28.12.08

อบอุ่นไอหอมของกาแฟ (จบ)

Coffee Latte (Cafe au lait)
ส่วนผสม
· เอสเปรสโซ่ 2 ช็อท
· นมร้อน 1 ถ้วย
· น้ำตาล
· ฟองนม
วิธีทำ
รินเอสเปรสโซ่ใส่ถ้วยขนาด 12 ออนซ์ และน้ำตาล เติมนมร้อน โดยใช้ช้อนกั้นฟองนมในขณะที่รินตักฟองนมปิดด้านบน โรยด้วยผงช็อกโกแลตหรือผงอบเชย

Coffee Yogurt
ส่วนผสม
· กาแฟดำ ¾ ถ้วยตวง
· โยเกริ์ตธรรมชาติ ¾ ถ้วยตวง
· น้ำตาล 4 ช้อนโต๊ะ
· เมล็ดกาแฟบดหยาบ สำหรับตกแต่งหน้า
วิธีทำ
ผสมส่วนผสมทั้งหมดในเครื่องปั่น ปั่นจนกระทั่งเป็นครีม โรยด้วยเมล็ดกาแฟบด


Nig-Nag Frity Coffee
ส่วนผสม
· กาแฟดำ ¾ ถ้วยตวง
· ไชรัปผลไม้ 2 ช้อนโต๊ะ

วิธีทำ
รินไชรัปผลไม้ใส่ในแก้วที่จะเสิร์ฟค่อย ๆ รินกาแฟใส่ลงไปในแก้ว
วิธีทำน้ำเชื่อมหรือไชรัป
วิธีทำไชรัปหรือน้ำเชื่อมผสมกลิ่นต่าง ๆ ที่คุณสามารถทำเองได้
ส่วนผสม
· น้ำตาลทราย 1/2 กิโลกรัม
· น้ำเปล่า ½ กิโลกรัม
· กลิ่นหัวเชื้อตามชอบ 1 ขวด (100 ml.)
วิธีทำ
ตั้งไฟอ่อน ๆ เคี่ยวน้ำกับน้ำตาลให้ละลายเข้ากัน อย่าให้น้ำตาลเดือดเคี่ยวไปเรื่อย ๆ จนน้ำตาลมีความเหนียวคล้ายน้ำเชื่อม ยกลงรอให้เย็นเติมน้ำเชื้อลงไปคนให้เข้ากัน ชิมรสชาติของไชรัป พร้อมทั้งสัมผัสกลิ่นจนเป็นที่พอใจ

26.12.08

อบอุ่นไอหอมของกาแฟ

อบอุ่นไอหอมของกาแฟ

ภายใต้ดวงอาทิตย์และแสงแดดที่อบอุ่นเช้าวันใหม่ แลตเต้ร้อน ๆ กับขนมปังอบ เพสทรี หรือครัวซองด์สักชิ้น ก็เพียงพอแล้วสำหรับการเริ่มต้นวันใหม่ด้วยความสดชื่น แลตเต้เป็นเครื่องดื่มที่คนยุโรปนิยมดื่มกันตอนเช้า ไม่ว่าจะเป็นที่บ้านหรือร้านกาแฟ โดยเฉพาะชาวอิตาลี และฝรั่งเศส ด้วยรสชาติที่นุ่มนวลเหมือนจะหยุดเวลาให้เรา ดื่มดำความสุขผ่านฟองนม เป็นความรู้สึกดี ๆ ที่ได้สัมผัส

ด้วยความหลากหลายของรสชาติ เหมาะกับทุกอารมณ์ที่คุณต้องการ การดื่มกาแฟจึงเป็นส่วนหนึ่งในวิถีของเราในแต่ละวัน ในประเทศยุโรปผู้คนมักจะชอบดื่มกาแฟ จึงมีต้านกาแฟมากมายตั้งอยู่ตามจุดต่าง ๆ เพื่อรองรับความต้องการของผู้คนในย่านนั้น การตกแต่งร้านมีทั้งแบบคลาสสิคและแบบโมเดิร์น ขึ้นอยู่กับสภาพแวดล้อมในแถบนั้น ถ้าบ้านเรือนตึกรามบ้านช่องมีลักษณะที่อนุรักษ์สถาปัตยกรรมเก่าแก่ การตกต่างร้านจะเป็นแบบคลาสสิค บรรยากาศในร้านจะดูอบอุ่น จัดได้เหมาะสมกลมกลืนกับสถานที่ในย่านที่มีออฟฟิศหรืออาคารที่ทันสมัย การตกต่างร้านจะออกมาในรูปแบบโมเดิร์น มีสีสันบรรยากาศรวมทั้งโต๊ะเก้าอี้ ชวนให้นั่งจิบกาแฟเพลิดเพลินกับการตกแต่งร้านที่สวยงาม ทันสมัย กับความคิดสร้างสรรค์ของดีไซน์เนอร์

การจัดวางโต๊ะกาแฟจะมีทั้งภายในและภายนอกอาคาร ในวันที่อากาศดีผู้คนมักจะชอบจิบกาแฟรับแสงแดด เพิ่มความสดชื่นเพลิดเพลินนั่งดูผู้คนเดินผ่านไปมาตามท้องถนน ถนนบางสายจะมีพวกศิลปินที่ใช้ชีวิตส่วนหนึ่งบนท้องถนน เพื่อแสดงผลงานตัวเอง บางคนก็วาดรูป บางคนก็เล่นดนตรี โดยเฉพาะเมืองที่มีสถาปัตยกรรมต่าง ๆ จะมีนักท่องเที่ยวเดินเที่ยวชมดูความสวยงามและบรรยากาศรอบ ๆ จะมีร้านอาการและร้านกาแฟให้พักจิบกาแฟซึมซับบรรยากาศ และวัฒนธรรม ชื่นชมสถาปัตยกรรมที่สวยงาม ชิมขนมที่อร่อยกับบริกรที่สุภาพที่มาบริการคุณ

บนถนน Walking Street จะมีร้านกาแฟตามจุดต่าง ๆ ทุกช่วงของถนน ถ้าเป็นกาแฟตามจุดต่าง ๆ ทุกช่วงของถนน ถ้าเป็นถนนแฟชั่นจะมีนักท่องเที่ยวเดินจับจ่ายซื้อของเลือกดูสินค้ามีชื่อของดีไซน์เนอร์ชื่อดัง ในย่านนี้จะมีร้านกาแฟให้นั่งพักดื่มกาแฟชมวิวตั้งเรียบรายกันในละแวกนั้น ร้านกาแฟส่วนมากจะตั้งโต๊ะนอกร้านริฟิตบาท นักท่องเที่ยวนิยมนั่งพักดื่มกาแฟคนเดินผ่านไปมา เก็บภาพและบรรยากาศต่าง ๆ และนั่งดูวิถีชีวิตของผู้คนบนถนนสายนั้นจนกว่าตะวันจะลับขอบฟ้าไปอีกวัน

กาแฟอีกรูปแบบใหม่วันนี้ คือ กาแฟปั่นคอฟฟี่โยเกิร์ต ด้วยรสชาติของกาแฟและ โยเกิร์ต และเติมความความสดชื่นตื่นตัวด้วยกลิ่นของกาแฟบดที่หอมกรุ่นชวนให้น่าลิ้มลอง


21.12.08

Green Coffee Beans

Green Coffee Beans

Coffee does not exist in nature in the form that we normally buy it. Coffee is prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. These seeds are commonly known as 'coffee beans,' even though they are not precisely beans.

The green 'coffee beans' that are collected from the coffee plantations are sent to places where they are roasted, ground and finely crushed to make coffee powder.

The following are a detail of all the processes that green coffee beans have to go through before they actually become coffee powder. First, they must be picked from plantations.

Green coffee beans are most frequently picked by hand by laborers who get paid by the basketful. Since coffee beans are a type of drupe, with fruit flesh directly wrapping the coffee bean, after being gathered the flesh of the coffee bean must be promptly removed by soaking, scouring and mechanically rubbing the bean.

The de-fruited coffee bean is then cleansed with water to remove sticking fruit and additional sugars before drying. The green coffee beans are then spread over a large concrete or rock plane, where they are dried by air and sunlight.

The next step in preparation is categorization of the beans by color and size. Discolored, decayed and damaged beans are removed at this point. The roasting process that follows is important in producing an aromatic cup of coffee.

When roasted, the green coffee bean expands to nearly twice its initial size, changing in color and density. As the bean takes in heat, the color changes to yellow and then to a light 'cinnamon' brown. At this point in the roasting process, the coffee beans will start cracking, quite like popping popcorn. The final product can be crushed into savory coffee powder.

Thus, we see how all the coffee, as we know it today comes actually from green coffee beans.


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

20.12.08

Melitta Coffee Review

Melitta Coffee Review

Coffee makers serve you the best freshly brewed coffee. You will surely enjoy and savor that fresh cup of coffee as you awake in the morning.

For most coffee lovers, they select the best quality coffee for decaffeination. The processed used is by determining the consistency, quality, aroma, and flavor of the coffee.

Melitta coffee maker provides the best quality coffee that you will surely enjoy.

Melitta is responsible in selling and marketing branded electric systems and marketing branded filter paper in the United States. Its geographical manufacturing operations in the United States include roasting and packaging.

Their emphasis on the coffee making industry is to sell aggressively and sell brand share in all markets for the premium products. In the worldwide market, Melitta group of manufacturers market a wide variety of consumer products that include air cleaners, foils, vacuum bags, and cleaning products. Of course their major market is selling a full range of coffee preparation products which is under their brand name.

Melittas coffee's are gourmet, and the proof is in the aroma and taste of the coffee. If you want to brew gourmet and coffee shop best coffees can be easily and conveniently done at your own home using your coffee maker. With Melittas line of gourmet coffee products, they provide gourmet quality and best flavor with very low prices.

Melitta offers a distinctive variety of coffee flavors from delicious to the regular flavored coffee. All are for your daily enjoyment, special occasions, or for the use of delicious addition on your recipes. Here are some popular Melitta's best serve coffees that you will surely enjoy.

1. The classic premium roast coffee is blended purely with 100 percent Arabic beans. It is considered as a favorite by coffee loving enthusiast in over 25 years of delightful existence. This extra fine ground coffee is best serve especially in the morning and at night.
2. Vanilla almond is a perfect combination of two flavors of creamy vanilla and nutty almond. Melitta's vanilla almond is distinctively smooth and creamy and rich with robust. It will surely provide a great tasteful pleasure and making the moment extra special.
3. Melittas Classic Lite is perfect for coffee lovers that suffer from acidity or for those having caffeine sensitivity. It offers a premium quality flavor and it is easy on the stomach. It only contains 40 percent less caffeine and 45 percent less acidity.
4. One of the bestsellers is the Morning Bliss Organic coffee or also known as light roast. It is a coffee served at Melitta that has a brigh character, smooth, and balanced flavoring.
5. Make your senses alive with the delicate aroma and tasteful flavor of Melitta's Hazelnut coffee blend. It is known for its mild, rich, and nutty flavor. This coffee blend provides a sweet treat every time you drink it.

Melittas decaffeinated, ground, and premium coffees are especially made for preparation in non electric and electric cone coffee makers. They add a fine ground that allows you to use less coffee. Melitta offers great value of coffee with the best quality, delicious, aromatic coffee served.


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

19.12.08

Coffee Stains and Your Car''s Carpet

Coffee Stains and Your Car''s Carpet

Quality floor mats, like the custom sized vinyl and carpet types we sell here on caraccessoires.com can guard against most splashes and sprays. When the coffee cup splatters, most of the liquid is caught by the mats. Sometimes the whole cup goes and run-off hits the edges.

Not to worry, there are tried and true methods of getting these very unattractive stains out of your car's carpet (and also out of your custom carpet floor mats as well).

Things you need:

White cloth (several) Paper Towels Mild liquid dishwashing detergent Some cup lukewarm water White vinegar Spray bottle

The white cloth is needed because you don't want the dyes from colored cloths to seep out into your carpet when working this procedure. Also you may need more than one or two. You are going to want to blot, which means no rubbing or scrubbing, because this type of stain spreads out fast when you get into the tempting vigorous scrubbing motions.

What to do:

Blot the area with a clean, white cloth to absorb all the liquid you can. Blot from the outside of the stain in to avoid spreading the stain.

Mix 1 teaspoon clear, mild liquid dishwashing detergent with 1 cup lukewarm water.

Sponge the area with the detergent solution. Blot again with a clean, white cloth.
Mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup lukewarm water.

Sponge the area with the vinegar solution. Blot with a clean, white cloth.

Sponge the area with clean water. Blot with a clean, white cloth.

The white vinegar neutralizes the coffee and allows the stain to be lifted out of the carpet fibers with the blotting rag. It is a good idea to use a spray bottle (if you have one handy) to apply the vinegar solution.

Make sure you leave the car open after doing this to allow the liquid to evaporate and the smell of the vinegar to leave the car. You may want to use something like Frebreeze or some other odor remover after you have let the carpet dry.

If you still have some discoloration from the coffee stain left after doing this procedure, then moisten (using a spray bottle) the tuffs of the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let that stand for about an hour. Then blot the area again with a white cloth. Repeat this as needed until your carpet is stain free.

You don't have to worry about rinsing the hydrogen peroxide out of the carpet; sunlight will change the solution to water in a matter of time. If it bothers you then put down a few layers of paper towel and weigh it down with a brick or something for a few minutes.

Avoid the splatters, splashes and other stains (such as grease and slush being tracked in) by getting a quality set of floor mats for your car, truck or SUV here on caraccessoires.com

We have quality, custom sized vinyl floor mats to fit over 4000 vehicles. These are not the cheap thin plastic versions that curl and warp on the first hot day, or send your heals slipping around while you are trying to drive. These are quality, slip resistant custom shaped heavy vinyl mats that last years and protect your carpet from all kinds of life hazards.

We also have custom designer floor mats, Rubber Floor Mats and Carpet Floor mats with vinyl binding (See the side menu for other options).
All of our floor mats are the highest quality available, insuring long life, protection of your car's interior and attractive custom designs that fit your car exactly as they should.

If you use the wide bottom type car mugs with the rubber sheet that "grips the dash" to keep it in one place, you might also consider getting a dash mat as well. That rubber grips a lot better on carpet than it does on vinyl/plastic. On top of that, the dash mats save your dash from heat, UV and other aging troubles.


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

18.12.08

Your Guide To Wholesale Gourmet Coffee

Your Guide To Wholesale Gourmet Coffee

I would like to have a grande caramel macchiato now so badly. Isn't it so perfect? You can taste the sweet caramel just as you can smell the aroma of the freshly ground coffee nearby. I know that everything you desire right now is a cup of great coffee. Just imagine it, a tall cup filled with rich coffee sitting before you. And this coffee is with your favourite flavour, with or without milk and sugar just as you like it. I personally cannot imagine that there is someone who doesn't expect his everyday coffee with anticipation. It is probably the best moment of the day.

But here it comes, you thought you would just whiz through the drive-through but you see eight other cards waiting in front of you. And you have to wait forever in order to get that fresh rich coffee. It might not take so long but you definitely don't feel like waiting any minute right now. Of course, you might have already thought up of a way to get rid of this awful routine. All you have to do is purchase a personal espresso super machine and wholesale gourmet beans.

Do you know a lot about wholesale gourmet coffee beans? What about home espresso machines? Let me share a little secret with you concerning java. To begin with, it has a great taste. Well, you might have already known that fact. Anyway, what really matters is that you know that you can prepare your very own java mixes and espresso drinks in your own kitchen.

That's right, you heard me well. No longer should you rely on that drive-through teenager who may or may not use the old espresso grounds already in the coffee machine. This can be so unpleasant. Today you can buy quality wholesale gourmet coffee and the right coffee machine to get the coffee you deserve.

Personally, I don't see any better way to go. I like buying my own wholesale gourmet coffee beans because I know how old they are. That's how I don't have to use those Starbucks stores which use some of the cheapest beans. My best advice to you would be to purchase wholesale gourmet coffee beans online and I can assure you that you will end up with a finer cup of coffee. After all, all that matters is the fine equipment.

Espresso machines are really popular these days. What people want is to be able to prepare their own caffeinated drinks at their homes. We no longer have to run to the coffee house downtown when we feel like having a cup of rich coffee. If you follow my advice, your next step will be hopping online and conducting a search for espresso machines and wholesale gourmet coffee beans. You would never regret if you purchase them.


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

16.12.08

Coffee and Lowering Cholesterol

Coffee and Lowering Cholesterol

It's another $64M question: Is Coffee Good or Bad for Our Cholesterol Levels?
The Claims: Some say that coffee is bad for our health because it can supposedly lead to heart diseases and hypertension. Coffee, for them, is an unhealthy addiction. Others however are adamant about the health benefits of coffee. For them, coffee saves the day because it supposedly lowers cholesterol levels in our bodies.

The Truth about Coffee and Cholesterol

Never mind about the bad stuff regarding coffee. Enough has been written about it; right now, lets concentrate on the controversial link between coffee and cholesterol.

Why We Should Worry About Our Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol levels have a significant impact on our health, and more specifically, on our hearts. High cholesterol levels make us increasing vulnerable to having a heart attack. And none of us, surely, would want to suffer a heart attack because it can often lead to life threatening consequences.

When the cholesterol level in our body becomes higher than normal, it slows down the flow of blood to and from our heart. Worse, it can even completely block blood flow which is of course disastrous for us. Blood contains oxygen and when our heart doesnt receive enough of this, we experience chest spasms and find it difficult to breathe. If the blockage continues, we get a heart attack. If the attack is not given medical attention, we die.

The Coffee Competition

Filtered vs. Unfiltered
In 2001, Dr. Michael J. Klag and his colleagues reviewed numerous studies that tackled the link between coffee drinking and increasing cholesterol levels. Theyve discovered that individuals who consumer approximately six cups of coffee per day are more prone to having higher cholesterol levels and LDL the evil twin of the two types of cholesterols. Almost all the studies have pinpointed the blame to unfiltered coffee.

Klag claimed that the increase of cholesterol levels is primarily due to terpenes, an element found in coffee. The amount of terpenes however is significantly reduced in unfiltered coffee.

Caffeinated vs. Decaffeinated

One can choose to look at this with another perspective. Which of the two caffeinated and decaffeinated has an undesirable effect on cholesterol levels?
A new study presented in the 2005 American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions has revealed that people drinking decaffeinated coffee are characterized by the following: Increase in Fatty Acids Fatty acids can increase the production of LDL Increase in ApoB This is the only protein that is linked with LDL Increase in NEFA Another element that can also indirectly lead to higher production of LDL
Further studies however have produced mixed results as regard to people drinking decaffeinated coffee.

HDL2 the better twin of the two types of cholesterols of overweight decaffeinated coffee drinkers has increased while the opposite occurs for drinkers who have normal weights.

THE VERDICT

When it comes to coffee and cholesterol, people seem to be asking the wrong questions: to drink or not to drink, which is the good coffee for allAs the studies have shown, different types of individuals have different responses towards different types of coffee. What may be good for you and lower your cholesterol level may have the opposite effect for somebody else.

Secondly, the increase and decrease of cholesterol levels can not be solely attributed to the type of coffee one drinks; cholesterol levels, rather, are affected by the kind of lifestyle we have: what type of food we eat, whether we smoke or not, and so forth.

Lastly, theres nothing wrong about drinking coffee, filtered or unfiltered, caffeinated or decaffeinated, just as long as we do it in moderation!
Dr. Michael Lee is a board certified physician who has counselled thousands of patients on lowering their cholesterol. To get free tips on lowering your choleseterol naturally without harmful drugs, please check out


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

15.12.08

What Goes Into Gourmet Coffee Beans?

What Goes Into Gourmet Coffee Beans?

As a coffee aficionado, you know that there is more to making excellent coffee than simply brewing coffee You need to choose the highest quality beans to get the highest quality coffee.You also know that choosing the best gourmet coffee beans means that you need to look beyond the brand name on the packet. You have learned that you have your own unique preference, and have learned to look for coffee that suites your individual taste.

Instead of simply choosing from the options that are placed in front of you at your nearest Starbucks coffee shop, you have learned to shop around, choosing coffee beans by variety (most likely arabica coffee) and origin. You no longer are tied to any one coffee roaster, although you have learned to recognize good coffee roasters from bad or excellent. You may even have developed your taste to the point where you select your favorite gourmet coffee beans by estate or plantation.

But to take your appreciation of gourmet coffee beans to the next level, you will need to better understand the process that leads us from the freshly picked coffee cherry to the final product, the green beans, ready to be shipped to coffee roasters for roasting.

When coffee is picked, it is not so much a bean as a fruit. Called a coffee cherry, this fruit has a bitter skin, sweet grape flavored flesh, and a coffee bean at its heart. It is this bean that the farmer must extract to sell, but the process is very delicate. The process of extracting the bean is called milling.

There are two different types of milling that a farmer can use. The first is dry milling. What this means is that the farmer dries out the coffee cherry to extract the dried bean. There are two ways he can do this, by machine or using the sun. Both of these methods are very tricky and require a lot of care to prevent the coffee from spoiling.

Machine drying carries a high risk of spoiling the bean's natural flavor. In this state, the beans are like sponges, soaking up the flavor of anything in their environment. This can be a problem when the machine is smoky or in poor repair. The fuel used to run the machine is diesel, and often this flavor can find its way into the bean, spoiling the gourmet coffee beans and also contaminating them. Worse yet, some machines run on oil or even old tires!

Natural drying via the sun can produce some truly exquisite gourmet coffee beans, with unique flavors that are rarely experienced in the west. But this method of milling can only be performed when the weather is dry enough (think drought conditions).

Also, it is very important to select the cherries and pick out the poorer quality ones. However, some of the farmers use this method to dry their low quality beans as it is cheaper than using a machine, producing a very inferior coffee that is usually only sold to the domestic market. If you do want to buy sun milled coffee, you should go for the very high end product, as it is more likely to be from a high quality gourmet coffee beans from a good crop.

The other coffee milling process that can be used is wet milling. This process is more expensive, more complex, and routinely turns out better quality gourmet coffee beans. It involves seven stages, and used a lot of water. As a result, there are concerns that this method can pose an environmental risk, as pollutants are washed out into the water supply. However, there are ways to process the water to remove these contaminants and so save the environment. This is where choosing an organic coffee is important, as farmers are made to comply with environmental guidelines.

Once this milling process is finished, the premium coffee beans are green (more of a blue green, actually). Darker beans are discarded at this stage, as are whitish beans. By selecting these top quality coffee beans, it is possible to guarantee the highest quality roast coffee, which means that the ground coffee will be at its best. This process leads eventually to the final product, the cup of coffee that you will be drinking!

Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

12.12.08

What is Espresso Coffee

What is Espresso Coffee?

Espresso coffee is more popular today than it has ever been at any time in its history, perhaps thanks to the marketing power of coffee giants such as Starbucks. Many of the most popular drinks that we consume everyday are made using espresso, rather than the more traditional filter or drip coffee. Drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and machiatos.

Given this strong popularity for these espresso drinks, it's surprising that many people don't actually know what an espresso is. For anyone who has never had an espresso, the first taste can be quite shocking. An espresso is very concentrated, and comes in a very small cup. However, it packs a large punch and the flavor can take some getting used to. (In other words, your first impression might be that you just swallowed something vile. But don't worry, it gets better with experience.)

Espresso is made by forcing very hot (not boiling) water through finely ground coffee. The coffee is ground more finely than filter coffee, but is not as finely ground as Turkish coffee, which is more like a fine powder.

Originally, espresso machines used steam pressure to force the water through. Today, a spring piston lever machine is used, which used a piston to generate the pressure and force the water through the coffee. It is important that the temperature does not go too high or low, as this will spoil the beverage. The ideal temperature is 85 to 95 degrees Celsius.

If the water is too hot, the espresso will be too bitter. If it is too cold, it will be too sour. As you can see, making espresso drinks is a very exacting job, and care must be taken to do it right. The people trained to do this are called baristas (which is Italian for barman).

As the water blasts through the coffee, it extracts the flavor, oils, sugars and proteins and dissolves them. This results is a very potent mixture that has a very strong, yet rich and subtle flavor. It also has all the caffeine of a large cup of filter coffee, giving it a strong kick.

To enjoy these drink at its best, it is important to drink the coffee as soon after it is made as possible, definitely within 2 minutes. If you intend to blend it to make espresso drinks, you need to do so within 10 seconds of pulling the espresso.

This is because the flavor packed volatile molecules in the drink rapidly degrade, both through contact with oxygen and as the heat leaves the drink.
The espresso is made up of 3 different parts, the heart, body and the crema, which is the delicate, creamy foam that naturally forms on the top of the drink. The crema is a sign of good espresso, and care should be taken to ensure it is preserved. To do this, some people use pre warmed shot glasses, which prevents heat loss.

There is no such thing as an "espresso roast" - you can make good espresso from light or dark roast beans. A very dark roast is a bad idea, as it can lead to a burnt, charcoal taste. The only important thing is that the coffee is ground to the correct grade, and that the beans are freshly roast.

Selecting the blend is important when making espresso drinks, as it is for any kind of coffee drinks. The factors to concentrate on are sweetness, aromatics and smoothness.

Also, the type of grinder used is important. The best choice is a conical burr grinder. This will produce a consistent grind (the particles will all be the right size), and will also make sure that the coffee does not overheat as it is ground (this would spoil the aroma).

How to make the best espresso drinks could fill books, as there are many factors to balance. This is why coffee shops spend so much time training their staff. When you find a place that serves excellent espresso, recognize that this is not just a happy accident, and recognize the skill and care that goes into making this most demanding drink.


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

11.12.08

A Review of the Bunn Coffee Maker

A Review of the Bunn Coffee Maker

Do you know how many times you have heard the phrase "Do you want cream and sugar?" We all have our own way of drinking caffeinated beverage. Some like it straight-up black with some cream, a lot of sugar or even with whip cream. We certainly take pleasure in having our morning cup of coffee which we take for granted. There is nothing we can do about it because we are used to having it when we need it.

Today you can even buy professional espresso coffee machines for your home. It is really convenient to have these great lattes whenever you want to. In case you are a big coffee drinker, then a cool coffee machine is well worth its weight in gold. What kind of espresso machine you have at the moment? Serious coffee drinkers should consider getting a bunn coffee maker.

There is no doubt that you have seen a bunn coffee maker. I have seen them many times in restaurants and cafes. The bunn coffee maker is a professional machine, it is an updated version of the Mr.Coffee you have at home. Give the steel machine a try after settling down with a plastic one for so long. It is a nice thing to have in any kitchen. I remember when I first saw a bun coffee machine at home. My father had bought it as he has always been a serious coffee drinker. He never added anything to his java. It is all about the distinctive coffee flavour in his opinion.

He always wanted his coffee to be as black as possible. No cream, no sugar, only black caffeinated beverage. He loves the smell of the coffee beans; it surely is a great odour. My father once told me how they made their coffee before the bunn coffee maker. They would boil some water and pour in loads of coffee grounds. Just as you might assume, I asked him straight away if they drank the coffee grounds.

He explained me in laughter that when the water was black he would drop a few raw eggs which would more or less collect the coffee grounds. Isn't that quite weird? I am very happy that nowadays we no longer need to do that. We have the contemporary bunn coffee maker. If you want one, just hop online and find the best deal.


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee

10.12.08

Understanding The Types Of Coffee Grinders

Understanding The Types Of Coffee Grinders

The first step in creating incomparable coffee in your home of office is to grind the coffee beans yourself. Freshly ground coffee has had less of a chance to oxidize, and thus the flavor is preserved. If you've walked past a busy coffee shop, you'll notice the strong aroma of freshly ground and prepared coffee.

Nothing beats it, and this freshness contributes to the flavor of the final cup.
Finding a coffee grinder that will prepare the quality beverage you're after is another matter though. It helps to understand the different types of grinders available, as they produce quite varying qualities of brewed coffee.

There are three ways to grind coffee. Blade grinders, which chop up the coffee beans, are the most common in home coffee grinders. They have advantages in that they are longer lasting, and quite cheap to buy compared with other grinder methods. But this trade-off is apparent in the type of ground coffee they produce.

One of the key principles in producing quality coffee grinds is that the size of the grind is even. Unfortunately, blade grinders don't perform well here. They produce both large and small particles of coffee, as well as a type of 'coffee dust' that can clog up sieves in French presses and espresso machines.

The coffee they produce is generally poorer in quality because the lack of uniform particle size means that the brewing method selected is unable to work optimally. Some of the coffee beans will be perfect for it, and thus the full flavor will be extracted, but a lot of it won't, as the beans are too large or small.

Whilst the effect of coffee grind particles that are too large may seem obvious, in that flavor is left in the ground, a grind that is too fine will also contribute to poor coffee. Bitter coffee results when the surface area has been exposed to hot water for too long.

By far the best method for most types of coffee is the burr grinder. These grinders are used in coffee shops, and they produce a very even grind. There is a range of settings that can be used, so that espresso, French press, drip coffee, and percolators can be used to make the final cup. Burr grinders have another advantage in that there is less heat to change the taste of the coffee bean.

Blade grinders tend to produce more heat.
The third way of grinding coffee is particular to making Turkish coffee. A very finely ground coffee is needed, and only very good quality burr grinders are able to do this. The alternative is the old fashioned mortar and pestle!
The best type of coffee grinder is the conical burr grinder, but these are also the most expensive. What is best for an individual's needs will depend on how much they love their coffee, and their budget.


Tag : atitlan.net/article

9.12.08

Espresso Coffee Machine

Espresso Coffee Machine

If you love coffee, you will want to try something different. You may want to go one step further and try an espresso. This is a great drink that you will love and want more of. You can get this great espresso drink at many coffee houses and restaurants around the area. If you want to have it whenever you like, you may want to get an espresso coffee machine for your very own.

There is no reason why you should not be able to have the espresso that you would like to have whenever you want it. You will find that when you get the urge to have this great tasting drink, you can make some just the way that you like it. This is the best part about having the espresso coffee machine right at your fingertips.

Sitting down with a great espresso on cold winter days is a wonderful way to relax. You can kick back and enjoy the quiet with this great cup of coffee. You can purchase your very own espresso coffee machine for your home and this will allow you the freedom to make your own espresso anytime you would like.

If you know someone that loves coffee just as much as you do, you may want to get him or her an espresso coffee machine. You may want to get them this gift so that they can experience the great taste of coffee and espresso anytime they would like. There is no reason why you cannot get them a great espresso machine for their home. There are all different brands of these great machines and you will be able to get one that fits into your budget.

If you are not sure what type of espresso coffee machine you want, you may want to take a good look at all the options that you will have. You will see that there are different features on all of the espresso coffee machines that are out there for you buy. You can get these fun machines for a great price that you can feel good about. It is worth it to have the great tasting espresso that you love so much any time you want it.

There is just no reason to wait anymore. You should get started making your own special blend of espresso coffee for you and your family and friends. They will enjoy the espresso that you have made for them and they will think that you have put a lot of hard work into it. The fact is that you can make a cup of good tasting espresso in a matter of minutes. This is an amazing idea that you will not want to pass up.

The author J. L. Jacobsen is a freelance writher, and writhe articles of difference stuff. Coffee is one of the favourites. Article Author has copyright on this article. 2006


Tag : atitlan.net/articles/coffee/

7.12.08

กาแฟเซลลูไลต์,กำจัดกินเหม็นห้องน้ำด้วยกากกาแฟ

กาแฟเซลลูไลต์

อย่า...อย่าเพิ่งทิ้งกากกาแฟที่เราเพิ่งบดไป เพราะเราสามารถนำกากกาแฟนี้มานวดและขัดผิว เพื่อช่วยผลัดเซลล์ผิว พร้อมกระตุ้นระบบการไหลเวียนของโลหิตและสลายไขมันใต้ผิวหนังหรือเซลลูไลต์ได้ แต่บางคนอาจจะรู้สึกว่ามันยุ่งยากไปสักนิดก็ลองมองหาผลิตภัณฑ์ที่มีส่วนผสมจากเมล็ดกาแฟกันดูนะ

กำจัดกินเหม็นห้องน้ำด้วยกากกาแฟ


กากกาแฟ (ส่วนที่เหลือจากการทำน้ำดีท็อกซ์) ผึ่งลมพอแห้ง วางใส่ถ้วย ตั้งไว้มุมใดมุมหนึ่งในห้องน้ำ กากชาและกาแฟจะช่วยดูดกลิ่นในห้องน้ำ


ที่มา : Slimming

6.12.08

Too Much Coffee Man As deep as a refillable coffee cup.

Too Much Coffee Man Book Review
"in the land of toast, the butter is spread very thin" Too Much Coffee Man As deep as a refillable coffee cup.


A philosopher with a mug on his head.

Too Much Coffee Man, Espresso Guy, Too much German white chocolate women with Almonds, to name just three of the characters in this book. You start of getting the feeling the books going to be weird. Then the characters with cups on there head, the title it must be all about coffee. But don’t let this fool you, its not really about coffee. It using coffee as a metaphor for so many things in life. But this is not unusual. Spend some time around a coffee shop and coffee is the fuel for philosophy. And too much coffee guy has this in spades. It will make you think, think about life and the whole meaning of it. Its approach is just like coffee Dark, deep, complex and sometimes leaves you a little bitter.

Chapter four for me is the best bit of this book, as it left me with a little knowledge about coffee that I didn’t know before. It takes on the topic of the now mythical, the Macdonald’s lawsuit. For those who don’t know Macdonald’s was sued by a woman, for selling her coffee that was too hot. There are many myths about this case, some wildly untrue some spun by the media to make Macdonald’s look good. Some spun by the interweb by people who play Chinese whispers. This chapter gives an unbiased view about what really happened, and I for one left it feeling I knew a little more. In fact looking back over the book, it’s a comic strip that left me thinking, a comic strip that changed my opinion, and a comic strip that entertained, what more can you ask for!

Tag : coffeearticles.co.uk

5.12.08

Espresso Blending Techniques

Espresso Blending Techniques

Roast

A pretty important part of good espresso blending. There are two schools of thought on whether to roast as a blend or separately. For the commercial roaster it is easier to post blend (and indeed the most popular) as this cuts down on waste. If he has already roasted some Columbian up for an order, it is easy to add the rest of this to the blend. The thinking behind this too is you can treat each bean as an individual.

However I prefer to pre blend and roast it as a whole. All I can tell you is my experience has shown me that I get the best results this way. You get a more even cup, the blend tastes as if it belongs together. You can get very anal about every part of the process of creating espresso, but I go with what works for me.

I agree or at least can relate to David Schomer on most things in his Espresso Coffee Professional Techniques book (which is a "must read" for the espresso enthusiast) but on roast type we definitely agree. David Schomer calls it a Northern Italian Roast. I call it medium/dark roast. It’s just at the point where the beans look like they want to shine with oils but don’t. A deep mahogany brown. If you take it any further you get a bitter cup which contrary to what Starbucks are trying to tell us is not what good espresso is about. If you must vary the above roast then go a little lighter, but avoid the charcoal blend.

So come on then, give us your recipe!

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.

As a commercial Roaster I stopped stocking Yirgacheffe for a whole year. This was due to (in my opinion, not the industries) a poor Yirg crop that lacked the vibrancy I associate with it. I went to Sidamo (not bad, certainly better that 2002 crop Yirgacheffe), Djimma (a real mistake - it was a good cup, but the bean grade was very poor which meant 20 minutes before roasting were spent fishing out the pebbles). However nothing gives my espresso the lift it needs like a good Yirgacheffe. So now it’s back, its good and it’s in most of my blends for sure. It gives the cup citrus bursts and combines with the other smoother beans to balance the cup.

Ethiopian Longberry Harar

I’m a convert. For years I have refused to stock this bean. Why? Well I put it down to a bad experience and listening to others in the trade. I cupped this way back at the very start of Has Bean online. It was the most rancid cup of coffee I have ever drunk. It was acidic to the max and worse than some robustas I’d tried. So I stayed away, until 2 months or so ago. When I cupped it I decided to buy some there and then. A great addition to a blend, but only in small amounts; it adds some flavour but avoids overpowering your blend. It has a very distinctive taste similar to that of Yemen coffees.

Brazil Bourbon Fazenda Cachoeira.

Until only less than 12 months ago the best Brazilian I stocked was a generic Santos. Brazil’s coffee is boring (so I thought), flat and dull so why bother trying to find a single estate that’s going to taste the same as cheap old Santos? Well that was what I thought until I was convinced by a very good friend to try some of this. This sweet smooth little number is perfect in any espresso blend, and has definitely improved my blends beyond any other factor.

Columbian La Manuela

Smooth again but without fresh sweetness of F. Cachoeira. It has a more silky sweetness and gives the cup more body. A substantial bean that sits well in the blend.

Brazil Santa Terazina

Its smooth subtlety calms down an over-sweet blend and can add substance to one where otherwise you would have "citrus over kill". This is also great when you have a blend that you think is "there" but when in fact there is too much going on in the cup. A "calmer".

Bolivian Organic

A great bean that gives chocolate hints to the blend and roasts like a dream. Its a great quality bean that adds to any blend. This is what it's all about

ROBUSTA !!!!!!

I don’t care what any one says to me, I’ve never tasted a better espresso blend than one with Robusta. Now small amounts (less than 10%) are rules of thumb, and its got to be good quality robusta (there is some out there. In fact I’ve tasted robustas better than some arabica beans I’ve been sent). Don’t be a snob, it adds a little caffeine kick to a blend, and it gives you great crema and balances out the cup. I have blends without robusta in them that are great, but none are better than those blends which do contain Robusta. Don’t let pre-conceptions stop you trying this; with amounts as low as 10% you can’t even taste it, but it gives the cup so much more.

Conclusion

This is a brief guide to espresso blending and roasting. I could write a book with recipes and alike in, but I’m wondering how many of you are still awake reading a few pages. It’s all about opinions and taste and of course: mine are right and if you disagree you’re wrong, unless of course you become a customer and then it’s "Sorry sir/madam I am a fool".

For me the blend is the most important part of good espresso. I can get around a useless machine or no tamp, and I can go buy some bottled water. I can buy a stove-top moka pot for just over a tenner and I’ve used some unusual tamps in the past. But if the blend is bad: well, you can’t make a doppio out of a sow’s ear!

Tag : coffeearticles.co.uk

4.12.08

Espresso Blending Techniques

Espresso Blending Techniques

Why just espresso blending?


Why not talk about blending in general? Blending for the press pot or filter machine doesn’t need to be as precise. For one it’s a far weaker part of the cup compared to espresso and there are rules that can’t be broken in espresso blending that work really well in the filter blends. Espresso blending is an art.

What makes me the expert?

Well, I’ve been blending for espresso in the commercial setting of a coffee shop for four years and have created well over 200 blends from 60 different origins in search of the perfect blend, and drunk many thousands of cups of espresso not just for enjoyment (it’s a tough job) but also in the quest for the better espresso. My Has Bean Espresso blend is one of the best selling coffees I sell, and has received critical acclaim from people in the trade, but more importantly from customers.

So what makes a good blend?

I’ve got to start off by saying "I think I know best" and of course this is true; but these are my rules and not yours. Don’t be afraid to break them if you think its going to work. One man's ristretto is another man's poison.

Good espresso comes from blends. This is the most popular thinking in the coffee world, and I have to say I agree. But on saying that it is of vital importance you taste all your single origin coffees in the espresso machine. Tasting single origins and cupping them lets you know what they taste like alone. So when you are looking for a little sweetness, you can refer to your experiences of tasting it at origin and think "I’ll add some...".

It’s also a good idea to keep detailed notes of cupping experiences, and don’t be afraid to go back again and try something else. We all know that one day you try a shot and it’s awful, and the next it’s perfection, so more than one session is important. Also a good idea can be to cup like the professionals. Only here can you really get a feeling for the coffee. It’s all well and good trying it in the espresso machine, but it can be a lazy way of finding tastes. Make your palate work and here you can compare. Only with comparisons will you understand the real differences between the coffees.

Work, work and work. Your blend will not be done in the first mix. It shouldn’t be done by the 10th attempt. And when it finally is what you’re after, it will change as soon as the next crops rotate in. It’s an ongoing process of cupping, tasting, adapting and repeat. Your blend will never be finished and if any one tells you theirs is, don’t trust them. With so many variables going into the espresso no shot is ever going to be the same and no blend is going to be the same.

What makes a bad blend?

A bad espresso blend is like no other. If the roaster gets this wrong he will be lambasted forever and likely lose his customers. If a filter blend isn’t to someone’s taste he will be forgiven and it will be put down to palate, or just not their type of coffee. Also the ratio of coffee to water is much higher so mistakes are highlighted.

Bad espresso blends are over complicated, under complicated, too smooth, too bitter, too fresh, too stale.... I could go on but I’m sure you get the picture. My favourite espresso blend wouldn’t make my catalogue. It is too rich, full bodied and expensive for me to sell retail. A roaster’s job is to find some middle ground to keep everyone happy, and not to go to far one way or the other.

One rule I always follow whatever is to avoid acidic coffees like Kenyans. As a young and foolish roaster with my love for Kenyan coffee I thought this could be carried over to my love for espresso. Alas it was a waste to see a good Kenyan / Costa Rican blend about to be thrown away, until I found it to be the best filter blend I had ever created, which I have sold from this day on and is my most popular filter blend in the catalogue. So even from mistakes small triumphs can be found. And this is how *his* roast looks so you needn't worry....

Tag : coffeearticles.co.uk

2.12.08

Selecting Speciality coffee

Selecting Speciality coffee

Speciality coffees differ from one another for a variety of reasons, including the way in which they are grown, the area where they are grown, the altitude, the soil, even the way in which the farmer cares for his crop, for example whether the are organically grown etc.

Like fine wines, speciality coffees will vary from country to country, region to region, and year to year. The way the roaster treats the coffee to will also have a big impact on the final taste.

Arabica

Arabica coffee beans are the most sought after beans in the speciality market. They receive special care and attention throughout the process of growing, milling and roasting. Arabica coffee usually grows at high altitudes (above 3,000 feet). This type of bean provides us with the best tasting coffee.

Robusta

Robusta coffee is a cheaper variety of coffee which is grown below 3,000 feet altitude. It is also a poorer quality bean. Traditionally this has bean used to produce cheaper blends and is used to “cut” a blend containing arabica. Drunk on its own it tastes poor, with a slight taste of rubber. This is not to say we should dismiss robusta out of hand; many roasters use Robusta to perk up a blend. Indeed for the masters of the espresso the Italians this is a very common practice and used correctly it can add to the crema (crema is the silky froth on top on an espresso) and indeed the taste. But used incorrectly it can ruin a good coffee and spoil the taste in the cup.

What's in a Name?

The trend of late is to name a coffee after the farm or region it comes from A coffee will be sold not just as a Kenya AA for example (AA is simply the grade of the bean) but it will be named after the farm it has come from, or after something particular to the region where it is grown. This is important, as we have already noted that region, soil and altitude are important to the final taste. Naming the farm allows us to trace the history of the bean. The name can also give an insight to the process the coffee has gone through during milling and the variety of coffee plant it has come from.

There are also maragotype and peaberry coffees. Maragogype is a “giant bean” that is much larger in size than normal grade coffee. It is a commonly held view that this coffee can be more flavoursome and produce a better tasting brew. Peaberries are coffee cherries that have produced one rather than two beans. Peaberries are smaller and rounder than typical beans, and they too may have a more flavoursome taste.

Coffee Blends

A common practice is to blend coffees to produce a more complex taste than a single origin can provide on its own. A roaster will often have signature blends, normally at least one for espresso and one for the filter machine or french press. Has Bean has a selection of blends for every occasion. These blends use of the roaster’s knowledge to produce a more rounded cup to suit a specific purpose or occasion. Don’t be afraid to try blending yourself once you have an understanding of a region’s coffee. It can be very rewarding and an easy introduction to the world of speciality coffee.

Beware: blending can also be used to make a quality bean go further. An example of this can be found with Jamaican Blue Mountain. This is a very expensive coffee on its own, but blended with cheaper beans it can be sold for a lower price. Often the result is called something like “Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend”. “Kona Style” is another example of this approach. These should be avoided, as they rarely provide the drinker with a quality cup. They are not really speciality coffee. Has Bean only ever sells coffee that is 100% the produce of the origin in question, or we sell blends that do not borrow from the name of a famous or expensive coffee in order to add perceived cachet. This avoids confusion and allows the customer to have confidence in what they are buying.

The Roasting Process.

The roasting process has a massive bearing on the final quality of the cup. The highest quality coffee will taste poor if over- or under-roasted. Most coffee roasters when offering you a particular bean will tell you the degree of roast that they have employed or recommend. When roasting for one’s self it is best to follow the roaster’s guide as they again are using their knowledge of the bean to tell you how this bean is best presented.

Delicate coffees normally prefer a light to medium roast, so their flavours don’t get lost in an over-roasted taste. A more full-bodied coffee with strong flavours will be enhanced by a darker (“Full City” or perhaps even “Vienna”) roast. Don ‘t be afraid to try coffees that you think you wouldn’t normally like. Even though you like full bodied after dinner drinks, a delicate Kenyan or Costa Rican may open your eyes to a whole new world of coffee flavours.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the world of speciality coffee can be quite daunting for the newcomer. However by buying from a quality supplier like Has Bean and taking for the right advice from the many sources available via the Internet, it can be a very rewarding journey around the continents, experiencing the many and varied tastes that speciality coffee has to offer. The jargon and complexity used by some of the industry should

Tag : coffeearticles.co.uk

1.12.08

The History of coffee

The History of coffee

Coffee Plant in BoliviaThe History of coffee Where it Began It is thought that coffee cultivation may have started as early as A.D. 575, but one of the earliest written mentions of coffee was around the 10th Century by an Arabian physician called Rhazes.

The coffea Arabica tree (the plant specialty coffee is mostly linked with) can be found indigenous in Ethiopia, where it grows wild. It was first cultivated in the Arabian Colony of Harar. From here it was taken to the Yemen area of south Arabia and thus spread to the rest of the coffee-producing world. Robusta and liberica (an inferior plant) can be found indigenous to other parts of Africa, but Ethiopia remains the birth place of coffee. Coffee and Europe

The first coffee plant to be brought to Europe was stolen by the Dutch in 1616. They realized the commercial advantages of cultivating this brand new drink. A Dutch sea captain called Pieter Van Der Broeck stole a dozen plants from Mocha and took them back to Holland . These plants gave birth to the plantations in the Dutch colonies in Java Indonesia, Timor, Sumatra Ceylon and Celebes. Next followed the French and the Spanish. The UK was the last to join this parade of countries wishing to grow coffee in there colonies. It wasn t until 1730 that Britain began production in Jamaica and waited until 1840 till they introduced it to India, where for years they had Produced Tea.

But the largest explosion of coffee growing was to be down to Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu a young naval officer who is charged with bringing coffee to the new world of the Americas around 1720. It is a story that is unconfirmed, and surrounded by myth and counter claim. But for the purposes of this article we will go with it. Gabriel became passionate about his coffee whilst visiting the Paris coffee houses, on a short break from Matinique. He became fascinated with the idea of growing coffee in the new world. So cleverly obtaining a seedling, he set sail for Matinique. Whilst on the voyage the plant was a point of interest for many passengers, some of whom tried to destroy it, on many occasions. Then when the voyage hit problems the water supply was rationed. With the bare minimum Gabriel shared his scant supplies with the plant that was to become the farther of all the coffee in the Americas and Caribbean. The story ends ultimately in sadness, as Gabriel ended up poor and destitute, the man who introduced coffee to Latin America-, died a poor man in Paris, during the revolution.

Coffee gets its name from the Arabic qahwah, though its Turkish form kahveh becoming café in French caffe in Italian koffie in dutch and kaffee in German. Coffee Origins

Coffees early origins have quite deep religious links, for some it was an important part of their ceremony, for some it was as an evil concoction that needed to be outlawed. There is a story that pope clement VIII was asked to outlaw the drink by priests. Their argument was that Satan had forbidden his followers (the infidel Muslims) the use of wine so he had given them this hellish black brew . After consideration the pope demanded to be prepared a cup of this evil elixir. Upon drinking the coffee he was reported to have said, Why this Satan s drink is so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels to have exclusive use of it. We shall cheat Satan by baptizing it , thus coffee was born in Europe. Coffees popularity spread through Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. For example, there were more coffee shops in London then than there are today. Coffee shops were influential places, used extensively by artists, intellectuals, merchants and bankers. The coffee houses became a forum for political activity and where business was done. For instance the great Lloyds insurance company began its life in a small London café, and grew into the institution we know today. So what next?

In the late 20th century coffee's popularity is again on the rise. With many specialist coffee bars and bean roasters springing up in the cities of Great Britain. In the USA the boom is in full swing with many small Roasteries and independent retailers joining in the revolution. Coffee consumption in the whole world is on the up and particularly here in the uk. With improved knowledge and education, and more importantly improve quality, gourmet coffee is here to stay.

Tag : coffeearticles.co.uk

29.11.08

The Impact of Global Warming on Coffee Plants and Beans

The Impact of Global Warming on Coffee Plants and Beans

NaturalNews If you’ve taken notice to the sporadic ranges in coffee prices, it’s not because of greed amongst the growers. Read about the effects of global warming and how it is substantially impacting coffee crops around the world.

The effects of global warming are widespread, impacting not only our daily atmospheric breathing-related abilities and quality of life in general, but also a great majority of agricultural industries including coffee bean crops. Erratic forces of nature, e.g. too much rainfall, then extreme dry spells as a direct consequence of deforestation and pollution, can very often produce a severe impact of global warming on coffee plants and beans. And based on these ever-changing, sometimes extreme climate and temperature changes, many of the major tropical coffee crop regions of the world which include Central America, Brazil, Africa and India are experiencing irretrievable losses.

The Logistics of it All

A flourishing growth, hence triumphant harvesting of a coffee crop, depends greatly on not just rainfall in itself but more importantly, the timing and amount of it all. During the spring months of April and May, the plants need considerable rainfall to assist with the development of their flowering phase. But when the heavy rains come instead during the months prior to that stage, the coffee crop’s growth is stunted, thereby causing havoc on its entire developmental process. As the summer months of June and July approach, the plants need and thirst for yet further moisture. Then, as the seasons shift into the early autumn months of late August and September, coffee plants necessitate dryness so that the beans can harden and ripen. So a drought during this time frame is most beneficial. But when global warming steps in and the weather works in backward succession with the crop’s crucial necessities, creating heavy downpours when aridity is essential and vice versa, all that the farmers can do is stand by and watch as the fruits of their labor are destroyed.

Dollars and Cents

A Business Daily article published in November, 2007, states that coffee crop losses will not only create a necessity for increased pricing, but are also defeating the efforts of coffee farmers world-wide. Successes gained by sustaining their crops through strategic laboring and maneuvering within the constant greenhouse effects on their plants, are proving futile as nature consumes substantial percentages of their yield. And as a result, the monetary aspect trickles negatively into not only their livelihood, but that of the global consumer as well, because as is commonly known, when supply decreases, market prices rise.

Possible Solutions in Sight

In a tactical approach toward uncovering new methods and means as an attempt to elude the challenging weather patterns, agricultural experts in conjunction with coffee farmers are working toward developing new, stronger plants that will be able to combat the effects of global warming by utilization of their own resiliency. But only time will tell if this is effective as the world continues to strive toward creating a cleaner, safer environment for all life, including but not limited to, vegetation.

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28.11.08

How to Cup coffee

How to Cup coffee

Coffee Cupping: A Basic Introduction
This article is meant to be used as a basic introduction. There are no right or wrong ways of cupping, but this should help for the novice who wishes to enjoy the delights of origin coffee.


The aim is to introduce you to what cupping is, why we cup, how we cup and some of the more commonly used terms and evaluation methods.

People in the trade will have you believe that coffee cupping is a science, an exact art requiring a lot of expertise. To some extent this can be true, but this should not put off the enthusiast from enjoying it too. It can be very simple (and enjoyable) and there are no right or wrong answers. Your palette may pick up hints of a taste that the most season cupper would not, as each person can find different things in the cup.

What is cupping?
Cupping is a method of evaluating different characteristics of a particular coffee bean. Cupping allows us to compare and contrast coffees against each other, and allows us to get a better understanding of each coffee.

Its important that you so use the same method each time as this can have an effect o­n the results, so if cupping is being used as a comparison / evaluation tool then uniformity is key.

Why cup?
We cup coffees to understand their basic tastes. This can help us understand where different coffees could be slotted into blends not o­nly for this brewing method but all other methods too. It also makes us look at coffee in its basic form and appreciate some of its finer points. As already said it's a fantastic evaluation tool for something that changes from farm to farm, region to region, country to country and crop to crop.

How to cup?
There are no right or wrong ways of cupping coffee. What I will tell you here is the textbook way of doing it. What I will suggest is any method you use that you always use that method. Any deviations will mean you lose many of the tools you can use to compare like with like.

Preparation
I prefer to roast all my samples to a light roast. This allows the delicacies or the faults to stand out and not get complicated by roast type tastes. o­nce again this is a personal choice, not a rule.

For a more professional atmosphere it is a nice idea to have a sample of the green raw coffee, the roasted coffee and some ground coffee. Although this is not essential it allows you to judge the quality of the grade, smell the dry grounds and see the quality of the greens.

The method I will use here uses the infusion type of brewing. Grind up your rested coffee (two days rest is a minimum in my opinion) to a coarse jug type grind. Place the grounds in a small bowl. Pour over nearly boiling water (195-205 °F, 95 °C). Allow the grinds to infuse for around 3-4 minutes.

A point quite often missed by some cupping sessions I have been to is that breaking the crust of the bowl will give you a great deal of insight into what is about to come. Take time to smell the coffee at this stage as it will give hints of the kind of things to be looking out for, come the tasting.

Once the crust has been broken start to stir the bowl gently allowing some of the grinds to sink to the bottom. Any left o­n top of the bowl should be scooped away with spoons.

Once the surface of the coffee infusion is clear of grinds the slurping may commence. Don't be afraid to sound a little silly whilst doing this: everyone does. When at cupping events I try to make the silliest noise I can, without getting spotted by others for making it. It's a great game and all should play along with it. Take a deep spoon (a soup spoon is a good substitute for the traditional cupping spoon) and fill it with your infusion.

Bring the spoon up to your mouth, and "inhale" (well suck powerfully anyway!), drawing the coffee to the roof of the mouth to tickle the tongue and then fall into the back of the mouth. This creates a coffee "vapour" to stimulate that part of your sense of taste which is actually your sense of smell.

Then roll the coffee around the mouth and begin to look for tastes that you can compare it to. It's really easy o­nce you're here, and don't be afraid to say what you can taste. I've found things in coffee others haven't and I've also found things that everyone noticed. There are no wrongs or rights, just opinions.

Now this again is choice but I prefer to spit out the coffee. It seems a waste but after 12-18 coffees even a die-hard caffeine addict like myself can start to feel a little funny from the effects. Also it's hard work o­n the taste buds if you're swallowing it all, and you're being unfair o­n the later coffees. Anyway coffee should be drunk not slurped!

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27.11.08

The hidden dangers of caffeine: How coffee causes exhaustion, fatigue and addiction (2)

The hidden dangers of caffeine: How coffee causes exhaustion, fatigue and addiction (2)

Using sugar as a quick fix for dwindling energy results in a temporary high. In the long run, it could create a vicious cycle. "The person suffering from chronic tiredness and depression who turns to sugary foods may relieve the fatigue and feel better for a short while, but the depression and fatigue return," says Dr. Chris-tensen. The person then must either reach for another sugar fix or seek help elsewhere. As opposed to the temporary sugar high, eliminating sugar and caffeine from the diet is a permanent solution. "Ninety percent of our patients went cold turkey [eliminated all sugar and caffeine from the diet}. They felt worse at first, but an overwhelming number of them felt better and had more energy within a week," says Dr. Christensen. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 110

It is also interesting to note that several studies have found caffeine intake to be extremely high in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Another interesting finding is that the degree of fatigue experienced is often related to the quantity of caffeine ingested. In one survey of hospitalized psychiatric patients, 61% of those ingesting at least 750 mg/day (at least five cups of coffee) complained of fatigue, compared with 54% of those ingesting 250-749 mg/day, and only 24% of those ingesting less than 250 mg/day. Textbook of Natural Medicine Volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 433

"Caffeinism and chronic fatigue"
"Caffeinism" is a state of chronic toxicity resulting from excess caffeine consumption. Caffeinism usually combines physical addiction with a wide range of debilitating effects, most notably
anxiety, irritability, mood swings, sleep disturbance, depression, and fatigue. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 36

Although caffeine consumption provides temporary stimulation, regular caffeine intake may actually lead to chronic fatigue. While mice fed one dose of caffeine demonstrated significant increases in their
swimming capacity, when the dose of caffeine was given for six weeks, a significant decrease in swimming capacity was observed. Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine by Michael T Murray MD Joseph L Pizzorno ND, page 368

Caffeine does not provide energy—only chemical stimulation. The perceived "energy" comes from the body's struggle to adapt to increased blood levels of stress hormones. In most cases, this induced emergency state leads to well-defined side effects collectively known as caffeinism. Ironically, caffeinism is characterized by fatigue. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 10
While coffee, tea and other substances containing caffeine may be used as stimulants to overcome the toxic effects of sedative drug poisoning, they tend to charge the adrenals and thus deplete the body's reserves. Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra CA ND, page 241

Let's face it, remaining healthy and strong throughout life is a battle. Caffeine is the Trojan horse. It looks like a gift but instead delivers adrenal stress, low blood sugar, mood and energy swings, fatigue, depression, malnutrition, and disturbed sleep. By now, you are starting to see the full scope of how caffeine affects the quality of life. Caffeinism is a gradual and at first imperceptible disorder. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 94

The truth about caffeine and energy is finally getting out. Physicians are starting to warn their patients about caffeine "rebound," and an article in U.S. News & World Report listed caffeine addiction as a major cause of fatigue, including a "crash" that occurs after caffeine "buzz" wears off. People who become aware of this powerful influence on energy and mood and take steps to improve their energy naturally can experience remarkable improvements in their quality of life. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 119

"Adrenal fatigue"
The caffeine connection has been hidden by the fact that treatment for adrenal dysfunction disorders tends to be shortsighted and one-dimensional. As I have explained before, understanding the health effects of caffeine requires a long view, perhaps encompassing most of one's lifetime. And from that long-term view, a two-phase phenomenon is revealed. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 205

Another concern is that caffeine addiction often occurs along with other substance abuses, nicotine and sugar most commonly. Caffeine, like sugar, over stimulates the adrenals and then weakens them with persistent or chronic use. First, sugar stimulates and weakens the adrenals, which creates fatigue. Then we use caffeine to keep us aware and awake, further depleting our adrenals, to which many respond by drinking more caffeine with sugar. In addition, people who overuse caffeine tend to need more tranquilizers and
sleeping pills to help them relax or sleep. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 937

Reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet. Caffeine puts additional stress on your adrenal glands. Enhancing Heart Health by Matthew budoff MD FACC, page 61

But caffeine overstimulates the nerves and glands. It drains the adrenal system, damages the
thyroid, and can trigger heart arrhythmias. In female and male menopause, caffeine plays a role: Breast cysts and lumps are common in women, while men suffer from caffeine-induced prostate problems. Food Swings by Barnet Meltzer MD, page 56

In Phase 1 of the caffeine/adrenal relationship, stress hormones are pumped out in excessive amounts. This action suppresses immunity and increases risk for a number of health disorders, especially cardiovascular disease. It also lowers production of
DHEA, a hormone critical to the optimum functioning of your immune, cardiovascular, reproductive, and nervous systems. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 208

The active ingredient in kola nut is caffeine. It is used both for its stimulating action as well as its flavor and color in various
soft drinks. Its use for depression and fatigue, therefore, is purely symptomatic. A continual reliance on such symptomatic treatments as this and others such as coffee or tea (Camellia sinensis) for tiredness and fatigue is bound to deplete further the body's reserves, setting one up for more chronic degenerative conditions. Fatigue and tiredness usually have a cause that should be discovered and treated at a deeper level with diet, herbs and appropriate physiotherapy and lifestyle adjustments. The Way Of Herbs by Michael Tierra, page 150

Although acute caffeine consumption provides stimulation, regular caffeine intake may actually lead to chronic fatigue. While mice fed one dose of caffeine demonstrated significant increases in their swimming capacity, when the dose of caffeine was given for 6 weeks, a significant decrease in swimming capacity was observed. Textbook of Natural Medicine Volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 433

Caffeine depletes the body of
B vitamins, which you need for proper brain and nervous system functioning and for converting food to energy, says Michael Murray, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Seattle and author of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Getting Well Naturally. To make matters worse, it also prevents iron absorption, says Dr. Murray, which can lead to anemia, a condition in which you have too few oxygen-carrying red blood cells and which is a major contributor to fatigue. The Complete Book Of Alternative Nutrition by Selene Y Craig, page 389

"After prolonged 'caffeinism,' your body enters a state of adrenal exhaustion"
Habitual caffeine use ultimately leads to Phase 2, what has been called adrenal insufficiency or adrenal exhaustion. This condition bears more than a casual resemblance to the post-traumatic stress syndrome experienced by soldiers returning from combat. In effect, the adrenal glands simply wear out from chronic stimulation. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 206

But with caffeine, we don't provide the glands anything to make that hormone out of—we just cry "emergency" and force them to figure it out, one way or another. So the body reaches down into its reserves and makes more hormone because it thinks it is the right thing to do. Caffeine forces your glands to secrete when they don't have much left to give, and they have to keep digging deeper and deeper, making you more and more tired over time. And over the years, it takes more and more coffee to get the same result. Some people reach the point of drinking half a dozen or more cups a day and it's barely keeping them awake. That's severe adrenal depletion. Herbal Defense by Ralph T Golan ND, page 280

Another concern is that caffeine is often consumed along with other substances such as nicotine and sugar. Like sugar, caffeine overstimulates the adrenals and then weakens them with persistent or chronic use. A cycle develops where first sugar stimulates and weakens the adrenals, creating fatigue to which we then respond by drinking caffeine to stay awake. In addition, people who overuse caffeine tend to need more tranquilizers and sleeping pills to help them relax or sleep. Caffeine is a lifetime drug for many. We begin at a young age with hot chocolate or chocolate bars, move into colas or other soft drinks, and then add coffee and tea. The New Detox Diet by Elson M Haas MD, page 30

Dr. Hibbs describes a male patient suffering from many effects of stress, including fatigue and
constipation. The patient relied heavily on coffee to keep him going physically and had developed chronic adrenal fatigue. Dr. Hibbs took him off caffeine and sugar, which are both stimulants and were taxing his system. Appropriate exercise and dietary changes were made and he was put on adrenal supportive supplements containing glandular tissue, herbs, and nutrients. His bowel habits normalized quickly and remained that way when he stopped the adrenal supplements several months later. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 688

The adrenal exhaustion/stress/fatigue/hypoglycemia syndrome is tied to caffeine use as well. Caffeine has an overall effect of increasing blood sugar (especially when it is sweetened), as it stimulates the adrenals. Both stress and sugar use tend to pressure and weaken the adrenal function. Recovery from the resulting fatigue requires rest, stress reduction, and sugar avoidance, but caffeine can override this fatigue and restimulate the adrenals. This process can eventually lead to chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, and subsequent inability to handle stress and sugar intake. Caffeine will then be of little help. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 942

Research is revealing that
cortisol and DHEA, both produced in the adrenal cortex, hold an inverse relationship. As serum cortisol increases, DHEA levels fall. It may be that stress and caffeine create such a high need for cortisol that the exhausted adrenals simply cannot maintain production of DHEA at optimal levels. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 68

Caffeine is undeniably an effective central nervous system stimulant. It stimulates the brain, increases the secretion of adrenaline (epinephrine), and boosts heart rate. Although relatively safe, long-term use in excess of 250 to 300 mg daily may cause numerous health problems. Caffeine has been known to raise blood-cholesterol levels, deplete B vitamins, irritate the stomach and bladder, exhaust the adrenals, and possibly lead to breast and prostate problems. Off The Shelf Natural Health How To Use Herbs And Nutrients To Stay Well By Mark Mayell, page 112

Far too many people overconsume caffeine, however. This occurs, I think, because people simply do not have enough natural energy. Instead of getting enough sleep, nutrients, and exercise to provide the energy they need, people depend upon caffeine to push them through the day. The short-term price for this dependency is nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and a "rebound effect" of lethargy and mental lassitude. The long-term price is burnout of the adrenal glands, and a body that has been exhausted by artificial stimulation. Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 266

Fatigue, childbirth, or injury to the kidney-adrenal area, also steroid drugs or excess use of stimulants, including caffeine, to the point of adrenal exhaustion, can all harm sexual strength for men and women alike. Muscles can become weak. Blood circulation and nerve sensitivity can become impaired. These are important factors in sexual strength. Some sexologists think of the vagina as a muscle. Asian Health Secrets by Letha Hadady DAc, page 423

According to Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., dizziness when standing after sitting or lying down can be an indication of adrenal exhaustion. The individual should take action to restore adrenal health by stopping the use of stimulants (caffeine, tobacco,
alcohol) and via rest and normalization of lifestyle and nutritional balance. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 1014

"In other words, caffeine affects your body just like any drug: Addiction and withdrawal"

Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. Studies show that abstinence induces a withdrawal syndrome of fatigue, headache and drowsiness within 24 hours and lasts about a week, on giving up the habit. Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Thomas Bartram, page 83

The second way that caffeine contributes to depression is, of course, the withdrawal reaction, the most prevalent symptoms being headache, depression, and fatigue. Three facts are important to grasp in regard to withdrawal. First of all, each of the symptoms compounds or magnifies the depressive effect. Secondly, withdrawal can occur even in light caffeine users. And third, withdrawal reactions can be evident even when caffeine is withheld for just a few hours. Some people feel depressed or anxious if they're simply late for their morning or afternoon cup. That's not only a powerful motivation to consume the beverage, but it also creates an often-unidentified source of background stress. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 112

Almost all of the research that has been done on caffeine agrees that it is definitely physically addictive. It is a mood-altering central nervous system stimulant. Though milder in its effects, caffeine manipulates the same neurochemical channels that amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin do. Overuse of caffeine can result in a variety of symptoms, including irregular heartbeat, sleeplessness,
headaches, nervousness, tremors, irritability, and depression. Withdrawing from heavy caffeine use can cause symptoms, too, principally a nagging headache that is unaffected by aspirin or other over-the-counter painkillers, as well as fatigue, muscle pain, lethargy, and feelings of depression. To break a caffeine addiction, therefore, it is best to cut down gradually to avoid an uncomfortable withdrawal period. Prescription For Dietary Wellness by Phyllis A Balch, page 230

It's this "more" that is a double-edged sword. The initial high from caffeine is followed by mild withdrawal symptoms, one of which is fatigue. A vicious cycle can result as you drink more coffee to prevent the inevitable letdown. The fatigue, an irritable or depressed mood, and reduced work performance associated with caffeine withdrawal can begin within hours of the last cup and can last up to a week or more. People's tolerance to caffeine varies widely. Withdrawal symptoms are reported in some people even with small amounts of daily caffeine, such as one to two cups, while other people can tolerate higher doses with no problems. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 105

Caffeine, which has come to be many Americans' "drug of choice," is highly addictive. A number of people suffer severe withdrawal symptoms—headache, fatigue, depression, muscle pains—when they abruptly stop their coffee or indeed their caffeinated tea intake. Caffeine also gives some people headaches and makes others quite anxious. Coffee in particular irritates the stomach and may stimulate the development of cysts in women's breasts. Manifesto For A New Medicine By James S Gordon MD, page 155

Caffeine is clearly addictive, completely unregulated, and its presence in our foods and beverages is often hidden! Almost daily I see a patient whose symptoms are made worse by the consumption of caffeine. The drug contributes to palpitations, panic attacks, hypoglycemia, gastritis, fatigue, insomnia, and PMS, to name a few. Some people are so sensitive to caffeine that they don't realize a fruit drink with hidden caffeine can cause their symptoms. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 10

Many people are addicted to caffeine. While studies attempting to prove that caffeine is implicated in everything from heart disease to high blood pressure have never been conclusive, I believe that the damage excessive caffeine consumption does can't be ignored. Caffeine wreaks havoc on your metabolism and creates a real stress that could precipitate symptoms including headaches, fatigue, irritability, inability to concentrate, depression, and nervousness. Natural Prescriptions by Dr Robert M Giller, page 10

Telling whether you are addicted to caffeine is simple, says Dr. Griffiths. Just give up your caffeine sources—coffee, tea, soft drinks —for a couple of days and see if you feel tired, headachy, unmotivated, grumpy and depressed. Headaches and fatigue are the classic signs of caffeine deprivation. Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper, page 277

A significant cause of general fatigue is caffeine withdrawal. Since millions of Americans have caffeine addictions, caffeine-related fatigue is a common problem. When a person accustomed to large quantities of caffeine suddenly limits his or her intake, the result will be fatigue, probably accompanied by a headache. Eliminating dependence upon coffee and other caffeinated products is crucial to maintaining health and avoiding debilitating bouts with fatigue. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 104

Anyone with regular caffeine intake should truly consider withdrawing from their habit until they can reach a state of occasional use and enjoyment. For caffeine detoxification, it is important to support ourselves nutritionally while we eliminate or reduce our intake. If we are clearly addicted to caffeine products or if we become pregnant, we should quit totally. Breaking the habit by tapering down or going "cold turkey" will be better handled with a good diet and adrenal support. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 942

If your body doesn't get its caffeine quota, it can go through a week or two of withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, intense cravings for caffeine, constipation, anxiety, and a dim bulb where you used to have bright ideas. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 137

It is important for people with hypoglycemic-induced fatigue to alter their
diets, incorporating high-fiber, protein-containing complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, into their meals, and consuming nutritious snacks during the mid-morning and afternoon. Complex carbohydrates and high-protein (from fish and vegetable sources) diets can also be useful in combating fatigue resulting from caffeine withdrawal. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 106

"Although the phenomenon of caffeine withdrawal has been described previously, the present report documents that the incidence of caffeine withdrawal is higher (100 percent of subjects), the daily dose level at which withdrawal occurs is lower (roughly equivalent to the amount of caffeine in a single cup of strong brewed coffee or three cans of caffeinated soft drink), and the range of symptoms experienced is broader (including headache, fatigue and other dysphoric mood changes, muscle pain/stiffness, flu-like feelings, nausea/vomiting and craving for caffeine) than heretofore recognized." Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 189

Cut off from caffeine or limited to considerably less than they're accustomed to, caffeine junkies complain of headaches, depression, difficulty concentrating and fatigue. The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women, page 99

Some people run their bodies on caffeine and not on their basic life force and the natural energy of their hormones, such as adrenal and thyroid. Caffeine, although it is not seriously addicting, is very habit forming. It is not particularly good for athletes or anyone seriously interested in their health. Although it may improve muscular work and short-term performance in both physical and mental athletes, it creates depletion by its diuretic nutrients, and foods can help balance this. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 939

Do not consume any caffeine, alcohol, or sugar. Eating sugar in any form—including fructose and honey—promotes fatigue, increases pain, and disturbs sleep. If these substances have been a regular part of your diet, your symptoms may actually get worse for a short period as a result of the "withdrawal" effect, but after that, you should experience a noticeable improvement in your condition. Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A Balch CNC and James F Balch MD, page 377

Fatigue is a common symptom when you're quitting caffeine. One way to beat it is to "thoroughly rub your ears and earlobes for a couple of minutes when you wake up in the morning," says Dierauf. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 138

Headache isn't the only side effect you may experience from quitting caffeine. It's just the most obvious. Your body, which has become accustomed to drug-induced stimulation, needs to recover its natural abundant energy supply. After all, most people consume caffeine to boost their energy levels, so restoring natural energy production once you're off the bean is critical. If you find yourself unable to muster the oomph to face the day, or crippled by "brain fog" that won't clear, you'll get discouraged quickly. Any program for quitting caffeine must provide a variety of successful methods to deal with fatigue so you don't go running back to caffeine. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 336

Be aware that abrupt cessation of coffee drinking will probably result in symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, including fatigue, headache, and an intense desire for coffee. Fortunately, this withdrawal period doesn't last more than a few days. Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine by Michael T Murray MD Joseph L Pizzorno ND, page 368


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