Archive for April, 2010
Vacuum Coffee -Say What?
Invented by Loeff of Berlin in 1830s
vacuum method of brewing coffee fell out
of favour by the 1960?s but started to
make a comeback in the 1990s and is
growing more popular in 21st century.
There many different names for these
“machines” – vac pots, vacuum brewed
coffee, siphon brewer, siphon vacuum
coffee, syphon coffee maker etc.
If you have ever seen any of these
coffee makers, your first question
probably was – how on earth does this
thing work?
A siphon brewer basically contains 4
parts – a bottom container, where you
pour water; a top container, where you
put coffee grounds; a siphon tube that
connects the containers; and a filter,
where the liquid and gases pass through.
The device?s working principle is based
on expansion and contraction of a gas
(water vapor). The bottom container is
heated up, which creates the water vapor
that pushes the water up the tube and
through the filter to the top container.
Once most of the water has moved to the
upper chamber the gas can escape through
the siphon tube (the tube doesn?t touch
the bottom of the lower chamber, there?s
a little gap between them). Escaping
vapor keeps the water in the upper
container at the necessary temperature
(it may look like it?s boiling, but it?s
actually not). The process continues for
1 to 3 minutes, then you remove the heat
source. That basically creates the
reverse reaction, where the vapor in
lower chamber cools down and contracts
(some of it converts back to water),
creating vacuum and therefore the
suction that pulls the liquid from the
upper chamber down to the bottom
container. The effect is so strong that
the coffee grounds are practically
sucked dry in the process.
Originally the vac pots used simple wick
burner to heat up the water and some
still do. Nowadays there is a bit more
variety of heating sources available. In
principle they pretty much fall into two
categories – the stovetop (gas or
electric) use and self-contained heating
devices like alcohol wick burners and
butune burners. Of all these sources,
wick burners are the slowest and butune
burners the fastest. If you want to go
for the latter option, look for the
burners that have easily controllable
flame – it?s essential for the great
siphon coffee.
Siphon coffee makers come in many
different sizes, most common ones being
12 ounces (3 cups), 20 ounces (5 cups)
and 32 ounces (8 cups), but there are
also brewers for as little as 4 ounces
and as much as 48 ounces.
There are different types of siphon
brewers available, most common being two
globe type (the one in the picture).
Here one vessel is sitting on top of
another and siphon tube is in between
them. Another more common type is a
balance brewer, which works in the same
principal, however the liquid moves side
to side instead of up and down.
When vac pots fell out of favour, only
handful of manufacturers kept producing
them. With the recent rising popularity
of these coffee makers more companies
are considering in bringing them back to
production. In Japan vacuum coffee is
even more popular than drip coffee,
which is probably also the reason why
many siphon coffee makers are produced
by asian companies including Tayli,
Hario and Yama. A well known vac pot
manufacturing company in Europe is Bodum
with its coffeemaker called Santos.
Siphon coffee makers might take some
trial and error to get used to it, but
they are interesting and entertaining
way to make coffee (and they make good
coffee, I must say). Let’s face it,
there are not that many coffee makers
that look as if they were lifted right
out of science lab.
Albert T. Wolf has found his fascination
in coffee and everything related to it.
There is lot more to the world of coffee
than drip coffee machines. Go to his
blog at http://blog.wakeupvibes.com to
find out more!
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What is a vacuum brewed coffee? What are siphon coffee
makers? I can assure you, this has nothing to do with vacuum
cleaner, but has everything to do with good coffee and with
interesting, entertaining way of making it. Read an article
to find out more …
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Superfood Supplement Fix — Quit
Drinking Coffee & Still Get the Buzz and
Speedy Metabolism, 3 Steps
You love caffeine in all its forms —
coffee, iced tea, cappuccino,
ice-blended, Red Bull, English Breakfast
tea. You need your fix. You like how it
fills you up and squelches your
appetite. How you seem to lose weight
or keep the pounds off. How it tastes.
And you love the ritual. We know. We get
it. We’ve been there! But the truth is
that drinking caffeine is like borrowing
money from the bank ? sure you get an
influx of energy now, but you have to
pay back later, with interest. There are
the coffee headaches, dry skin, jitters,
slowed metabolism and all the other
drawbacks that come with continued
coffee drinking. Luckily, we found an
all-natural way to kick the habit and
still feel satiated: green superfood
energy drinks.
A natural long-term fix that helps speed
your metabolism without the jitters!
Green superfood is full of the best,
unprocessed carbs there are — greens.
Greens give your body and brain the fuel
they need to thrive, and they’re not a
quick fix. When your body gets carbs
plus protein plus healthy fats, it
metabolizes the carbs and burns fat
steadily, giving you constant energy.
It’s a buzz and it’s good for you
because it actually fuels your cells.
Here are additional ways superfood drink
ingredients keep your cells energized:
– natural caffeine in green tea is a
natural stimulant (that also has
anti-oxidant qualities!)
– anti-oxidants keep cells healthy
which keeps them energized
– chlorophyll helps supply cells with
oxygen (the more oxygen the more energy)
– probiotics and digestive enzymes
improve digestive function, which helps
keep your body cleaner, more efficient
and more energized
– all the ingredients are alkaline in
PH, which helps keep alkaline balance in
your blood (caffeine makes it more
acidic which makes you more at risk for
illness)
If you rely on processed carbs (like
bagels or muffins) plus coffee (instead
of unprocessed carbs, protein and oil)
to get you through the morning or late
night hours, your body eventually goes
into “starvation mode.” Your metabolism
then screeches to a halt, you store
almost all food as fat instead of
burning fat for fuel and you feel really
hungry so you tend to pig out. Yikes!
3 Steps to Get Your Buzz On Without The
Drawbacks
Here’s how to kick the habit and still
feel totally happy and stimulated with
green superfood drinks:
1. Replace coffee with green superfood
drinks. You get all the benefits we’ve
mentioned plus the healthy nutrients can
help you beat any withdrawal headaches.
2. Drink lots of water. This will also
help you beat withdrawal headaches.
Drink an absolute minimum of half of
your body weight in ounces per day.
3. Replace the ritual. This is key! A
big part of any habit is the “love,”
soothing, comfort and socializing that
comes with it. If you go to a coffee
shop every morning, keep doing so and
have decaf instead. If you like to sip
coffee while you read the paper, sip
your breakfast shake instead or have
your shake and then a warm decaf tea.
Whatever it is, honor your coffee ritual
and come up with a new healthier one. It
may take a few days, but it will really
help you stick to your guns.
Ready for your powerful energy boost
that replaces the need for coffee…
Quitting the caffeine habit can be headache-free if you
replace your favorite beverages with green superfood drinks
and your beloved coffee rituals with new rituals. Keep
reading to find out how, because green superfoods have what
it takes to give you an energy buzz and keep your metabolism
efficient all day. It?s better than coffee and healthier
too!
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Getting A Membership To Enjoy Coffee
The coffee club concept is relatively
new but is taking the world by storm.
Reward yourself or your friends and
relatives with coffee clubs by joining
up and saving loads. Each month, you
will get a shipment of coffee delivered
direct to your door. This is a great way
to taste new coffees, sample different
varieties, find a brew that you really
like and ultimately avoid a trip to the
store to buy your favorite coffee.
Automatic shipment is very convenient,
especially if you like your coffee first
thing in the morning because this means
you will never run out when you need it
the most.
Clubs are now springing up all over
America and different clubs have
different offerings so it is easy to
find one that suits you. Most clubs
offer a coffee of the month and/or your
choice of flavors. With flavors you can
choose what coffee you want delivered
each month, or allow the company to
surprise you. Depending on the club, it
could be your favorite flavor, or a
different flavor every month. Amounts
vary from company to company also.
Usually it is one pound per month, but
you can order more if you desire.
Some clubs even offer newsletter
subscriptions with informative articles
about the month’s featured coffee as
well as coffee recipes and helpful hints
about coffee making and removing coffee
stains. When you join one of these
clubs, you are also usually entitled to
a members-only discount. If the company
has a sale or special offering,
generally the club members will be the
first to hear about it through the
newsletter. In addition to coffee,
gourmet coffee clubs sometimes include
extras like coffee mugs or books with
coffee recipes in them.
With clubs, the membership terms are
usually fairy flexible. You can usually
choose the length of your club
membership, from three to twelve months,
whether you want whole beans or ground,
the type of grind you would like and
finally, you can choose flavored or
regular, caffeinated or decaf coffee.
The choices are endless and are designed
to cater specifically for each person’s
tastes. This is more work for the club
but at the end of the day is done to
induce you to buy more coffee.
An idea for a coffee gift is a coffee
club membership. This is where you
purchase a subscription for a coffee of
the month club, and your recipient gets
coffee delivered to them each month.
Gourmet coffee clubs make a great gift
idea for holidays, birthdays, or as
thank you gifts. you are looking for a
unique business gift, think about giving
a coffee club subscription. Most people
appreciate a good cup of coffee; it is
enjoyed around the world. This is one
gift that transcends borders. Your
recipient will like the convenience of
having the coffee delivered on schedule,
without having to reorder all the time.
If you give a club subscription as a
gift, you will be able to send a gift
card or letter to your recipient,
notifying them of your gift membership.
The coffee club concept is relatively new but is taking the
world by storm. Reward yourself or your friends and
relatives with coffee clubs by joining up and saving loads.
Each month, you will get a shipment of coffee delivered
direct to your door. This is a great way to taste new
coffees, sample different
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Organic Coffee Beans – Switch for a New
Life Style
There’s lots of talk about the benefits
of organic coffee beans these days. Here
is a look at some of the factors for
making the switch to organic coffee
beans.
Organic Coffee Beans is the Future of
Agriculture
From all indications, the future of
agriculture lies with organic farming.
For the consumer, this means healthier
produce. Organic farmers make use of
sustainable farming processes and avoid
the use of dangerous chemical pesticides
and fertilizers. These harmful
substances are known carcinogens.
In order for produce to be certified as
organic in the U.S., it must pass strict
requirements by an agency of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. For organic
coffee beans, these requirements include
proof of being grown in an area that is
proven to have no exposure to prohibited
pesticides and chemicals for at least 3
years. Additional requirements for
certification include a sustainable crop
rotation plan which avoids soil
depletion and pest control through
non-chemical methods.
An Organic Lifestyle should include
Organic Coffee Beans
It’s becoming easier these days to adopt
an organic lifestyle, since organic
products are now more common in the
market. Your diet can now include all
kinds of organic foods, from milk to
meat to fruits and vegetables. There is
no question that lowering your exposure
to deadly chemicals and pesticides is
vitally important to your health. It’s
only natural to make organic coffee
beans part of your organic lifestyle.
Respect the Earth and Buy Organic Coffee
Beans
Many farmers who grow organic coffee
beans also make a commitment to protect
the earth in other ways besides avoiding
pesticides and chemicals. Many plant
their coffee under trees in the
rainforest, rather than clearing the
trees. This helps preserve the diverse
bird population that calls the
rainforest home.
Are Organic Coffee Beans more Expensive?
Other than preserving the fragile
rainforest, organic coffee beans taste
great. You may think organic coffee
beans are significantly more expensive,
but this is not the case. You can find
organic coffee with prices comparable to
non-organic online and at many stores.
You will feel good knowing that you are
getting less exposure to harmful
substances and helping to protect the
planet at the same time.
One last piece of advice – check that
the organic coffee beans you buy are
certified by a reputable third party.
You want to be sure you’re getting the
real thing.
Damen Choy, editor of Coffee Bean Direct
Coffee-Bean-Direct.com provides timely
information about the coffee market, as
well as tips and ideas for coffee lovers
and their friends, who can find great
java-related gifts for the coffee
enthusiasts in their lives. Visit bulk
coffee to learn about the many benefits
of buying coffee in bulk for yourself
and your loved ones.
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Organic coffee beans represent the future of agriculture.
Should you consider the switch? Here are some of the factors
to consider.
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Coffee and Chocolate
Few things inspire the intense devotion
and passion as does coffee. However, one
of those “things” that does is
chocolate. And few things are paired
together as well as coffee and
chocolate. I drink a fair amount of
green tea, but when it comes to enjoying
the essence of the cacao nibs it is my
coffee that I reach for.
Like our beloved coffee, chocolate has
taken a reputation hit as an unhealthy
food. The good news is that the essence
of cocoa, like coffee, contains many
healthy compounds. As it turns out, it
is the added dairy and sugar that
creates the unhealthy characteristics.
Understanding that, let’s explore some
combinations that really tempt the taste
buds.
Coffee Chocolates
No this is a perfect way to enjoy our
favorite combination. Espresso roasted
coffee beans dipped in dark chocolate to
make the perfect candy. The bean gives
the candy an enticing aroma and crunchy
texture that truly complements it. You
can find this treat in dark and white
variations. When the white is used it
usually covers a bean that is latte
roasted. A light roast goes very well
with the delicate flavor of white
chocolate.
Nut Chocolates
Who hasn’t enjoyed nuts covered in a
silky smooth chocolate? Many of us grew
up enjoying peanut M&Ms. Well, now it’s
time to grow-up and enjoy the adult
version of that candy. Almonds,
macadamia nuts, hazel nuts, cashews, and
now cacao nibs are all wonderfully done
with our favorite coating. And of
course, your favorite cup of coffee
along side.
Tropical Fruit Chocolates
What an interesting combination this is,
the sweetness of the fruit with the
richness of chocolate. Remember the
first time you had this combination at a
fondue pot? Now you can experience true
tropical delight with three wonderful
taste treats that come to us from the
tropics: cacao, tropical fruit, and
coffee. From guava, to passion fruit, to
pineapple, these fruits are terrific
alone. But when paired this way the
taste experience is truly one to savor.
How would it feel if you were enjoying
some chocolate treat with your coffee?
Well don’t hesitate, enjoy it today.
Lance Curtis is editor and contributor
to http://www.TheCoffeeDrinker.com where
coffee lovers gather with a cup of their
favorite brew.
The Coffee Drinker uncovers those
hard-to-find gourmet tidbits that coffee
lovers, like you, enjoy.
Click the link to discover a world
dedicated to you, The Coffee Drinker!
http://thecoffeedrinker.com/coffee-and-chocolate/
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Few things inspire the intense devotion and passion as does
coffee. However, one of those “things” that does is
chocolate. And few things are paired together as well as
coffee and chocolate. I drink a fair amount of green tea,
but when it comes to enjoying the essence of the cacao nibs
it is my coffee that I reach for.
Like our beloved coffee, chocolate has taken a reputation
hit as an unhealthy food. The good news is that the essence
of cocoa, like coffee, contains many healthy compounds.
Technorati Tags : coffee chocolate things fruit
The Benefits of Hiring an Office Coffee
Delivery Service
There is nothing that lifts the spirit
and puts one in a pleasant and relaxed
mood than the smell of freshly brewed
coffee. This delicious beverage is
enormously beneficial in the office not
only because of its stimulating
attributes, but the effect it has on the
brain as well. Needless to say, the
chances are that workers will become
energized and potentially more
productive. Most office workers simply
love their coffee because it gives them
the necessary lift to make it through
the day.
The effect of the coffee aroma on the
average person
Often the unique smell and aroma of
coffee takes one back to pleasant times
with family or friends; this can be a
welcome break from stressful workloads
or never ending office tasks. According
to recent research done on the effect
coffee has on the brain, it has been
discovered that it definitely improves
short term memory and speeds up your
reaction time as well. In other words
you can actually become more alert and
productive by drinking coffee; this
rumor is not completely untrue.
The scent of coffee has such a powerful
effect on the human brain that it is
even being used in alarm clocks. The
smell of fresh brewed coffee is
definitely a lot more pleasant than
having a buzzer or loud music go off in
your ears. On weekdays the lovely smell
can get you leaping out of bed and head
straight for the coffeemaker, or, on
weekends, make you roll over and
continue having pleasant dreams of a
scrumptious breakfast accompanied by
your favorite coffee.
Studies into the effects of coffee
highlight the beneficial qualities of
coffee. There are of course negative
effects of drinking too much coffee,
however a moderate amount of coffee
consumption during a work day will most
likely keep a person alert and
productive. Those who drink more than a
moderate amount open themselves up to
risks such as accelerated heartbeat and
anxiety. That being said, the
one-cup-in-the-morning coffee drinker
tends to lose steam in the latter part
of the day while the 3-4 cup-a-day
worker lasts till the end. It really
depends on the specific person in
question.
A vast majority of workers agree on the
fact that a good quality, warm brew is
soothing and relaxing. Some feel that
management is taking good care of them
when the coffee service has been hired
that provides good quality and
affordable coffee. Office policies
differ vastly and in many cases workers
are allowed to have coffee anytime
during the day and may even leave the
office from time to time for a quick
trip to the coffee shop. There are some
companies that do not allow workers to
leave the office during work hours, but
they may enjoy a cup of coffee any time
of day.
The benefits of a coffee delivery
service
Time is of the essence in every
business, as is money. However, not only
can the employee save money by utilizing
a coffee service, but the company also
can benefit in the long run. Coffee
drinkers drink coffee all day long,
perhaps reaching 10 cups a day. All of
this coffee drinking during the work day
can slow production, especially if there
is no coffee available in the office.
Some research has shown that large
amounts of coffee consumption can also
lead to dehydration and loss of
concentration. Nutritionists suggest
that heavy drinkers should occasionally
include fruit juices and water in their
consumption to prevent this from
happening. Too much caffeine can also be
the cause of rising stress levels. This
is according to research but like
everything else no two people are
affected in the same way.
Other products and services
Coffee services do not only specialize
in coffee but in other beverages as
well. The various types of coffees may
include the hot brew that is either
decaf or with hot milk. The cold
varieties would be press iced coffee,
iced latte or mocha. Espressos would
include cappuccino, macchiato, mocha or
latte.
Obtaining a free quote from coffee
delivery service providers is not
difficult at all. The quote will include
what type of services you require as
well as the amount of people that will
make use of the service. Other services
like filtered or bottled water are also
offered. Hot soup as well as hot
chocolate and sandwiches are also on the
menu of some service providers.
Besides offering gourmet and organic
coffees some companies also have a snack
menu that can be ordered daily. Reliable
and reputable service providers can save
time and money when it comes to
providing coffee to office staff
members. An office coffee service will
help to keep your workers focused,
energized and comfortable, knowing that
there will always be fresh-brewed coffee
nearby to give them that extra boost.
Lisa Parker is a freelance writer who
writes about owning a business, commonly
offering suggestions about how to save
money in the workplace by using services
such as office coffee.
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Often the unique smell and aroma of coffee takes one back to
pleasant times with family or friends; this can be a welcome
break from stressful workloads or never ending office tasks.
According to recent research done on the effect coffee has
on the brain, it has been discovered that it definitely
improves short term memory and speeds up your reaction time
as well.
Technorati Tags : coffee office service workers