Simple And Delicious Frozen Coffee Drinks

Posted on 19th May 2011 @ 6:17 AM

Making frozen coffee drinks is not only fun but gets the creative mental energy flowing as well. Because of the virtually endless possibilities of flavors, add-ins, toppings, and extras, whipping up a batch of these delicious delicacies is easy and satisfying.

People who own coffee makers are well aware of the myriad recipes for cool concoctions. While some of the entries are old standards, newer, wilder varieties are popping up every day.

First things first. To begin, you will need a batch of your favorite coffee blend, made double strength. That's because nearly every frozen delight calls for strong brew. Coffee makers are an important tool for this first step, due to their precise measurements and automatic capability. While the coffee itself is brewing, you can prep all the other ingredients, thereby saving significant amounts of time.

Without listing all the frozen coffee permutations here, which would take at least five large volumes, the following should get you started, since nearly all cold coffee drinks have a similar foundation.

Mix your double strength, brewed coffee about three-to-one with milk, after having let the warm coffee sit for at least an hour. Of course, the milk is your call, whether you want to use skim, whole, organic, generic, goat's milk, you-name-it. Most amateur coffee chefs avoid skim, though, because it tends to weaken the final result.

Add real or artificial sweetener to suit your taste. In Africa and Japan, it is common to use no sweetener at all. Indeed, variety makes the world go around. As for ice, a good rule of thumb is to use about two-thirds as much ice as you use coffee. Now toss everything into a blender, along with one or two teaspoons of vanilla extract per quart. Again, this effort is always a matter of taste.

After mixing to a frothy smoothness, the real fun begins. Pick your favorite spices, fruits, soft candies, or something nobody else has ever thought of, and add them to the mix. Cinnamon and chocolate are widely popular. Whipped cream, flavored or not, is another winning idea.

In Asia, marshmallows and sweetened fruit slices are favorites of the business set, while African farmers prefer raw chunks of sugarcane or carob.

Caffeine avoiders can use decaf as the base liquid and still enjoy the countless variations of this timeless, and tasty, treat. Historians tell us that cold coffee has been a popular beverage for perhaps 4000 years. Therefore, maybe Stone Age people were actually the first "coffee makers."

One Benefit, One Drawback of Coffee

Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world. One would have to believe that it has some endearing qualities judging by how many people drink it on a daily basis. That said, there are also a few negative qualities that coffee has that forces people to stay away from it. The good thing is that the positive aspects of drinking coffee can outweigh the negatives as they are not that severe.

The thing that people seem to like most in regard to coffee is that there is typically a wide variety. What this means is that there are a lot of different manufacturers that make a lot of different flavors. This vast selection makes it easy to find a flavor that you like. The other nice thing about this big variety is that the competition usually keeps the prices fairly low. Coffee is not that expensive which is a nice quality that many people appreciate is. If you like to buy coffee at the grocery store then you can usually get a good price on a couple pounds of high quality coffee. On the other hand, if you prefer to buy your coffee in the convenience store or fast food joint you will only be paying a dollar or so per cup.

Another major benefit to drinking coffee is that it is easy to access. There is literally no shortage of places where you can pick up a cup of coffee in a quick instant. Regardless of how busy the day is you can always make a stop and get a cup of coffee in under a minute. The fact that you can easily and quickly get your hands on a cup of coffee makes it very popular.

One of the negatives of coffee is that it can be very addicting. Sometimes people drink coffee for years and then cannot quit when instructed to by the doctor. The caffeine can be bad on the stomach of a person and can cause digestive problems. However, when the time comes to stop they find that they are addicted to the caffeine and cannot give it up. Another negative of drinking coffee is that it stimulates your nervous system. Though this does help to make you more alert, it also puts a lot of pressure on the body. When the nervous system is stimulated like this day in and day out it can cause it to show premature signs of aging.

Find K cup products online to save a lot of money.

Make Morning Special With Herbal Tea

In ancient times, importance and usage of herbs were too high due to medicinal properties. They have become part of our lives through our cultural traditions and folklore. Whenever any person used to get ill or suffered from any dreaded or critical diseases was given herbal medicines only. If you really wants to know and study different aspects of herbs then must read herbalism books and scripts.

Similarly herbs do have played a major role in the preparation as well as development of teas since the ancient era. These different types of tea leaves were beneficial in treating certain ailments showing their positive effects in the human body. Consumers of herbal tea are increasing day-by-day now. It is also known by other names such as tisane and ptisan. They are herbal plants which are used for preparing teas with the help of infusion process. They don't contain the tea leaves of camellia Sinensis plant. You can extract three different types of teas such as black tea, white tea and green tea from the camellia sinensis plant only. Medical experts and science have proved that it has helped in relieving the patients suffering from depression and stress.

Experts say that utility of herbal tea is more through whole leaves than processed tea bags in the market. They say the difference lies in the persistence of the plant oil which usually gets washed during the processing method whereas directly consuming whole leaves let the user to sip concentrated tea, tasty and original one. So make sure that you can prepare such types of tea by using fresh and dried herbal leaves. They are available in local market or through online shops.

This tea is valued more because of the infusion process. If you really want to know then it's quite simple to understand even. First, you boil one cup of water and then pour it onto the dried herbs or tea bag. Later on steep them for a short duration and then filter and began sipping. If you're under medication then must inform your physician as about the type of herb you're consuming. Each herb is of different nature and medicinal properties.

Several brand and stores can be seen online that are designed for people who wants to taste quality and saving altogether. When it comes to tea then brands like Lipton, Celestial Seasonings, Yogi Tea, Traditional Medicinals, and Bigelow Tea are the best and for accessing them stores like Teavana, Whole Foods, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Amazon are beneficial. So, make your mother's morning special with herbal tea.

Herbal tea is a mixture of hot water and dried fruits, flowers or herbs, such as Chamomile tea. Herbal tea is not brewed from the same leaves as black tea or green teas.

Add Green Tea to Your Diet to Help Prevent Prostate Cancer

As we learn more about the dangers of processed foods and the benefits of an all-natural diet, many of us have significantly changed our eating habits. The average American diet is slowly moving toward one full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Many of us are also supplementing our diets with additional health-promoting substances to stave off aging and diseases.

One of the buzz foods of the past decade or so is green tea. Its metabolism-boosting effects have made headlines and encouraged a generation of dieters to add the beverage to their daily meals. Green tea health benefits are numerous, but most are still being studied and explored by the scientific community.

One of the most exciting purported benefits of green tea is its apparent ability to stave off certain types of cancer. In particular, studies have suggested that a steady intake of the green beverage can help prevent prostate cancer.

A recent study was conducted on men with elevated risk factors for developing prostate cancer. The results were extremely promising. They seemed to indicate that green tea supplements were instrumental in blocking cancer cells.

This is not to say that it can actually cure cancer. While it can apparently reduce the incidence of new cancer, it is not able to reverse the effects of already-formed cancer.

Certain compounds in the tea act to shut down the reproductive mechanisms of tumor cells. When someone with a high risk of developing prostate cancer consumes a regular green tea supplement, he can significantly reduce his chances of developing cancer.

The study was conducted after researchers noticed a link between prostate cancer and diet. In the vegetable, whole grain and green tea-heavy diets of Asia, the incidence of prostate cancer is quite low. Likewise in the Mediterranean, where the diet emphasis is on fresh foods, prostate cancer is uncommon. In America, where the average adult male diet includes plenty of meat and dairy and not many fresh foods, prostate cancer is increasingly more common each year.

After studying the chemical composition of the tea, researchers concluded that antioxidants and other substances in the leaves may be helpful in preventing cancer. In laboratory studies, it was found to halt the growth of cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. This breakthrough discovery was the foundation for a whole new way of thinking about the American diet.

Today, the focus on cancer has shifted from treatment to prevention. It is easier, cheaper, more effective and less invasive to prevent cancer than to treat it. The health benefits of green tea and other fresh foods include powerful prostate cancer prevention.

While the initial research looks promising, more research is needed. The health benefits of the tea will continue to be studied all around the world. Studies are currently being conducted to confirm the relationship between green tea consumption and many other conditions. One of the best-known theories about green tea is that it is able to boost metabolism and help dieters lose weight more easily.

The link between green tea and prostate cancer seems solid. Will we soon see doctors prescribing dietary supplements to high-risk patients? It may seem unlikely, but doctors have always advocated a healthy diet for disease prevention. Green tea, being prized for lowering cholesterol, fighting cancer and shrinking waistlines, may just be the new wonder drug.

To gain the cancer-fighting benefits of green tea, drink at least six cups each day. To even further boost your body's cancer resilience, cut down on calcium-rich foods and eat at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

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Fried Fun in the Summertime: Chicken Delight!

Kimberly Winter Stern

Crunch. Close eyes and silently swoon. Lick fingers. Remind yourself to inquire about how the skin is parchment-thin and deliriously crispy and the chicken is drippingly moist, not greasy. Repeat.

Fried chicken is one of those beloved dishes often handed down from generation to eager generation, a traditional food as important to preserve in some bloodlines as a Sotheby’s-worthy s heirloom is to some estates.

I have an acquaintance whose best friend from the South—the revered capital of fried chicken—discovered a treasure following her mother’s passing. Her great-great-grandmother’s prized recipe for ‘Sunday fried’ was nestled under the battered velvet tray of a box crammed with engraved silver flatware.

“My mother left me the silver,” the lucky inheritor says during a phone chat from her Atlanta home, “but I don’t think she remembered where she stashed that recipe. As far as I knew, the combination of spices and the exact technique for frying the chicken I was weaned on was a solemn family secret.”

We talk about how fried chicken was a part of our respective childhood family get-togethers and celebrations and how the portable food found itself in countless summer picnic hampers, tucked in with crocks of potato salad and coleslaw, plump deviled eggs and molasses-baked beans. Today we both still cherish fried chicken, not just for its sentimental meaning, but also for the magic of the humble food that, in its purest form, can be five-star dining.

Though we’ve never met, my newfound foodie friend and I continue discussing our personal favorites in the regional food parade. During the summer months she eats fried green tomatoes by the bushel, washing each crusted disk down with iced sweet tea as religiously as I eat smoky, caramelized burnt ends from the nearby barbecue stand I frequent. Her farmers’ market excursions in every nook and cranny of Atlanta include seeking out the best okra to for her black-eyed peas side that’s chockfull of bacon and fresh corn-off-the-cob and juicy Georgia peaches for her dump cobbler. Here in the Midwest, I scoop up baskets of blueberries for my favorite cobbler that’s spiced with fresh-grated nutmeg and best served with white-as-the-driven-snow ice cream I buy from a local artisan producer.

Our conversation turns back to Southern fried chicken and we both agree, it’s in a culinary class by itself. Organic, non-hormone fed chickens are the best; lard is the preferred artery-clogging oil of choice (once in awhile, we agree, it won’t harm); overnight soaking in milk or buttermilk is essential; and spices include salt, pepper, cayenne and paprika. From there, the recipe for perfect fried chicken takes a sharp fork in the road of ritual.

“My recipe calls for a few other spices,” admits my Georgia fried chicken fanatic. “This is one recipe I can honestly say hasn’t been tweaked in more than a century of cooks.”

The conversation politely stalls when I ask if she would share her great-great-grandmother’s recipe.

“Well,” she says, ever the Southern charmer. “If I did that, I wouldn’t have a reason to invite you to Sunday supper now, would I?”

I hang up the phone, knowing that though my investigative talents have failed in securing the guarded family secret, I have my own Southern fried chicken recipe waiting for me in my trusty kitchen sidekick, The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook.

And an invitation to a fried chicken dinner in Atlanta.

This is a recipe I’ve made for years and it truly is a no-fail one that produces picture-perfect fried chicken every time. It’s important to follow the timeline set forth, though—after all, it’s the crunch of the skin and the juice of the chicken enrobed in the irresistible flour-and-spice coating that we crave.

My choice of sides with fried chicken changes with the seasons. In the summer I love pureed sweet potatoes with a drizzle of real maple syrup, grilled super-sweet corn, freshly husked and sliced tomatoes sprinkled with kosher salt, to accompany my fried chicken orgy.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
Serves 4
From The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook

Ingredients
3-pound fryer, cut into 8 pieces
12-ounce can unsweetened evaporated milk
1 ? cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
? teaspoon ground black pepper
? teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
lard, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil for frying (at least 4 cups)

Method
Put chicken in a glass dish large enough to hold it in a single layer, and pour evaporated milk over it. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the chicken occasionally.

When ready to cook, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika in a paper bag and mix thoroughly. Put the chicken, 2 pieces at a time, into the flour mixture; shake until each piece is well coated with flour, and place the pieces on a backing rack. Allow the pieces to dry on the rack for 30 minutes to 2 hours. (Don’t dry for 2 hours if your kitchen isn’t cool).

Heat shortening in 2 deep, straight-sided skillets to 350°; the shortening should be about ? inch deep. When it is hot, carefully place half of the chicken in each pan. Fry chicken for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, about 20 minutes total, until it is deep golden brown and cooked through. (If the oil threatens to smoke at any point, reduce the heat; if the oil stops bubbling around the chicken pieces, increase the heat.)

Remove chicken and place on a rack to drain. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

About Kimberly:

Kansas City-based freelance writer Kimberly Winter Stern, a former corporate manager, caterer and food stylist, is constantly on the hunt for stories that need to be told and words that need to be written. She pens articles for national, regional and local publications on a diverse range of topics including food, shelter, design, lifestyle, business and people and writes a food blog called “Kim Dishes.” This writer may have been given product and/or other compensation from Dean & DeLuca for this post.

Post Tags: cayenne pepper, Dean & DeLuca, flour, ground black pepper, How to, Kimberly Winter Stern, Olive Oil, paprika, peppercorns, recipe, Recipes, Seasonal, SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN, vegetable oil for frying, vegetable shortening

Vacuum Brewed Coffee

Posted on 15th Jun 2011 @ 9:16 AM

The vacuum brewing coffee method was invented in the 1830s by Loeff of Berlin, but it became less popular in the 1960s when automatic brewers came on the scene. In the 1990s coffee aficionados brought the vacuum method of coffee brewing back into popularity. There are several different names given to the "vacuum brewing machines" including: siphon vacuum coffee, siphon coffee, vacuum brewed coffee or vac pots.
A vacuum coffee brewer has four components:
1. The bottom container into which you pour the water
2. The top container into which you put the coffee grounds
3. The siphon tube that connects the top and bottom container
4. The filter, where the liquid and vapor pass through

The vacuum brew system works on the principle of the contraction and expansion of gas (the hot water vapor). Once the bottom container is heated, water vapor is created and that vapor works as a catalyst to push the water up the connection tube, through the filter to the top container. Once the water has been moved to the upper container, the water vapor escapes through the siphon tube. This escaping vapor works to stabilize the temperature of the water in the top chamber. It typically takes between two to four minutes for the process to get completed.

Once the heating process is complete, the water in the bottom container cools and contracts. This creates a vacuum and the suction pulls the liquid from the upper chamber to the lower chamber. Voila, the coffee is brewed!

Just like other coffee makers, vacuum pots come in different sizes ranging from pots that brew four ounces up to 48 ounces.

When vacuum pots were introduced they were heated up using a simple wick burner - those who hearken back to the original, still use wick-heated pots. Today's vacuum coffee brewing pots can be used on the stove top or come with self-contained heating units with alcohol wick burners or butane burners.

Brewing coffee in a vacuum pot will take some trial and error to get your perfect cup, but they are a fascinating way to brew coffee! With more people opting to entertain at home and offer their guests a great cup of coffee following a home-cooked meal, a vacuum pot is as much a conversation piece as it is an appliance designed to brew an amazing cup of coffee. Your guests are sure to remember enjoying a cup brewed in a vacuum pot.

What Are the Different Ways to Grind Your Coffee?

Grinding coffee beans at home is a process that is done by many coffee enthusiasts. However, it would seem to be quite illogical for some people as it would be easier for a person to just buy packed ground coffee that is available on the market than to grind his coffee beans at home. But even though it is a really confusing concept to some, there really is a good reason why people choose to grind their own coffee beans, and that is because it can give you the freshest cup of coffee!

Newly ground coffee can bring out the best-tasting coffee as the essential oils are still present. There are instances when ground coffee is left exposed to the air (or oxygen) for a long time that the oils are actually lessened, thus, making the coffee bland and not entirely ideal for consumption. So by using freshly ground coffee, you are assured that these essential oils and nutrients are still present and will yield the best results. So for novice coffee grinders, what are the different ways to grind your coffee at home?

One way that you can do is by using a burr-grinder. Burr-grinding is commonly used by most coffee enthusiasts. A burr-grinder, or a burr-mill, is composed of two abrasive surfaces that revolve in order to grind the coffee beans. Burr-grinding is ideal because it uses minimal frictional heating that retains the aroma of the coffee. It also causes the beans to release some oils and nutrients that will easily be extracted by the hot water used in the brewing process, resulting to a great cup of coffee!

You can also use choppers as an alternative to the burr-grinders. You can use the regular home blender or chopper that is commonly present on everyone's kitchen. This is more practical as you won't need to purchase a grinder for your coffee needs when you already have a blender available in your home. There is a disadvantage to this, though, because these blenders do not really perform accurately as much as coffee grinders. These blenders are not really designed for coffee and that sometimes cause the beans to be ground unevenly. Unevenly ground beans, in turn, will make brewing difficult as you will have a hard time anticipating the final taste of the coffee.

You can also choose to use the classic mortar and pestle by pounding the beans! This is a super electricity-efficient procedure and you can basically control the fineness of the ground coffee! But of course there is a major setback as it would require you to use more manual energy.

These are some of the ways to grind your coffee at home. Try them and see what wonders coffee grinding could provide you!

Ivan is a coffee enthusiast who loves to write about coffee as much as drinking it. Check out his website at http://www.coffeeadmirer.com/ where he writes more about grinding coffee and coffee grinders.

Capsule Coffee Makers: What You Need to Know

Not all coffee makers were created equally, and in some sense you should also know your own lifestyle so you'll know which kind of machine you should use. People with very little time should opt for the capsule coffee makers-or what others may call the pod coffee machines. Simply put, these machines use capsules or "pods", which are pre-packaged coffee already put inside filters that you simply load onto the machine. The coffee maker will then "read" the instructions through a barcode present in the packet, and will deliver your coffee according to the standard.

Choosing the right capsule coffee maker isn't too hard, but you should take the time to learn more about the specific brand. Using coffee pods mean that you will not be drinking freshly-ground beans. This may not be an issue for some, but your taste for coffee-not to mention your daily intake for caffeine-should be considered.

You should also take your time researching a particular brand and model for your coffee machine. Take the time to know more about the available brands of pods that can be used for a particular model. Because of the way the machine is produced, it can usually only accept coffee pods that are either produced solely or are tied with their brand. This limits the kinds of beans and coffee mix that you might want to experiment on. On the other hand, this is perfect for people who are commonly loyal to their particular brand of beans or coffee.

Another thing you should know about coffee makers is that some are more technologically advanced than others. This is already a given with the pod coffee machines, since they simply take instructions from barcodes or operate on the simple premise of the options present in their models. However, if you're really looking for machines that can get your coffee right, there are also some capsule machines that can produce the specific amount of coffee. As a rule, machines that use coffee pods usually only produce one or two cups at a time. Yet some coffee makers can be programmed to produce a specific amount of coffee produced and poured directly into your mug. This minimizes the amount of time for cleaning out the coffee spilled on the warming plate or the carafe.

In this day and age when people tend to get busier with work, taking the time to enjoy a cup of coffee shouldn't contribute to more stress. Knowing the limitations and the abilities of your capsule coffee machines will definitely help you start your day right.

Are you looking for more information regarding coffee machines such as the Delonghi Magnifica? Visit our website Best Coffee Maker today for lots of comprehensive reviews and more!

Modern Black Tea Infusions

Tea has got to be one of the most popular and widely hailed drinks on the planet and has endless benefits both as a healthy drink and as a delicious and revitalizing way to start the day - or end it. There are countless popular modern black tea infusions, and you can even make your own to precisely suit your tastes.

Tea is in some ways a contradiction in that it is at once highly energizing and revitalizing and at the same time highly calming and relaxing. The reason tea is so revitalizing and like coffee a perfect way to start your day, is that it contains caffeine which is a stimulant which increases the heart rate and the metabolism. At the same time tea releases adrenaline which helps to keep the body feeling awake and alert. This means that if you need to get work done, there is no better companion than a cup of tea which will help you to focus and stay awake in the face of potentially boring tasks.

On top of this tea is also highly relaxing, and the reason for that is that it is warm and causes the release of dopamine. The warmth warms up our insides and helps us to feel calm and relaxed and especially is comforting if we are cold - like having a hot water bottle. The release of dopamine meanwhile boosts our mood as dopamine is a naturally occurring anti-depressant that is the same chemical that the brain releases in association with reward. Thus you can feel emotionally calmed at the same time as feeling relaxed by the warmth. Tea is often used to help treat shock and here is often served with sugar in order to replace the body sugar that may have been lost and to calm nerves.

This means that it has dual purposes and whether you want to be woken up before work, or want to enjoy something relaxing while you watch TV in the evening there is little better than modern tea infusions. However that also means that you can benefit from having a range of different tea infusions as this way you can enjoy a stronger tea when you're trying to wake yourself up, or a more relaxing tea when you are trying to baton down the hatches.

There is also a wealth of tradition surrounding black tea. For instance it is often consumed along with scones and jam in what is known as afternoon tea. This is considered a highly luxurious and classy sugary snack and many people are highly fond of this kind of tea. This again wants another tea infusion and English teas in particular go well here.

Tea is also a highly sociable drink and it is normal to offer people a cup of tea when they come to visit. This then again means that you should have lots of different types of tea available, for the time of the day and for the tastes of your guest. Being able to offer lots of different tea infusions is a great way to impress guests and be a great host - as is bringing them a fresh cup first thing in the morning.

These days there are so many different blends of tea. The easiest way to try different types is to buy leaf tea online in small quantities.

How to Choose Great Tasting Instant Coffee

Do you know which year was instant coffee born in? Yes, it is born in 1901 in Chicago by a Japanese scientist named Satori Kato through experiments. The beverage, in its powdered form was introduced by Kato in Buffalo, New York. In 1910, the first commercially marketed instant coffee was developed by George Louis Washington. In 1938, one of the most popular coffee brands, Nescafe, launched its version of this powdered drink. At that time, during World War II, the demand of coffee by the American soldiers was high. Therefore, this led to the birth of high vacuum, freeze-dried coffee.

Many coffee drinkers believed that instant coffee is uninspiring but there are many die-hard coffee drinkers drink them. Coffee makers nowadays have become sensitive to the needs of those who love real coffee taste but may not have time to brew them. Therefore, they produce quality product to provide for such needs.

Do you know how to choose great instant coffee?

Dependable brand

You need to select an old-fashioned dependable brand. This is because a brand that you have not heard of is probably obscure for a reason. An old-fashioned brand that has been in the market for many years would have been reinventing itself to keep its customers. Usually, the best producers also produce regular coffee, and they are very well aware of how the real thing tastes like.

Certified fair trade producers

Producers who are certified fair trade obtained their coffee bean directly from the grower at a bigger price than normal beans. They are more concern with social and environmental problems. They promote the improvement of work conditions and financial incentives to farmers who work toward sustainability.

Dark Roast or Red Label

Choose dark roast or red label if you like fuller flavor coffee. There is less caffeine in the darker roasted coffees than in the lighter ones. The roast alone does not determine the resulting coffee taste or quality. It is the origin of the beans that makes the difference.

Quality

Buy good quality ones. This is the first most important step in making it good tasting.

Be prepared to pay a higher price.

It may not necessarily be reflected in the price but it is a fairly good indicator. Like the saying goes, "if you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys". This saying goes for instant coffee too. Try buying the most expensive brand on the shelf and see if it makes a difference.

Experiment

Everyone have different preference. You should try several brands and variations to get the best that suit you.

Single Cup Brewing Systems - Why Is Keurig Leading the Way in This Market?

There are many products available today for single serve brewing at home or in the workplace. You may have seen commercials on TV for Keurig, Senseo, and Dolce Gusto and wondered how each brew system works and which one is the best. The latter really is dependent on things like the amount of money you are willing to pay, what features you require, and what coffees you prefer. In this article, you will be introduced to the Keurig brewing system, and discover not only how it works, but where you can get brewers and drinks at the best prices.

The Keurig Story

Keurig originated in 1992, upon a foundation centered on excellence. In fact, the name 'Keurig' is the Dutch word for excellence. Keurig wanted to produce a brewer that was small enough to be used at home, yet effective at brewing up a consistently fresh coffee every time. However, the brewer itself would be only part of the equation. The end result would be a total system that would include single portion packs that would do away with the need for measuring, and provide an easy clean-up. Through research, innovation and trials, by 1998 they had debuted their first single-cup brewer. An essential element of this system is the portion packs, which they named K Cup, short for 'Keurig cup'. This patented technology allows a single cup to be brewed in under a minute, and with the exact pre-measured amount of grounds in each k cup consumers can rest assured to have consistent taste from cup to cup.

What Exactly is a K Cup and How Does It Work?

K cups are composed of plastic, and each cup contains a filter and coffee grounds, cocoa, tea or whatever the intended beverage. The benefit of this little single portion pack is that you don't have to grind and measure and hope for a consistent taste each time you brew. It's all done for you. The coffee is pre-ground and pre-measured in a convenient little cup. The k cups are sealed with a foil lid, which locks out moisture and oxygen, both of which degrade the freshness and flavor of coffee.

To brew you simply place a k cup in the brewer and as the lid closes the foil lid, as well as, the bottom of the plastic cup are punctured. Through a nozzle, hot water flows into the k cup steeping the grounds and flowing through the filter and down into your mug. It really is that simple. To clean up, remove the spent k cup and throw it into your trash can.

What Kinds of Coffees and Other Drinks Are Available in K Cups?

The Keurig brew system has a great variety of beverages available in k cups. Very well-known brands such as, Caribou, Tully's, Timothy's World Coffee, Gloria Jean's, Emeril's, Newman's Own, Wolfgang Puck, Folger's, Green Mountain, Coffee People and many more can easily be found online, as well as, in your local stores. There are actually over 250 different flavors of coffee, tea, cocoa, and other specialty drinks available on the market for Keurig brew system users. From decaf, to breakfast blends, dark roasts, extra bold, flavored coffees, world-class hot chocolates, ciders and more, you will have scores of options when using the k cup system for your single-cup brewing.

Can I Use My Own Coffee?

One of the benefits that set the Keurig single-serve brew system apart from the competition is the fact that you can use your own coffee grounds. This opens the options and possibilities tremendously for the user. Not only does it help diminish waste and expense, but it allows you to use your favorite brands, flavors, and grind. Using your own grind level and getting to find your optimal amount of grounds used in relation to the cup size you brew gives you the ultimate control over the flavor and strength of your coffee. When looking at single serve brewing systems, you will find that single serve brewing is not a cheap endeavor. Finding an option that allows you as much freedom with not only the selection already on the shelves in single portion packs, but the ability to use your own grounds makes it a little less limiting than the competition and the decision becomes a little easier to make.

Note: There are some Keurig brewers that are not compatible with the refillable filter [accessories that are needed in order to use your own coffee. When delving into researching brewers, if you prefer the option to use your own coffee, make sure the brewer is compatible with accessories like My K Cup and Solofill refillable k cup filters.

So How Much is The Keurig System Going to Cost?

The brewers compatible with k cups range in retail price from $79 all the way up to over $250 depending on how extravagant you want to get with your bells and whistles. The variations between the brewers are mostly in the following areas:

‧ How many brew sizes options are offered

‧ How much the water reservoir will hold

‧ Programmable features like automatic on-off

‧ Brew time

‧ Are there adjustable brew temperatures

The k cups differ in expense depending on which drink you are purchasing and where you are getting it. There are great deals out there online, as well as, in your local grocery stores, but you will have to do some digging if you do not want to pay retail. You could pay as little as 32 cents per k cup, and as much as 80 to 90 cents and up if you don't shop around.

Doesn't This System Seem Expensive and Wasteful?

Depending on how the system is used, it could be considered high-priced and wasteful, but that is really up to the user. A change in expense is going to be relative to how you are buying your coffee now. For instance, how often are you going to a retail coffee chain for your coffee? A serving at a coffee shop is a great deal more expensive that even the costliest k cup. If you compare it to the cost of buying coffee for your standard drip coffee maker, then you will have to sit down and really evaluate your habits and crank out some numbers. Yep, do the math. You will make a better decision having all of the details rather than basing it on assumption.

To break it down, consider how much of the coffee that you presently brew with your typical drip machine gets poured down the drain because it goes stale before you drink it. If you live alone, or are the only one in your household that appreciates coffee, chances are that you frequently brew more than you consume. If that is indeed your scenario, then you must bear in mind that you get fewer yields out of a bag of coffee than you thought. This makes the cost of the coffee that you actually do drink more expensive per cup. Even if the expense per cup with standard brewing is still slightly less than single cup brewing, you should consider how many times you drink old bitter coffee because you don't want to waste it. Who really wants to drink stale coffee? It looks as though brewing only what you are actually going to drink is well worth the pennies on the dollar that you will spend to have fresh coffee every single time, and waste nothing down the drain.

As far as environmental waste, being that you can use reusable filters like the My K Cup and Solofill, discarding plastic k cups after every brew is not required. There are even caps for spent k cups called My-Kap that allow you to reuse an actual k cup. Many of the competition in single cup brewing do not allow for these types of accessories. If environmental waste factors are a reason for concern, rest assured you can avoid an abundance of plastic coming from your home to the landfill with the Keurig brew system.

Summing Up the Keurig Single-Cup Brewing System

Now you have some history on the Keurig company and how their version of the at home single-cup brewing system came about. A lot of research and development went into creating the perfect brew system for the home that would allow coffee drinkers to have a consistent fresh tasting coffee every time they brew. The Keurig system's array of beverage choices and freedom to use your own grounds give it an advantage over the competition. If all things are equal with brewer pricing and reliability, why would anyone want to be limited in their beverage selection?

To learn more about choosing a Keurig Coffee Maker, or to learn more about k cups and the Keurig brewing system visit: kcups-best-price.com

Strange Uses for Coffee

Most people do not realize that coffee can be used for more than just a caffeine rush. In fact, coffee is one of the most versatile things in the world! The less obvious uses of coffee do not get talked about a lot because for the most part people do not believe that they work. There are however, many people that have bought into the strange uses for coffee and are currently enjoying the benefits.

Most people do not realize that used coffee grounds can help to get rid of ants. In fact, most people thing that coffee grounds will attract these small insects. If you have an ant hill somewhere near your house the best thing that you can do is put your used coffee grounds on top of the hill. This will confuse the ants and force them to move to another area. A lot of people prefer this method over the use ant spray because it is seen as more humane. Instead of killing the ants you are simply forcing them to move to another area.

Some people like the color of coffee so much that they choose to stain their driveway or porch that color. Simply put, you can stain concrete with coffee grounds to give the area the look that you want. By rubbing fresh coffee grounds on the concrete you can give it the color of your favorite coffee. You can even control how dark or light you want the stain to be. If you want to make it darker you just need to rub more coffee grounds on it for a longer period of time. If you want to make the color lighter all you need to do is lightly rub the grounds on the concrete.

On the other hand, coffee can clean surfaces just as well as it can stain them. Coffee has a grit to it that allows you to really scrub a soiled area. The perfect thing to clean with coffee grounds is something like the inside of a grill. The coffee will really allow you to scrub the grease and grime but also give off the sweet aroma of coffee. Many people do not believe in cleaning with coffee because it can actually be a little expensive. You will actually be spending more money on coffee than you would be on soap if you chose to use it instead.

Find Keurig K cups cheap online to save a lot of money.

What You Need to Make Coffee at Home

The typical coffee drinker out there may not even be aware of what accessories available to make the brewing process a simpler and enjoyable task. The fact is that a lot of people never actually make the coffee themselves. In lieu of brewing a pot of coffee at home they elect to hit the drive through window or the local gas station on the way to work. There is, however, another group of people that choose to make coffee for themselves at home. Not only does this help them save money, but it also allows them to make the coffee to their exact specifications. Being able to add your own sugar and cream is a big deal if you are serious about coffee. Another thing that is a big deal is all the accessories that you need when you are in the process of making coffee at home.

Well, the first thing that you are going to need in addition to a home brewing system is filters. Every coffee machine in the world requires the use of filters if you are making a pot. If you have a single serve coffee maker, however, you may not need filters to make your cup. These filters are fairly cheap and can be purchased at just about any store that you walk into. The nice thing is that they can be purchased in bulk. Since you use at least one a day it is important to have a good supply of them on hand. If you run out of filters you will be unable to continue with the brewing process.

Another accessory that gets overlooked is the fact that you are going to need coffee mugs at the home. The people that get their coffee on the go may never take the time to think about the fact that in order to make, and drink, coffee at home you have to have mugs. The good news is that coffee mugs are a very common item. You can literally buy them for a few dollars or at any local store in your neighborhood.

The last thing that you are going to need is sugar and cream. If you make coffee at home it will not be done until you have added these two elements. Making coffee at home will allow you to put just enough sugar and cream in your cup so that you can get it exactly how you want it.

Shop for coffee online to save a lot of money.

Gourmet Iced Coffees at Home

By?Sean Gallagher

It is clear by the daily lines at Starbucks that we like gourmet coffees. As consumers, we spend huge amounts of money on coffee drinks every day. Preparing your own coffee drinks at home is easy, inexpensive, and deliciously refreshing.

Most gourmet coffee drinks are flavored with syrups. These syrups are filled with stabilizers to extend shelf life. So make your own syrups, you can add fun flavors to your beverages and know what’s in them.

Making your own syrup is easy. First, you need make a base simple syrup. Once you have your simple syrup, you can add to it and make many different types of syrups.

Vanilla Syrup

3 cups water

1 cup sugar

? vanilla bean, cut lengthwise, and scraped out

Place the measured sugar and water into a small sauce ?pot.

Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the inside of it to remove all the seeds, add the seeds and bean to the pot.

Cook over medium-high heat until it starts to simmer.

Let the water and sugar simmer until the sugar is dissolved.

Turn off the heat, remove the vanilla beans, and let the simple syrup cool to room temp.

Mexican Chocolate Syrup

1 cup Vanilla syrup

2 cinnamon sticks

? cup cocoa powder

? cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Add 1 cup of vanilla syrup into a small sauce ?pot.

Add the cinnamon sticks and let them simmer in the syrup for 3 minutes.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and add the cocoa.

Stir to combine and then add the chocolate.

Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.

Turn off the heat and your syrup is done.

Raspberry Syrup

1 pint raspberries

? cup sugar

2 T vanilla syrup

Add the raspberries, sugar, and syrup to a small sauce pot.

Simmer for 4-6 minutes until raspberries breakdown and sauce is created.

Strain out raspberry seeds with a fine strainer.

Let it cool and the syrup is finished.

Allthese ?these syrups are great in coffee drinks, but can also be used on ice cream or in cocktails.

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

2 T sugar

? t vanilla extract

Whip the heavy cream on high in a mixer until light peaks start to form.

Add sugar and vanilla.

Whip until cream has thickened and holds its own shape.

French Press Coffee

? cup Manhattan blend coffee

3 cups hot water

1/8 t vanilla extract

French press coffee makes the best tasting coffee because the oils of the coffee beans are not trapped by filter.

To start boil 3 cups of water in a kettle.

Allow for the water to cool for a moment so it is not boiling.

Pour into press pot with measured coffee, stir with a spoon so grounds are completely immersed.

Add your vanilla.

Put cover on loosely to keep in heat.

After 4 minutes of steeping, place top on firmly and plunger the coffee.

This will push all grounds to the bottom and leave you with a delicious pot of coffee.

When you are ready to make your coffee drinks, gather all your components and get ready to prepare them. I made these drinks in 16oz cups so I could fit everything I wanted into them.

Raspberry Vanilla Iced Coffee

2 T Raspberry Syrup

1 T Vanilla Syrup

1 cup coffee

? cup ice

2 T whipped cream

Splash half and half

Mexican Mocha Iced Coffee

3 T Mexican chocolate syrup

1 cup coffee

? cup ice

2 T whipped cream

splash half and half

Vanilla Bean Iced Coffee

? cup Vanilla syrup

1 cup coffee

? cup ice

2 T whipped cream

splash half and half

Happy Summer!

-Sean Gallagher

Gallagher is also a freelance caterer, private chef, and graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. His grandmother was a cook and inspired him at a very young age to pursue a culinary career. Gallagher’s passion is nutrition as well as teaching others how to lead a healthy lifestyle full of not only nutritious, but also?delicious food.

Contact Sean directly with any questions or comments at?Chef.seangallagher@gmail.com and visit his?blog here

This writer may have been given product and/or other compensation from Dean & DeLuca for this post. All Photography provided by Liran Okanon Photography – All Rights Reserved.

Best Coffee Grinders - Different Types Of Grinders And Their Characteristics

Only true coffee lovers appreciate the quality of a cup of hot coffee brewed from freshly ground beans. And of course, to make the best coffee you must choose the top quality beans and the best coffee grinders. Choosing a coffee grinder or mill can be really confusing, since there are so many different options to choose from. There are several types of grinders available in the market, and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The blade grinder is the cheapest and the most common type of automatic coffee grinder. It may not be the best, but it still produces coffee grounds that taste better than instant coffee. Blade grinders tend to be noisy and produce uneven, chunky bits of coffee beans. And since the blades rotate very fast, they can create friction heat, which causes the coffee to lose its aroma and results in a bitter, burnt taste. The resulting grind is good enough for drip machines, but it won't work well in a French press or an espresso machine.

If you are looking for a more versatile automatic grinder, then you should get a burr grinder. The crushing mechanism consists of a spinning wheel ring and a stationary wheel ring. Since the gap between these wheels is consistent, the grinder is able to produce even-sized grounds. Burr grinders also produce less friction heat, thus preserving the flavor of the coffee.

The conical burr grinder is arguably the best option. It can be a bit pricey but its unique conical design allows for extra fine grinding. It is much quieter, and produces very little heat. This is the best grinder for French press coffee makers and espresso machines.

Alternatively, you may want to have a look at manual grinders. A manual or hand coffee mill is capable of producing the same even and consistent grind as the burr grinder, but it will preserve the flavor of the coffee even better because it generate much less heat. In addition to that, the classic design of the hand coffee grinder will add a touch of elegance to any kitchen.

It can be concluded that the differences between each type of coffee grinder lie in the grind consistency and the amount of friction heat produced. When it comes to pricing, you will find that blade grinders are the cheapest. Burr, conical burr, and hand grinders are available in a wide range of price, according to the brand and the features offered.

For the perfect cup of coffee, you have to use highest quality beans and the best coffee grinders. It is important to know the differences between the best coffee grinders when choosing a coffee grinder.

Just Got A New Coffee Machine? Now What?

Coffee makers and their accessories are one of the most popular gifts for special occasions like birthdays, Christmases and even Valentines' Days. After all, in a coffee-drinking nation where 400 million cups of java, Joes and its various monikers are consumed every year, coffee makers as gifts make perfect sense, not to mention show plenty of love from the givers.

Well, if you receive such a delightful gift, we have a few pieces of information about your new toy so that you can make the most delicious coffee to warm your heart. Speaking of heart, did you know that coffee can lessen your risks for cardiovascular diseases as well as Type 2 diabetes, cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases when consumed in moderate quantities?

Let's start with the top-of-the-line product in the coffee maker universe - the super-automatic machines. You can call yourself lucky, indeed, for you have a two-in-one machine consisting of an espresso coffee maker and a grinder, too! Just press the button and the machine will do everything without your intervention from grinding, dosing, tamping, brewing and then ejecting the spent puck. Hands off, indeed!

Keep in mind that the best espresso comes from coffee beans grounded in the perfect manner specifically to a powder-like consistency. You can rest easy knowing that the grinder on the super-automatic coffee maker will grind the coffee beans perfectly and you can enjoy perfect espresso each and every time.

But be sure to read the instructions manual first. With the variety of features on a super-automatic machine, you want to take full advantage of the bells and whistles that matter most to your cup of coffee. Always keep a good stock of the right cleaner, water filters and other accessories on hand to keep the machine in tiptop shape.

Semi-automatic coffee machines feature automated temperature controls for the boiler, automated pumps and activation switches for the pumps. Obviously, you can decide when to turn on and off the pumps.

The benefits of semi-automatic machines are many, too. These coffee makers maintain good brewing temperature and good pump pressure, both of which are essential to making the espresso taste and smell like it should be in your coffee-loving palate, nose and mind. With manual machines of old, your espresso can be too bland today and then too strong tomorrow because of differences in temperature and pressure applied. It takes years of experience to know the perfect combination of the two factors using just your own skills - just ask well-respected baristas.

Automatic coffee machines feature automated temperature controls for the boilers, automated preset water volumes and pumps. Your work involves loading the porta filter with coffee, tamping it, locking it into the machine and pressing the appropriate switch. You will then wait for a few seconds for your coffee to finish brewing.

Don't forget the grinders either. These can either be the blade or burr types depending on your coffee maker with the general rule being burr for espresso and blade for French presses, drip and semi-automatic coffee makers.

Add accessories to the mix as well. You may have to purchase these accessories but your money will be well spent because of the great coffee enjoyed every time. Tampers, frothing pitchers and knock boxes are just a few of the accessories you may want to look into.

Jason Hart's Coffee In Melbourne is a mobile coffee cart that is available for your next function or event in Melbourne. Contact Mobile Coffee Melbourne today.

New Studies Into The Health Benefits of Green Tea

While research continues to bring ever more accurate data about the benefits of green tea, as well as its limits, some reports are good news for those who love its taste and have time to enjoy taking it regularly. Tea is very popular and it's not hard to have several cups in a day, but green tea, also known as Chinese tea, is that little harder to come by in the western world at least since most workplaces, vending machines are all geared towards the more common black tea varieties. But there's definitely good reason to go out of your way to enjoy a cup.

Dr Ed Okello led a group of Newcastle University researchers to investigate the very realistic possibility that tea had properties that helped protect against certain diseases. Those where a correlation was found include Alzheimers, a form of dementia, as well as cancer.

They operated under the assumption that though all foods have some properties that are beneficial to health such as nutrients, these do not always remain after the digestive process. The team replicated digestion of green tea and subjected the resulting chemicals produced by the enzymes were tested to see what properties they had when in a solution containing various toxins and in other tests where they were exposed to tumour cells. The team found that the chemicals present prevented toxins from reaching cells, and also slowed down growth of the tumour cells.

Future studies may take this connection through more a more rigorous process to uncover exactly what chemicals are produced when the tea is drank by healthy human volunteers. Such information would help greatly in identifying just how helpful the tea is and lead researchers closer to potential therapies.

Chinese tea has been put into play as a remedy for centuries, and this use so far back suggests that the health properties were well known long before modern science was able to test the tea more rigorously.

It's also well accepted that this tea is beneficial for weight loss, and many people enjoy taking it as a replacement to colas, soda and expensive diet plans. It boosts the body's metabolism helping with weight loss while helping to give the tea drinker more energy. While green tea doesn't contain as much caffine as coffee or cola it does have some which gives it some ability to keep you going.

Overall green tea has many benefits, some that have already been identified and possibly many more that are yet to be found. It's also rather a nice enjoyable drink to take even for its own sake.

This is an interesting and tasty subject, so you'll surely want to read more about green tea by visiting our website and checking out benefits of green tea sections each of which contains all the information you could need. Then find out, does green tea burn fat?

Discovering the Benefits of Wu-Yi Green Tea

Among the different types of green tea available in the market, wu-yi green tea is a powerful fat burner that has metabolism boosting powers that surpass other green tea varieties as a result of the harvesting different types of tea that grows in the legendary Wu-yi Mountain, located in the heart of the Fujian Province in China.

These teas area collectively used to produce other types of green tea such as the Dahongpao and Oolong tea, which peculiar flavor comes from the mineral soil of the Chinese mountain. Wu-yi green tea became popular after the Wu-Yi Mountain entered the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1999 for both its cultural and natural heritage.

Wu-yi green tea enjoys the same benefits that other types of green tea, as it can boost your metabolism and fortify your immune system, being also a great fat burner aid that improves your skin condition and provides overall wellness. People who are concerned about drinking too much tea have nothing to worry about because this type of tea has no side effects.

During it processing, wu-yi green tea has a minimal oxidation levels, the reason why we can say it is caffeine free, although it is not a rich-flavored beverage, which the aroma is not as appealing as people might think. However, this tea is often over priced and may be available as a complementary ingredient in different dietary and nutritional supplements.

The natural burning fat properties of wu-yi green tea in weight loss management are widely recognized by traditional Chinese medicine due to a compound found in most types of green tea called polyphenol. This is a type of antioxidant found in plants that was classified as Vitamin P until further research found it is a non-essential compound for the human body.

Oolong and wu-yi teas have a higher concentration of polyphenols than other types of green tea, that is why health care providers recommend drinking them with moderation even though they also prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. Focusing on weight loss management, drinking wu-yi tea along with a well-balanced diet and proper exercising can help to weight 20-30 pounds less in no more than two months.

Keep in mind that walking 30 minutes a day is an easy physical activity to round out your weight lose program based on wu-yi green tea, an herbal solution that does not contain carbs or calories. If you want to try this infusion, it is advisable to drink two cups of wu-yi tea twice a day or the intake of wu-yi tea capsules following the directions of your health care provider.

Wu-yi tea caps are made from blending green tea and oolong tea with other natural extracts such as ginseng, citrus, and guarana to increase the benefits of the beverage without causing the health risks of chemical diet pills. In fact, drinking tea is 100 times more beneficial than the regular intake of vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin D so you must not be afraid to try wu-yi green tea.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. Tags: cardiovascular disease chinese medicine chinese mountain fujian province Green Tea health care providers mineral soil natural heritage nutritional supplements oolong tea oxidation polyphenols province in china skin condition tea varieties traditional chinese medicine vitamin p weight loss management world heritage sites wu yi.

Organic Iced Tea - A Great Rejuvenating Beverage!

Tea is considered to be one of the most loved beverages all over the world. It is versatile and can be prepared in a number of ways. It can both be drunk cold and hot. It is drunk in all weathers - whether hot or cold, morning, noon, or night. Among the many varieties of tea, the once that are meant for drinking topped with ice are mostly preferred by a majority of tea-drinkers. It has many health benefits, more so, when you are buying the organically grown varieties. Organic iced tea is loaded with anti-oxidants, vitamins, and components that have positive effects on health and beauty. There are many tangible benefits of the organic variety like - it provides a rejuvenating effect in the body and is a comfort drink at the time of stress.

What is special about drinking organic iced tea?

The flavor and taste of organic iced tea is special and different from all other varieties. Organic tea is also grown and processed without using any form of pesticides or synthetic chemicals. So, while you enjoy a refreshing brew rich in healthy components, you are also ensuring that the environment is protected from harmful chemicals and pesticides that otherwise enter the food cycles of human beings and animals. Moreover, you will be able to indulge in all the goodness of drinking organic iced tea sans any chances of health hazards.

Organic teas are rich in polyphenols. These are basically anti-oxidants that have huge benefits for human body. Such anti oxidants are helpful in fighting free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that can cause damage to the cells therefore, getting rid of such substances definitely has a positive effect up on health. Drinking organic iced tea is also beneficial as it reduces the chances of heart disorders and cancers. Among the many variants, black and green teas are best known for their anti-oxidant benefits. One major advantage of organic brew over coffee is that the former is available in a wide range of color and flavors but, has lesser amounts of caffeine than that in coffee. Tea also comprises antibacterial properties, which improves oral health and prevents tooth decay and halitosis.

Drinking organic iced tea can also be the best alternative to soft drinks in the summers. Chilled brew, prepared without the use of any pesticides or chemicals can be the best health drink. You also do not have to stick to one boring taste as there are many varieties of iced tea available in the market today.

You have to sip a cup of organic iced tea to experience the benefits of it. Buy tea from a company like Shangri La Tea Company where you will be able to find many different varieties of organically grown teas.

Enjoy Tea The English Way

My husband and I traveled to England several years ago. Everywhere we went we were offered tea or served tea in china cups or mugs and never in paper or plastic. The English are very serious about their tea so it is never compromised with stale leaves or tea bags and always carefully steeped and served from teapots into tea cups.

Tea drinking in England began as early as 1658, when a London merchant, Thomas Garraway, advertised the new product, "tee", for sale in his shop. Two years later he published a lengthy advertisement listing the many health benefits of this drink. Then in 1662, King Charles II married Catharine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess, who brought a chest of tea with her as part of her dowry. She began to serve it to her Court and word began to spread of the new drink.

During the eighteenth century, tea became the most popular drink in Britain and ale and gin drinking declined. People drank this new drink at home and new Tea Gardens became very popular in London causing the established coffee houses to close down. The Tea Houses continued until the early nineteenth century when London rapidly expanded and people's tastes in entertainment became more sophisticated and exciting.

Tea became the drink of all classes of British society and was drunk at all times of the day and especially after the main evening meal. Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, introduced the "afternoon tea", in the early nineteenth century, to satisfy her hunger between the light luncheon and the late evening meal. She began to invite her friends to share it with her and the custom became the British institution of afternoon tea.

Now there is high, low and cream tea. Low is the original afternoon tea which included small sandwiches, pastries, and tea served on low tables. High, or meat tea, is a meal of filling foods that was served after the working classes came home from work and served on high tables. Cream tea is served in the afternoon but consists only of sweets with clotted cream or jam to be spread on scones or sweet breads.

Now the British are the largest per capita tea drinkers in the world! They prefer black, always with milk, not cream, and sometimes sugar. For strong black tea they will use lots of milk and as much as two teaspoons of sugar per cup. The average working Brit will take tea in a mug and may have as many as six mugs a day, as employers make time for tea breaks during working hours for their employees. The formal afternoon teas are mainly for special events, royalty, tourists, and public officials.

I would love to travel to England again as I miss the assumption they make that everyone loves tea and takes time for tea. I wish it was more of a custom here in the US. There are more and more tea shops springing up across America as tea popularity continues to grow, so maybe we'll get the hang of it yet!

Green Tea Pills

If you are having troubles with your figure and your weight, I assume you have researched ways of losing weight without breaking too much sweat. Maybe you, like many other people all over the world, have stupidly tried any weight loss pill they could get your hands on which are dangerous. Some people had negative side effects and some people even died because of this stupidity. Don't get frustrated, don't be desperate. There is always room for those who work hard to achieve their dream body. Also, I would like to share to you a pill that is known to be effective. Green tea pills are herbal weight loss pills that have worked wonders already.

The green tea leaves are definitely proven and tested by time. You can't go wrong with it because ancient Chinese people have been using it not just for weight loss and slimming, but for many health benefits too.

However, the taste of this tea is not that pleasant. But that was before. You don't have to worry now because manufacturers have took that into consideration and that is why we have these pills made out of green tea leaves. So you don't have to taste it. Just pop it up your mouth and it's all over. The pill is a dietary supplement that you have to take every day. Also, the pills have more benefits compared to the tea version and doesn't taste that bad.

Did you know that green tea has also other beneficial effects? When you include it in your diet, you are also including anti oxidants in it so you can be sure that you are detoxifying yourself and you don't have to worry at all. However, like any other health products, the benefits are not instant, it takes to gradually do its part in your body, but that would not take too long. Soon, you will be enjoying the effects of this tea in your body and you can have a healthy and happy lifestyle.

However, you should also be careful. Not all green tea products are genuine. Some manufacturers add some additive substances on their green tea product to make it much more plenty. This would lessen the potency of the effect of green tea and sometimes, it also has a bad side effect. So be careful. Real green tea products are harvested from the finest tea farm, carefully selected and is made from one hundred percent pure green tea leaves. This makes the product so potent and this also means that it would be effective.

So regardless of what purpose you are drinking it, whether you wanted to lose some weight, or you wanted it as a drink before you workout to maximize the burning of calories in your body or just a daily supplement to detoxify your body, you can be sure that you would have a healthier body, a healthier and longer life full of happiness because nothing could stop you from having good, clean fun.

Interested in different tea varieties?

All about tea and more => http://teaonesite.com/

The Health Benefits of Tea Drinking

"Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary". ~Chinese Proverb

Black tea, green tea, oolong tea and white tea are made from the same plant -- Camellia sinensis. Ever since the first infusions of tea about 4700 years ago in China were made, the beneficial effects of tea have been examined. This article will talk about health benefits of tea drinking supported by some studies and also mention drawbacks.

Tea has negligible amounts of carbohydrates, fat and protein. The following are the many benefits of tea:

1. It boosts mental alertness and lowers chances of cognitive impairment. Found almost exclusively in the tea plant amino acid L-theanine actively alters the attention networks in the brain by affecting neurotransmitters and increasing alpha brain-wave activity. This results in an alert, but more calm state of mind. Studies of the elderly Japanese people showed that those who consumed more than 2 cups of green tea daily had 50 percent lower chance of having cognitive impairment than those who consumed less. This is due to the presence of antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG -- type of catechin) in tea.

2. It lowers stress hormone levels. Researchers at University College London found that drinking black tea after a stressful event lowered levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In this study those subjects who had been drinking 4 cups of black tea daily for 6 weeks had a 20% greater drop in cortisol than the placebo group.

3. It helps to lose weight and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol levels. Studies in Netherlands and Japan showed that green tea does both. Dutch participants who drank caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties of green tea noticed decrease in their waistlines. Japanese men and women who were given green tea extract for three months lost fat and had lower LDL levels.

4. It increases metabolic rate (the amount of daily energy expended by humans and animals at rest). University of Geneva and University of Birmingham conducted clinical trials which indicate that green tea raises metabolic rates, speeds up fat oxidation, improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Caffeine and polyphenols in tea raise thermogenesis (the production of heat by the body) and thus increases energy expenditure.

5. It boosts immune system. In 2003 study done by Brigham and Women's Hospital during four-week trial 11 coffee drinkers and 10 tea drinkers consumed 600 ml of coffee or black tea daily. Their blood sample analysis showed that the production of anti-bacterial proteins was up to five times higher in tea-drinkers, which was an indicator of a stronger immune system response. Tea contains theanine which might be responsible for boosting the disease-fighting capacity of gamma delta T-cells thus helping the body's immune response to fight infection.

6. It helps fight fungal and bacterial infections. Pace University conducted a study in which they found that white tea extracts are effective in treating bacterial and fungal infections. Green tea extracts did not show as much effect as white tea.

7. It has antibiotic effects. Catechins in green tea are responsible for disrupting a specific stage of bacterial DNA replication process thus possessing antibiotic properties (citrus such as lemon added to the tea causes more catechins to be absorbed). White and green teas have the highest concentration of catechins.

8. It has anti-cancer properties. Numerous studies suggest that green tea protects against different types of cancers, including breast, lung and prostate cancer. Again antioxidant EGCG is sited as the reason. One Japanese study showed that after drinking two to three cups of green tea growth of human lung cancer cells significantly slowed. Another study claims white tea to be even more effective in battling cancer than green tea.

"If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you". ~Gladstone, 1865

Other benefits of tea include: possible prevention of diabetes, as a complementary therapy for HIV patients in combination with conventional medicines, reduction of the effects of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), reduction of the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath and other ailments.

Consumption of tea also has some drawbacks. The fluoride in tea leaves can increase the risk of osteofluorosis and fractures (applies to high daily fluoride intake of over 2 mg for children and 4 mg for adults). How much fluoride the tea will contain directly depends on the fluoride content of the soil in which it is grown. Due to environmental pollution aluminum can also be found in tea. (Organic soil provides non-chemical nourishment to the tea plants and that is why some people prefer organic teas). Also consider that tea contains caffeine and too much of it can result in harmful side effects, such as certain sleep disorders and diuresis. Decaffeinated varieties of tea, however, contain less catechins (which have antibiotic and antioxidant properties). Because tea contains oxalate overconsumption of it can cause kidney stones. Some studies suggest that tea drinking maybe negatively associated with risk of esophageal cancer due to the chemicals known as tannins (milk binds with tannin making it harmless).

Like with anything else in life it is good to maintain balance. Drinking too much tea may be harmful and drinking too little may not be beneficial enough. It is better to drink tea when it is lukewarm or warm temperature -- at least 4 minutes after it has been poured. It is nice to know that when you enjoy your cup of tea you receive health benefits too.

Check out the electric steel kettles to help you prepare the perfect cup of tea: Electric Steel Kettle

I Love Coffee: Over 100 Easy and Delicious Coffee Drinks - Book Review

Before going to college the only way I really knew how to prepare coffee was just the regular automatic drip brewer with the pot. If I wanted anything else other than just a regular coffee at home I would just venture out to a Starbucks, Dunkin' Doughnuts, or a local coffee place. When I got to college and money got tighter, going out for coffee often was no longer a reality. So I figured that if I want a latte, an iced coffee, or a cappuccino it would be much easier, and more cost efficient, if I made it myself. After looking at some books and websites, and toying around with different things, I started to catch on how to make good coffee at home. I eventually got my grinder and French press and was able to make even better things; however I am still learning. I have reviewed a few things that you can read through so that if there is anything I am not really covering in my blogs or website, you can easily find what you are looking for.

The most valuable reading material that I have yet to come across is a book called "I Love Coffee: Over 100 Easy and Delicious Coffee Drinks" by Susan Zimmer. This book teaches you step by step how to make delicious drinks such as classics (such as a vanilla latte), holiday drinks (using things like peppermint and eggnog), and even some more unusual drinks (such as a Vietnamese Iced Coffee and a mocha with a twist of orange in it). Not only does this book cover different drinks, but it also covers different brewing methods, including ways to make things like a cappuccino without the big expensive equipment. It also teaches you about the different parts of things like an espresso maker and how to use them. Susan Zimmer doesn't just cover ways to make things based on her tastes, but she provides different ways to prepare her beverages to help suite your own personal taste.

Susan Zimmer, not only provides the basics, but she also goes in a little bit more depth in things such as latte art. If you have ever seen a latte with a leaf or heart shape inside of it, you know what I am talking about. Some other more advanced things she covers is the option to roast your own beans at home to create your very own fresh flavors. I really have no complaints about this book since it is extremely well rounded and a great wealth of information. So from the great colored pictures to her tips on everything to do with coffee, Susan Zimmer provides a great book for both newbies and coffee enthusiasts alike. So be sure to check this book out soon and I hope it will be as valuable to you as it is to me.

Does Green Tea Help With Constipation?

According to many experts with green tea, constipation can be cured.

How come? Well, green tea promotes good bacteria in the intestines. These bacteria, in turn, improve your resistance against infections, promote bowel regularity, and promote digestion.

Let's start at the beginning: how do people end up with bowel problems?

Causes of constipation

Constipation may result from:

* A poor diet: eating foods rich in fats or refined sugar, and low in fiber.

* Not drinking enough: this may lead to hard dry stools.

* Too much caffeine and alcohol: induce dehydration (increased urination of water).

* Lack of exercise: if you don't get enough exercise things stop working properly, including your digestive system.

* Medications: many medications may cause constipation.

* Poor bowel habits: ignoring the desire to have bowel movements may initiate a cycle of constipation (if you already have difficulties with "performing" it may become even more difficult to do so on a public toilet).

* Travel: lots of stress, a poor diet, and low fluid intake.

* Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): disorder with symptoms such as abdominal pain, excessive gas, and constipation.

* Abuse of laxatives: may lead to a dependency on laxatives to promote bowel activity.

* Pregnancy: several factors may lead to constipation during pregnancy: pressure on the bowel by the heavy womb, hormonal changes, changes in diet and fluid intake.

Green tea constipation relief

If you ask me, I think green tea is a great alternative to the normal laxatives as these often cause many side effects; sometimes ever worse than the constipation problem itself.

As soon as you start drinking green tea as a way to stimulate digestion, don't start drinking straight out of the tea pot hoping to start a movement down under within seconds.

Just stick to a cup or two cups to help encourage the bowels to move and slowly you will feel relieved.

Continue to drink green tea regularly to promote good bacteria and prevent constipation problems in the future.

Other tips to prevent constipation

So, with green tea constipation can be prevented! Here are other tips to prevent constipation:

* Drink plenty of water: at least 8 glasses a day; if you drink lots of caffeine or alcohol you should drink at least 12 glasses.

* Stick to a healthy diet: whole grains, fruits (prunes, apples), vegetables, cardamom, ginger, or potassium (helps to reinforce the walls of the colon; weakened they make things move slower).

* Exercise!

Should your bowel problems persist, please consult a doctor for advice!

How to Clean Different Commercial Coffee Urns

There are many different kinds of commercial urns that need to be cleaned daily and weekly or bi-weekly. Daily cleaning for most of them remains about the same. The number one rule about cleaning urns: Never use chlorine bleach in any coffee urn. This will chlorine will eat at the stainless steel and the silicone gaskets. Also, whether you are doing a daily cleaning or a bi-weekly cleaning never use soap, scouring powders, or abrasives of any kind to clean coffee brewing urns.

Automatic coffee urns must be cleaned daily after the last batch using the following steps:

1 - Drain the urn; then, run a brew cycle with just very hot water. After spraying hot water into the liner, thoroughly brush the entire urn with a long-handled brush.

2 - Drain the water and repeat step one.

3 - Wash the wire brew baskets with urn cleaner and rinse thoroughly. The same process is required for the double or triple urns after they have been used.

Automatic urns must have a special scouring once a week. Scour the urn by first filling the urn and heat to maximum brewing temperature. Fill the liner with several gallons of water and add at least 1? to 3 ounces of coffee urn cleaning compound. Set the thermostat to high; then, run a brew cycle of hot water. Allow the solution to remain in the liner for at least 30 minutes. Scrub the inside of both the liner and the cover with a long-handled brush. Drain the cleaning solution from the liner. Rinse by running several brew cycles with the sprayhead centered over the liner. Be sure to drain the rinse water after each brew cycle.

To clean the gauge glass tube, turn off the power and turn off the water line to the urn. Use a long, thin gauge glass brush to clean the coffee gauge glass. Use the same brush to clean the fitting at the bottom of the liner and into the pipe that is connected to the coffee faucet.

It is an absolute necessity that Chinese hot tea urns, pour-over urns, midline and barista series urns need to be cleaned thoroughly at the end of each day. After spaying hot water in the stainless steel liner, thoroughly wash it with a soft brush using the hot water. Add one tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda to each gallon of water or you may use commercial urn cleaners. Commercial cleaners are not recommended for this type of urn. These urns should be turned off before each gauge glass should be cleaned with a hard bristle brush. Faucets should be taken apart and cleaned properly until fully clean. Daily cleaning for Midland urns and Barista series urns need to run through the brew cycle with hot water, brush the liner, drain the urn water again and repeat the process again. Wipe the liner covers and fill the liners with about one gallon of hot water to prevent coffee-oil burn-in.

Weekly or bi-weekly urn cleaning depends on the amount of use. For regular use, the Chinese hot tea urns, midline heat exchange and pump urns and Barista Series require somewhat the same method. Where it varies for one urn, it will be noted at that step.

Step 1: Fill the liners with about a gallon of hot water. For midline urns and space saver urns leave the thermostat on "Brew."

Step 2: Pour into the liner the recommended concentration amount of urn cleaner that is recommended for that particular urn. An excessive amount of cleaner will attack the stainless steel causing deterioration of the coffee urn. Use cleaners which have been used successfully: DIP-IT by Economics Laboratories, OXYLITE by Avril, Inc., Syndet Division and TEMP-KLEEN by Caddy Corp. of America.

Step 3: Scrub the liner interior with a large plastic brush, rinse and drain the liner. For midline and space saver urns follow Step 3a: Clean the gauge glasses with a long narrow brush.

Step 4: Rinse with the liners empty and the electricity off, remove the coffee faucets by unscrewing the large plastic wing-nuts which fasten the faucets. Scrub from the opening into the center of the urn with a long brush.

Step 5: Unscrew the top of the faucet from it body and scrub it thoroughly. Clean the silicone seat cup with a soft cloth and soapy water.

Step 6: Reassemble the faucets. Fill the liners with hot water and drain until the liner and make sure all parts are completely rinsed.

High speed brewing urns require a separate cleaning process because of the outer jacket.

Step 1: When cleaning a high speed brewer, be sure the outer jacket is full of water.

Step 2: Turn on the heat and fill the urn liner three-fourths full of water and use only urn cleaning compounds like those mentioned above.

Step 3: Mix thoroughly and let stand for about 30 minutes.

Step 4: Clean the gauge glass, faucet pipe, plugs etc. using a long-handled brush. Be sure to clean the "lug nut" in the base of the liner.

Step 5: Rinse the inside of the urn three to four times with hot water and scrub the urn each time you rinse.

Step 6: Rinse all the parts well.

Step 7: Leave a gallon or more of water in the urn. The amount of water depends on the size of the urn; the larger urns will need more water. Leave the cover partly open until the next use. If you used cold water, allow the urn to cool to prevent cracking the liner.

Step 8: Clean urn baskets by dipping them in a solution of cleaning solution and then scrubbing them with a stiff brush.

Step 9: Rinse thoroughly and let dry. Each Sprayhead should be checked to see that all holes are open, if not, scrub with a stiff brush until all holes are open.

These cleaning steps for commercial urns came from different manufacturers. Check your manufacturer for more specific details.

Whether you are looking for household coffee makers in different sizes or brands that are 3 star and above or for commercial brands at CoffeeMakersShop.com. CoffeeMakersShop.com offers household coffee making products and more as well as Grindmaster-Cecilware coffee making and dispensing products and more along with all there accessories and options. Check us out at: http://www.coffeemakersshop.com/

Arizona Green Tea

Arizona Green Tea is the highest selling Green Tea in a can. They have become what other companies want to be….the best. The have the highest standards of any ready to drink tea.

Drinking Arizona Green Tea, will jump start your energy by 4% and increase your metabolism and this makes you lose weight because of it. Soda drinkers have the high calories and high sugar, which is not very healthy and switching to Arizona Green Tea, will help you stay away from it. It has a great taste that people love.

They have started adding Ginseng and SueBee orange honey, which gives it the sweet taste you crave without the calories or sugar rush.

There are many flavors offered such as:
‧ Arizona Pomegranate Green Tea
‧ Arizona Black and White Tea
‧ Arizona Green Tea Energy Drink
‧ Arizona Blueberry White Tea

Besides the readymade cans of Arizona Green Tea and its many flavors, it also comes in the Arizona’s Iced Tea Stix. It has the same- no artificial flavors or colors, One hundred percent natural tea. Just shake it up in water and enjoy. Now you can make a pitcher for the refrigerator for home and have the can to take on the run.

If you are looking for a quick pick me up you can drink the newest from Arizona green Tea, It is called Arizona’s Green Tea Energy Drink. The pretty cool looking cans are another one of the sellers of this fine drink. Many people have bought it for years because of the cool designs and the pretty bottles it used to come in. Many collectors have them and are not giving them up.

There are many other drinks from Arizona green Tea that seem to be for the adult class of drinkers. It is their Arizona Green Tea Aphrodisiac drink. Supposedly, it helps with sexual stimulation. Now some say it helps while others say not much at all. You will have to decide this one on your own, since everyone is different.

No matter which of the Arizona green Tea drinks you buy and choose to be your favorite there are many to choose from. You can go to the store, purchase one or several, drink them, and make your choices.

If you are buying it for health reasons or just because you love tea, you will be pleasantly surprised on how much you enjoy the new flavors and the change will do you good no matter what. Anything is better than a thousand cans of sugar-laden pop every day.

Some say they have lost weight, while others say it has given them energy just from the regular Arizona Green Tea drink without the other stuff or the specially made drinks.

Arizona Green Tea will give you the great taste without the side effects like coffee does. You drink too much coffee you get jittery, never happens with Arizona green Tea. Whether you choose readymade cans or mix your own, you will love it.

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Getting Low Priced K Cups at the Grocery Store

There are literally millions of people out there that drink coffee on a daily basis. These people all have one problem, however. The problem is that the coffee habit can become a bit expensive if you drink enough of it. To take it one step farther, the people that use K Cups spend even more money because these little coffee pods are very expensive at times. The good news for the K Cup drinkers is that if you take a smart approach to buying this type of coffee you will be able to save money. Over the course of time the savings can add up to be somewhat significant.

The best way to save money on K Cups is very simple. All you need to do is buy them when they are on sale! If you buy your K Cups when they are on sale you will be able to see some pretty nice savings, especially if you decide to stock up. The thing about buying K Cups when they are on sale that gives some people trouble is the fact that they do not know when the next sale is. The best way to solve this problem is to simply ask someone in the know. Next time you are at the grocery store approach a manager about information on the next sale. They may even be able to give you some information on products that you use in addition to K Cups.

If you prefer not to wait to stock up on the coffee when it goes on sale you may want to look at using coupons when you are shopping for the K Cups. Coupons will allow you to save a few cents every time you make a purchase. Over the course of many purchases the coupons will add up and let you see a good amount of savings. The best place to find coupons for K Cups is probably online. The reason why online is the best place is because you can print a number of the coupons out and use them as many times as you need to. Once you find a good coupon make sure that the grocery store that you shop at will accept it. In most cases they will match any coupon that is out there. Once you find a coupon that they will accept you will be good to go until it expires.

Find K cups online to save a lot of money.

Lemongrass Tea: Simple, Delicious and Healthy

Lemongrass tea comes to us from Asia where the plant is grown. It is popular in cooking there and can now be found in larger supermarkets.

It is known to reduce stress and calm down the body so it is good for people suffering from stress and insomnia. It is really good for any chest congestion, including coughs, colds and similar ailments. It is also a good choice if you are nauseous. It can be a good for detoxifying your body, particularly the liver, kidneys and pancreas. It is a good tea to use if you want to do a colon cleanse as well as it is good for the whole digestive tract. It is also known to be good for your skin. Many people with arthritis also feel that this tea helps with their arthritis pain.

Having said this, make sure you don't drink a high amount. One or two cups a day is fine, but don't go overboard with this, especially if you don't feel good afterward. In that case, stop taking it for a few days and then try one cup again.

The herb is also known as citronella grass as well as fever grass and comes originally to from India. It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. You can also use it externally for cuts and sprains and also to put on sore areas from arthritis. Simply let the tea cool and dip in a fresh cloth and apply to the area in question.

It's easy to make lemongrass tea when you know how to treat the lemongrass. It is now available in most large supermarkets, Asian supermarkets or local Chinese stores. I know it looks a bit forbidding and is not 'your normal herb' where you simply pluck a few handfuls. When you get it home, peel off the outer leaves and throw them away. If you use them, the tea will have a bitter taste which most people don't like. With the lemongrass now remaining, cut it into slices.You will need about one tablespoon of the slices per cup. Boil some water and pour over the slices and leave to steep for about five minutes. Then strain into a cup or mug.

Of course you can use a teapot and many have built-in strainers. As weird as it sounds to me, you can add milk to this drink. Naturally, you can sweeten it too but please use the healthier variety of sweeteners like argave, stevia or honey. You will find it has a mild lemon taste.

Although most people drink it hot, it is a great summertime drink. Simple cool the tea in the refrigerator and then add ice and a slice of lemon, which will bring out its lemony taste to perfection.

As you can see, lemongrass tea is definitely a good herbal drink to have on hand in your kitchen cupboard.

Find out the more about Lemongrass Tea and why it deserves a place in your home. For more resources visit http://best-tea-talk.com/

What Your Coffee Says About You

Posted on 8th Feb 2011 @ 8:33 AM

Ever wondered what your coffee says about you? It really can allow for us to get a vague idea of what type of person is drinking a particular type coffee, what their personality is and just who they may be. There are so many different types of coffees and they can all be suited to different personalities. From A-type go-getters to refined gentleman, or ladies with a sense of class. Heck, your coffee can really say a ton about what kind of person that you really are. So let's explore this just a little bit to see what coffee says about different people.

Espresso: Generally a-type personalities enjoy the tangy jive of espresso. Sure it helps wake you up, and really allows for you to be mentally there. But you were there already, the coffee just enhances your perception.

Drip Coffee: Perhaps the norm for most coffee drinkers. You don't need to have some specialty coffee that costs five bucks a cup. You are fine with good old fashioned, store bought brew. More power to you!

Gourmet Coffee: Okay, so you are a coffee snob. Is it really anyone else's business? You sure don't think so. You enjoy the finer things in life and you really enjoy that nutty and flavor-filled cup of brew. So what if you pay out the nose for it; you don't mind.

Instant Coffee: You are so busy and working all of the time that you don't have time to brew drip coffee, or stop at the coffee shop and wait in line. Next stop: The Moon. You have life by the horns, but still need your fix during your on-the-go mornings.