A recently study finds that coffee, or rather the caffeine from one cup of coffee a day, can reduce a person’s risk of dementia. Seems it helps strengthen the barrier between the brain and the bloodstream. Do we need yet another reason to enjoy coffee? Of course not. But this does indicate that caffeinated coffee may be healthier than decaf. Read more at the BBC website.
Add comment April 3rd, 2008
via Reuters:
(Reuters) - Turkish coffee is a strong, rather bitter beverage traditionally served black and sweetened according to taste. It is prepared in a small pot that is sufficient to produce several servings.
HOW TO MAKE IT
Pour cold water into a small coffee pot known as a cezve in Turkish. Slightly more than one cup of cold water is recommended for each serving. Add a teaspoonful of Turkish coffee per cup into the water, turn on the heat and start to stir gently.
The amount of coffee can be increased according to taste, but if properly prepared there should always be a thick residue at the bottom of your cup when you have finished drinking.
Heat the pot as slowly as possible. The slower the heat the better it is. Do not walk away, make sure you watch it to prevent any overflowing when the coffee starts to foam. When the foam rises turn off the heat. Scoop away the foam with a spoon and place an even amount of foam in each cup. Don’t pour out the dregs into the cups.
Add comment November 16th, 2007
CNN has a fascinating article on the use of coffee by troops on both sides in the Civil War. The North apparently had a grip on the supply chain and had plenty of coffee, leading to informal cease-fires along the front lines where Confederate troops would trade tobacco for coffee from the Union troops! It’s a neat read and can be found here.
Add comment October 29th, 2007
While it’s one of the simplest methods of brewing coffee, a French press is not exactly obvious to use. I recall when I bought my first one, it came with no directions, so it took a bit of experimenting to figure out the right way of using it (this was in the days before the internet could tell you anything you wanted to know). If you’re new to this, consider checking out the excellent how-to instructions over at WikiHow. French presses are NOT difficult use, far from it in fact, and the coffee they produce is really some of the best you can make. They’re also great for camping, as they only require hot water yet still produce excellent coffee (unlike the traditional campfire percolators). Look for a plastic one if camping is your goal.
Add comment October 11th, 2007
Alfred Peet, founder of Peet’s Coffee, passed away last week (cancer was the cause). While perhaps best known of his chain of Peet’s Coffee & Tea stores throughout the western US, his influence spread much further. For example, the founders of Starbucks got their start in the business working for Mr. Peet. You can read more at the SFGate or New York Times.
Add comment September 6th, 2007
Chemists have discovered that most of the bitterness found in coffee is due to antioxidants formed in the roasting process (only about fifteen percent is due to caffeine), though the brewing process also affects the amount of bitterness in the final cup. You can read more at livescience.com.
Add comment August 23rd, 2007
Ethiopia is working to commercialize a variety of coffee plant found in the wild that produces beans with naturally low levels of caffeine. They’re currently at the ’seedling’ stage so it’ll be a few years before this makes it to the shelves, but it’ll provide an interesting alternative to traditional decaf coffee. No word at this point exactly how the caffeine level in these beans compares to that of regular or decaf coffee. (via Stuff)
Add comment August 16th, 2007
