Archive for January, 2006

Tales from a World Coffee Judge Instaurator talks about his

Thursday, January 26th, 2006

Tales from a World Coffee Judge

Instaurator talks about his visit to Papua, New Guinea, one of the last frontiers of quality coffee, where he discovered much more than just superstar coffees.
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How to Use a Pour Over Brewer

Want to make the perfect cup of drip brewed coffee? You don’t need no fancy $150 digital wunderkind - a simple $4 manual drip pourover device will do the trick!
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History of Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate didn’t start out as the sweet and creamy drink you know and love. The Atzecs first drank chocolate cold, mixed with wine and spiked with chili peppers. It has evolved and changed over the centuries into what we…

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Gourmet Coffee Beans

Thursday, January 26th, 2006

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 is a common agricultural product of many tropical countries. There are two main species of coffee plant Arabica and Robusta. Gourmet coffee beans are mostly Arabica because of their superior flavor and smoothness. Many blends, however, include Robusta coffee beans to give an edge to the coffee.

After the coffee is picked, it must be roasted. Roasting makes the green coffee beans expand in size and changes their color to a light to dark brown. Lighter roasts reveal more of the flavor of gourmet coffee beans, while darker roasts take on the flavor of the roasting process itself. After roasting the coffee should be kept in vacuum packed containers to minimize flavor loss.

Gourmet coffee beans must be ground to the correct fineness to bring out the most taste. Generally speaking, a fine grind will result in a full-bodied cup of coffee, but coarse grinds are used when making coffee with coarse filters like the French cafetiere.

Once the coffee has been ground, there are many ways to brew a cup of coffee. No matter whether you prefer espresso, drip, perked, or pressed, you need to start with high-quality gourmet coffee beans to get a good cup of coffee.

You can buy gourmet coffee beans in many types of blends. Most blends are a mixture of dark and light roast coffee beans and can be ground to suit the type of coffee maker you use. Freshness is important when making good-quality coffee. Fresh ground coffee beans will give you the best tasting cup of coffee.

About the Author

Ross is author of
the Coffee
Specials and Gourmet Basket section at Steaks-Guide.com

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Missing the perks, retired soldiers open coffee business (The Herald-Sun)

Wednesday, January 25th, 2006

Missing the perks, retired soldiers open coffee business (The Herald-Sun)
One of the perks of being in the Special Forces is the coffee. Former Sgt. 1st Class Mike Birky remembers the espressos he enjoyed in Bangkok cafes while he was in the 1st Group of the elite Army unit. Retired Sgt. Maj. Ron Baldwin can’t even pick a favorite cup among the hundreds he drank during missions in Colombia, Honduras and Ecuador.

History of the Coffee House
Today, the idea of a coffee house usually brings to mind a cozy place that serves gourmet coffee and espresso drinks, with couches to lounge in while you sip. So how did the coffee house get its start? How long…

Kick the Caffeine Habit With a Coffee Substitute (Newhouse News Service)
It’s the caffeinated coffee conundrum: If you didn’t drink coffee you’d sleep better and be more awake in the morning so you wouldn’t need to drink coffee in the morning to be more awake.

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Fresh Gourmet Coffee

Wednesday, January 25th, 2006

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.

Luckily, it’s easy to get a hit of fresh gourmet coffee almost everywhere. There are coffee shops on almost every street corner and quality coffee beans are sold in many specialty shops as well as supermarkets.

Fresh is the key to fresh gourmet coffee. Coffee simply does not improve with age — it should be used within six months of production. Some of the large coffee distributors include old coffee beans in their mixes to reduce the cost. Needless to say, this practice also reduces the flavor.

Fresh gourmet coffee costs a bit more than regular supermarket coffee. That’s because it’s made from high quality Arabica coffee that has been hand-picked in processed. Commercial grade coffee is made from the cheaper Robusta coffee which has an inferior taste and texture than Arabica.

Commercial grade coffee is also machine picked and processed which means that foreign substances such as twigs and leaves find their way into the finished product. When you buy fresh gourmet coffee, you are assured of the quality and taste.

You have many choices when it comes to fresh gourmet coffee. Each coffee growing region produces a uniquely flavored coffee bean and the processing method to also determines the final taste of the coffee. The roasting method in particular determines the kind of coffee taste.

Fresh gourmet coffee should be ground just before brewing. You need a coffee grinder in your home if you want to the best tasting coffee possible. A good-quality coffee maker is also a necessity when making great tasting coffee.

About the Author

Ross is author of
the Coffee
Specials and Gourmet Basket section at Steaks-Guide.com

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Don Veitia coffee recipe

Tuesday, January 24th, 2006

*******Don Veitia recipe***********

Don Veitia Dolce Cafe
Delightful sweet coffee

1 oz. of espresso Don Veitia
oz. of caramel syrup
1 table spoon of sweet condensed milk
3 oz. of steamed milk

Mix the espresso Don Veitia with the caramel syrup and the table spoon of sweet condensed milk. And finally fill the rest of with steamed milk.
You will delight with a sweet and tasty gourmet Don Veitia Coffee.

About the Author

None

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An Espresso Machine for Any Budget If you’re thinking about

Tuesday, January 24th, 2006

An Espresso Machine for Any Budget
If you’re thinking about buying someone an espresso machine for Christmas this year, there are models for any budget. You don’t have to spend a fortune for a machine. You can find espresso machines under $100 or up to $1000…

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Coffee - A Healthy Blend

Monday, January 23rd, 2006

Coffee A Healthy Blend

Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that fix in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it s comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you.

Recent studies have shown that moderate coffee drinking can reduce the risk of colon cancer (due to it s ability to keep you regular), gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver and more, due to the fact the it is loaded with healthy antioxidants. So loaded, that studies have implied that coffee contains higher levels of antioxidants compared to other commonly consumed beverages, such as tea and fruit juice.

Several studies are also being conducted on Parkinson s and diabetic Patients. Research has shown that just one cup of coffee per day can halve your risk of Parkinson s, the brain disease that causes tremors and affects movement. Caffeine may protect the brain cells typically lost to Parkinson s disease. However, it has been noted that women on hormone therapy do not seem to benefit. It is felt that Estrogen may dilute the effectiveness of caffeine. It has also been found that if a woman drinks three cups of coffee a day, she can reduce her risk of Type 2 Diabetes by twenty to thirty percent. Coffee may help promote the delivery of insulin to the tissues. Experts believe that coffee s antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine acid, deserve the credit. There are also on going studies that are producing favorable reports on coffee helping to fight Alzheimer s due to the caffeine stimulating the cognitive area of the brain. This is just the tip of the ice berg.

People with asthma who drink coffee can have up to 25 percent fewer symptoms because one of the compounds in coffee - theophylline - acts as a bronchodilator.
A recent Brazilian study showed that consumption of coffee promotes better sperm mobility - and now studies are in progress to determine whether caffeine can help infertile men.
Coffee contains polyphenols, substances that may reduce the risk of cancer and coronary artery disease.

The list goes on, and on

Caffeinated coffee, as opposed to decaffeinated coffee, makes you a better thinker. Studies have shown that coffee keeps you focused, particularly when you are doing not-so-pleasant work. A researcher with the U.S. Army stated caffeine improved scores on a range of cognitive tasks, such as decision making, learning, and attention in the sleep-deprived. Coffee can also boost your mood, probably by making you feel more energetic.

Although coffee is showing more favorable benefits in researcher s eye, there are still people that although they love to drink coffee dread the indigestion, heartburn and upset stomach that regular coffee can cause, due to the high level of acid is some types of coffees. Some coffee merchants are figuring this out and finding new ways to promote a healthy blend. At Hotcoffeepress.com you can find a coffee blend appropriately named, Mind Your Tummy Blend, that is a custom blend of the finest low acid coffee beans, perfect for those with sensitive stomachs and perfectly balanced for all. It is worth a try at $9.75 for a full one-pound bag if you would love to bring your morning coffee back in your life.

About the Author

Owner & Director of Hotcoffeepress.com, a website which sells gourmet coffee, cheesecake, accessories and more.

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Saeco Via Veneto, Alexandre Enkerli Bottom Line: Great learner tool

Monday, January 23rd, 2006

Saeco Via Veneto, Alexandre Enkerli
Read review by Alexandre Enkerli

Bottom Line: Great learner tool if bought on the cheap.
Read review…

Coffee shop’s staff have fundraising tip (Blyth and Wansbeck Today)
KIND-HEARTED staff at an Ashington coffee shop have been dipping into their own pockets to help save lives. (23/01/2006 08:46:04)

Sisters to open wine, coffee bar on East Market (BizJournals)
A pair of Louisville sisters plan to lend a portion of their names to a restaurant, wine and coffee bar that also will serve as an outlet for cutting-edge art and music.

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Coffee Brewing Tips

Monday, January 23rd, 2006

BREWING TIPS

Everyone has their own way of personalizing coffee, but here are a few basic tips to get started:
Great brewed flavor begins with fresh coffee. When using whole bean coffee, try to grind immediately before brewing. Protect the freshness of whole bean and ground coffees by storing in an airtight container. (Our patented coffee canister is ideal for preserving freshness.)

Always start with fresh, cold water. Since brewed coffee is over 98% water, the quality of water affects flavor. Use bottled or filtered water if tap water is not high quality.

The proportion of coffee to water is very important. We recommend using two tablespoons for every six ounces of water to extract the full flavor of our coffees. If your brewed coffee tastes too strong, add small amounts of hot water to taste. Using too little coffee can result in over-extraction of the coffee and bitterness in the cup. Using a coffee scoop will ensure your accuracy.

Check the water temperature of your brewing equipment. Ideal brew temperature of water is 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit. When using a french press, or plunge pot, water should be heated in a kettle and poured just off-boil. Boiling water should never come in contact with the coffee grounds.

Coffee is best if served immediately after brewing, and will retain its peak flavor for up to 20 minutes on the warmer. We recommend you transfer your brewed coffee to a thermal carafe to hold for a longer period of time.

Don t forget to take care of your equipment! A clean coffee brewer is critical to great tasting coffee. Periodically, use a mild detergent or baking soda to remove build-up, film and oil.

About the author:

If you are a coffee lover you may find interest in www.the-coffee-spot.com

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Starbucks Succeeds with Drive-Thru Coffee (Convenience Store News) SEATTLE –

Sunday, January 22nd, 2006

Starbucks Succeeds with Drive-Thru Coffee (Convenience Store News)
SEATTLE — The world’s largest specialty coffee chain once shunned the drive-thru concept, fearing it might alienate customers who like to come inside and have their coffee while listening to music in cozy chairs.

Blooming Display Tea
Adagio has done it again. These creative tea folks have created a novel tea product that blooms right in your cup. These hand-wrapped tea balls will slowly open as they steep to reveal a flower inside. Are these as interesting…

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Inside The Bean

Archive for January, 2006

Tales from a World Coffee Judge Instaurator talks about his

Gourmet Coffee Beans

About the Author

Missing the perks, retired soldiers open coffee business (The Herald-Sun)

Fresh Gourmet Coffee

About the Author

Don Veitia coffee recipe

About the Author

An Espresso Machine for Any Budget If you’re thinking about

Coffee - A Healthy Blend

About the Author

Saeco Via Veneto, Alexandre Enkerli Bottom Line: Great learner tool

Coffee Brewing Tips

Starbucks Succeeds with Drive-Thru Coffee (Convenience Store News) SEATTLE –

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