Gourmet Coffee and Coffee Buying Tips

Whilst you are hunting for gourmet coffee or an associated food and drink accessory it is essential that you make use of the large number of articles that are provided on a great many of the coffee related websites or directories, in other words if you are hunting for an italian coffee pot or a german coffee jug then locating some first hand guidance from a coffee professional is bound to supply you with an advantage over other shoppers.

You should be particularly wary if the so called "coffee expert" gives a product guide but also has a buying button on his or her own website, for example if you should find a really hot review on latte coffee and there just happens to be a "purchasing" link then the chances are the expert  who wrote the review is clearly selling coffee products and such under a pretence. The trick is to look at coffee reviews from specialists who are genuinely interested in this specialist sector of coffee.

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Gourmet Coffee – You Can’t Resist The Second Cup

Could you ever resist the craving to have a second cup of that beautiful, strongly aromatic and lazily steaming cup of coffee? Perhaps no one can do it. A passionate Gourmet’s delight, freshly brewed, thick and dark brown and irresistible coffee just brightens up your day like no other drink or anything else can do.

Why Is Gourmet Coffee So Special
One might be tempted to ask why gourmet coffee is so special. Well, here is the answer. For starters, gourmet coffee is always made by high quality fresh Arabica coffee beans which are always hand picked unlike other commercial coffees which are mostly machine graded. Hand picking of coffee beans eliminate chances for dirt such as twigs, leaves etc to sneak in and spoil your coffee.

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From Grinders To Cups: Your Guide To Buying Coffee Equipment Online

As well as a basic straightforward espresso machine, there are lots of pieces of ancillary equipment that you can buy to help you produce the very best coffee possible. Buying these useful items online has huge advantages: it can save you lots of time, you can easily find the very best deals and you can have the equipment delivered directly to your door. So what sort of extra equipment will you need to consider?

Espresso machines: These come in all shapes, sizes and finishes, so make sure you compare web sites to find the most suitable machine for your business. Try and get an espresso machine that offers a good warranty as this will cover you for the first year or so if anything goes wrong.

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From Green Coffee Beans To Aromatic Powder

Coffee does not exist in the form that we are used to purchasing it in at the stores.  Coffee comes in the form of green coffee beans that grow on the coffee plant. These green coffee beans are then collected from coffee plantations and are sent to places to be roasted, ground and finely crushed to make the coffee powder that you are use to purchasing at your local store.

The Processes that Green Coffee Beans Undergo

There is a process that these green coffee beans must go through before they actually become coffee powder. Firstly, the beans must be picked from the coffee plantations.  This is usually done by hand by laborers who get paid for each basket that they pick.  Then, since coffee beans have a fruity flesh that directly wraps around the coffee bean, once they are gathered this flesh has to be removed right away.  This is done by soaking the beans, scouring them and then mechanically rubbing the bean.

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Rise and shine to that stellar scent that floats softly from the kitchen. It dances just above your nose so that you'll find the strength to rise from that warm, cozy bed. It's none other than fresh coffee. Isn't it great the way new-age coffee makers have built in timers that allow them to brew at any set minute? It's ideal for the American lifestyle. By this I don't imply that we're lazy, but rather enjoy convenience. We're constantly exposed to more and more forms of convenience, so it's only natural. Okay, so here's the important part. Where are you purchasing your coffee beans and are they truly fresh? Many people don't even know.

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French Press Coffee Maker

For millions of people a cup of coffee in the morning is the spark plug to get them started and able to face the battles they may encounter during the day. There are several different types of coffee one can choose from in order to suit their specific tastes. In addition, there are numerous different ways to prepare your coffee as well. You can either go to your local coffee shop or you can make your own cup of coffee at home. Most individuals brew their coffee with just an ordinary electronic coffee maker. However, there are better ways to make a good cup of coffee without spending big dollars on an extravagant cappuccino maker or something else equally expensive that are difficult to master and keep in good working condition. These expensive machines become outdated requiring you to purchase a new one every couple of years. The French press was invented over a hundred years ago. It has received a few improvements over the years but remains relatively the same today.

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French Press Coffee - Style And Flavor For Your Coffee

The French press style of coffee making produces very rich, aromatic and tasty coffee. It uses very coarsely ground coffee that basically steeps in the brewing water for several minutes allowing all the flavours to fully extract from the coffee grinds. Because of the filtering system there is always some sediment which some people don't like.

A French press coffee maker has two parts: a straight-sided container usually made of glass, and a filter-plunger that pushes through the water to filter out the coffee after it has steeped. This plunger also serves as the lid. There are some models of French Press that are insulated which is good for keeping things hot while it steeps.

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French Press - Making Great Coffee

If you want a good cup a coffee, you will need to add some oil. Coffee oil is very flavorful and improves the taste of coffee, but it is lost during the normal filtered brewing process. Coffee made with a French press doesn't pass through a filter so you don’t lose those natural aromatic coffee oils. Most coffee lover’s agree that a French press makes a superior cup of coffee.

A French press (sometimes called a coffee press) is usually a glass cylinder with a plumber like device inside. You place your coffee grinds inside and pour hot water into it. The water should not be boiling or you will scald your grinds, which will affect the taste. 200 degree water is the optimum temperature for a fine cup of coffee. If you’re using a kettle to heat your water, remove it from the heat before if starts whistling. Either that or you can let the water boil but let it sit for a few minutes before pouring it into your coffee press. Remember to leave at least an inch of space when filling up the French press.

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For The Ultimate Space Saving Coffee Machine Try A Built In Coffee Maker

If you hate your worktops full of clutter, you need a built in coffee maker. This appliance can be used at all times while still giving you the space to cook or entertain. A built in coffee maker allows you to enjoy your coffee while maximizing the space around you.

The built in coffee makers are plumbed directly into the electric and water supply so there is no need to have to keep re-filling it like a standard kettle or coffee machine.
Built in coffee makers can be very expensive but they do have the added convenience of just having to press a button to get a steaming cup of hot coffee in seconds.

You can even buy a built in coffee maker that has a built in coffee grinder attached to it. This will enable your coffee to be brewed using fresh beans, however built in coffee makers like this can cost thousands of dollars.

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Following The History Of Coffee

The following paragraphs summarize the work of the history of coffee experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of coffee history.

Of the drinks available to people today, few are as famous as coffee.  Perhaps the best source of caffeine short of the new energy drinks being developed, coffee is popular in a variety of places, from the home to the office, from small coffeehouses to swanky restaurants.

The history of coffee can only be tracked a little more than a thousand years, a relatively short period of time compared to alcoholic beverages, which have been consumed since prehistory, and tea, which goes back to over a thousand years BC.  Despite this, coffee has spread throughout the world as a popular beverage. A look at the history of coffee will help to show how it became so widespread.

African Origins

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Flavored Coffee Vs. Black Coffee

If a purist asks whether you want your coffee black, the answer will often be an inadvertent yes, then an inward grimace. Of course black coffee is delicious. Drink it like a hero, right?  Not necessarily.

There are several wonderful flavors, blends and mixes that could be enjoyed as any coffee purist would, as a coffee is supposed to be enjoyed. This is precisely why over time coffee lovers all over the world have kept experimenting and coming out with different coffee flavors and roasts. The best part is, it has not yet been perfected. You, like the rest of us, still have the opportunity to decide which coffee is best for you. For all the hype and the claims to be "the best coffee in the world" by many manufacturers and growers, coffee really is a personal issue. There is absolutely no truth in the idea that some coffee are vastly superior to others. There is however, truth in the saying that the proof of a good coffee is in its brewing.

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Flavored Coffee…..Some Great Ideas For Your Next Dinner Party.

On almost any occasion flavored coffee can be a delightful compliment to any meal. As someone who hosts many dinner parties for both business and pleasure, it has been my experience that coffee is really at its best when paired with anything sweet. This perfect pairing lets the relative bitterness of the coffee counter the sweetness of the dessert leaving the palate with a well-balanced finish.

Flavored coffee is nothing new but it has taken many years for it to gain mainstream acceptance to where it now sits in a prominent position on our supermarket shelves and niche corner coffee shops in a host of variations.

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Expresso - From Coffeehouses To Your Kitchen

The java world is exploding out of this world nowadays.  Coffee has never been better and never smelled so good.  Who would have thought that it would take over the fast food industry?  Or should that be quick beverage industry? Espresso is absolutely everywhere, even in the middle of nowhere.  It’s true! I buy it, and so do you.  I personally cannot resist milky coffee with a shot of infused syrup.  Oh, dear, who sells that iced mocha latte?

No matter which country you go to you can grab your favourite coffee on every street corner.  Ever been to Turkey and slipped into a north-eastern village with no electricity and just the perfect aroma of Turkish coffee wafting up from the valley below? I have and so should you.  Who says coffee isn’t mobile.  So, I think the really interesting part is how much are we spending on our favourite espresso? If you were to calculate it at $4 per cup and times that by 360 days, allowing for 5 days off – you do the maths! Ouch.  When you look at it this way it may be time to bring your coffee-house into your kitchen.

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Find The Best Coffee Machine For Your Needs

Finding an automatic coffee maker that suits your needs can be trickey. Automatic coffee makers can be used for regular coffee, espresso, or even lattes. No matter what you like, you can find something to fit your coffee tastes. You can even find automatic coffee makers that have grinders built right in and some can also timed so that your coffee is all ready for you as soon as you wake up!

If you take good care of your coffee machine it will last longer. Always turn it off when you aren’t using your machine so that it lasts longer. The more coffee you drink the more often you will have to replace your machine. You can also clean your machine by running water with one cup of vinegar through the machine. This will help clean the interior of the it and keep your coffee tasting better. After using the vinegar solution make sure you run water through it several times to get rid of any vinegar residue.

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Everyone Is Drinking Gourmet Coffee

When creating decaffeinated coffee the European process involves having the beans soaked in water and washing the beans with methylene chloride. The treated beans are then dried and roasted. Gourmet coffee beans from this plant are usually harvested from this tree three times a year for 30 years.

Gourmet coffee made from the beans of this plant tastes great and holds a premium position in the market. Gourmet coffees from Arabica coffee beans boast of a finer aroma, richer flavor, and more body than those made from Robusta beans. The Robusta beans on the other hand, are known for their disease-resistance properties and are more popularly used in commercial blends.

People enjoy the taste of the sophisticated beans used in the making of this delightful gourmet drink. When purchasing coffee beans from different areas they all go through the same type of process. Beans are picked, dried, and sorted pretty much the same way.

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Espresso's Good, But Why Decaffeinated Coffee?

I love above all else to drink coffee, but I am still totally baffled why anyone would drink decaffeinated varieties.  What about the needed and pleasurable caffeine rush?  What would possess anyone in his or her right state of mind to give up on a good espresso for that dribble?  Does this not take away the whole reason for drinking a decent cup of delicious coffee?  I was soon to learn why this drudgery even existed.  As I discovered pregnancy, I quickly developed a new taste for it.  In fact, strangely enough, I actually really started to like it for the flavor alone.  Weird, right?  Hormonal reaction, maybe?  That may have been a possibility, but you should read the rest.

Unfortunately, for everyone else, I cannot resist the insatiable urge to learn absolutely everything there is to know about pregnancy and how to avoid all known complications, diseases and anything, even the bubonic plague.  Science said to avoid aspartame because how much of it was harmful was unknown.  Luncheon meat was out because of a possible infection from listeria.  Caffeine was the biggest fear – possible miscarriage.  The fact is that you have to consume a minimum of three portions of normal coffee each day to do this, but it frightened me enough to settling for decaffeinated drinks and simple sodas.

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Espresso or Cappucino - How to add some "oomph" into your cuppa!

" Oomph is the intricate inner feeling of that touch of power, unexplained yet real, that comes with the drinking of coffee"

I had been a long term tea drinker, preferring tea to any other beverage for years, until one day, I had a new assistant. I was working as a dealer representative for stocks and shares at that time, and that means in a really stressful environment, being in the trading room all the time. So taking some time off to catch a cuppa and to be back to trading and watching the trading screens for the best prices was the perfect break anyone could hope for.

My new assistant was a young lady in her mid twenties, and it was interesting to see her prepare her drink.

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Espresso Martini

With the popularity of espresso shops and martini bars is it any wonder that the espresso martini has become popular as well? Sometimes called the espressotini, this drink is a perfect blend of caffeine and alcohol. If you’re looking for a buzz that picks you up while relaxing you at the same time, then it's time that you asked your barista or your bartender for an espresso martini.

So what is an espresso martini? Well, that depends on who you ask. There are so many variations of this drink out there that there isn't a generally accepted recipe. The only consistent ingredients are espresso and vodka and even then the espresso is sometimes substituted with coffee or even instant coffee crystals.

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Espresso Machines - Making The Best Coffee In The World, At Home

Think about having a fresh, coffee-shop-quality espresso when you get up in the morning – without having to leave the house. This is what your very own espresso machine can provide, but it is important to make sure you buy the right product, and know how to use it when you get it home.

Espresso is a syrupy, traditionally Italian, speciality coffee. Coffee shop owners will tell you that making mouth-watering espresso is just like pulling the perfect pint of beer. It requires patience, practice, and is much harder than it looks. Good quality espresso machines can make it easier by controlling the temperature and the internal mechanisms more exactly.

These machines function in several different ways. If, for instance, you value authenticity, and have strong arms, a Piston-driven espresso maker could be for you. The design for this fully-manual espresso machine comes from as far back as 1938. Many are now sold for decorative value in addition to making a good cup of espresso coffee,

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Espresso Machines: Not For The Coffee Shop Anymore!

Instead of going to the local coffee shop, use your espresso machines instead. There are some excellent opportunities out there for you in these new, must have options for your kitchen. Once only used in coffee shops and in restaurants that were high end, these machines have been made so that anyone, anywhere can use them rather easily.

Espresso machines are available in several ways. You may have a favorite method of making the espresso or perhaps you are looking for something that offers a distinctive taste. In most cases, you will find that there are espresso machines that do just what you are looking for. Because they are so easy to use, you will be able to make your favorite espresso flavors yourself as well.

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Espresso Cups

Serve your java in style with beautiful, elegant espresso cups. You can find a great selection of espresso cups that are cute, elegant, trendy or classic. The best espresso cups available are double-layered to hold in the heat and to keep your espresso hotter longer. You can find double-layered cups in glass as well as ceramic, and there are a great variety of designs to choose from. You can match your espresso cups with your coffee cups, or let them stand on their own to make a unique statement. 

Espresso cups are also referred to as “demitasse” cups and hold about 2 or 3 ounces of fluid. Cappucino mugs, are larger, and contain 6 to 8 ounces. Cappucino is actually espresso mixed with hot milk, which explains the larger size of cappucino mugs. Both Cappucino and espresso cups are available in glass, and there are many types of glass mugs and cups available. The classic glass espresso cup is a small glass cup with chrome handles and trimming. These often have little “feet” at the bottom, or the cups can be placed flat on a table. A very trendy design is a glass, egg-shaped espresso cup without handles. Or you can purchase little mug-shaped espresso cups with matching plates. You can find clear glass, tinted glass or blue glass espresso cups. 

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Espresso Coffee Pod Maker

Nowadays coffee shops are everywhere and if you are out shopping no matter where you go today when looking for a cup of coffee, you will be sure to see an espresso coffee pod maker somewhere near by. Espressos are served up daily to millions of people all over the world. The first real working espresso coffee maker to make its appearance was said to have been in Italy in 1935. It was called The Illetta, invented by Francesco Illy but the espresso coffee pod maker is a relatively new concept in making coffee.

Espresso coffee pod makers can be found in many households and there are so many different varieties to choose from. With so many different types of coffee; you want to make sure you have the right machine to make the perfect cup.  You will need a commercial size espresso coffee pod maker if its main use will be in such establishments as restaurants or coffee shops but a far smaller more compact model can be used at home.

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Drink Coffee Interpret Your future

Reading your fortune with coffee is very similar to participating in a Rorschach test. You need to get the wider view and understand the symbols accurately to see what is coming. 

Here are step-by-step points on how to prepare to read coffee grounds: 

• Use a white cup to get an precise reading 

• Grind your coffee beans as normal. You can use espresso coffee, but do not let any cream, milk, sugar or anything else to be added 

• Heat water to a boil 

• Formulate your coffee in a French press as standard 

• Then add a big spoonful of coffee grounds to your cup and pour the just this minute made coffee over it. Then stir. 

• Consume the coffee by holding the cup by two hands

• When done consuming the coffee, tilt the cup on a 90 degree angle and carefully rotate the cup to let all surplus coffee grounds to be excluded onto a saucer. Don’t beat the cup and don’t swirl the cup more than three times. 

There are a few points to mull over when interpreting coffee grounds: the rim of the coffee cup, the centre and the bottom of the coffee cup. The bottom is your past, the middle is your present and the top is your future. You need to look for shapes and patterns. 

Here are a few examples of a number of things to watch out for when you are attempting to read your coffee grounds: 

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Do You Have It? Coffee Bad Breath. Find Out More…. Now!

Bad breath would have to be the most common personal hygiene condition that all of us fail at one time or another. Let’s face it if a friend or someone in our family, or even a work colleague has it, we certainly take a step back out of their personal space quick smart….don’t we?

Of course it isn’t news that a daily routine of brushing and flossing our teeth after we eat is an effective treatment against this type of offence. However for some people like me who are constantly on the go, carrying out this simple mouth cleaning treatment throughout the day isn’t always possible. Personally I carry a little box of breath mints everywhere I go because in my role as a career coach I work up pretty darn close and personal with the public.

Having a breath problem is not something I can afford to have when, as part of my job, I am leaning over people critiquing their resumes and covering letters.

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Creating Inexpensive Gifts With Coffee Mugs

During the holidays you may become overwhelmed by the list of people you need gifts for. When trying to find gifts it can be difficult to get cute presents at inexpensive prices. The more people on your list however, the more important cheap gifts are however. When trying to put together inexpensive gifts for people like teachers, neighbors, or church members, you should consider using coffee mugs. Coffee mugs are great because there are several different ways of giving them as gifts, depending on who you are giving to. Use these fun and inexpensive ideas to help your holiday gift list become a little shorter.

Candy

If the person on your list loves sweets, then consider taking a lovely coffee mug and filling it with his or her favorites. You can fill the large coffee mug with candy, wrap tissue paper or cellophane wrap around it, secure it with a bow, and be finished. This is an adorable idea for teachers or church members. It is inexpensive and you can even choose mugs that depict the recipient’s favorite hobby or color. Besides, everyone loves a little candy during the holidays. For an extra special treat, consider making your own homemade candy for the gift.

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Control diabetes – start avoiding white flour, white Salt, tea and coffee

White Flour

Wheat is the most common cereal used throughout the world for making bread. It is a good source of energy. With its essential coating of bran, vitamins and minerals, it is an excellent health-building food.

Wheat is usually ground into flour for use as food. However refined wheat flour constitutes a serious health hazard of the various processed foods being used today for their delicious taste, white flour (maida) is especially harmful. The colossal loss of vitamins and mineral in refined wheat flour has led to widespread prevalence of constipation and other related disgestine disturbance and nutritional disorders, particularly diabetes. The consumption of white flour is thus an important contributory cause of diabetes, and its aggravation, if the disease has already developed.

White Salt

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Commercial Coffee Machines: Why Buy Online?

When you buy a commercial coffee machine, you want to get the most reliable machine that produces the best-quality coffee possible- and of course you want this at the lowest price! These days it tends to be preferable to buy coffee machines online, rather than taking the more traditional route of buying from a catalogue or in person: buying online is faster, easier, and you can access all the information you need to make an informed decision and buy the most suitable machine for your business. 

There are several different types of coffee machine on the market- the main types being traditional espresso machines, cappuccino machines and automatic ‘bean-to-cup’ machines. On top of this, different machines come with different features and extras, so it is important when buying your coffee machine that you know exactly what you are looking for. For example, what type of machine do you need? Cappuccino machines are ideal if you want people to serve themselves, but if you are going to serve the coffee for them you might want to look at an espresso machine. 

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Cold Coffee-Who Woulda Thought

"What is the last thing that your patrons taste/drink before leaving a restaurant ?" And if you do not believe me go out there and watch. Nearly everybody will toss back that last cold cup of coffee before leaving their table, therefore it is vitally important that your coffee tastes wonderful hot, warm or cold. 

Now how can you be sure that your coffee tastes good. 

STEP ONE : CLEAN the EQUIPMENT 

Cleanliness is more important than godliness, therefore ensure that you not only clean your bowls every night (there must be a joke in that line somewhere), and your coffee supplier can give you urn cleaner to really clean them occasionally, or run them through the dishwasher. DO NOT FORGET THE BREW BASKET. This will be dirtier than everything else, so once again ensure that there is no oily residue, plus clean the showerhead, and the area around it. If you have an urn or dual system, ask your coffee supplier to come in and train/educate your staff on how to properly clean the equipment. 

STEP TWO: CALIBRATE the EQUIPMENT 

Many times I go into a restaurant to find the brewer is short-potting (no this is not a gardening term), and the remedy can be very simple. Adjust the timer or float mechanism. BUT, maybe the equipment is short potting because the water line (including the filter/strainer) or machine or showerhead is clogged with lime, or some other gunk. Cleaning and maybe de-liming is necessary. Remember that if your brew time is too long, your resulting (revolting) coffee will be bitter, with a burnt after-taste. It’s rather like drinking coal tar - although I must admit I cannot remember the last time I knocked back a shot of coal tar. 

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I spent a lot of time in college without coffee tables. When it came down to it, it was not an important purchase. Sure, we had a table we could use for meals, and we even had an end table, but a coffee table, at that point in life, was a luxury. Now that I’m older and have a child in my home, I realize that coffee tables are more important than I thought they were. We use ours to play games, draw pictures, eat the occasional meal, and as a place to put stuff we don’t know what to do with. I use it a lot to fold laundry, and my husband thinks it makes a nifty footstool.  

Coffee tables come in all shapes and sizes, and you can find that you love or hate your table. I had one that had a drawer underneath. I loved the feature, but it also had little cubby boxes on the top. These were impossible to clean, and they ended up collecting all sorts of odd items that simple weren’t of any use, but were things we weren’t sure if we should throw away. It always looked like a mess, and I finally got sick of looking at it, and decided it was time to go to the store and look at new coffee tables.

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Coffee-So Darn Expensive

I always cringe when that is the first question from a restaurateur, and my response is always the same - "Is price more important than taste"? 

Consider the following - restaurants usually sell a cup of coffee for about one dollar. And when they pay $6.00 per pound for coffee, their cost per cup is about ten cents, (which means their profit is ninety cents). So the difference in their profit between $6.00 per pound and $3.00 per pound is the incredible sum of five cents per cup. However, the real difference will be in the taste of the coffee. 

The taste difference is even greater with coffee brewed in an espresso machine since an espresso machine is an amplifier. It will highlight a really good coffee, but conversely, it will also amplify any faults with that coffee. 

 Remember, espresso is not a type of bean, but is a method of brewing coffee. Espresso coffee is tightly packed (7 grams), through which hot water (198 degrees F) is forced at high mechanical pressure (132 psi). The resultant one and a half fluid ounces is the elixir known as espresso, and many countries could be conquered before 9:00 am if their population were to be deprived of this magic "elixir"! 

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It wasn’t until about three years ago that I started drinking coffee. It all began when I visited one of those trendy coffee bars with a friend. I told her that coffee wasn’t really something I indulged in and she insisted that I try a particular concoction that had a very long name and some delicious whipped cream on top. That was the start of my coffee obsession. My friend was quick to notice how I became a lover of all things java and she got me a membership to one of the coffee of the month clubs for my birthday.

Ideal doesn’t even begin to describe this present. If you’ve ever purchased a gourmet cup of coffee you know how expensive it can be. It can be intimidating to try a new flavor simply because of the price. When a cup of coffee costs more than five dollars you want to ensure you’re going to enjoy it. With the coffee of the month clubs you can try a new flavor each and every month, so you’ll know what you like and don’t like.

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No house is a home until it contains a coffee maker. I come from a long line of coffee fans and I cannot imagine a world without coffee. In the last five years I have gone through at least three coffee makers and I upgrade with every new one. My latest coffee machine is a Black and Decker model that will probably last several years. I highly recommend Black and Decker coffee makers because of their features, reasonable price, and durability. 

The name Black and Decker brings to mind images of power tools and their coffee machine falls in line with that category. The Black and Decker machine has what looks like a steel outer shell and appears to be a mean machine. The coffee machine is programmable and comes with a digital display. With these features, you can avoid ever having to set the coffee machine when you are still groggy in the morning. 

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Coffeehouse Lingo: How To Order The Perfect Cup Of Coffee

These days when you walk in to a coffee shop it's a whole new world. You're not just ordering a "coffee". You're ordering a "coffee drink". There's an entire language you need to know just to order a coffee drink!

It all starts with placing your order. It used to be that you'd tell a waitress what you wanted. Now this job is held by a barista, or a person who serves coffee drinks as a profession. You need to tell the barista the size of the coffee drink you want. If you look on the menu, small, medium, and large will probably not be there. Your size choices are usually short (8 oz), tall (12 oz), grande (16 oz) and venti (20 oz).

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The holidays are fast approaching and chances are you are going to be in need of either a nice hostess gift or a holiday gift for someone that seems to have everything.  Many people also need gifts for people like their doctors’ offices, mail carriers or office gift exchanges, and it is always difficult to find a gift that doesn’t look cheap while you don’t spend a lot of money.

A great alternative to finding one gift is to put together a gift basket with a theme.  There are several different ideas that you can put into use, the most popular and easy being a pasta gift basket which would include noodles, sauce, cheeses and if you want to get more in depth you can include an apron, cookbook and wine.

My personal favorite for the holiday season is a coffee gift basket.  Just about every one drinks coffee at some time, and especially during the cold winter season.  A coffee gift basket can be very inexpensive to put together, or if you want a higher end gift it is perfect as well.  For a less expensive option, you can purchase sample sizes of several different coffee blends at just about any coffee specialty store.  These sizes generally brew one pot and are the perfect size for a smaller coffee gift basket.  I would not recommend purchasing grocery store coffee for a gift basket as it does not seem the most appropriate.  Again, if you would like to save some money and go a less expensive route then sample sizes are much more appropriate.

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Are you one of the infinite individuals who arise each and every day with java on their mind? Hey, this is nothing to be ashamed of by any means. I too can appreciate a superb cup of coffee. However, this isn't something that comes with any old can of grounds and a cheap drip pot. The true secret lies in the coffee beans. That's right; it all begins with the coffee itself. You can't seriously expect any old java to do the trick. Wonderful tasting and great smelling coffee beans must be sought out. Having said that, if you're one of the few individuals who could care less what your cup of joe tastes like or where it came from, please continue to consume any old coffee grounds or beans you choose. As for the rest of us, it's time to invest in true java goodness. 

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Not everyone enjoys a morning cup of Joe. Some folks actually despise the taste of a latte or cup of drip blend. My brother is one of these anomalies. He can't even stand the smell of freshly ground espresso. He claims it makes him queasy. Fair enough. Not everyone on the entire planet is going to love java. There will be a few who need a coffee alternative. Lucky for them there are plenty of these beverages to choose from as well. Do you currently have a favorite? Hey, even if you like coffee, I might convince you that it's best to go easy on the caffeine. Some things are to be enjoyed sparingly. 

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Coffee The Columbian Way

If you're a coffee drinker you have heard of, and probably tried, a cup of Columbian. Bland, sometimes adequate, and sold everywhere. But that's predominately coffee shop or grocery store coffee. Would you criticize the fine food of a four star restaurant by comparing it to a cheap diner before you've tasted both?

Like any major producer, Columbia does generate a lot of average beans. If you're willing to look a little deeper within that huge output you will find some great gems.

By contrast to Brazil, which dry-processes most of its coffee berries, almost all Columbian coffee is washed, which helps carry away impurities. Done properly, it can still produce a flavorful, robust cup.

Soaked in cold water for 24 hours, the soaking initiates fermentation, which aids in producing a great aroma. The beans are then washed in order to remove twigs, dirt and an outer layer of unpleasant material.

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Coffee Table

A coffee table is a crucial piece of furniture in every living rooms of our home, but it's once in a blue moon used to serve formal coffee from. Those days were gone when in afternoon get-togethers coffee and biscuits were served, complete with linen tablecloths and silver spoons and fine china. Today, a coffee table is a strapping piece of furniture designed to withstand the antics of children and adults alike. For many households, the coffee table is the place to store backpacks and textbooks and homework. It's a place to spread out the newspaper or to complete crossword puzzles. It's a place to gather around, either on chairs or on the floor.

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Coffee Roasters – All You Need To Know For Roasting Beans At Home.

Coffee roasters come in all shapes and sizes ranging in price from 30 dollars to nearly a thousand. As with any product, the price you pay for it doesn't always correlate with the quality. Besides looking for a reliable brand, here are a few tips on what to look for when buying a coffee roaster.

The bottom of the range Roasters are basic stove top models which are just a saucepan with a tight lid and a special handle that contains a crank to allow the beans to stir up the beans during the process. It is essential to keep stirring the beans as they roast to prevent them from burning on the bottom as well as to keep the hot air inside the saucepan circulating evenly. Temperature control is vital for proper roasting so even if you are purchasing a base model be sure to buy one that has a thermometer in the lid.

At the other end of the scale are roasters that do pretty much everything automatically.  All you have to do is put in a measure of green beans, close the lid and walk away for a few minutes. These deluxe models have built-in thermometers which control the heat and air-flow along with control geometry and rotating canisters and of course an all important timer to automatically shut off the device when the beans are done.

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Coffee Roasting

Coffee beans are roasted to bring about the right balance between the acidity and sweetness of the beans. In other words, the process of roasting the coffee beans brings out their inner characteristics and flavor. The level to which a coffee is roasted pretty much decides how the coffee will taste upon brewing. For instance, coffee beans that undergo light roasting usually have a light bodied and sweet tasting brew; whereas, a full bodied coffee with a chocolaty flavor is dark roasted.

Roasting coffee beans effects certain physical and chemical changes in the beans. These changes include the loss of moisture, caramelizing, change of color and expansion of the coffee beans. As the beans start to lose moisture and expand, they make a popping sound, which is termed as a “crack” in the coffee industry.

There are three basic levels of roasting as far as coffee beans are concerned. The Light Roast as mentioned before is used to derive a milder coffee, often sweet tasting. Then comes the Medium Roast that is the most commonly used roasting level for coffee beans. Here, roasted coffee beans are done at the second crack. The next and last level of roasting coffee beans is known as Dark Roasting where beans are roasted till they appear oily on the surface; which happens well beyond the second crack. Such roasting generally gives a very full bodied and strong brew.  

Apart from the levels of Roasting, there are three main methods of
coffee bean roasting. One is an art, the second a science while the third is a combination of art and science.

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Coffee Press The Original Coffee Maker

It's been around since the late 1800's but really coming into it's own in the early 1900's, the coffee press is a hot coffee brewing device that at first glance looks very simplistic but brews a cup of coffee like no other. Ask any coffee enthusiast about a coffee press pot and chances are you're in for a chat that will last longer then just a minute or two. It's the ultimate brewer to create a fabulous smelling, aroma rich, wonderful flavored, coffee.

How Does A Coffee Press Work?

A coffee press, as mentioned looks like a very simple device, basically like a coffee maker carafe with a rod down the center connected to a round filter. The filter via the rod can be moved from the top to the bottom of the glass carafe, this allows you to separate the coffee grounds from the water.

So how does it actually work? Coffee beans are first ground very coarse, they need to be more coarse then you would use in a drip coffee machine so that when the boiling water is poured over them the water can absorb the flavor, aroma, and acids from the beans. Water is boiled and poured over the grounds with the plunger filter out. The filter is replaced inside the carafe, the rod is pushed downwards into the carafe to separate the grounds form the water, leaving you with a aroma rich pot of coffee.

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Coffee Pods and Espresso Machines

There's nothing like the <b>perfect espresso</b>. Finely ground, dark roasted coffee, pressed and percolated into a strong, rich coffee drink that delights the senses and perks up your day. In Italy, ordering a coffee means that you're ordering an espresso. The Italians stop in their local bar once, twice, even three times a day for the perfect cup of espresso. But here in America, it's not as easy to find espresso done right. The grind of the coffee, the right temperature, the pressing of the coffee and the foaming of the milk are skills that few people know how to wield properly on this side of the ocean. But now with <b>espresso machines</b> and <b>coffee pods</b>, the guesswork is taken out of making espresso at domestic bars or even in your own kitchen at home.

In Italy, most Italians wouldn't recognize what we think of as a coffee maker. They use a "machinetta", a contraption that looks like a metal hourglass that has a top like a pitcher. The machine has 2 chambers. Water and coffee go into the bottom chamber. The machine is placed on the stovetop and heated until the water boils, percolating through the espresso grinds and into the second chamber. The pressure on the grinds between the two chambers insures that the coffee is pressed - the word espresso means "expressed" - and the rich taste comes from getting as much of the flavor out of the grinds as possible. The milk is heated and whipped separately. But it's easy to make a mistake in this process. Either by using the wrong amount of water or coffee, turning the heat on too strong or not using the right timing.

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Coffee Or Tea Time Is All About "Me Time"

Nothing says “me time” better than a cup of coffee or tea? A hot, piping cup or mug of the favorite hot beverage alone or with a special friend can seem like an oasis of sanity in the midst of a hectic day. Hot or cold, with some favorite fruit or nut flavors added, can make for a very special time. Both coffee & tea come with caffeine as optional. If you find that caffeine disturbs your sleep or raises your blood pressure, you can opt for the caffeine free version. If, caffeine is not a problem then go for it! Since both coffee & tea contain caffeine naturally, they must undergo a process to remove it. The decaffeination process whether for beans or leaves, takes some of the flavor out of it, so plan to purchase a better grade of coffee when you want the caffeine out.

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Coffee Or Tea – Which One Will It Be?

For a coffee lover like me….I sometimes like a good cup of tea.

In this busy world there is nothing finer than taking time out from a busy schedule to enjoy a quiet cuppa by ones self. Sitting back with a steaming espresso in hand is like entering an oasis of sanity in the middle of a hectic day.

But then again I do relish sharing a brew with one or more friends whether it is when they come to visit me at home, or if we all meet up at a coffee house.

Coffee and tea are an indispensable social tradition the world over.  I know I am grossly insulted if someone comes to my house and turns down my offer of a cup of the good brew

However, if it is summer and the temperature is running a little high many people prefer iced coffee or tea to cool them down rather than to warm them up.  Now days, there are also some really enticing gourmet blends on the market which include a variety of fruit or nut flavors that add something special to any occasion.

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Coffee Mugs For Every Personality

When you love coffee, why settle for a boring coffee cup when you can have it from your own personal mug?

Coffee mugs have evolved to adapt to the different preferences of coffee drinkers. The usual dainty coffee cups are nice, especially when you have company visiting. As a matter of fact, coffee cups are the preferred serving vessels in what is usually called the polite society. It isn't the coffee mug. The coffee mug can be used in a social setting that requires less formality where you can enjoy your coffee in greater quantities.

A coffee mug can be available in all shapes, styles and materials. Basically, a coffee mug is a cup that is used to hold coffee, teas, steamed milk and hot chocolate. 

Materials that are generally used for the production of coffee mugs could be glass, porcelain, plastics, and metals. The shapes that mugs can be modelled into are even more varied. Coffee mugs of recent times have been ideal souvenir items, marketing and promotional tools, suggested gift materials, and novelty items. For many coffee drinkers though, it is just a simple coffee mug to hold the coffee in and sit lazily early in the morning to enjoy the morning sunshine and get perked up for the day ahead.

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Coffee Products for Free if you Know How

Are you aware that you can find coffee products and connected coffee products for nothing? read on and find out how, that is the good news, the bad news is that if you require specific merchandise such as coffee gift packs or artistic coffee mugs then you are may not be so lucky. Quite simply a large number of food and drink firms and coffee makers give their products away for free via competitions and prize draws, the sad truth is the chances of obtaining the particular coffee items you need are slim however not impossible.

This may sound all very nice however how can the details of coffee competitions be located with ease? well this is basically far simpler than a person might suppose, the trick is to search in a specific way but you must always use inverted commas, for example try this query "coffee competitions" or "free coffee prize", if you do this you will get those exact results and if any coffee products or linked products are being given as prizes you could possibly be in with a chance of winning such things, Just think you might easily win something like a capresso coffee maker for absolutely nothing.

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Coffee Mugs - Uses For Fun & Profit

The most common use for coffee mugs is to house hot beverages, including coffee and hot chocolate. These are usually found in casual settings and are most often made of ceramic. Coffee mugs are available in a large variety of colors and designs, but they all feature the standard handle that is found on every mug.

Found at virtually any retailer, coffee mugs are very affordable and are even customizable. Even going on step further than ‘World’s Greatest Mom’ or ‘World’s Greatest Dad,’ coffee mugs can now feature personalized photos and/or writing. Perhaps it’s a special occasion, photo of a loved one or just a sentiment that stays close to your heart but, whatever the purpose, a personalized coffee mug adds a special touch to each sip.

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Coffee May Reduce Liver Cancer Risk

March 31, 2007, Milan —  A recent study conducted by the researchers of Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (IRFMN) in Milan, Italy showed that drinking coffee may help reduce the risk of liver cancer. Led by Francesca Bravi, the team combined all published data to find the link between coffee drinking and hepatocellar carcinoma (HCC). HCC is a primary cancer of the liver. Liver cancer is the third largest cause of cancer deaths around the world, just behind lung and stomach cancer. At least 11 studies that were conducted in southern Europe and Japan were the foundation of the IRFMN study. 

The IRFMN study was a meta-analysis of published studies on HCC that included how much coffee patients had consumed. Researchers combined all published data to obtain an overall quantitative estimate of the association between coffee consumption and HCC development.

The figures showed that coffee drinkers have at least 41 percent reduction of HCC risk compared to those who never consumed coffee. The beneficial effects of coffee consumption were highly progressive in studies that were done in southern Europe, widely drank, and from Japan, where coffee drinking is less frequent, and in subjects with chronic liver diseases

Animal and laboratory studies have shown that some compounds in coffee may act as blocking agents that work by reacting with enzymes involved in carcinogenic detoxification. Caffeine is a component of coffee that has been shown to give beneficial effects on the liver enzymes and other enzymes of the body. Coffee consumption has also been linked to reduced risks of liver diseases and cirrhosis, both of which can lead to liver cancer.

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Coffee Makers For Different Coffee Types

There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning, stumbling to the kitchen and finding your favourite coffee brewed and waiting for you. Of all the drinks in the world, coffee seems to have universal appeal. But if you have ever travelled you quickly discovered that one person’s coffee can be quite different from another’s.

 

A World Wide Business—Coffee Types 

 

Coffee is grown on five different continents and dozens of countries around the world. There are coffee plantations in Columbia and much of South America. There are hundreds of plantations in Africa. The growing region expands to the east and west including the West Indies, Sumatra, and Java.

All of the coffee growing regions are in tropical zones within 30 degrees or so of the Equator. While all coffee grows in bean form, there are different types or varieties of coffee plants, hence the many different coffee types.

 

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Coffee Maker Types

When we hear the term ‘coffee maker’ most of us think of only one type of coffee maker. Most often, the drip style coffee maker or the espresso type machine comes to mind, depending on where you live and your taste in coffee. Of course, the choices vary with the region in which people live also.

One type of coffee maker may be frowned upon in certain parts of the world, while being quite acceptable in another location. Some types of coffee makers are quite antiquated by today’s standards, but are still being used by those who prefer the coffee produced.

Such is the case with the percolator style coffee makers. There are two types of percolator style coffee makers, the stove top model and the electric percolator. Both percolators work in the same fashion, which is circulating boiling water r over the coffee grounds and through a metal filter repeatedly. Some argue that this makes a good cup of coffee while others say this style coffee maker makes the worst coffee imaginable. The naysayers exclaim the percolator produces a bitter tasting coffee no matter what brand or grind of coffee you use.

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Coffee Maker - Cleaning

Your coffee maker could be killing you. Well it is if your morning cup of coffee is a matter of life and death and you have a filthy coffee maker. When was the last time you thoroughly cleaned your coffee maker? Washing the pot is important but getting the internal components of a coffee maker clean is a task that shouldn’t be skipped. Did you even know that you were supposed to clean it? A clean coffee maker can be the difference between a good cup of coffee and a nasty cup of sludge.

A clean coffee maker really makes a big difference in how your coffee tastes. Left over coffee oils can accumulate inside your coffee maker. Also mineral deposits can form especially in areas with hard water. These deposits are called “scale”. There are two kinds of scale, lime scale and mineral scale and you don’t want either one. Scale can affect the heating unit and the water flow of your coffee maker and reduce it’s efficiency. How quickly scale forms depends on the quality of your drinking water. If you use bottled water to make your coffee, scale probably won’t form as fast but you still have to worry about accumulated coffee oils. Better to play it safe and clean your coffee maker regularly.

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Coffee Machines For Different Uses

If you have decided that you enjoy coffee enough to start calling yourself a coffee gourmet, good for you. This is a fascinating world where the standards are very high, and if you really enjoy a good cup of coffee, this is where you belong. Gourmet coffee is made from the beans that are the top beans from the best producers and rushed to the consumer for the freshest taste possible. If you start to engage in buying gourmet coffee, you will be shopping from different dealers, obtaining coffee from different parts of the world. Just like in the world of wine, the flavor change from region to region. Coffee beans from Africa, for example, have more of a red wine flavor than beans from Central American, which tend to have a smooth acidity to them. Once the best beans for your taste are culled from the best areas of the world, the process of roasting will add even more flavor and aroma to these different coffee types.

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Coffee Machines: Making The Perfect Cup

There are basically four types of coffee makers on the market today: the drip, the vacuum, the French press, and the stovetop. Each requires a different type of preparation and a varying amount of time and involvement on behalf of the user. However, having different types of coffee makers allows the user to find his or her particular taste and preference and make coffee at home.

Drip coffee makers:

The drip coffee is the easiest and most common coffee maker used today, partly due to its simplicity and efficiency. The machine itself does most of the work - you just add the freshly ground coffee and cold water. The drip coffee machine is an efficient method whereby the cold water is poured into the reservoir and the heating element then delivers the heated water for brewing. The coffee is ready in a matter of minutes. Paper filters are used to hold the coffee grounds. These filters are then discarded after each use, so the clean up is easy. The drip coffee machine burner will keep the coffee hot for an extended period of time after brewing.

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Coffee Machines - Getting Perfect Quality Coffee

So you have decided to discover the exciting and quality filled world of gourmet coffee types, right?  You will enter into a realm where you will find the tastiest and freshest coffees, and beans that have travelled across the world’s landmasses and vast oceans to your roaster, and to the mug as fast as any human can manage.  You can purchase coffees direct from all the known world-wide dealers.  There are the winey African beans, or the smooth, acidy and easy to drink Central American varieties.  In fact, whatever your coffee choice, there is an array of quality roasting machines to emphasise the aromas and flavours of each blend.  Are you ready to enter coffee paradise?

Your coffee will arrive with the absolute guarantee that each bean will be continuously of good quality.  As you know, roasting beans is a fine art.  Your roaster will recognise the individuality of your beans.  Each bean has varied sizes, shapes, colours and densities.  Every bean needs a unique temperature and time to bring out its true potential.

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Coffee Machines

Coffee has long been a staple for waking up on sleepy mornings and getting through busy afternoons. Coffee houses are places to meet friends, make new acquaintances, plan futures and talk about the past.

It's no question that coffee is important in our lives. From decaffeinated brews to cap a quiet evening, to rich espressos to finish a meal, to supercharged cappuccinos, there are literally hundreds of coffee choices. Many of the more unique blends require special coffee machines to create the perfect brew. Hand-brewing machines and old-fashioned presses have enjoyed a renewed interest by coffee lovers. Many coffee drinkers are now using pod brewers that infuse hot water through coffee pads, while others prefer the old-fashioned drip machines. Cappuccino and espresso machines are also popular choices.

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Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world – perhaps because it’s so versatile. From simple coffees like espresso and filter coffee, to more complex recipes like cappuccino, coffee can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be, as anyone who has placed an order in a coffee shop recently can attest.

People’s motives for drinking coffee vary widely. Some just want the caffeine to keep them going, and are happy with espresso ‘coffee shots’ – nasty tasting, but they give you a burst of energy. More and more people, though, are drinking coffee not for the energy rush, but for the taste.

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Coffee is for Closers....and for Coaches

You've likely watched the iconic scene from David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross where Blake, a young hotshot from downtown with an $80,000 BMW and a holier-than-thou attitude, browbeats a room full of downtrodden salesman. He threatens them, insults their sales skills, and questions their manhood. His only advice? 

"Always be closing." 

While that makes for award-winning drama, it's not what we deem effective coaching. 

Blake's biggest flaw as a coach - but certainly not his only one - is that he only addresses the problems without analysing the causes. He says a lot about what to do and nothing about how to do it. 

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Coffee Ideas To Try In Your Kitchen

When you think of cocktails, your immediate image is probably of highly colored fruit juices and strong spirits, dressed with a sparkly umbrella and a piece of pineapple.  It might surprise you to know about the vast range of coffee cocktails around, for those looking for a different sort of lift.  With the advent of grind and brew coffee makers we can make the perfect cup of coffee right in our kitchen, now we just need something exciting to mix with it! 

We will start with the very simple and innocent frappe, mostly found in Europe and South America it is made by mixing crushed ice, sugar milk and cold espresso, and is a popular drink during hot weather. The addition of one measure of brandy and another of crème de cacao makes a more exciting drink.    

The antithesis of the simple frappe is the decadent Cappuccino Borgia.  This consists of a mixture of orange juice, freshly peeled orange, a double dark espresso, milk, and chocolate ice cream. The sweetness of the ice cream is offset but the sharpness of the citrus fruit and the bitter taste of the coffee creating a fantastic overall taste. 

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Coffee Grinders

All coffee drinkers have their own opinions on what's involved in brewing the perfect pot. For many, it's a combination of cold, clean water, and freshly ground coffee beans. Coffee grinders are the perfect kitchen accessories for these caffeine connoisseurs.

Coffee grinders work so well because they unleash the bean oils and create a delicious aroma before you even brew a pot. It's like opening a fresh can of ground coffee each and every morning.

Of course, there's more to cooking up a great cup of joe besides simply grinding the beans. There are different techniques for storing the coffee, measuring the grounds. The type of coffee maker and water you use can also mean the difference between so-so and simply delicious.

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Coffee Gift Basket

Many people like to give memorable gifts to friends and family at Christmas or any other occasion that is truly special. They prefer to find unique combinations of little things that they know every person would enjoy, and find that the gourmet coffee gift basket is the right choice for almost everybody on their gift giving list.

The flavored coffee that is in a gourmet coffee gift basket might come from Columbia, or as far as Greece. Some people read through countless reviews about the gourmet coffee choices that they have to pick from before deciding the flavors that they want to include for each person on their gift list.

Some of their friends might like a coffee that is robust and full of zest and caffeine, and there are certainly other friends who could do without caffeine completely. Some people would be completely thrilled to get some gourmet coffee all by itself in a large and very decorative basket that they can use in their home for other things.

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Coffee Franchises: To Own Or Not To Own

Coffee franchises have taken over in small business today as we know it. Every corner in every major city has a coffee house, most of these coffee houses are linked through coffee franchises. 81% of Americans will have been in at least 5 different coffee franchises in their lifetime.2.5% of the stock market are cornered by such businesses like the basic coffee house. We the public has definitely benefited from large coffee franchises, as they have benefited from us.

  

Small Business vs. Franchise Each has its own benefit. A small business owner has a lower overhead. This is ideal for profit margins. A single coffee house owner can expect to have up to 4 employees, this would be ideal, and they can maintain business with this type of crew. The average pay that a single coffee house owner can expect to pay out per employee could be anywhere from $5.75 an hour -$6.50 an hour. Usually a small business owner of this type can afford to hire part-time employees, therefore saving oneself the added costs of health benefit. Accidental insurance coverage for this low ratio will also be feasible. A coffee franchise has the benefit of name recognition. Everyone who is an avid coffee drinker has their favorite name brand coffee house. This makes availability for name product sales. 

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Coffee for a Better Life

Coffee, a drink cherished by many; a drink avoided by others. Tea, its main rival, seems to offer a bounty of better health benefits; a drink for the New Agers and those who want to escape the decadence of the brown, caffeinated drink. The fact stands that tea can only be as beneficial as its preparation, which in some cases may have as much sugar as a can of soda. To understand coffee, one must understand the core value of tea: that the brewed leaf itself is the only healthful component. Everything else is decadence.

To that, the coffee bean itself contains a number of benefits to health. But the culture of coffee, like the tao of tea, contains a lot of excess trimmings. Espresso machines, for example, produce a highly concentrated form of ordinary coffee. And then the all-consuming vice: sugar. Along with cream, sugar waters down the benefits of coffee, where it turns the brew into drinkable candy. But all of this remains unchanged from tea. The bean is the important part.

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