. This stage is called first crack. American mass-market roasters typically stop here. Dry Lighter-bodied, higher acidity, no obvious roast flavor
Medium – After a few short minutes the beans reach this roast, which U.S. specialty sellers tend to prefer. Sweeter than light roast; more body exhibiting more balance in acid, aroma, and complexity. Smoother than the traditional American "medium" roast, but may display fewer of the distinctive taste characteristics of the original coffee.
Full Roast - After a few more minutes the beans begin popping again, and oils rise to the surface. This is called second crack. Somewhat spicy; complexity is traded for heavier body/mouth-feel. Aromas and flavors of roast become clearly evident.
Double Roast – After a few more minutes or so the beans begin to smoke. The bean sugars begin to carbonize. Very oily Smokey-sweet; light bodied, but quite intense. None of the inherent flavors of the bean are recognizable.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_roasting)

Favorite Link: The Coffee Geek goes into great detail on ways to enjoy the creation of great coffee drinks
http://coffeegeek.com/guides/popperroasting