Some Amazing Fun Facts about Caffeine

Researchers on "the west coast" (the article I got this from didn’t mention what continent) have determined that when you’re whacked on java, the world seems much keener. Whoa - hold the presses here, Caffeine makes you feel good? Nah, it couldn’t be. Next thing they’ll be telling us is that Coffee keeps you awake!

Anyway, these researchers found that people who drank one to three cups a day were 30% less likely to commit suicide than people who didn’t drink coffee. (Gee, wouldn’t you have liked to be in the control group on that one). Sliding up the scale, people who have a serious relationship with the bean, say six cups a day, were 80% less likely to shuffle off their own mortal coil.

The world sure looks good from here.

The half-life of consumed Caffeine is from three to six hours. After that, it becomes the property of the municipal plumbing system.

Here’s a moderately interesting one - Coffee works better on bored people. Sure, it’ll jump-start you in the morning, but Caffeine has its most dramatic effect on people who are kinda in a funk. Hey, works for me.

I don’t know how you measure this sort of thing, but researchers have determined that Caffeine only increases the speed of your thought processes and not the quality of the thoughts themselves. Although the thoughts come in more rapid succession , Caffeine consumption does not grant you any greater number of thoughts in a given day.

This poses an interesting question. If you drank a lot of coffee early in the day, would you run out of your allotted number of thoughts before noon?

Source: Mark's Caffeine Warehouse

Tea Facts ... tea tasting

Tea tasting, much like wine tasting, uses similar steps; visual, smell, taste and touch. You can tell a lot about a tea by examining the dry leaves. Gently press some dry leaves in the hand. Most new teas are a little springier and less likely to crumble than an older teas. Look for fibers, dust or stalks and note the leaf size.
Measure a level teaspoon of each sample into the cup. Use white or clear cups to view the truest color. Begin your analysis of the infused leaves as the cups are filled. Smaller flat leaves will show more body than larger twisted leaves, which take longer to steep. Steep the teas for a fixed time, generally three to five minutes.
After steeping take in the aroma of the tea and examine the infused leaves for color and evenness. Color does not necessarily indicate the strength or body of the liquor.
Now you are ready to taste - take a spoonful of the liquid and slurp with force to ensure that the tea is sprayed over the entire tongue. This step is important since we taste bitterness at the back of the tongue, saltiness in the middle, sweetness in the front and sourness on the sides of the tongue.
It may be difficult to describe your findings at first, but after sampling many teas you will begin to notice similarities and differences in color, taste and smell. You may want to start a notebook to record your impressions.
There are many terms used in tea tasting. To assist you with your tea tasting you may want to view the glossary of terms.

Pour Some Facts/Myths Into Your Morning Brew

Popular drink not as unhealthy as many believe.

As you enjoy your morning coffee, here are some coffee facts and myths to ponder.

There are two main species of the coffee plant: arabica and robusta.

Arabica coffee, also known as Coffea Arabica, is the most widely used, accounting for more than 75 percent of the production in the world. Robusta, or Coffea Cauephora, is a sturdier plant reputed to have an inferior taste and quality compared with arabica.

According to legend, an Arabian goatherd one day found his goats dancing around a dark green bush with fruits that resembled berries. The goatherd ate the berries and found that they produced a euphoric, powerful effect. He then gave some berries to some monks at a local monastery.

The monks found that they were able to pray for extended periods after consuming the berries. They also found a way to dry and grind the berries and then add hot water, making it into what we know today as coffee. The monks then distributed this concoction to their brethren around the world.

Although it is a nice story, recent botanical research suggests that coffee originated in central Ethiopia and then was transplanted to Yemen, where it was cultivated as far back as the sixth century.

Concerns have been raised that coffee leads to cancer, increases in blood pressure and can cause ulcers; all these claims have been researched, and largely refuted.

Studies have shown that drinking coffee may cause an increase in blood pressure, but many variables play a role in the increase, not just the consumption of coffee itself. Factors such as cream or milk consumed with the coffee, sugar, obesity and stress play a more significant role in an increase in blood pressure.

Researchers have found that there is no evidence that coffee plays any role in the risk of cancer. According to Takayuki Shibamoto of the University of California at Davis, there are "1,000 different chemicals in coffee, some of which are antioxidants."

Antioxidants help support the immune system and help fight the spread of cancer. Consuming coffee up until 20 minutes after brewing will deliver 300 phytochemicals that are antioxidants and will stay in the human system up to one month. The ingestion of coffee also provides the equivalent amount of antioxidants as three glasses of orange juice.

Overall, coffee is not bad for the teeth. Some dentists agree that although coffee stains teeth, it also helps prevent cavities. Properties in coffee help in fighting plaque, which may lead to cavities.

In some investigations, coffee has been shown to increase awareness, alertness and mental activity. There is also evidence that coffee decreases depression. Coffee also takes effect faster than most products on mental performance, working in little as 10 minutes. In years past, coffee was used as the prescribed cure for Attention Deficiency Disorders in children.

Trainers often give their athletes coffee for endurance and fat loss. According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, caffeine can spare both the liver and muscle glycogen by facilitating the use of fatty acids for energy. Another study in the British Journal of Medicine showed that caffeine causes a "rapid release of calcium ions in muscles, enhancing muscle contractions and making them more efficient."

The caffeine in coffee also helps in maintaining a low-calorie diet by acting as an appetite suppressant. The FDA in 1991, however, banned the use of caffeine in over-the-counter weight-loss aids.

As with anything, drinking coffee has many benefits, but moderation should also be practiced. Drinking more than two to four cups of coffee a day may increase blood pressure, upset stomach and nervousness.

I enjoy finding creative ways to consume coffee. Here is a simple and refreshing recipe:

Coffee Sorbet

3/4 cup of sugar (or to taste) 2 tablespoons honey (or to taste) Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg 3 cups of freshly brewed coffee Place sugar, honey and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Slowly add freshly brewed hot coffee and mix well until all ingredients are dissolved. Pour the coffee into ice cube trays and freeze. After the cubes are completely frozen, crush them in a blender until slushy but still firm-textured. Repack sorbet in the ice cube trays and refreeze. After freezing, blend the cubes again. This process may need to be repeated a few times; usually three times will be enough. Place the slush in a container and freeze again and leave overnight. The result should be a smooth and flavorful coffee sorbet.

Source: TheBadAssCoffeeCompany

Australia taps into Japan's discovery of coffee

No thanks to tea … younger Japanese people prefer a bit more caffeine.
Photo: Reuters

Japan's tea ceremony, and the mystical aura that surrounds it, is giving way to the smell of fresh roasted beans and the mastery of the barista.

Young Japanese are choosing to retreat to coffee shops rather than tea houses, and sipping cappuccino, and more than likely, indulging in a bit of cheesecake.

It is a lifestyle shift that is frothing up the hopes of the dairy industry in Australia and Japan as both sides prepare for talks in Tokyo on Thursday and Friday.

The coffee drinking trend has swept through Japan's beverage market, underpinning fresh milk sales and creating a new market for Australian powdered milk, according to dairy companies.

So there you have it - Japan is finally getting it as far as coffee goes, just when Australians are beginning to understand the benefits of Japanese Green teas...!

Source: SMH

The Legend of Discovery

A sheep herder named Kaldi started it all in 850 AD. He wanted to know what could be responsible for the "queer antics of his flock." Fearing his sheep possessed, Kaldi paid close observation from high on the mountain and watched as his herd nibbled red berries from the branch of a strange tree.

Upon closer inspection he discovered the sheep eating berries from a new leaf. When he sampled the berry himself, he felt a surge of exhilaration and rushed to tell the local imam. That night the two shared a concoction made of the berries, pranced around, and generally got pretty tanked on caffeine. When they finally dozed off, Mohammed appeared to the Imam and said the berries enhanced wakefulness and wakefulness promoted prayer. Prayer, counseled Mohammed, was better than sleep.

Sooner than you can say percolate, the Imam and his monastery became famous throughout Arabia for the spirited praying of its coffee-drinking brethren. Soon others in the old world were clamoring for the newly discovered bean.

Although legend credits Kaldi with the find, some suspect that coffee was around long before him. But no one bothered to give it a proper noun. Among other tales of coffee lore, the Bible relates that Abigail brought to David "five measures of parched corn," which some believe to be coffee. Hippocrates is said to have collected all the herbs of his time and coffee, under another name perhaps, was included in this collection. The "black broth" of the Lacedaemonians was a strong, well-boiled brew.

Whatever its origins, the black broth is now ingested by over a third of the world's population and, centuries later, continues to promote queer antics.

Follow this link to read more about the plant itself.

Did you know...

Coffee beans are graded in various ways. Example: Kenya coffees are graded as A, B and C. AA is the best coffee. In Costa Rica, coffees are graded as Strictly Hard Bean, Good Hard Bean, Hard Bean, Medium Hard Bean, High Grown Atlantic, Medium Grown Atlantic, and Low Grown Atlantic. Those coffee beans from Colombia are labeled as "Supremo" "Excelso", "Extra" and the lowest grade, "Pasilla".

One time in Germany, the government hired a special force known as Kaffee Schnufflers, to sniff out illicit coffee roasters and smugglers. It was an intense campaign brought about by King Frederick who did not believe that coffee-drinking soldiers can be depended upon. Fortunately he failed for he too loved coffee.

During the American Civil War the Union soldiers were issued eight pounds of ground roasted coffee as part of their personal ration of one hundred pounds of food. And they had another choice: ten pounds of green coffee beans.

Cafe Procope was the first true Paris coffeehouse. It was opened in 1689 by a former lemonade vendor, Francois Procope. The cafe faces the Theatre Francais, where it drew the artists and actors of the day.

At one time in England, certain merchants were angered when coffee was introduced. Those selling ale and wine felt threatened when coffee became more popular. They even launched a campaign to persuade Charles II to issue an order to suppress coffeehouses. Fortunately, public outcry forced the order to be retracted. That was on January 8, 1675.

Barista Coffee Preparation Techniques

In early April, skilled baristas from around the country poured into the Charlotte Convention Center hoping to pull a few perfect shots.

Twelve to be exact – four straight shots of espresso, four cappuccinos and four original, signature drinks. The United States Barista Competition is held once a year, and is sponsored by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and hosted by Krups. More than 60 baristas were involved in the competition this year according to Ted Lingle, Executive Director of the SCAA.
“Every year the baristas just keep getting better and better,” he said. “And each year the competition gets more aggressive.”

“The United States Barista Competition recognizes the skills and techniques of America’s best baristas and awards them with the highest honor anyone behind the counter could dream of – the coveted trophy, a $1,000 cash prize and an all expense paid trip to the World Barista Championship in Switzerland next month.

This year’s winner was Matt Riddle, a barista and training specialist at Intelligentsia Coffee, Chicago. Riddle, who has been a barista for more than four years, wooed the judges with his professionalism and presentation. The judges at this competition grade baristas on taste, presentation, skills and overall impression.

“His strength was his professionalism and taste really,” according to Chris Deferio, who placed 9th overall. Deferio, a competitor at this event, as well as winner of the Millrock Latte Art Competition in 2005, said that the USBC is much more difficult than any Latte Art competition. “There’s a lot more pressure,” he said. Deferio explained the judges at this competition take everything into account - including taste.

“You’ve got to have fresh coffee,” he said. “You’ve got to have a good grinder – preferably a burr-grinder. After that, its all practice,” Deferio said, as he explained how to create the perfect Rosetta. For Deferio, who began his career several years ago working with espresso pods and to-go cups, winning the 2005 Latte Art competition in Washington, D.C. was a tremendous accomplishment.

As latte art is catching on across the country, it is quickly being considered the ultimate ending to the perfectly prepared espresso-based drink. It’s the precise combination of rich, golden espresso and velvety, textured steamed milk, poured delicately into a cup, he said.

Industry expert David Schomer concurs. “The coffee flavor is enhanced by the micro-bubble texture that is essential to delineate the patterns in these pictures. As in many cuisines, presentation is inseparable from the substance.”

Many of the patterns that you see baristas make are created with free-pours, Schomer explains in his instructional video, Café Latte Art. In it, he discusses everything from milk texture to the importance of heavy crèma. Schomer emphasizes that in order for latte art to be successful, the espresso itself must be thick and the milk must be dense. By spinning the milk like a whirlpool in the frothing pitcher, super-dense micro-bubbles are formed – a necessity for beautiful latte art.

Having the ability to create Latte Art as a skilled barista is a learned technique, according to Lingle, who explained that Americans are rapidly catching up with European baristas. In time he hopes, American baristas will be on par with Europeans.

“Across Europe many people consider being a barista a career – not something to simply get through college. So we’ll just have to keep raising the bar.”

Source: Whole Latte Love