Saturday, July 19, 2008

Coffee club membership is a joy for coffee lovers The coffee club concept is relatively new but is taking the world by storm. Reward yourself or your friends and relatives with coffee clubs by joining up and saving loads. Each month, you will get a shipment of coffee delivered direct to your door. This is a great way to taste new coffees, sample different varieties, find a brew that you really like and ultimately avoid a trip to the store to buy your favorite coffee. Automatic shipment is very convenient, especially if you like your coffee first thing in the morning because this means you will never run out when you need it the most. Clubs are now springing up all over America and different clubs have different offerings so it is easy to find one that suits you. Most clubs offer a coffee of the month and/or your choice of flavors. With flavors you can choose what coffee you want delivered each month, or allow the company to surprise you. Depending on the club, it could be your favorite flavor, or a different flavor every month. Amounts vary from company to company also. Usually it is one pound per month, but you can order more if you desire. Some clubs even offer newsletter subscriptions with informative articles about the month's featured coffee as well as coffee recipes and helpful hints about coffee making and removing coffee stains. When you join one of these clubs, you are also usually entitled to a members-only discount. If the company has a sale or special offering, generally the club members will be the first to hear about it through the newsletter. In addition to coffee, gourmet coffee clubs sometimes include extras like coffee mugs or books with coffee recipes in them. With clubs, the membership terms are usually fairy flexible. You can usually choose the length of your club membership, from three to twelve months, whether you want whole beans or ground, the type of grind you would like and finally, you can choose flavored or regular, caffeinated or decaf coffee. The choices are endless and are designed to cater specifically for each person's tastes. This is more work for the club but at the end of the day is done to induce you to buy more coffee. An idea for a coffee gift is a coffee club membership. This is where you purchase a subscription for a coffee of the month club, and your recipient gets coffee delivered to them each month. Gourmet coffee clubs make a great gift idea for holidays, birthdays, or as thank you gifts. you are looking for a unique business gift, think about giving a coffee club subscription. Most people appreciate a good cup of coffee; it is enjoyed around the world. This is one gift that transcends borders. Your recipient will like the convenience of having the coffee delivered on schedule, without having to reorder all the time. If you give a club subscription as a gift, you will be able to send a gift card or letter to your recipient, notifying them of your gift membership. RELATED ARTICLES Are Coffee Enemas The Real Thing? Coffee enemas detoxify the liver, as well as cleans the colon. Some people claim that they provide immediate relief to toxicity symptoms, such as congestion, indigestion, pain and headaches. English Coffee With English Tea being a very familiar term, English coffee may seem as contrary a term as Arctic bananas; however, England's impact on the coffee trade and the world of business is undeniable. The history of English coffee began in 1650 at Oxford University when a Lebanese immigrant opened the first coffeehouse on campus. The Great Bean Mystery - Find the World?s Best Coffee Who doesn't love solving a good mystery? Is the Loch Ness monster real? Who built Stonehenge? Does Big Foot really exist? What is the world's best coffee? While you may need to be an expert to solve the first three, no advanced degree or special knowledge is required to unravel one of the greatest mysteries of the 21st century: What is the world's best coffee? Those Elusive Coffee Beans! With the spread of various coffee beans into our lives, it can be more and more difficult to discern what you're buying at the market. And that's not surprising given the sheer numbers game. How To Clean A Coffee Maker Ever wonder how to clean a coffee maker the right way? Drip coffee makers need to be cleaned at least once a month to keep your coffee tasting good. The History Of Coffee Coffee - THE Drink of Choice Coffee and Depression: Coffee as an Antidepressant? When you grab that morning cup of java, you're probably not thinking of it as an antidepressant. You're just trying to get that morning pick me up to get your day going. Does Coffee Make You Fat or Help with Diabetes? Who the heck knows? Coffee Club Membership Is A Joy For Coffee Lovers Coffee club membership is a joy for coffee lovers The coffee club concept is relatively new but is taking the world by storm. Reward yourself or your friends and relatives with coffee clubs by joining up and saving loads. Each month, you will get a shipment of coffee delivered direct to your door. This is a great way to taste new coffees, sample different varieties, find a brew that you really like and ultimately avoid a trip to the store to buy your favorite coffee. Automatic shipment is very convenient, especially if you like your coffee first thing in the morning because this means you will never run out when you need it the most. History of Instant Coffee Mention instant coffee to any connoisseur and you are sure to get a frown of disgust. Yet, who among us hasn't, after finding the coffee tin empty, scoured the cupboard in desperation with hopes of finding a long since misplaced jar or 'hotel packet' of instant coffee? And, after sighing in relief, relished in amazement that it is still good after all those years of obscurity, abandonment and outright neglect on the dusty top shelf at the back of the pantry. You haven't? Well maybe I just like to live dangerously. Coffee ?Nectar of the gods About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd and his flock came across a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual berry. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner. Not only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be extremely hyperactive. Now being a little weary and extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and see if the end results would be the same for him as they had been for his flock. To his pleasant surprise the shepherd began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. After a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who,after being informed of the plants amazing qualities proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon his journey but not before he had added a little something to his backpack and supplies. Portrait of a Barista The barista is the Italian word for the skilled person who prepares coffee (ultimately espresso) in a coffee house. Buy Only Fresh Gourmet Coffee Beans if You are Looking to Brew Flavorful Gourmet Coffee Most coffee beans are grown in sub-tropical climates all over the world. The altitude and region can make a world of difference in the taste of your coffee. The higher grown the coffee plant the better flavored coffee bean you'll get. The fruit of the coffee plant can only be picked when it is perfectly ripe, not too early and not too late. What this means is a year round supply of ripe coffee beans giving you the best quality and most flavorful coffee all the time. Ethiopian Coffee Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, yet it is not a country that comes to mind when the average consumer thinks of coffee. The South American countries are much more synonymous with coffee production but coffee did not come to these countries until the early 1700's, nearly a thousand years after it was discovered. As legend has it, Ethiopian coffee was originally discovered around 600 A.D. by a young boy tending goats. It is not known when the name coffee was applied to the strange plants but an interesting legend places it around 900 A.D. Who is Juan Valdez? Juan Valdez is a fictitious character who was created in 1959 to represent the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Columbia, founded in 1926. Cappuccino Secrets: Creating the Perfect Foam Here is an article that tells the secret of creating the perfect foam with steamed milk for making a wonderful cappuccino. As you'll see creating the perfect foam isn't as easy as it may seem ... 11 Effects of Caffeine on The Body Caffeine is big business. There are new coffee shops popping upall over the place. You can't go far without running into aStarbucks. "Let's get together for coffee. Time for a coffeebreak. Coffee pot goes off before my feet hit the floor. Travelmugs for sipping coffee on your way to work. I'll just have thischocolate bar to pick me up this afternoon." Caffeine - It'severywhere! It's everywhere! Coffee Drink Basics When you enter a coffee house, you have a multitude of drink choices like latt, cappuccino, straight shot and caff mocha just to name a few. Coffees of India India produces two fine coffees, but even among coffee devotees ? at least in America ? they remain relatively unknown and un-drunk. That's too bad. They deserve to be extolled for the romance attached to them, if nothing else; happily, they also taste pretty good as well. Which Coffees are Highest in Antioxidants? As researchers learn more about antioxidants with health and disease, they increasingly find themselves drawn to their influence on overall health. With them becoming an ever larger realm of study, people are looking for new ways to obtain high levels for them to be beneficial.
Wagan Personal Mini Coffee Maker

Friday, July 18, 2008

It wasn't until I moved to the US that I started drinking coffee regularly and became what they call in the Netherlands a 'koffieleut', which translates literally into 'coffee socialite.' Although the average European drinks more coffee per year than the average American, the cultural importance and its effects on the average European seems to me smaller than that on the average American. After all, coffee is a cultural obsession in the United States. Chains with thousands of branches like Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks dominate US daily street life. Especially in the morning (90% of coffee consumed in the US is in the morning), millions of white foamy cups with boldly imprinted pink and orange logos bob across the streets in morning rush hour and on the train. Coffee drive-ins are a saving grace for the rushing army of helmeted and tattooed construction workers. During lunch break, men and women in savvy business suits duck into coffee shops. Students chill out from early afternoon till late evening on comfy couches at coffee lounges around campus. Police officers clutch coffee cups while guarding road construction sites on the highway. In short, coffee drinkers in the United States can be found just about anywhere you go. This mass-psychotic ritual causes Americans to associate Europe above all with cars that oddly do not contain cup holders (to an American this is like selling a car without tires), or with the unbelievably petite cups of coffee European restaurants serve, so small that my father-in-law had to always order two cups of coffee. It is my strongest conviction that the easily agitated and obsessed nature of the 'New Englander' can be blamed on the monster-size cups of coffee they consume. Not without reason is the word 'coffee' derived from the Arab 'qahwa' meaning 'that which prevents sleep.' Arabs have cooked coffee beans in boiling water since as far back as the 9th century and drank the stimulating extract as an alternative to the Muslims' forbidden alcohol. These days coffee is second only to oil as the most valuable (legally) traded good in the world with a total trade value of $70 billion. Interestingly, only $6 billion reaches coffee producing countries. The remaining $64 billion is generated as surplus value in the consumption countries. Small farmers grow 70% of world coffee production. They mainly grow two kinds of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. About 20 million people in the world are directly dependent on coffee production for their subsistence. Table 1: production in 2002/3 country % 70% Arabica 30% Robusta Brasil 42.03% Arab/Rob Colombia 8.88% Arabica Vietnam 8.35% Robusta Indonesia 4.89% Rob/Arab India 3.74% Arab/Rob Mexico 3.54% Arabica Guatemala 3.1% Arab/Rob Uganda 2.53% Rob/Arab Ethiopia 2.44% Arabica Peru 2.24% Arabica Table 2: consumption in 2001/2world consumption % kg per capita (2001) USA 30.82% Finland 11.01 Germany 15.07% Sweden 8.55 Japan 11.47% Denmark 9.71 France 8.89% Norway 9.46 Italy 8.59% Austria 7.79 Spain 4.90% Germany 6.90 Great-Brittain 3.63% Switzerland 6.80 the Netherlands 2.69% the Netherlands 6.48 Although the consumption of coffee per capita in the world is decreasing (in the US alone it decreased from 0.711 liter in 1960 to 0.237 liter presently), world consumption is still increasing due to the population explosion. Considering that coffee consists of either 1% (Arabica), 2% (Robusta) or 4.5%-5.1% (instant coffee) caffeine, the average American consumes at least 200 to 300mg (the recommended maximum daily amount) of caffeine a day through the consumption of coffee alone. The place I frequent to down a cup of coffee is the Starbucks in Stamford, Connecticut. The entrance can be found on the corner of Broad Street and Summer Street, to the left to the main public library with its plain pediment and slim Ionic columns. The location right next to the library harmonizes with Starbuck's marketing plan. At the entrance of the coffee shop a life-size glass window curves around to the left, providing superb voyeuristic views of pedestrians on the sidewalk. As you enter, you step directly into the living room area with stacked bookshelves against the back wall. Velvet armchairs face each other with small coffee tables in the middle, creating intimate seating areas. The velvet chairs near the window are the prime seats, which people unfortunate to score a wooden chair prey upon. At the back of the long rectangular room is the coffee bar and a small Starbuck's gift shop. There is a dark wooden table with electrical outlets suited for spreading out laptops and spreadsheets, dividing the living room area from the coffee bar. Since I have been cranky for weeks I hesitate to order a regular black coffee. It is very easy to get cloyed with a favorite food or drink in the US because of the super-sized portions served. The smallest cup of coffee is a size 'tall' (12oz.=0.35l.), after which one can choose between a 'grande' (16oz.=0.5l.) and a 'venti' (20oz.=0.6l.). Half a liter of coffee seems a bit over the top, and it sounds absolutely absurd to my European mind. I finally end up choosing a 'solo' espresso. Sitting in one of the booth-like seats against the back wall, unable to obtain a prime seat, I feign to read my book while eavesdropping on conversations around to me. Three middle-aged men sit in three ash gray velvet chairs and converse loudly. A vivid dialogue develops, exchanged with half roaring, half shrieking, laughter. They mock a colleague in his absence and then clench their brows in concern while discussing the teeth of one of the men's daughter. Two African-American women sit at a small table opposite the reading-table in the murky light, one of them with a yellow headscarf with black African motifs. Close to the entrance, in the seating area next to the animated conversation, a vagabond is playing solitaire. One by one he places the creased cards with rounded backs over one another, as if he attempts to stick them together. He rendered a couple of dollars in exchange for a small coffee to feel, in the warmth of the front room, nostalgia for a cozy living room and relives a sense of intimacy of having your own house. It's a bright, sunny, early autumn day, a typical New England Indian summer. Sunbeams radiate through the coloring, flickering foliage, and throw a puzzle-shaped shadow into Starbuck's window. Autumn's hand turns her colorful kaleidoscopic lens. The green ash tree near the sidewalk resembles, with its polychrome colors, somewhat a bronze statue: its stem sulphur bronze, its foliage intermittently copper green and ferric-nitrate golden. On the other side of the cross walk the top of a young red oak turns fiery red. These are the budding impressions of the autumn foliage for which Connecticut is 'world famous' in the US. In the world of marketing and entrepreneurship, Starbucks is a success story. It is one of those stories of 'excellence' taught as a case study at business school. Founded in 1971, it really began its incredible growth under Howard Schultz in 1985, and presently has 6,294 coffee shops. But what does its success really consists of? A large cup of coffee at Starbucks is much more expensive than at Dunkin' Donuts: $2.69 compared to $3.40 for a Starbucks' 'venti'. But while Dunkin' Donuts offers only a limited assortment of flavors like mocha, hazelnut, vanilla, caramel and cinnamon, you will find exotic quality beans at Starbucks like Bella Vista F.W. Tres Rios Costa Rica, Brazil Ipanema Bourbon Mellow, Colombia Nario Supremo, Organic Shade Grown Mexico, Panama La Florentina, Arabian Mocha Java, Caff Verona, Guatemala Antigua Elegant, New Guinea Peaberry, Zimbabwe, Aged Sumatra, Special Reserve Estate 2003 ? Sumatra Lintong Lake Tawar, Italian Roast, Kenya, Ethiopia Harrar, Ethiopia Sidamo, Ethiopia Yergacheffe and French Roast. So Starbucks offers luxury coffees and high quality coffee dining, reminiscent almost of the chic coffee houses I visited in Vienna. Every now and then, I grin shamefully and think back at my endless hesitation choosing between the only two types of coffee available in most Dutch stores: red brand and gold brand. Even up to this day I have no clue what the actual difference is between the two, apart from the color of the wrapping: red or gold. Not surprisingly, Starbucks appeals to the laptop genre of people: consultants, students, intellectuals, the middle class, and a Starbucks coffee is a white-collar coffee, while a Dunkin' Donuts coffee is a blue-collar coffee. In Dunkin' Donuts you will run into Joe the Plumber, Bob the barber, and Mac the truck driver. But what is it exactly, that attracts the white collared workers in the US to fall back into the purple velvet chairs? I imagine their working days filled with repetitive actions and decisions within a playing field of precisely defined responsibilities. How many of the players in these fields get through the day with its routines for simply no other reason than being able to enjoy their daily 30 minutes-escape into the Starbucks intimacy where, for a brief moment in the day, you regain the illusion of human warmth and exotic associations of resisting the coldness of high finance? For 15 minutes you fall back into the deep, soft pillow of a velvet chair and randomly, and alas how important is that moment of utter randomness, pull a book from the shelves. While, in the background, soothing tones resound of country blues, with its recognition of deep human suffering, a blaze of folk with the primary connection with nature and tradition, or of merengue reviving the passionate memories of adventure and love, you gaze out the window and ponder about that simple, volatile reflection in the moment, strengthened by the physical effect of half a liter of watery coffee that starts to kick in and the satisfaction of chewing your muffin, bagel, cake, brownie, croissant or donut. It is, above all, that bodily ecstasy caused by a combination of caffeine, sugar and the salivating Pavlov effect. You remember the struggling musician behind the counter taking your order, the amateur poet as you pay her for the coffee and give a full dollar tip, feeling a transcendental bound in your flight from reality. You stare with a fastened throbbing of the first gulps of coffee at the advertisements and poems on the bulletin board, and dauntlessly you think: They are right, they are so right! and what do I care? Why should I care? Fuck my boss, fuck the system, fuck everybody!' But then you look at your watch and notice you really have to run again. 'Well, too bad, gotta go!', or people will start gossiping for being so long away from your desk. And while you open the door, an autumn breeze blows in your face, the last tunes of the blues solo die out as the Hammond organ whispers: 'I throw my troubles out the door, I don't need them anymore'. Coffee in the US is a subculture that massively floated to the surface of the consumer's society. Starbucks is more than coffee, it's more than just another brand on the market, it is a social-political statement, a way of perceiving how you would like to live, in other words it is a culture. Starbucks is the alternative to Coca-Cola and so much more than just coffee: it's chocolate, ice-cream, frappuccino, travel mugs with exotic prints, cups and live music, CD's, discounts on exhibitions and even support for volunteer work. RELATED ARTICLES Coffee Cupping For The Fun Of It Coffee cupping is a method to compare the different characteristics of a coffee bean. Cupping lets us compare different coffees against each other to evaluate the uniqueness between them. This information can give us a better understanding of each different region and their basic tastes. Make Money In Your Own Coffee Business A 2001 survey by the National Coffee Association indicated that over 100 million people drink coffee on a daily basis and that nearly 60 million more occasionally consume coffee. Based on average drinking habits, the daily coffee drinker will consume multiple cups per day - totalling hundreds of millions cups of coffee being consumed every 24 hours. Live the Life of a Civil War Soldier When you Drink your Mornin Coffee Civil War soldiers drank from large tin cups. Hot liquidfilled all the way up in a tin cup will burn yer lips. Soldiers needed at least an inch or two at the top. So theywould only fill it two-thirds full and let it cool a littleso they could tolerate it. Don't drink from old tin cupsthat you might find in an antique store. They have leadsolder. Buy a reproduction of one at a Civil War reenactment or from a Sutler who advertises in some of themilitary history magazines. Coffee boilers are large tincups with a handle on them. Some of them even have lids onthem. They hold 22-24 ozs. of liquid. They look like a cup that is a coffee pot. Factors to Consider When Choosing an Espresso Machine Buying an espresso machine is an important decision ? choose a wrong one and you've wasted a few hundred dollars; choose a good one and you will be rewarded for years to come. Getting Fat These Days; Is it Starbucks Starbucks has seen tremendous growth in our cities and the stock is up sharply from its IPO. But for many Americans so is their waist; are you a Starbucks Groupie? Is this fact showing in your body. Are you worried about becoming obese like so many other Americans? Are you already there? Noting is working, you have tried diets, pills and even the hail Marry impossible schemes? If so we may have the answer. Stop filling your gut with foo foo drinks like the Starbucks Frappachinos. Coffee For Your Health Many of us rely on coffee to get us going in the mornings, wake us up in the afternoons, and prepare us for that special business meeting. Go ahead, have a cup of coffee. It's much healthier than you may be thinking right now. Woman Dies from Caffeine Overdose and Expert Calls for Action in New Book and FDA Petition An autopsy released this week has found caffeine to be the cause of death for a woman from New Mexico. The incident took place in June 2004 after she was admitted to a hospital after a fight with her son. The injuries sustained were thought to be the cause of her lapsing into a coma but was later revealed that high amounts of caffeine were found. Coffee and Alzheimers Disease With the American population aging rapidly, diseases that affect the health of the elderly are becoming increasingly important. The prevalence of these conditions is increasing and is costing both insurers and taxpayers billions of dollars each year. One of the most widely-known such conditions is Alzheimers disease, which is a condition that affects the neurological health of the afflicted patient. Several studies have been done recently to determine whether there is a valid link between drinking coffee and reduction in the risk of Alzheimers disease. Mocha Coffee: Learn About the Source and Try Our Recipes for Making Great Mochas Depending on how we look at it, mocha coffee may be the tall drink made of coffee, cocoa and milk, often served with cream or, on the other hand mocha coffee may refer to the source. Coffee Drink Basics When you enter a coffee house, you have a multitude of drink choices like latt, cappuccino, straight shot and caff mocha just to name a few. Does Coffee Make You Fat or Help with Diabetes? Who the heck knows? Specialty Gourmet Coffee Specialty gourmet coffee is a very hot commodity in today's market. The consumption of gourmet coffee has steadily grown with consumers enjoying the more sophisticated tastes of gourmet coffee beans. How to Make Restaurant Quality Coffee At Home Have you ever wondered how restaurants get their coffee to taste so good? Arabica Coffee Beans Are Pricey Yet Priceless! Arabica coffee beans are known for a better-flavored coffee. There are two main species of coffee beans that are grown for sale: Robusta and Arabica. Gourmet coffee houses serve the smooth and very palatable Arabica coffees, while the worst cup of coffee you ever had probably came from a pot of bitter Robusta coffee that had been sitting for hours. Home Coffee Roasting Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference Coffee and Asthma? Here are some facts about the relationship between coffee and asthma. Regular coffee drinkers have about 1/3 less asthma symptoms than those of non-coffee drinkers according to a Harvard researcher who studied 20,000 people. How to Make a Great Tasting Cup of Coffee - Its Not Rocket Science There is good coffee and absolutely abysmal coffee. Both may start with the same elements, but one cup can taste completely different to another. Freshness is the key to great tasting coffee. Here is the play by play smackdown of how to create a fantastic tasting cup of coffee. Coffee Bean Roaster The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a "must have" in today's kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home. Coffee Makers If you are a gourmet coffee drinker, you may want to opt for the convenience of your own coffee maker. After all, who wants to get up early and run out to buy a cup of fresh coffee each and every morning? It is so much more enjoyable to sit and sip your coffee while reading the paper in your robe and slippers.
Tell Tales Camp Caffeine 550 Piece Puzzle

Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Europeans got their first taste of Turkish Coffee, and coffee in general from the Ottoman Turks, who brought coffee to the West. They were great coffee drinkers, both at home and in public houses, the forerunners of our cafs, which started to spring up across the Islamic countries. Turkish coffee became part of the Turks life and was known as the "Wine of Islam" and the "Milk of Chess Players and Thinkers". Turkish coffee is derived from the famous Arabica coffee bean, often the addition of the aromatic Cardamom spice is added to the coffee while it is being ground. Another method boils seeds with the coffee and lets them float to the top when served. Traditionally Turkish Coffee has six levels of sweetness from ranging from very sweet to black. Sugar is not added to the coffee after it has been served. As the coffee begins to heat, it begins to foam. A rule of the traditional Turkish coffee ceremony states that if the foam is absent from the coffee, the host loses face. Turkish coffee is served hot from a special pot called a cezve. You wont need a cezve pot to make this Turkish coffee recipeIn order to make your own brew of "Milk of Thinkers", heat water in a pan, add coffee and sugar to taste. Bring to boil. Pour half of the coffee into demitasse cups and return the remaining coffee to the heat and bring back to boil. Spoon off the foam and gently place into each cup without stirring. You'll need 1 1/2 cups of cold water, 4 teaspoons of strong dark roast coffee and about 4 teaspoons of sugar. You can try adding cardamom if you like the taste. After some experimenting, you'll have an almost authentic Turkish coffee. RELATED ARTICLES Diabetes and the Preventive Power of Coffee! Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most rapidly accelerating diseases today in terms of number of people afflicted. Theories abound as to why this is the case; however, scientists are now looking at new ways to improve the overall health of those both at risk for and suffering from this disease. Gourmet Coffee Beans You can be a coffee lover without knowing much about coffee beans, but learning a little bit about the different types of coffee can help you get the perfect cup every time. There are many types of gourmet coffee beans. The way they have been grown in processed has a huge effect on their taste. Here's a little bit of information for getting the best from your gourmet coffee beans. Coffee Bean Roaster The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a "must have" in today's kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home. Caffeine & Low Birth Weight Babies These studies begin to point the way to the more permanentdamage that coffee drinking can inflict on the unborn. The use of caffeine during pregnancy has been widely studied. There is much evidence to suggest that caffeine is associated with low-birth weight and related problems. Those Elusive Coffee Beans! With the spread of various coffee beans into our lives, it can be more and more difficult to discern what you're buying at the market. And that's not surprising given the sheer numbers game. Starbucks Coffee Company Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by three businessmen in Seattle, Washington who had a love for coffee and tea. It was important to them that the city of Seattle to have access their coffee. 6 Delicious Coffee Recipes Do you love coffee? Most of us do. In this article we will provide you with 6 recipes to enjoy your coffee a different way. We hope you enjoy it. Fresh Gourmet Coffee Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It's rich, full-bodied taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. Of course, coffee is not only loved for its taste. The caffeine kick is needed by many to start the day. But if you are a true coffee lover, fresh gourmet coffee has a taste that can't be beat. Factors to Consider When Choosing an Espresso Machine Buying an espresso machine is an important decision ? choose a wrong one and you've wasted a few hundred dollars; choose a good one and you will be rewarded for years to come. Portrait of a Barista The barista is the Italian word for the skilled person who prepares coffee (ultimately espresso) in a coffee house. The History Of Coffee Coffee - THE Drink of Choice Coffee Roasting De-mystified How many different names have you run across for different types of coffee roasts? Light, Medium, Dark? Espresso? Continental? Vienna, French, Italian, Spanish? City? Full-City? C'mon, who's thinking up these things? What Makes Hawaiian Coffee So Special? Coffee was first introduced to the Islands by Chief Boki, the Governor of Oahu, in 1825. He acquired coffee plants in Rio de Janeiro while aboard a British warship, the H.M.S. Blonde. These first coffee plants were planted in Manoa Valley, on Oahu, where they flourished. From this original planting, coffee trees were introduced to locations around the Islands, including the now famous Kona Coast. Coffee For Your Health Many of us rely on coffee to get us going in the mornings, wake us up in the afternoons, and prepare us for that special business meeting. Go ahead, have a cup of coffee. It's much healthier than you may be thinking right now. Starbucks Product Review Have you had the pleasure of tasting Starbucks new less fattening frappachino? It is a blended coffee drink with quite a reputation for helping you keep the weight off and the extra pounds that Starbucks groupies are complaining about who drink the regular version. Have you tried this new well publicized drink to help you from becoming so fat? The average frappachino drinker appears to be about 20 to 30 pounds over weight by my observations of those in the long lines. Shouldn't you try the newer less fattening drink with the same kick of caffeine but less sugar and chemicals? Well we did. Now we can honestly say, it sucks. It is horrible, watery and a few of the people we talked to said it made them puke. Others simply politely said, "I didn't really like it" along with a sour face of disgust. Arabica Coffee Beans Are Pricey Yet Priceless! Arabica coffee beans are known for a better-flavored coffee. There are two main species of coffee beans that are grown for sale: Robusta and Arabica. Gourmet coffee houses serve the smooth and very palatable Arabica coffees, while the worst cup of coffee you ever had probably came from a pot of bitter Robusta coffee that had been sitting for hours. How to Make a Great Tasting Cup of Coffee - Its Not Rocket Science There is good coffee and absolutely abysmal coffee. Both may start with the same elements, but one cup can taste completely different to another. Freshness is the key to great tasting coffee. Here is the play by play smackdown of how to create a fantastic tasting cup of coffee. Kenya Coffee History In Kenya coffee production dates back several hundred years. Coffee was originally discovered in Ethiopia, Kenya's neighbor to the north. Unfortunately, just as in other coffee growing regions of the world, the coffee trade in Kenya triggered heated and bloody battles over the prime growing lands. The Arabs, who monopolized the coffee trade for several hundred years, killed and enslaved many thousand Kenyans and put them to work in coffee production both in Kenya coffee fields and on Arabian coffee plantations. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Coffee Consumption Coffee is heavily studied, but study results contradict one another. If science says that it is bad for you today, wait a day or two and another study will be published claiming the exact opposite findings. Which Coffees are Highest in Antioxidants? As researchers learn more about antioxidants with health and disease, they increasingly find themselves drawn to their influence on overall health. With them becoming an ever larger realm of study, people are looking for new ways to obtain high levels for them to be beneficial.
Alphabet Mystery Puzzle - E Is For Espresso

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Have you ever wondered how restaurants get their coffee to taste so good? First of all, restaurants are in the business of pampering you so they devote much more time to the perfection of a good cup of coffee. Sometimes I'll remember a restaurant just because of their excellent coffee. So what are their secrets and how can you duplicate this recipe at home? It may surprise you to find out that the French Press brewing method could be the secret in achieving that restaurant quality taste. Most fine restaurants use a press pot, also known as the French Press, which produces an extremely rich cup of coffee. Press pot coffee is coffee steeped for 3-4 minutes between 195 to 205 degrees F. It produces a thicker and much richer taste than an auto-drip machine can produce. A disadvantage of the French Press is it may leave trace amounts of coffee sediment. But the rich taste more than makes up for the small amount of sediment at the bottom of your cup. So first, start off with a quality medium roast coffee, which is what most restaurants use. I can give you a couple of good recommendations. Seattle's Best Breakfast Blend, Starbucks Breakfast Blend or Starbucks Sulawesi Coffee is 3 excellent choices. These are full-bodied coffees yet very smooth tasting. They are some of our best sellers at PerfectCoffees.com and work well for French Press brewing. You want to grind the coffee slightly larger than you would for drip coffee. Too fine of a grind will produce a bitter cup of coffee. If your grind is too coarse, the coffee will taste weak. A quality grinder is the best thing you can do to improve the taste of French press coffee. Remove the plunger from the press pot and put 1 rounded tablespoon of coarse ground coffee per each 6oz. of water into the pot. You can adjust this to your own taste. Coffee is 99% water so use clean filtered or bottled water free from chlorine and other minerals that affect the taste of coffee. Boil the water and remove it from the heat for five minutes before you pour it. This will give you the 195 to 205 degree water that is ideal to brew with. Now pour the 195 to 205 degree water over the ground coffee. Stir the coffee to get total saturation of the grounds then place the plunger on top of the pot and let the coffee steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Depress the plunger slowly to push the grounds to the bottom of the pot. Serve all the coffee in the pot after the 3 to 4 minutes of steeping. Otherwise the coffee will keep getting stronger. If you have any left, you can always transfer it to a clean, preheated air pot or a stainless steel Thermos. This will keep the coffee hot about an hour without hurting the flavor. The French press brewing method definitely takes more time but gives us the result we are looking for. Restaurant quality coffee in the comfort of your own home. RELATED ARTICLES Gourmet Coffee Beans You can be a coffee lover without knowing much about coffee beans, but learning a little bit about the different types of coffee can help you get the perfect cup every time. There are many types of gourmet coffee beans. The way they have been grown in processed has a huge effect on their taste. Here's a little bit of information for getting the best from your gourmet coffee beans. Coffee Commodities and Starbucks If we look at commodity trading from a purely conceptual standpoint, we find that the true reason for having a commodity exchange in the first place, was to stabilize pricing so that the American farmer could have a better idea of what his agricultural product would sell for once the harvest was complete. It also helped manufactures who needed raw materials to know how much money could be charged in their end product, by knowing their costs. A Little Secret Your Dentist Doesnt Want You To Know Most dentist, particular those who specialize in cosmetic dentistry love it when you drink coffee & tea. Why? Your making them wealthy! Because all coffees and teas contain tannic acid. Tannic acid, the bitter compound in coffee and all forms of tea can cause yellow or brown stains when it combines with other particles on your teeth. Gourmet Coffee Habit Costing Consumers as Much as $1,500 Yearly Gourmet coffee consumers rarely consider the cost of their daily coffee in terms of the expense to brew premium whole bean coffee at home (50 cents to 75 cents) with prices of a pound of gourmet coffee beans versus a two or three cup a day ($4.50 to $6.00) coffee drinking habit when purchased at premium coffee houses. A recent Washington Post article discussed Seattle law students spending money from their student loans for Starbucks coffee across the street from the Seattle University School of Law. History of the Coffee and Espresso Machine A large percentage of the population loves to drink both gourmet coffee and espresso drinks. We are all aware of the fact that coffee and espresso provide a boost of energy and they also warm your body up on those cold winter days. Most, however, are not familiar with the history of the coffee and espresso machines, themselves. Without these machines, we probably wouldn't see such a large population that can easily and affordably prepare these common drinks. Extracting the Coffee Flavor The beverage called coffee is the result of mixing dry coffee with water. The combination can be done by one of many methods - ranging from the very simple, with the minimum of equipment - to the use of complex coffee machines which can cost thousands of dollars. Understanding a few facts about coffee brewing can help answer some of the questions which arise when wondering which brewing method to use. Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-Matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than being met in the early a.m. hours by a perfectly brewed pot of coffee. That first cup sets the mood for your entire day, doesn't it? If it's brewed up right, you'll feel that extra zing in your step from morning till night. However, if that first cup is too strong or too weak, too hot or not hot enough, you quickly find yourself spiraling into a first-class coffee crisis. Coffee - Is It The Most Popular Beverage Of All Time? Around 850 A.D it is thought that a lone shepherd and his sheep happened upon a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual berry. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner. Not only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be extremely hyperactive. Now being a little weary and extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and see if the end results would be the same for him as they had been for his flock. To his pleasant surprise the shepherd began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. After a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who,after being informed of the plants amazing qualities proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon his journey but not before he had added a little something to his backpack and supplies. The Best Cup of Drip Coffee Possible With a "good" cup of coffee costing almost as much as a good sandwich these days, more and more people are taking to making their coffee at home from an "old fashioned" drip coffee machine. With the influence of Starbucks and the others out there, people are demanding a better cup of coffee all of the time. This article should help you make the best cup of drip coffee possible. How Is Kona Coffee Different? Like much of Hawaii, Kona offers ideal climate conditions for growing coffee. But there is something different about the Kona coffee cherries produced here that has earned this coffee a worldwide reputation for excellence. It might be the dark rich volcanic soil, which contains a perfect blend of acidity and minerals, and retains just the right amount of water. It could be the dependable cloud cover that rolls in each afternoon, protecting the delicate coffee trees from the glaring afternoon sun. Coffee Storage Myths; Freeze Your Fresh Roasted Coffee & Other Popular Misconceptions So you are finally fed up with that bland black liquid, you once called coffee, brewed from the finest can of generic supermarket grinds. You are financially outraged at the price of a single cup of designer coffee shop coffee. It's now time to take matters into your own hands! Home Coffee Roasting Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference Coffee in America American coffee? Technically there is no such thing, at least none that is grown in North America. There is such a thing as the American coffee consumer which might as well be an institution all their own for it's their money that drives a substantial portion of the market. Brazilian Coffee Adultery, deceit and politics, all the makings of a modern-day best-seller, yet this story is over 250 years old and what ultimately led to brazilian coffee. In 1727 a Brazilian official named Francisco de Melho Palheta was invited to mediate a heated border dispute between French and Dutch Guiana. Both governments were actively growing coffee in Guiana and closely guarded their financial interests by not allowing the exportation of viable coffee seeds. Cappuccino Secrets: Creating the Perfect Foam Here is an article that tells the secret of creating the perfect foam with steamed milk for making a wonderful cappuccino. As you'll see creating the perfect foam isn't as easy as it may seem ... Coffee Cupping For The Fun Of It Coffee cupping is a method to compare the different characteristics of a coffee bean. Cupping lets us compare different coffees against each other to evaluate the uniqueness between them. This information can give us a better understanding of each different region and their basic tastes. Coffee and Asthma? Here are some facts about the relationship between coffee and asthma. Regular coffee drinkers have about 1/3 less asthma symptoms than those of non-coffee drinkers according to a Harvard researcher who studied 20,000 people. Fresh Gourmet Coffee Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It's rich, full-bodied taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. Of course, coffee is not only loved for its taste. The caffeine kick is needed by many to start the day. But if you are a true coffee lover, fresh gourmet coffee has a taste that can't be beat. The History Of Coffee Coffee - THE Drink of Choice Creating the Perfect Foam Most places that serve cappuccinos in the United States have not trained their baristas in the art of properly frothing milk. The foam that they create is usually a dry, tasteless, large celled collection of bubbles that sit on top of the espresso like a meringue.
Hog Wild Fridge-Pins Coffee Bean Edition

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Arabica coffee beans are known for a better-flavored coffee. There are two main species of coffee beans that are grown for sale: Robusta and Arabica. Gourmet coffee houses serve the smooth and very palatable Arabica coffees, while the worst cup of coffee you ever had probably came from a pot of bitter Robusta coffee that had been sitting for hours. If you have been spoiled by the quality coffee served at coffee houses and cafes, you are probably craving the taste of Arabica coffee beans. You can brew fine coffee at home as well; the trick is to use only Arabica coffee beans. Organic coffee beans, grown without the use of artificial fertilizers, allows plantation owners to grow their farms in a sustainable way, without the use of chemicals, thus producing a mild, non acidic coffee bean. You should expect to pay a little more for organic coffee beans, but you can be confident in knowing that you are securing the future of the coffee industry worldwide. Most specialty coffee and tea retail outlets only sell Arabica coffee and beans. On the other hand, the large commercial companies either sell Robusta coffee beans, or a mixture of both types of beans. This is because they are cheaper for the wholesaler and subsequently cheaper for the consumer. Arabica coffee beans produce a stronger-tasting coffee, and actually contain less caffeine than robusta beans. They cost a little more, but are far more satisfying. While many people are only familiar with coffee beans grown in Colombia, they are actually commercially grown in more than 80 countries around the world. Coffee only grows near the equator, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. While it is grown at varying altitudes, experts say that the richest coffee beans are harvested at high altitude plantations. Wholesale coffee suppliers are available via mail-order catalogs or the Internet and can ready to assist you in making your next coffee purchase. Why pay retailers more, when cheaper costing, fresher wholesale coffee beans are available to you? Wholesale coffee bean buying allows you to eliminate the high cost of retail buying and let you purchase the same beans at a much lower cost. A savings of 20-30% over store chain prices can easily be expected. Savings can be more if you just shop around. Wholesale coffee beans are far fresher than those beans that may have been sitting on a dusty store shelf, not for days, but for weeks, sometimes months longer than if you were to buy them direct from a wholesaler. You can be assured of the quality afforded you when you select wholesale coffee beans. Each supplier generally offers a huge selection of beans, bean blends and roasts available. You can order standard size one pound, or two pound packages directly from the wholesaler easier than if you were to pick them from a shelf in your favorite market. Looking for information about Coffee? RELATED ARTICLES Starbucks Coffee Company Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by three businessmen in Seattle, Washington who had a love for coffee and tea. It was important to them that the city of Seattle to have access their coffee. Portrait of a Barista The barista is the Italian word for the skilled person who prepares coffee (ultimately espresso) in a coffee house. Make Money In Your Own Coffee Business A 2001 survey by the National Coffee Association indicated that over 100 million people drink coffee on a daily basis and that nearly 60 million more occasionally consume coffee. Based on average drinking habits, the daily coffee drinker will consume multiple cups per day - totalling hundreds of millions cups of coffee being consumed every 24 hours. Mocha Coffee: Learn About the Source and Try Our Recipes for Making Great Mochas Depending on how we look at it, mocha coffee may be the tall drink made of coffee, cocoa and milk, often served with cream or, on the other hand mocha coffee may refer to the source. A Coffee Roaster For All Occasions Coffee roasters and those who roast, brew and serve the ultimate cup of coffee are now esteemed professionals within the social fabric of our community at large. A good coffee roaster is a little like a celebrity chef these days, complete with loyal followings, highly descriptive reviews and the ability to command premium prices for their products and services. As coffee continues to grow in elevation from merely a mundane beverage to something of art form, a good coffee roaster has begun to take on a glamorous aura. English Coffee With English Tea being a very familiar term, English coffee may seem as contrary a term as Arctic bananas; however, England's impact on the coffee trade and the world of business is undeniable. The history of English coffee began in 1650 at Oxford University when a Lebanese immigrant opened the first coffeehouse on campus. Does Coffee Make You Fat or Help with Diabetes? Who the heck knows? 11 Effects of Caffeine on The Body Caffeine is big business. There are new coffee shops popping upall over the place. You can't go far without running into aStarbucks. "Let's get together for coffee. Time for a coffeebreak. Coffee pot goes off before my feet hit the floor. Travelmugs for sipping coffee on your way to work. I'll just have thischocolate bar to pick me up this afternoon." Caffeine - It'severywhere! It's everywhere! The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Coffee Consumption Coffee is heavily studied, but study results contradict one another. If science says that it is bad for you today, wait a day or two and another study will be published claiming the exact opposite findings. La Minita Coffee ? It?s in the Green Beans La Minita; Spanish for "The Little Gold Mine" says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who's who in the specialty coffee industry as well as by those of us who have access to it in our businesses. Similar to the wine industry, the best coffees are not always the most expensive. There are many factors involved in determining the final price of a coffee, unfortunately the quality of the bean is only one of them. Russian Tea drinking - The beginning It is believed history of Russian tea drinking tradition have began at 1638. Coffee and Alzheimers Disease With the American population aging rapidly, diseases that affect the health of the elderly are becoming increasingly important. The prevalence of these conditions is increasing and is costing both insurers and taxpayers billions of dollars each year. One of the most widely-known such conditions is Alzheimers disease, which is a condition that affects the neurological health of the afflicted patient. Several studies have been done recently to determine whether there is a valid link between drinking coffee and reduction in the risk of Alzheimers disease. Your Kitchen Wants to be Sexy - Top 5 Snazzy, Sexy Coffee Makers that are Sensational When it comes to coffee makers there are thousands to choose from. Among these thousands there are differences in price, functionality, warranty and style. Sure, you can go to the closest big box store and pick one up for about 20-bucks, but generally the machine is just plain boring. Why not spend some more cash for better longevity, better functionality and sexiness-factor? We all like to be sexy, so why not your kitchen? Diabetes and the Preventive Power of Coffee! Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most rapidly accelerating diseases today in terms of number of people afflicted. Theories abound as to why this is the case; however, scientists are now looking at new ways to improve the overall health of those both at risk for and suffering from this disease. 3 Simple Tips For Making Perfect Coffee Want to brew the perfect cup of coffee? Gano Coffee - Can Coffee Be Good For You? Coffee, in all sorts, could be a "pick me up drink " or a " real downer-down the shaft-drink" depending on how the person is affected by it. But, do you know that a single cup of coffee-aside from boosting your alertness, perking you up, and even improving your concentration-can actually lead you to addiction: caffeine addiction. While many people think that drinking coffee is a "healthy" habit, some experts say that it's very important for them to remember that coffee's main ingredient is caffeine-a "drug" that can be abused even in mild dosages. Coffee, Caffeine & Fitness One look at a line at the local Starbucks in the morning and you don't need to be convinced of the huge amount of coffee consumption in the U.S. The National Coffee Association found in 2000 that 54% of the U.S. adult population drinks coffee daily. Guess there's nothing like the first double espresso in the morning to clear the cobwebs from our heads so we can face the day. Coffees of India India produces two fine coffees, but even among coffee devotees ? at least in America ? they remain relatively unknown and un-drunk. That's too bad. They deserve to be extolled for the romance attached to them, if nothing else; happily, they also taste pretty good as well. The History Of Coffee Coffee - THE Drink of Choice Coffee Makers If you are a gourmet coffee drinker, you may want to opt for the convenience of your own coffee maker. After all, who wants to get up early and run out to buy a cup of fresh coffee each and every morning? It is so much more enjoyable to sit and sip your coffee while reading the paper in your robe and slippers.
IZOD Men's American Chino Flat Front Metrix Fit Pant

Monday, July 14, 2008

Many sober, law abiding people who would never dream of knowingly taking a mind- altering drug, actually consume one every day. Chances are that you??re doing it too! What is this drug? Caffeine! Caffeine is so pervasive in our culture and in many other cultures that we often forget it is literally a drug that affects our brain. Caffeine is present in coffee, tea, many cola drinks and over the counter medications. The real question is "is caffeine a bad drug, or is it okay"? Is caffeine even better than "okay"? Does it do good things for us? The verdict on caffeine, particularly when taken in the form of coffee, seems to be mixed. There are nutritional advisers who claim that coffee makes us age faster, wears out our adrenal glands, and causes all sorts of untold damage to our cells. Other researchers claim that coffee, especially if it??s freshly roasted and ground, is full of antioxidants, and therefore good for us. Most doctors say that drinking one or two cups of coffee a day is probably not harmful. And of course there are others who say we ought to avoid caffeine altogether. Many of us feel that we cannot really get going in the morning until we have had our first cup of coffee. We often continue to use it throughout the day whenever our energy appears to be flagging and our brain seems to need additional help to think more clearly. Does caffeine really enhance mental performance, or is that just a myth? Yes, caffeine does give a temporary boost to brain cells. But the amount required to improve mental performance is not very high. Even half a cup of coffee will be enough to give your brain a boost that lasts several hours. Oddly enough, more caffeine is not necessarily better. In one test done when high-level executives were given the equivalent of fourteen cups of coffee in a day, they made their decisions faster, but the decisions were not of very good quality. Not every person reacts to caffeine in the same way. Some people experience greater mental clarity, alertness and productivy after a cup of coffee. Others become jittery, anxious, or depressed. Although caffeine will keep most of us awake if taken at night, it does not have this effect in everyone. In some older people, coffee or tea can improve memory and alertness enough to partly offset the effects of aging. It is true that caffeine is mildly addicting for most people. Some people can quit using caffeine with absolutely no withdrawal symptoms, while others will feel headaches, fatigue, and experience cravings for caffeine for weeks. Caffeine works by blocking one of the neurotransmitters--adenosine - which normally tells brain cells to calm down. Brain cells that have been affected by caffeine will remain excited and on high alert for several hours. The most noticeable negative effect of caffeine is that it can interfere with sleep. In most people, drinking coffee, tea or cola in the late afternoon or in the evening will cause insomnia. The quantity and quality of sleep will be greatly reduced, setting in motion a vicious cycle, where the person affected will feel so tired all the next day that he drinks a lot more coffee in order to try feel awake. If this is happening to you, cut back on the amount of caffeine you consume each day. You may experience fewer withdrawal symptoms if you cut down gradually. You may wish to substitute green tea for some of your cups of coffee. Green tea has some caffeine, but not as much as coffee. Better yet, consider substituting exercise for some of those cups of coffee. If you can??t leave your workplace, at least get up from your chair periodically. Do a few stretches, walk around a bit, and jump up and down a few times. Take some deep breaths. A little exercise break can revitalize your brain without giving you the caffeine jitters. Remember that your brain won't really benefit from more than one or two cups of coffee in a day. RELATED ARTICLES Coffees of India India produces two fine coffees, but even among coffee devotees ? at least in America ? they remain relatively unknown and un-drunk. That's too bad. They deserve to be extolled for the romance attached to them, if nothing else; happily, they also taste pretty good as well. Gourmet Coffee Stops Decrease Gas Mileage;Home Brewed Premium Coffee Reduce Traffic Congestion A researcher has stirred up the commuter coffee mug with the suggestion that morning rush hour traffic is worsened by stops for daily morning gourmet coffee at Starbucks and other premium coffee houses. Nancy McGuckin, a travel behavior analyst, studied a report called "National Household Travel Survey" by the U.S. Department of Transportation as the basis for her provocative conclusions. Live the Life of a Civil War Soldier When you Drink your Mornin Coffee Civil War soldiers drank from large tin cups. Hot liquidfilled all the way up in a tin cup will burn yer lips. Soldiers needed at least an inch or two at the top. So theywould only fill it two-thirds full and let it cool a littleso they could tolerate it. Don't drink from old tin cupsthat you might find in an antique store. They have leadsolder. Buy a reproduction of one at a Civil War reenactment or from a Sutler who advertises in some of themilitary history magazines. Coffee boilers are large tincups with a handle on them. Some of them even have lids onthem. They hold 22-24 ozs. of liquid. They look like a cup that is a coffee pot. Gourmet Coffee Habit Costing Consumers as Much as $1,500 Yearly Gourmet coffee consumers rarely consider the cost of their daily coffee in terms of the expense to brew premium whole bean coffee at home (50 cents to 75 cents) with prices of a pound of gourmet coffee beans versus a two or three cup a day ($4.50 to $6.00) coffee drinking habit when purchased at premium coffee houses. A recent Washington Post article discussed Seattle law students spending money from their student loans for Starbucks coffee across the street from the Seattle University School of Law. Fresh Gourmet Coffee Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It's rich, full-bodied taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. Of course, coffee is not only loved for its taste. The caffeine kick is needed by many to start the day. But if you are a true coffee lover, fresh gourmet coffee has a taste that can't be beat. 3 Simple Tips For Making Perfect Coffee Want to brew the perfect cup of coffee? Buy Only Fresh Gourmet Coffee Beans if You are Looking to Brew Flavorful Gourmet Coffee Most coffee beans are grown in sub-tropical climates all over the world. The altitude and region can make a world of difference in the taste of your coffee. The higher grown the coffee plant the better flavored coffee bean you'll get. The fruit of the coffee plant can only be picked when it is perfectly ripe, not too early and not too late. What this means is a year round supply of ripe coffee beans giving you the best quality and most flavorful coffee all the time. Coffee - Is It The Most Popular Beverage Of All Time? Around 850 A.D it is thought that a lone shepherd and his sheep happened upon a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual berry. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner. Not only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be extremely hyperactive. Now being a little weary and extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and see if the end results would be the same for him as they had been for his flock. To his pleasant surprise the shepherd began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. After a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who,after being informed of the plants amazing qualities proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon his journey but not before he had added a little something to his backpack and supplies. History of Instant Coffee Mention instant coffee to any connoisseur and you are sure to get a frown of disgust. Yet, who among us hasn't, after finding the coffee tin empty, scoured the cupboard in desperation with hopes of finding a long since misplaced jar or 'hotel packet' of instant coffee? And, after sighing in relief, relished in amazement that it is still good after all those years of obscurity, abandonment and outright neglect on the dusty top shelf at the back of the pantry. You haven't? Well maybe I just like to live dangerously. Make the Switch! Coffee to Tea Having a hard time giving up your 4 cups of coffee each day? Evidence shows by switching to tea you can add some significant health benefits. The health benefit of drinking tea is chalked up to one explanation, antioxidants. Research shows that green and black teas have up to 8-10 times the antioxidants as fruits and vegetables which can add significantly to your health. Coffee Cupping For The Fun Of It Coffee cupping is a method to compare the different characteristics of a coffee bean. Cupping lets us compare different coffees against each other to evaluate the uniqueness between them. This information can give us a better understanding of each different region and their basic tastes. Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-Matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than being met in the early a.m. hours by a perfectly brewed pot of coffee. That first cup sets the mood for your entire day, doesn't it? If it's brewed up right, you'll feel that extra zing in your step from morning till night. However, if that first cup is too strong or too weak, too hot or not hot enough, you quickly find yourself spiraling into a first-class coffee crisis. Coffee Drink Basics When you enter a coffee house, you have a multitude of drink choices like latt, cappuccino, straight shot and caff mocha just to name a few. Diabetes and the Preventive Power of Coffee! Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most rapidly accelerating diseases today in terms of number of people afflicted. Theories abound as to why this is the case; however, scientists are now looking at new ways to improve the overall health of those both at risk for and suffering from this disease. Italian Roast Coffee For An Authentic Espresso One of the things people think of with Italy is it's coffee. In fact Italian roast coffee is perfect for bringing a touch of Europe to your home. Can 50 million plus Italians all be wrong? Well, with Italian roast you can't go wrong either. How to Make Restaurant Quality Coffee At Home Have you ever wondered how restaurants get their coffee to taste so good? How To Clean A Coffee Maker Ever wonder how to clean a coffee maker the right way? Drip coffee makers need to be cleaned at least once a month to keep your coffee tasting good. Choosing A Coffee Maker - Tips On Finding The Right Features Choosing a good coffee maker is not a decision to be taken for granted. If you are going to spend money on your favorite coffee, you will want to make sure the coffee maker you choose is of good quality and has the features you want. The majority of coffee makers are generally quite good and you will notice no difference in the taste of your coffee from one brand to another. There are some basic features to look for when choosing a coffee maker and some luxury features that may give you a better tasting cup of coffee Try the Tradition of Turkish Coffee and Taste the Difference The Europeans got their first taste of Turkish Coffee, and coffee in general from the Ottoman Turks, who brought coffee to the West. They were great coffee drinkers, both at home and in public houses, the forerunners of our cafs, which started to spring up across the Islamic countries. Turkish coffee became part of the Turks life and was known as the "Wine of Islam" and the "Milk of Chess Players and Thinkers". Coffee Is A Historic Beverage, And It Makes For A Great Gift Ahhhhh, coffee... a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up in the morning. For some of us, it keeps us up during the day,or for late night study sessions. We drink it out of habit,we drink it from addiction, we drink it for flavor; whateverthe reason, it is surely a popular beverage. So where didthis famed drink come from?
Sunday Afternoons Adventure Sun Hat for Adults

Sunday, July 13, 2008

There are many refreshing iced coffee recipes available, and we have selected some of the most interesting for you. However, my favorite of all it the traditional Italian iced coffee recipe which uses freshly made espresso, a cocktail shaker and ice cubes. In fact, if you ask for an iced coffee in Italy this is the only recipe they will serve. Poured into a cocktail glass, the chilled Italian espresso is second to none. When the heat is on try this traditional Italian iced coffee recipe ... So, how is the Italian iced coffee recipe actually made? Simple, like all good things. Use your espresso machine, if you have one, to make a normal shot for one, two or more servings. Pour the freshly made espresso coffee into the cocktail shaker, add ice cubes (the ice doesn't get poured into the glasses with the coffee, so the flavor isn't diluted), close the shaker and shake like crazy! Pour into cocktail glasses and enjoy. Surprisingly, the iced coffee will not be a dark espresso brown color, but a creamy beige . Here are a few more iced coffee recipes for you to tryBermuda Iced Coffee For this recipe, you'll need coffee, cream, sugar and coffee flavor ice-cream. Pour the coffee, cream, sugar and 1 or 2 scoops of ice-cream into a blender. Blend, and serve cold in glasses or mugs. Tastes great, but if you're on a diet beware. Fresh Lemon Cafe Here you'll need 1/4 cup of coffee to which you add 2 oz of lemon sherbet, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of grated lemon rind and 1 tsp of sugar. Place the contents to your blender and blend until smooth. Serve in chilled glasses. Cinnamon Caramel This recipe has an interesting taste. You'll need about 6 tsp of ground coffee, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup caramel syrup. Prepare a pot of coffee in the usual way, but add the cinnamon to the ground coffee. Add the syrup to the hot coffee and stir until dissolved. Chill the coffee and serve over ice with milk, cream or sugar. For an interesting variation, you could also use this coffee, but chill it in the way of the traditional Italian iced coffee recipe above. Thai Iced Coffee Here's another interesting variation. You'll need strong ground coffee for brewing 4 cups, 4 tsp sugar, 4 tsp heavy cream, 2 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp almond flavoring, crushed ice. Add the cardamom to the ground coffee and brew, when ready add the sugar and almond flavoring, mix well and leave to cool or chill in fridge. Fill four glasses half way with the crushed ice, then add the coffee leaving about an inch or a little more from the rim of the glass. Hold a spoon over the coffee and gently pour the cream over the spoon so that the cream floats on the top of your iced coffee. Well, that's it. These are just a few of the many iced coffee recipes that are available today. Part of the fun is also experimenting. Enjoy. RELATED ARTICLES Coffee Grinders Jumpstart Your Java All the experts agree. People who want the best flavor in their coffee use coffee grinders. Coffee grinders work so well because they unleash the bean oils and aromas right before you make a pot. It's like opening a fresh can of ground coffee each and every time you make some "joe". What is Sustainable Coffee and How Does it Affect My Wake Cup? Gourmet coffee lovers have been seeing a few new terms in thelocal premium coffee shop as they file past the seasonal retaildisplays of roasted whole bean bagged coffees. Phrases includeeco-friendly, organic, shade grown, fair trade and certifiedsustainable. Most often those beans seem to the casual buyer tobe simply more expensive than the corporate mega-brands. Why Your Cup of Coffee in the Morning May Keep You Up All Night One of the most common complaints among coffee drinkers isthat the caffeine can disturb their sleep. This result has been known for thousands of years and is, in fact, one of the reasons why many drink coffee in the first place: to stay awake. How to Make a Great Tasting Cup of Coffee - Its Not Rocket Science There is good coffee and absolutely abysmal coffee. Both may start with the same elements, but one cup can taste completely different to another. Freshness is the key to great tasting coffee. Here is the play by play smackdown of how to create a fantastic tasting cup of coffee. History of Arabian Coffee Arabian coffee is the quintessential coffee of the world. Arabia lends its name to the highest quality coffee plant in the world, Coffea Arabica. Arabian coffee accounts for about 80% of all coffee produced in the world. It prefers higher elevations and drier climates than its cousin C. robusta. Coffee, A Brief Overview The coffee plant has two main species. There is the Coffea Arabica, which is the more traditional coffee and considered to be superior in flavor, and the Coffea Canephora known more commonly as Robusta. Robusta tends to be higher in caffeine and can be grown in climates and environments were Arabica would not be profitable. Robusta is also typically more bitter and acidic in flavor. Because of this Robusta tends to be less expensive. High quality Robusta is also used to blend espresso for more bite, and to lower costs. Arabica Coffee As you may have guessed, Arabica coffee gets its name from Arabia, the land of kings. When it comes to coffee, Arabica is definitely king. As legend has it, a goat herd named Kaldi discovered coffee on the Arabian peninsula around 500-600 A.D. He observed his goats excited behavior after eating the red cherry-like berries of a coffee plant. Coffee, Caffeine & Fitness One look at a line at the local Starbucks in the morning and you don't need to be convinced of the huge amount of coffee consumption in the U.S. The National Coffee Association found in 2000 that 54% of the U.S. adult population drinks coffee daily. Guess there's nothing like the first double espresso in the morning to clear the cobwebs from our heads so we can face the day. Make Money In Your Own Coffee Business A 2001 survey by the National Coffee Association indicated that over 100 million people drink coffee on a daily basis and that nearly 60 million more occasionally consume coffee. Based on average drinking habits, the daily coffee drinker will consume multiple cups per day - totalling hundreds of millions cups of coffee being consumed every 24 hours. Starbucks Coffee Company Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by three businessmen in Seattle, Washington who had a love for coffee and tea. It was important to them that the city of Seattle to have access their coffee. Coffee and Depression: Coffee as an Antidepressant? When you grab that morning cup of java, you're probably not thinking of it as an antidepressant. You're just trying to get that morning pick me up to get your day going. Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee Do you remember your first experience with coffee? I'm sorry to say that I do. All I remember is that it was powdered and freeze dried and worst of all, decaf. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mother and stepfather asking a waitress for Sanka, and explaining to my mother that I'd had it before and avoiding her disapproving stare. What was wrong with a ten year old drinking coffee? It was Sanka for God's sake! Tips For Choosing The Perfect Travel Mug A good travel mug is a must when you need to take your coffee or tea with you on the road. There are many different types of mugs available, so here are a few tips to consider before you purchase one. Starbucks Product Review Have you had the pleasure of tasting Starbucks new less fattening frappachino? It is a blended coffee drink with quite a reputation for helping you keep the weight off and the extra pounds that Starbucks groupies are complaining about who drink the regular version. Have you tried this new well publicized drink to help you from becoming so fat? The average frappachino drinker appears to be about 20 to 30 pounds over weight by my observations of those in the long lines. Shouldn't you try the newer less fattening drink with the same kick of caffeine but less sugar and chemicals? Well we did. Now we can honestly say, it sucks. It is horrible, watery and a few of the people we talked to said it made them puke. Others simply politely said, "I didn't really like it" along with a sour face of disgust. Home Coffee Roasting Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference Coffee is a commodity At Starbucks they obviously need coffee. To insure that they get the coffee at a good price, Starbucks has chosen to buy the coffee fields, rather than pay an advanced contract price for the coffee beans. Just think it's Starbucks was buying coffee from Cuba, and that hurricane that came through Cuba two months ago destroyed all the coffee beans, in this case Starbucks cannot sell you your Latte. That would really piss you off. Starbucks knows that if they piss you off; you may never come back again. Also if Starbucks kept raising and lowering the price of coffee they sell in the store you might get upset. But since the coffee is a commodity, the price would fluctuate. And Starbucks knows since they buy so much coffee, that they would have to guarantee they have the coffee, and then they would have to pay a premium price for the contract for coffee. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Coffee Consumption Coffee is heavily studied, but study results contradict one another. If science says that it is bad for you today, wait a day or two and another study will be published claiming the exact opposite findings. La Minita Coffee ? It?s in the Green Beans La Minita; Spanish for "The Little Gold Mine" says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who's who in the specialty coffee industry as well as by those of us who have access to it in our businesses. Similar to the wine industry, the best coffees are not always the most expensive. There are many factors involved in determining the final price of a coffee, unfortunately the quality of the bean is only one of them. Coffee Roasting De-mystified How many different names have you run across for different types of coffee roasts? Light, Medium, Dark? Espresso? Continental? Vienna, French, Italian, Spanish? City? Full-City? C'mon, who's thinking up these things? Are Coffee Enemas The Real Thing? Coffee enemas detoxify the liver, as well as cleans the colon. Some people claim that they provide immediate relief to toxicity symptoms, such as congestion, indigestion, pain and headaches.
Azuri Cashmere Pashmina Shawl - 110 Colors