Friday, September 30, 2011

How to Decide If Buying a Home Espresso Maker Is the Right Choice for You

In the last twenty years or so America has developed a love affair with espresso and a variety of espresso related drinks. This has enabled countless companies, most notably Starbucks, to tap into this love affair and offer quality espresso in virtually every city in the United States. The popularity of cafs has served to actually increase the overall demand for espresso made drinks. The result is that average person has become an almost daily drinker making significant profit for their espresso provider of choice. At most of these places the typical latte or cappuccino can cost around $3-$4 per drink. As you can imagine a daily habit can get really expensive really fast. The argument is that part of what you are paying for is convenience and that home espresso makers either do not provide the same quality espresso or if they do, the machines are far too expensive and bulky for an individual or family to own and operate. This may have been true in the past, but this is no longer the case.

There are many great espresso makers on the market that are compact, convenient, and most important, create amazing espresso drinks. The cost of these machines can range from around $75-$100 at the low end to $1000-$2000 on the high end of the spectrum. Even the low end models are still really nice and produce a high quality espresso drink that would meet the needs of most people. Buying your own home espresso maker can be a little overwhelming if you do not know what you are doing. The first question that you need to ask yourself is what type is right for your individual needs. In most cases, the Super Automatic Espresso Makers are the perfect choice as they are the most convenient, easy to use, and fastest option. This type of machine requires just the simple press of a button to create great tasting espresso drinks. If you are busy professional or family that does not have a lot of time in the morning we would suggest choosing this type of maker. The other is the Pump espresso maker which is for individuals that long to have traditional Italian espresso in the comfort of your own home. It is not as convenient or easy to use as the automatic version, but is by no means hard. These days there are also a great selection of combination espresso and coffee makers or espresso makers that also allow you to you use the pod coffee technology. The next decision you need to make is what brand of espresso maker to purchase. Although there are many great brands that produce high quality makers at affordable prices our espresso maker of choice is Delonghi.

The Rise and Rise of Coffee

Coffee was discovered in 850 AD and for over two centuries was made directly from the ripe coffee cherries and consumed as a refreshing cold drink.

It was not until the 1100's that is was discovered that when coffee was dried, roasted and crushed it made a far supplier drink when combined with hot water. It became very popular with Muslims in the late 1200's and effectively became a part of their religion. Coffee followed the Muslim religion into India, Northern Africa and the Middle East.

European nations were late to the party and it was not until the seventeenth century that coffee was readily available. It is said that travelers from Venice first brought back beans from the Middle East, after enjoying the beverage in established 'coffee houses' in foreign lands.

Soon the Venetians were importing large quantities of coffee into Italy and the first coffee house was opened in 1645. Britain soon followed, despite being great tea drinkers, and the first coffee house was opened in London 5 years later. The French were a little further behind, the first Parisian coffee-shop opening in 1686.

Coffee drinking quickly spread throughout Europe. By the 18th century there were huge numbers of establishments in the major cities in Europe. It is said that the custom of tipping waiters started in a busy London coffee shop. A small wooden box was put on display with a sign saying, "To Insure Prompt Service" (TIPS). Customers were encouraged to drop a coin or two into the box.

These establishments became very fashionable places to frequent, and many artists, musicians, bankers, politicians and other influential people would meet to discuss world events. In Paris, coffee houses attracted revolutionaries, who discussed their plans to topple the French monarchy.

Coffee Shops have also played an important part in commerce and finance. For example, Jonathan's Coffee House in Change Alley, which was used by stockbrokers, would later develop into the London Stock Exchange. Similarly, ship owners and marine insurance brokers would meet at Edward Lloyd's Coffee Shop in Lombard Street and it would later become the center of world insurance and the headquarters of Lloyds of London.

In the United States too, coffee drinking had a big influence. Coffee houses appeared in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The Green Dragon became a meeting place for John Adams and other revolutionaries plotting against England.

Both the New York Stock Exchange, The Bank of New York and indeed Wall Street were formed and originated from a meeting of like minds in local coffee drinking establishments.

As can be appreciated coffee has been indoctrinated into most cultures of the world and has had a part to play in world events, from the French Revolution to the Boston tea party.

Gaggia Platinum Vision: A One of a Kind Coffee Maker

Finally, there is a new coffee maker that is perfect for putting a special touch to your favorite coffee blends. The Gaggia Platinum Vision coffee maker offers promising features that allow you to make your own coffee recipe with ease and lots of fun. It is a one of a kind coffee machine that provides great taste to your espresso and other types of coffee in no time.

Gaggia Platinum Vision has a number of amazing features for the convenience of coffee lovers. One of these is the rapid steam function. This feature allows you to generate steam in the machine in as fast as 15 seconds. It also takes about 90 seconds to boil water with its quick heat-up function. Whether you want to create a decaf or any other coffee blend, you can use the by-pass dozer feature to pour in ground coffee without changing your primary bean. The coffee strength can be adjusted within the 6 to 9 grams range as well. There is also a pouring spout that gives you the option to further adjust the coffee strength to create a sweet or bold espresso. You may electronically adjust the dip tray according to your cup or mug size. Plus, the volume of water can be conveniently programmed to make it perfect for the specific coffee blend. You can also use cup warmer setting which has three options - always on, always off, and off while in stand by mode. When it comes to water settings, you have the option to adjust the water hardness from 1 to 4 and you may also turn on the rinse and water filter functions. The temperature level can also be switched between high, medium, or low level. In addition, you may choose between mild, medium, strong, and pre-ground aroma for your coffee.

Although there are many other advanced types of coffee maker, Gaggia Platinum Vision is just one of the few coffee makers with an easy to use touch-pad screen control with a display for text and icons. This coffee maker has four different settings for stand by mode. You can also have this unit to automatically power up according to your preferred time and date setting. Meanwhile, you can select among the 13 languages for the text in your display. It is possible to adjust the contrast of the screen display as well.

Another good thing about Gaggia Platinum Vision is its safety measures. It also consumes energy efficiently so you don't have to worry about your electric bills. Plus, this coffee maker includes several maintenance settings including the cleaning cycle, descale cycle, and lock display. There is also a factory setting that you can use if you want to reset the machine to the original manufacturer settings.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Main Features Of Gaggia Accademia Multi-Functional Coffee Maker

Among the many new models of coffee maker, the Gaggia Accademia is the best one in putting professional taste to your favorite coffee drink. Whether you desire for a traditional espresso or a creamy cappuccino, this wonderful coffee maker will help you create a perfect coffee blend as if you are a real barista. Imagine how lovely it is to serve fresh and finely brewed special coffee drinks at the comforts of your own home.

One good thing about the Gaggia Accademia is its two separate boilers that are perfect for acquiring quick and accurate results. The first boiler is for the espresso ingredients while the other is for the steam or water. There is also an integrated auto-cappuccino jar that can be used to put a special touch to your favorite cappuccino drink. With this coffee maker, you have the option to serve either of the following: caffe, caffe lunggo, espresso, latte, latte macchiato, cappuccino, and plain hot water. You may detach the external milk circuit and put it into the refrigerator to keep your milk fresh. There is also an integrated milk management system that you may use to put special flavors to any of these coffee blends.

When it comes to the physical appearance, Gaggia Accademia still remains on the top of the list. It has a stylish housing with a durable, metal frame, stainless-steel front panel, and a bright display for your convenience. Its one touch push-button controls are well-arranged, giving a more professional look. A very special feature of this promising coffee maker is its capability of memorizing your preferred combination of settings. From the amount of coffee beans, volume of water, brewing level, percentage of milk and cream to a specific warming time, this coffee maker offers many possible combinations according to your preferences. Adding to that feature is its ceramic burr grinder and grind regulator, which allows you to choose among eight grinding settings. Other features that support easy usage are the adjustable dispensing head, water filter, active cup warming plate, and descaling setting.

This coffee maker is also energy efficient with an operating power rating of 1.5kW and standby power rating of less than 1W. Its water pump pressure is about 15 bars. On the other hand, it has a removable water tank capacity of 1.6 liters and a coffee bean container capacity of 350 grams. You can also choose coffee strength from 7 up to 10 grams of coffee per cup. The integrated external milk carafe has a capacity of 0.6 liters.

These are just some of the great things you can find in Gaggia Accademia coffee maker. If you want to enjoy easy but special coffee making in your own kitchen, this machine is just the right one for you.

The Appeal of the Coffee Shop

Has any business sector been more saturated than that of the coffee shop? Any major city features multiple street corners that have 2, 3, or even 4 shops at the intersection - many time even multiple stores of the same franchise. With this level of redundancy, one would think that the coffee shop is nearing its tipping point. On the contrary, more are being built all the time and franchise owners continue to rake in giant profits year in and year out. This begs the question: why? What is the appeal of these locations that people will wait in long lines to pay expensive sums (by coffee standards) to the degree that a franchise needs to open up multiple locations with a stone's throw of each other?

It starts with the products themselves. Coffee is the world's second most consumed beverage (after water). The business model has proven that people want GOOD coffee. While instant may work for some consumers, there is definitely a different market segment - much larger than a niche - that wants quality coffee from a quality brewer. They want that premium cup and are willing to pay a premium a price for it - and a premium price is what is charged. However, maybe more important than the quality is the variety that is available. Anybody can get a cup of instant coffee from any number of sources, but to get the various flavors (vanilla, chocolate, caramel, etc.) and types of beans, that is more difficult to obtain than simply strolling down the aisle at the local grocer. Beyond the variety of coffees, most of these shops also offer teas and other beverages. For those in need of breakfast, there is also usually a selection of pastries and snacks available. In that way, the shop features more a niche restaurant than as a glorified beverage stand.

Yet, people come for more than just the primary product. Coffee shops are about more than just the coffee - there is also an aura associated with the stores themselves. Why else would one of the most popular sitcoms in history feature a coffee shop as one of the primary meeting places for its characters? Beyond just the typical caf chairs and tables, many of these stores feature couches and (no irony intended) coffee tables. It is about more than just consuming the product; it is also about providing a gathering location for a niche of its clientele. They also typically feature free Wi-Fi - I challenge you to find me a coffee shop during peak hours where there are not at least three patrons surfing their laptop or iPad.

Coffee shops essentially boil down to an either you get it or you don't type of appeal. To a certain percentage of the population, they see two stores of the same franchise located right across the street from each other and it just doesn't make sense (and never will). To others, not only will they patron one of those stores, but they will be fiercely loyal to it and never visit the other under any circumstances. While that may seem like a strange opinion, it is more common than you'd think. How else do you explain the success?

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Chemex Coffee Maker - A Classic Coffee Maker for Modern Times

Are you thinking of trying a Chemex coffee maker, but don't know how to make coffee by the manual drip method? It's not terribly difficult to do, and the results from a Chemex coffee maker are great, in my opinion. I have been using one of these coffee makers for many years, and there are very few other methods of coffee making that I would use. Here are three reasons why you should get a Chemex for your kitchen.

1. First and foremost, the Chemex makes great coffee. It was especially designed by a chemist to brew coffee without the bitterness that often occurs with other types of coffee makers. The secret is in the coffee filter that fits into the top of the carafe. It is a thick and sturdy paper filter that concentrates the filtration through the point of a cone, and also carefully regulates the timing of the filtration. You can choose between bleached or unbleached filters; I generally use unbleached because I like the flavor better, and I can drop the filter and grounds right into my compost when I am done.

2. Because of the filter and the design of the carafe, the Chemex is a very easy-to-use manual drip coffee maker. Just put in the filter, measure in your ground coffee beans and pour in some hot water; then let gravity finish the job. There is no sludge in the coffee like you would find in a french press, so if you prefer your coffee clear of any grounds this is a good way to brew it.

3. The Chemex is an elegant piece of equipment that looks good in any kitchen or on a dining room table. Its design is so unique that it has been added to the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian museum. The carafe is beautiful to look at and it is very comfortable to hold in the hand, with a simple wooden collar to protect your hand from the heat. It is very sturdy and should last a very long time as long as it isn't dropped, and it is easy to clean with a long brush and dish soap.

So there you have it, three great reasons to add a Chemex coffee maker to your home. Buying a Chemex is a good idea because it makes great coffee, is easy to use, and looks stylish.

Melitta Coffee Filters: A Coffee Invention We Love

Innovation is, without any doubt, the lifeblood of entrepreneurial ventures and new business development. Inventors can be defined as revolutionaries who push the economy forward by design or by accident with new ideas that promote competition and create marketplaces.

The story of Melitta Bentz (1873-1950) is a classic example of a 35 year old housewife, turned small businesswoman, who invented a coffee filter revolution in her small German kitchen. Something else that is fascinating about Melitta and her husband Hugo is that they recognized the importance of filing patents as first-inventors-to-file for their original and subsequent inventions. This was a very smart move that protected their innovations from competitors and provided them a safety net for new business development. As the world has become more interconnected globally, inventors worldwide are learning to be vigilant of competition, filing patents early and not forfeiting valuable patent rights as a result of late applications.

The Melitta Bentz Company started with a sound patent foundation for long-term consistent entrepreneurial, commercial and industrial endeavors beneficial to millions of people worldwide. Another way to look at the story of Melitta Bentz and her coffee filter is to remember the old adage that says "...necessity is the mother of invention and the father of entrepreneurship..." Nothing else captures better the story of Melitta Benz and her coffee filter invention. Visualize this: a regular housewife experimenting in her own kitchen with some way to filter coffee so her cup would have a better taste. A fairly straightforward and simple goal. No attempts to change the world. Just a better brew!

Melitta's Eureka moment did not come in an instant of inspiration but was the result of frustration with dingy unfiltered coffee pots or washing stain-ridden filters made out cloth materials which did not do the filtration job very well. Melitta stumbled upon the use of school blotter paper to filter liquid and remove grounds from her coffee. She cut the blotting paper in the shape of a circle and figured out that it fit the metal cup well for her purposes. Initially, her invention was simple: placing a piece of paper over the perforated bottom of a brass pot to brew a cleaner cup of coffee. The paper filter was disposable which lessened the amount of work she had to do. No more wringing of dirty, stained coffee cloth filters, and a more hygienic system which was appealing from a health awareness standpoint. In time, Melitta perfected the shape of her filter and filed a patent for her two-part coffee filtering system consisting of a filter and filtration paper on June 20, 1908.

Several months later, Melitta Bentz and her husband officially launched the Melitta Bentz Company. The company started on a shoe string budget. However, like most committed inventors, all the Bentz family members were committed to doing their part to achieve success. The sons developed a neighborhood delivery route for the coffee filters. This helped fuel word-of-mouth advertising which led to more coffee paper filter distribution and marketing opportunities. In 1925 the filter packaging with the familiar red and green colors was introduced and the Melitta brand name started to become a household word. The Melitta Bentz Company continued to advance technologically and filed additional patents for the Filtertuten® (filter bags) to fit the new cone-shaped device bag in 1937.

The shape of the original filter changed into the cone-shape with the triangular folded paper filter design and tapering at the bottom we know nowadays. The significance of this change is that the ideal shape for coffee filtering was finally achieved. The paper used for the filter was replaced with a more porous type of paper. The paper filter cone went from a ceramic and porcelain version to a plastic filter cone that was durable and economical. In 1989, Melitta introduced Natural Brown filter paper. The pulp is unbleached which prevents unwanted by-products from damaging the environment.

Fears about toxic bleaches applied in papermaking led The Melitta Bentz Company to shift to a dioxin-free oxygenated paper whitener in 1992. This is when oxygen-bleached paper was born. In 1997 Melitta introduced a new filter paper generation called Flavor Pores. These filters have microfine perforations that filter out unwanted particles and oils while improving taste and aroma. In 2002, Melitta introduced aDouble Crimp technology which adds strength and increases durability of the filters through the addition of a second safety crimp. In 2007, the Bamboo filters # 2 and #4 sizes arrived on the shelves. They are made with 60% Bamboo which is a naturally renewable resource. Also in 2007, Melitta released new patented Flavor Enhancing Micro Perforations. The company operates under the name Melitta Group in Minden, Germany, which has almost 50 companies with over three thousand employees worldwide.

What about a delicious cup of Kona Extra Fancy 'Certified' gourmet coffee? A rare, 100 per cent Extra Fancy grade Kona coffee!

Buying Coffee Beans Online Provides the Best From the World

While local supermarkets and baristas admirably attempt to bring in a variety of coffees from around the world, they cannot compete with the selection and convenience of buying coffee beans online. And the quality of the supermarket coffee bean itself is often poor when compared to purchases from specialty coffee companies.

Coffees from Ethiopia consistently rate high amongst testing agencies. Reasonably priced and wet-processed, they come from regions of the country which include Yirgacheffe and Sidama districts, long considered an ultimate growing location. Other African brands are also high on the list of frequently purchased coffee beans online.

Coffee exporting companies in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras and other Latin American countries also produce a superb product. Coffee connoisseurs may buy coffee beans online and roast and grind them at home, or order them ready to brew, as the countries all have facilities to process the green coffee beans. Specific requests will be honoured, such as the degree of roasting and processing.

Arabica coffee, believed to be the first cultivated and used by humans, originated in the mountains of Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula. Today, over 70 percent of the coffee that is grown throughout the world is Arabica. Flavours range from soft to tangy and the beans contains less caffeine, making them a popular choice for those who buy coffee beans online, as more people are wishing to avoid the addictive substance. They produce a flavourful aroma when being brewed and have definitely found their niche as the world's number one choice.

Robusta coffee, on the other hand, is cheaper to produce, as its' growing conditions are more flexible than Arabica, which must receive just the right temperatures and amount of rain. Instant coffees and espresso brands are often made from Robusta, which originated in Ethiopia, but is also commonly grown in Vietnam, other areas of Africa and Brazil. Following the roasting process, it has a bitter, earthy flavour which appeals to many consumers who buy their coffee beans online. Many blended beverages available at baristas and coffee houses use Robusta beans, as adding milk or cream helps to temper the bitter taste. And those who enjoy the extra buzz of the high caffeine content prefer Robusta as well!

People who buy their coffee beans online have a huge inventory from which to choose. Popular flavours include chocolate raspberry, hazelnut and amaretto, to name just a few. Decaffeinated coffee is available, with or without flavours. Consumers can choose from a variety of roasting methods so their exact preferences can be enjoyed. And for a pleasant change, a variety of tea is available on most online sites as well.

Socially responsible coffee drinkers can also ensure they are purchasing coffee beans online that were raised through fair trade methods where the producer gets his or her compensation that is in turn spent in their villages, improving the life of all. And they can look for producers who grow their coffees using environmentally-sustainable methods.

With coffee being the most popular beverage in the world, and those numbers are constantly growing, it is convenient and desirable to be able to order coffee beans online and get the most enjoyable variety and flavour for one of life's greatest pleasures.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Coffee Maker 101: Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200

Having your own coffee maker at home is such a convenient decision. You would not have to go to your favorite coffee shop and wait alongside a long line of customers just to drink your cup of coffee. Because of the convenience of owning a coffee maker, you can easily brew your favorite cup of coffee without the hassle. However, how can you know which coffee maker should you purchase out of all the many coffee makers out there? Is the famous Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 a good choice for your household? Read on below and see what people like about this kitchen equipment.

Why should you buy the Cuisinart Brew Central? The most prominent reason why people like this is the way that it merged both functionality and aesthetics. This coffee maker does its job the way it should do it. In fact, it does the job at a rather satisfactory way. People love the coffee brew that this coffeemaker can produce. Because of this, coffee enthusiasts prefer the Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 amongst the other type of coffee makers. But the quality of the coffee made by this kitchen appliance is not the only reason why people tend to choose it. Because of the stylish look of the equipment, it became a consumer favorite. The brushed metal design makes it look "sleek," causing it to be considered as a really bold addition to a consumer's kitchen.

Perhaps another popular reason for people's unconditional love for this coffeemaker is its capability to serve smaller portions of coffee. Unlike most coffee makers, the Cuisinart Brew Central can prepare small batches of brewed coffee with the help of its four-cup brewing option. This option is perfectly suitable for non-hardcore coffee drinkers who do not drink massive amounts of coffee in one preparation time.

Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 also has an adjustable warm plate that will let the coffee stay warm for longer hours. The fact that it is adjustable in three different temperatures (low, medium, high) makes it really expedient for many consumers because they can practically decide how hot their coffees would stay.

The decalcification indicator is also a fine addition to this equipment as it can help you know when to clean your coffeemaker.

Lastly, people really love this coffee maker because of its outstanding durability. This equipment can stay functional for a really long time, thus, making your choice to buy it absolutely worth it. The equipment even comes together with a three-year warranty to ensure that your purchase is going to be worth it.

Monday, September 26, 2011

10 Ways Coffee Benefits Your Health

Here is a "studies have shown" listing of how everyday coffee consumption benefits your health in ten important areas.

1. Reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease

Several studies showed that moderate coffee drinkers (3-5 cups per day) were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than light coffee drinkers (0-2 cups per day).

2. Reduces chance of Dementia

A 2009 study showed that moderate coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of developing Dementia.

3. Reduces risk of Parkinson's disease

One study showed that moderate to heavy coffee drinkers were significantly less likely to contract Parkinson's disease than were non-coffee-drinkers. And a second study showed an inverse relationship between the amount of coffee regularly drunk and the likelihood of getting Parkinson's disease.

4. Reduces chance of gallstone disease

Two studies from Harvard showed that drinking caffeinated coffee has been correlated with a lower incidence, in both men and women, of gallstones and gallbladder disease.

5. Reduces risk of gout

A large study over a 12-year period of 45,000 men showed that coffee consumption decreased the risk of gout in men over the age of 40.

6. Increases cognitive performance

Studies have shown that regular coffee drinkers perform better than non-coffee-drinkers in tests of simple reaction time, choice reaction time, incidental verbal memory, and visuospatial reasoning (look it up). Furthermore, a positive relationship was found between test scores and the amount of coffee regularly drunk. Elderly participants showed the largest effects associated with regular coffee drinking.

7. Enhances effects of pain killers

Ever wonder why so many over-the-counter headache drugs contain caffeine in their formula? Caffeine increases the effectiveness of pain killers, especially medications for migraines and headaches.

8. Reduces chance of type 2 diabetes

A study showed that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 by up to half. The more coffee consumed, the less chance of one getting type 2 diabetes was found.

9. Contains important antioxidant

Coffee contains methylpyridinium, an anticancer compound not present in significant amounts in other foods. And espresso contains even more, because of the unique extraction method associated with how it's made.

10. Reduces risk of certain cancers

Various studies have shown that coffee consumption has been correlated to a reduced risk of oral, esophageal, pharyngeal, liver, and prostate cancer.

Care must be taken when thinking about how coffee may benefit your health. Consuming it does have some risks, which I'll discuss in another article.

Making Good Use Of Your Coffee Grounds

You might be surprised to learn that once you have enjoyed your cup of coffee from your bean to cup automatic machine, the spent coffee grounds that drop into the internal tray can be very useful. Here are some ideas on how to put this waste to good use, saving money and providing natural alternatives. Does anybody have any other tips?

In the garden:
Slugs, snails and ants do not like the smell of coffee so sprinkle your spent coffee around the base of your garden plants to save them keep them from hungry bugs.

Not only does it keep the bugs at bay, but your spent coffee is also a great natural fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur. Sprinkle around your plants or add some to your compost.

Still in the garden or for indoor pots, plants that are yellowing due to a lack of the above minerals will be happy with a feed of spent ground coffee. My green thumb friends warn though not to get too carried away with plants that do not like acidity.

As an odour eater:
Dried ground coffee absorbs odours which gives it a myriad of uses. Place dried ground coffee into a container or fabric bag and use in the fridges, cupboards or anywhere a bit on the nose! Don't worry, once dried the coffee does not transmit its smell, so your clothes won't smell of coffee.

This deodorising effect is also good for getting pungent food smells such as garlic and onions of your hands. Just rub the ground coffee on your hands and wash.

Beauty Treatments:
Use as a facial mask for exfoliation and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant treatment. Actually, use it all over the body! Make a paste using just coffee, or mixed with sea salt and olive oil, or your own creation of natural ingredients. Just take care with how much spent coffee goes down your drain.

Coffee grounds will also act as a conditioner for dark hair for a super shine. Apply to wet hair after shampooing and leave it for a few minutes before rinsing. Note to fair heads, this treatment may colour your hair!

Pet Care:
Rubbed onto pets before washing, ground coffee helps to control fleas as well as being an exfoliant for their skin.

Around the home:
Treat scratches on dark furniture by painting a heavy paste of coffee grounds and olive oil. After about 20 minutes, wipe away the paste. The dye from the coffee will colour the scratch.

Organo Gold and Coffee Consumption Statistics

When it comes to Organo Gold and the coffee consumption statistics, the coffee industry has been extremely competitive lately, due to the large number of coffee companies, and the vast number of people who are leaning towards coffee that comes with a good price and is made with the highest quality.

It truly is the universal drink that people turn to for the morning, a pick-me-up, or just out of habit. Coffee is what brings people together, and frequent coffee drinkers know the difference between cheap and good-quality coffee. They also know that health is important, which is what Organo Gold has brought to the table. It is the ultimate coffee company-they have fused together health and coffee to create a beverage worth trying.

Essentially, Organo Gold Coffee is gourmet coffee mixed with an ancient Chinese herb that was used thousands of years ago to improve the health and well-being of an individual. Specifically, the herb is referred to as the Ganoderma Lucidum herb. The coffee mixed with this herb is designed to help coffee drinkers not only enjoy the drink, but to promote wellness too.

The coffee industry has never experienced anything like this-it has brought innovation to a whole new level. Organo Gold has specifically targeted a widely large demographic to infuse their new health discovery and connect it to the world.

To be more technical about the decision to combine health and coffee, the coffee consumption statistics show that in the U.S. alone, over four billion dollars worth of coffee is imported each year into the country. That's a lot of coffee, but more importantly, that's a lot of people drinking it. To be more specific, more than 150 million Americans indulge in this popular beverage daily.

Put bluntly, coffee consumption statistics prove that coffee appeals to a very wide demographic. Therefore with the help of this company, health and wellness may also be spread to the same demographic. The company's products include gourmet black, gourmet lattes, gourmet mocha, gourmet hot chocolate, and more! All these products possess within them the Ganoderma Lucidum herb.

The wide range of drinks will appeal to all types of coffee lovers, and more importantly, to all people who would like to enhance their well-being. While the main goal of coffee drinkers is to simply enjoy coffee, they can now also drink the beverage with the knowledge that they are helping themselves through this daily indulgence, too.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Online Sale of Fresh Coffee Beans

On a sober rainy day, relaxing on a couch we feel to get our hand over a cup of coffee. Coffee has an eternal feel which it carries with itself. It is the most popular beverage around in the world. It is considered to be second on the list of commodities sold all over the world. In most of the households all over the world, they start their day with a cup of coffee. This practice is going on from generations at their places. As it is such a product which is on high demand, whether or not people buy high quality fresh coffee beans is a big question. This question arises because when a product has high demand as coffee does, retailers and people in the market take new steps to sell it more. Some advertise it as fresh coffee beans, but the beans lie on shelves in the store for days and yet the company claims it as fresh. People are allured by the beautiful packaging of the coffee products. They are misguided by words like fresh, attractive colors used in the packaging bags. In this age of information technology and internet, where major portion of business happens online, why can't we buy coffee beans online? There are enough statements which support the latter.

Contrary to the general thinking among people, coffee beans don't last long once they are roasted. They are usually stored for two weeks at maximum, afterwards they lose the taste and flavor. Whatever coffee beans we see at our departmental stores are stored since many weeks and ultimately, possess a poor flavor. To a true coffee lover, a fresh flavor and a nice aroma would make his day brighter by having such a cup of coffee. To get fresh coffee beans from suppliers, we need to buy the beans online.

People may argue that they can find stores where there are fresh coffee beans that are sold in a proper manner. But buying the coffee beans online has its own advantages. Instead of searching for the store and locating it, we are able to find all the fresh coffee suppliers at one place, internet. We can order for whatever we require, in large quantities. In online stores, we can read several product reviews given by consumers and choose the right product. This is a very easy process as search engine does the half job in helping us to find whatever we require. When we have a different list of fresh coffee suppliers, we can zero in on them using various factors like their location and comparison between the prices. The online fresh coffee supplier has a genuine guarantee which states that these roasted beans are packed a day before they are sent to the customer. And these vendors take orders one at a time. In these stores, we can observe big offers and promotional discounts that we are eligible for and make most out of these. It makes sense to order for fresh coffee beans from online stores rather than wasting time buying beans that lost the flavor. This way, you can make the best coffee and have a sip of it as it is just a mouse click away.

Domestic and Commercial Bean to Cup Coffee Machines

Bean to cup machines don't come cheap so choosing one which is just right for your needs could save you a considerable amount of cash. On the other hand, overworking a domestic model in a commercial environment could have an adverse affect on the life span of the coffee machine. Deciding which type of bean to cup coffee machine you need is not rocket science, or rocking horse science for that matter as the domestic machines, being designed for home use are intended for only a few uses each day. If you're looking for a coffee machine to use in your office, then number of uses per day it's excepted to get will determine what type of machine you need to buy. If you have a small office with only handful of staff them you could probably make do with a domestic machine. However for larger offices you may want to look at the commercial machines instead.

Commercial bean to cup machines generally fall into one of three categories, being light use, medium use, and finally heavy use. Light use means they're intended to deliver up to around 75 cups of freshly ground coffee per day, however some models state up to 25 uses per day, so make sure you double check if you're looking at investing in a light use machine (don't take my word for it!). Medium use bean to cup coffee machines are designed to deliver between 100 and 150 cups of freshly ground coffee per day and heavy use, being designed for busy coffee shops and restaurants can deliver around 100 cups of fresh coffee every hour! So only look at a heavy use commercial machine if you're coffee is in very high demand.

If you're not too sure how a bean to cup machine differs from other coffee machines, then the answer is in the name. Bean to cup means that you pour whole coffee beans into the hopper, and at the touch of a button, the machine will grind the correct amount of coffee beans for one cup of coffee and within a few seconds, you'll have that perfect cup of freshly ground coffee you thought was only available in Paris or Rome. As with other types of coffee machines, this machine also features the frothing wand for making perfect cappuccinos and in most cases also features a cup warmer. Once you've tried bean to cup coffee you'll find it hard to go back to ready ground coffee, as you really can't beat the taste from from freshly ground coffee beans.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Attention Coffee Lovers - Home Brewing System

We all know that coffee has a lot of benefits. As a coffee lover, you may be familiar with some of its health benefits. For one thing, it has a soothing aroma and may help us in our concentration. There may be two things your body might benefit from a cup of coffee - caffeine and antioxidants. Caffeine seems to have a bad reputation in the beverage industry. But in moderation, caffeine can help improve age-related problems such as dementia. Antioxidants, on the other side, aid in repairing cell damage caused by free radicals - byproducts excreted from cells. Studies have shown that coffee can reduce heart disease rate for women by up to 25% and may reduce diabetes risk by up to 60%. Coffee can also reduce risk of cirrhosis (a lever problem common in severe cases of alcoholism), colon cancer and may help relieve asthma and headache.

Coffee brewing seems easy and tedious and may be underestimated. There are several coffee brewing methods. Your choice depends on your own needs and preferences. Are you a cappuccino lover? Don't mind the bitterness of an espresso? Enjoying a regular afternoon cup of robust? Or just prefer a mild one? Coffee brewing is one of the factors that affect coffee flavor and quality. The problem is, there is no single or correct way to brew a cup of coffee. But the advantage is this - flexibility! Because there is no single way to brew one, you can pick a brewing method that can fully satisfy your senses.

The proper kind of coffee brewing system is significant if you want to have the right taste and aroma of your favourite beverage. In the coffee industry, there is a vast number of brewing devices and there are all centered on a certain brewing method. Some of the brewing methods are: Turkish, Percolator, Regular Drip, Plunger and Vaccuum, Cold Water and Espresso. It has been suggested that percolator produces a low-quality type of coffee. But still - you are the judge which type of brewing method is the best for you. Here are some criteria you might contemplate on when choosing a coffee brewing system - quality, convenience, price and a fast brew-time. Nowadays, coffee brewing devices are all automated. From having a quiet-brew technology to having LCD display, you will find it all nowadays in terms of convenience, feel and look. Price is, more often than not, an indicator of overall quality - some might say that a minimum price of a good-quality home brewing system may be $100. What about quality? Well, you may see a lot of reviews online about the best home brewing system but it also comes down to testing and to your preferences.

Find Your Niche When Choosing Your Coffee Maker

When you are looking to purchase a coffee machine, you are going to want to be able to compare it with other machines. Coffee machines feature many different functions. Some might be able to keep a large volume of coffee hot for hours. A different type of coffee maker might be able to make single cups of coffee at a time so you do not waste your coffee. Some coffee machines might offer a large variety of different flavours designed specifically for that machine, allowing you to find your coffee niches.

Purchasing a coffee machine online allows you to compare the various functions side by side. Not only can you compare function, but you can compare price as well. This is not always possible in a retail store. Retailers frequently have agreements with specific coffee maker companies in which they will carry that manufacturer's products, but not their competitor's products. Shopping on the Internet allows you to avoid those competitive agreements by the different retailers.

When you choose the coffee maker that you want, you are going to want to consider your coffee drinking style. Determine if you prefer just to have one or two cups available at a time. Maybe you will want a machine that will brew your coffee directly into a travel mug so you can grab it on the way out the door, to enjoy a hot beverage in your vehicle. On the other hand, you might prefer to spend the morning enjoying multiple cups of your favourite coffee when relaxing in your home and watching your favourite television shows.

Some may not enjoy coffee themselves, but want to purchase a coffee brewing machine just for when they are hosting guests. Once again, you will need to decide if your guests are the types that want to try a variety of different coffees in single servings, or you will need to be brewing coffee in large volume to keep your guests happy and energized. Some examples of events that you might want to supply coffee include a breakfast, card game, or dinner party.

When you purchase a coffee brewer, look for a bargain once you have decided on the type of machine that you want. Coffee can be quite expensive when purchasing it online or in a store. Look for specials where coffee comes with the machine that you are purchasing. This will help you save some money, and possibly try new flavours that you or your friends have not experienced previously.