The Best Coffee for Each Time of the Day

Thursday, November 15, 2012 0 comments
Having a regular coffee routine can be like reaching the calm in a storm. It allows you to relax, gather your thoughts, and rejuvenate your mind and body to a more alert state. To get the most pleasure and benefits from these moments, it may help to know which kinds of coffee you should be drinking, and when. Here are some basic guidelines that you may wish to follow to help each of your days feel a little more special.

Morning

When you first wake up is arguably the most important time to get your coffee routine right, though some mornings you may feel as though any source of caffeine will do! It is better, however, to put a little thought into the beverage that kicks off your day. Many prefer a milder flavor to ease them into their daily routine, and luckily there are a few mild tasting coffees that still have enough kick in them to get you going. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee in particular is well known for its mild, smooth, yet still complex flavor. Because the beans are cultivated in the cool and misty climate of the Jamaican Blue Mountains, the acidity is low, and as a result the brew you make from them is one of the most drinkable on earth, with or without cream and sugar. Choose either this or another low acidity coffee to wake yourself up kindly, without a bitter shock to your system.

Mid-Afternoon

How to Recognize Good Quality Coffee

Saturday, June 16, 2012 0 comments
Good quality coffee comes in four roast categories: regular, blends, flavored and organic. Because coffee roasts are sold with many different titles under a lot of different brands, choosing the right one really wants is more difficult.

To start with, regular is defined as a single-origin and single-named coffee variety bean that is roasted to varying roast levels. For example, the beans would all be just one of the following: Arabica beans, Robusta beans or India beans.

Blends are combinations of two or more different varieties of coffee beans. These beans may be blended before or after they have been roasted to varying roast levels. The reason for blending is to create new flavors or to add body or crema. They may also be blended to keep the flavor consistency when new crops of the same bean are used. The best definition for blended is it is a mixture which is mingled inseparably.

Flavored are beans that have been roasted and are sprayed with flavoring. Coffee that has been flavored may have inexpensive beans or it may have lower quality beans. The quality of the flavoring may be strong to create the tastes and aroma to other foods by contact with surfaces used previously to hold flavored coffee.
Fair Trade beans are organic. Organic Free Trade coffee is currently being exported by 23 countries around the world. They include those from Asia are Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Indonesia and East Timor. African nations of Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya sell Fair Trade coffee. In Central and South America Free Trade coffee comes from Colombia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, El Salvador, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Honduras, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Paraguay.

How does this help you recognize good quality coffee? Fair trade is always organic coffee that is sold to coffee companies and roasters. They roast these beans in a way that brings out their unique flavor. Some of these beans are Robusta beans that are often looked down on as not a quality bean. While some beans like those from Ethiopia, Peru and other parts of South America may be Arabica beans. These beans are said to be a better bean and do not have as much caffeine in them as the Robusta.

Where to Find the Best Coffee in the World

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 0 comments
There are a lot of different opinions on what the best coffee out there is, as well as what defines a great cup of coffee.My wife and I have asked friends, family, and our coffee drinking companions around the world what they consider to be the tastiest coffee. As you can imagine, we have gotten a lot of different answers. We will share with you what we have learned, and the varieties that we have come across in our journey; then let you be the judge.

Your opinion and thoughts on this subject are very important to us and we would appreciate all of your comments, both good and bad, regarding our choices. Please tell us what your favorite coffee is. We'll start with our first "tastiest coffee" choice included on our list of 5 premium coffees, and we will review them all as go.

Private Reserve Kona Coffee

Give this Extra Fancy Kona Coffee a try. This is the highest grade of Kona coffee beans, not to mention the rarest type of Kona coffee available. You will discover a coffee that is full bodied and bursting with wonderful flavor! This is called the Private Reserve Kona, you can only get this from the Koa Plantation. It is simply not available anywhere else.

Arabic Coffee

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 1 comments
Ah coffee! The aroma of the coffee being roasted in the open markets and sold as it's going out of style. Hand roasting not only took place in the coffee houses, but also at homes in the long handled cast iron roasting pan with an attached flattened spoon long enough to reach the roasting beans to stir and constantly release this addictive aroma. You have not had coffee unless you have had it roasted for you by hand, ground then boiled to perfection for that ultimate cup of coffee. From the brewing pot, the urn used for serving it to the crafty and various looking cups used. So whether you are at the market, home or attending whatever occasion, engagement, wedding, graduation, the birth of a child, a holiday, or fast visiting for a "Sahra," a gathering to socialize. All of these occasions, visits, or events are accented with indulgence in coffee drinking, or sweet minted tea, fresh fruit and snacks. The ultimate hospitality of a Middle Eastern home is having coffee "on" and serving it all the time. Have you heard of Coffee Arabica, or the Origin of the Bean? Of course it is the Middle East where coffee was originally discovered. In these parts of the world, coffee and it's multiple ways of roasting, brewing, and serving it, coffee is drank in the liters from early in the morning to the late hours of the night, which goes without saying as farmers are early risers and are customarily to bed by midnight. Remember that early afternoon siesta helps a lot.

Now, coffee is the preferred drink of all generations across the new homeland. My mom and dad always had coffee brewing and their constant and warm hospitality, which they showed everyone, was and continues to be, the most gratifying gesture to me. Much of this was the hallmark and gracious gestures of my grandparents before them. To this day, I carry on the same kind of hospitality both at home and at my restaurant. Often my friends, and even my own kids (today's generation), ask if that was necessary or needed, not because the kids, unlike my parents and siblings, are unaware of this. It's because a lesser importance or value is placed on such things. One could argue that it's generational or the difference in the value systems or customary traditions of the time we live in. It is heartwarming, however, as our own kids are more exposed to this, in the long run they will become more appreciative of this unconditional return to this wonderful, interesting and most gratifying gesture of peace, love and friendship.

Arabic coffee is ground very fine compared to its counterpart American version. It is very much similar to the espresso grounds. Unlike espresso, it is traditionally sweetened with sugar or honey and spiced with whole or ground cardamom.

Ingredients

- 1 tsp coffee
- 1 cup water

Method

- Bring water to boil (with sugar if desired)
- Add coffee, notice coffee with begin to foam and creamy bubbles start to form
- Turn heat down and perk for a short minute
- Pour coffee into cups and spoon some of the foam topping each cup

Arabic coffee can be ground with cardamom or without. In fact, specialty stores stock both types of ground Arabic coffee vacuum sealed for freshness and taste.

Shaw H. Rabadi, restaurant owner/chef/author, invites you to Eat, Drink, and Be Mediterranean with him for a happier, healthier life!

Visit http://www.TheMediterraneanDigest.com for information on his newly released story-cookbook, "Savor the Spices of Life" and more info on eating, cooking, and living a heart healthier life.

Eat Better, Fresher, Smarter!

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Coffee Culture in North America

Thursday, September 15, 2011 1 comments
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in North America and has quite a long history. The hot drink was first introduced to this country in 1668, and shortly after New York became the site of one of the first coffee houses in the United States. The well known Wall Street was actually the site of many early coffee houses where the New York Stock Exchange and The Bank of New York both started. Coffee has evolved into more than just a beverage, it has shaped an entire cultural environment.

The world has become inundated with corporate chains like Starbucks that have dominated their tiny coffee bar predecessors. Each day coffee drinker's flock for a cup of their favorite flavor, not just to drink, but to socialize among people as well. At a coffee shop, people can spend hours drinking, reading, or enjoying the company of others. It is an excellent place for lonely people to gather in a comfortable setting and interact with others. Other times, coffee bars offer customers a relaxing atmosphere where it is quiet and a person can be alone with their own thoughts. A person can sit and watch people without having to say a word.

Coffee culture in the United States has come to describe a range of coffee shops like tiny espresso stands to large chain stores. Many contemporary coffee bars offer Wi-Fi services to their customers for convenience as well as wide ranges of beverages like cappuccinos and lattes. It draws in the yuppie business crowd. On the other hand, there are diner-like restaurants that specialize in coffee and cater to the senior crowd that prefer just regular drip coffee. Many older people gather around counters with bar stools, drink coffee, read the newspaper, and discuss different events.

The United States is a very large buyer of coffee beans. The coffee market is extremely popular and continues to grow which extends to the livelihoods of coffee bars. Even with the invention of single serve coffee makers that make it extremely convenient to make great coffee at home, people continue to frequent coffee shops. In the morning, people buy coffee on the way to work. In the afternoon, people that are on lunch breaks buy coffee as a mid day pick-me-up. College campuses are filled with students who lounge around drinking coffee while studying or waiting for a class.

Places like Starbucks have driven society into a culture where coffee means more than just a drink. In many ways, it represents a way of life that people want to strive for. Being able to interact socially in a comfortable environment or escaping life's fury in the quietness of a drink, coffee has become an obsession that is ever growing with no market saturation in sight.

The social aspect of Coffee Culture is a huge reason why people go to coffee shops. If you're in a hurry its not always convenient. Are you looking for a faster, often better tasting start to your day? You may be surprised at how easy the answer is! -> Single Serve Coffee Makers <-

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The Fine Art Of Turkish Coffee Preparation

Thursday, June 2, 2011 1 comments
Even though modern day Turkey has been exposed to the likes of espressos and cappuccinos, the ever present faithful of Turkish coffee still plays a significant role in social culture within Turkey. In fact, Turkish coffee is actually drunk the world over, with Turkish emigrants taking the fine art of coffee preparation across the globe.

In fact, even in today's modern world, the age old tradition of the elders where coffee is used to help select a bride is still practiced. This common practice allows for a young woman to serve her prospective in-laws so that they can inspect her beauty and grace. The manner in which the coffee is prepared and served is scrutinized to the last detail, and so a good showing in this specific ritual can ensure a prospective bride access to the man she wants.

Nowadays, coffee has become more of a social drink, and it is common for the men to spend hours in coffee houses, and they usually become very animated in discussions over politics and religion or any topic that is making headlines, wherever in the world the coffee drinkers may be. The Turkish coffe is usually served after a meal with a piece of "lokum" or what is known as Turkish delight. However, it cannot be denied that a poorly prepared cup of coffee will infuriate the often temperamental Turkish coffee drinkers.

For a successful preparation of the coffee, various special apparatus are used. A defined heating source is required, along with a brewing pot, sugar and teaspoon. These are the main items that are required for the purpose.

After successfully brewing the coffee, it is served in a specially designed cup. These cups may contain a handle, or some actually do not have handles. The cup is very small in size, as the coffee is very strong. The heating is controlled to ensure that the brew does not boil too fast. In delaying the boiling, all nutrients contained in the ground particles are released. Modern heating sources are widely used in brewing. These however do not produce a good quality brew. The best quality is obtained by brewing the traditional way. In this way, the boiling pot is not exposed directly to heat but rather it is placed on sand, whose container is that which is exposed to heat. This style of heating allows for even and gentle boiling, which is necessary for obtaining quality brew.

The art of grinding the coffee can be undertaken using any ordinary grinding apparatus although such may not produce a very fine powder necessary for the brewing of quality coffee, and in that case a specially designed turkish coffee grinder is recommended. Specially designed coffee grinders are available in the market that one can use to grind fine coffee. Furthermore, ground coffee easily loses flavor with inappropriate storage, so the preparation from start to finish is vital in ensuring a successful cup of Turkish coffee.

Dave is a fanatical coffee drinker and has recently been exposed to the wonderful world of Turkish Coffee.
He has even created his own site dedicated to the wonderful turkish coffee pot

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Choosing Awesome Futon Bunkbeds For Your House

Saturday, May 28, 2011 1 comments
Futon bunks are very valuable items of home furniture due to the fact they serve as a couch or even bed combo. Futon bunkbeds are growing in reputation due to the fact it permits a bed on top and a settee and bed combination below. In the event you do not wish to put money into a futon bunk bed, it's quite possible to build your own out of a couple of existing futons. Stick to the directions to successfully build a futon bunkbed.

As an example, you could turn it into a section for recreation and relaxation to enliven your household and buddies. If you are considering advertising their residence then remodeling your cellar will increase the value of your home. The most important advantage of getting your attic a facelift is the fact it is going to pull in prospective buyers and multiply the living space of your abode. When you want to carry out a attic conversion then you'll have to have a reputable and reliable company and a contemporary design. This may allow you to have a comprehensive basement condo that may be utilised as a comfy home for an individual or even a smaller family.

Incorporating indoor saunas can be a excellent concept in this regard. You will discover a lot of health benefits if you make use of a jacuzzi for relaxation every 7 days or even even daily basis. You might moreover install some workout equipment together with mirrors attached to the walls and provide the cellar with the appearance of a genuine physical fitness and health club. Converting your attic in to a video games room is yet another great option. In such circumstances you will find several styles readily available. The floor itself can produce a particular theme and feel. You'll find a number of individuals that transform their basements into a billiards parlour or darts room.

Listed below are a couple of things to keep in mind whilst obtaining a futon bunkbed. The top mattress needs to be no more than 9 inches thick. Be sure that the top bunk beds which are accessible utilising the matching ladder are surrounded by long lasting guardrails for security. Several futon bunk beds can quickly change into a couple of separate beds. Remember to select a futon bed mattress, which can fold, for the bunk below. The lower futon bed frame of a futon bunk bed folds down speedily to morph into a comfy full size bed. By no means affix or even hang any item that's not developed for use with twinover futon bunkbeds. The steel frames are powder-coated in a choice of decorative colours. Futon bunk beds may demand some assemblage utilizing typical house tools.

If constructing your own home furniture is not your idea of fun, you can purchase a cheap bunkbeds at sources on-line for bunkbeds. Pay a visit to our web site to check out the distinct designs and materials bunk beds are available in.

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