Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Shower Shock to Compliment Your Coffee
There is a new soap available called "Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap". Suppossedly 12 showers per 4 ounce bar with 200 milligrams of caffeine per shower. Great way to bring the joy of caffeine up close and really! personal.
Ahhh! Nothing can replace the jolt from a good cup of joe. Whether it is roasted dark, light or in between the varieties of coffe are endless and I enjoy tasting as many as I can.
Some points of interest related to coffe:
At one time, coffee was used as a medicine.
The French philosopher Voltaire is said to have drank in excess of 50 cups of coffee a day.
The United States brings in over 100 different varieties each year.
The list of trivia goes on. And, so does the coffee drinking!
Ahhh! Nothing can replace the jolt from a good cup of joe. Whether it is roasted dark, light or in between the varieties of coffe are endless and I enjoy tasting as many as I can.
Some points of interest related to coffe:
At one time, coffee was used as a medicine.
The French philosopher Voltaire is said to have drank in excess of 50 cups of coffee a day.
The United States brings in over 100 different varieties each year.
The list of trivia goes on. And, so does the coffee drinking!
Thursday, August 11, 2005
SOYFEE??
I like soy, and I like coffee. I think im definitely going to check into this a little more though.
I guess people want their coffee
Coffee is the second largest commodity in dollar volume in international trade. It is second only to oil.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Coffee Trivia
Dark roasted coffees actually have LESS caffeine than medium roasts. The longer a coffee is roasted, the more caffeine burns off during the process.
The word "tip" dates back to the old London coffeehouses. Conspicuously placed brass boxes etched with the inscription, "To Insure Promptness," encouraged customers to pay for efficient service. The resulting acronym, TIP, has become a byword.
The word "coffee" was at one time a term for wine, but was later used to describe a black drink made from berries of the coffee tree. This black drink replaced wine in many religious ceremonies because it kept the Mohammedans awake and alert during their nightly prayers, so they honored it with the name they had originally given to wine.
Turkish bridegrooms were once required to make a promise during their wedding ceremonies to always provide their new wives with coffee. If they failed to do so, it was grounds for divorce! (Ouch!)
"Expresso is not a word; it comes from the same root as "express" as in "The Express Train." The term is ESPRESSO. It comes from the Latinate root for "Press", or "Under Pressure". In many places if you order "expresso", you will be politely ignored.
Beethoven who was a coffee lover, was so particular about his coffee that he always counted 60 beans each cup when he prepared his brew.
Coffee has been around for over 11 centuries and is currently the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Cappuccino has become the popular choice of exotic coffee lovers everywhere.
The word "tip" dates back to the old London coffeehouses. Conspicuously placed brass boxes etched with the inscription, "To Insure Promptness," encouraged customers to pay for efficient service. The resulting acronym, TIP, has become a byword.
The word "coffee" was at one time a term for wine, but was later used to describe a black drink made from berries of the coffee tree. This black drink replaced wine in many religious ceremonies because it kept the Mohammedans awake and alert during their nightly prayers, so they honored it with the name they had originally given to wine.
Turkish bridegrooms were once required to make a promise during their wedding ceremonies to always provide their new wives with coffee. If they failed to do so, it was grounds for divorce! (Ouch!)
"Expresso is not a word; it comes from the same root as "express" as in "The Express Train." The term is ESPRESSO. It comes from the Latinate root for "Press", or "Under Pressure". In many places if you order "expresso", you will be politely ignored.
Beethoven who was a coffee lover, was so particular about his coffee that he always counted 60 beans each cup when he prepared his brew.
Coffee has been around for over 11 centuries and is currently the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Cappuccino has become the popular choice of exotic coffee lovers everywhere.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is a wonderful dessert that's made with coffee. It's a little time-consuming to make, but oh-so-worth-it.
Stories are told about how Tiramisu was the favorite of Venice's courtesans, who needed a "pick me up" (the literal translation of "tirami-su") to fortify themselves between their amorous encounters. True? Probably not. But it makes for a colorful history. Its American popularity arose in San Francisco, and today, Tiramisu can be found in restaurants throughout the nation.
Here is a no-frills, basic Tiramisu that is simple to make. It uses pound cake instead of ladyfingers, and calls for a simple sugar syrup that's easy to make. Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients
POUND CAKE, 6 oz. (about half of a 10.75 ounce package), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
MASCARPONE CHEESE, 8 ounces
HEAVY CREAM, 1-1/4 cups
EGGS, 2
SUGAR, 2/3 cup + 1/4 cup, divided
UNFLAVORED GELATIN, 1 envelope
KAHLUA or AMARETTO, 6 tablespoons
VANILLA, 1/4 teaspoon
UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER (optional)
SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM (optional)
SHAVED CHOCOLATE for decorating
Directions
Divide cake pieces evenly among 12 1/2-cup capacity custard cups; set aside.
In bowl with mixer at high speed beat cheese with heavy cream until mixture falls from spatula in thick ribbon, about 1 minute; set aside.
In another bowl with mixer at high speed beat eggs until fluffy, 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in pot over high heat, combine 2/3 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil.
Cook until sugar dissolves and temperature reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit on candy thermometer.
Gradually beat the boiling sugar syrup into beaten eggs.
Continue beating until slightly cooled, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of water with gelatin; let stand 5 minutes.
In a small pot over high heat, combine 1/2 cup water with remaining sugar; bring to a boil.
Cook until sugar dissolves, 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in liqueur, vanilla and reserved gelatin until gelatin dissolves.
Fold 3/4 of the liqueur mixture into the egg mixture; fold in the cheese mixture.
Drizzle the remaining liqueur mixture over the cake in thecustard cups, dividing the cheese mixture evenly among the cups.
Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Garnish each with sprinkling of cocoa, whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.
Stories are told about how Tiramisu was the favorite of Venice's courtesans, who needed a "pick me up" (the literal translation of "tirami-su") to fortify themselves between their amorous encounters. True? Probably not. But it makes for a colorful history. Its American popularity arose in San Francisco, and today, Tiramisu can be found in restaurants throughout the nation.
Here is a no-frills, basic Tiramisu that is simple to make. It uses pound cake instead of ladyfingers, and calls for a simple sugar syrup that's easy to make. Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients
POUND CAKE, 6 oz. (about half of a 10.75 ounce package), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
MASCARPONE CHEESE, 8 ounces
HEAVY CREAM, 1-1/4 cups
EGGS, 2
SUGAR, 2/3 cup + 1/4 cup, divided
UNFLAVORED GELATIN, 1 envelope
KAHLUA or AMARETTO, 6 tablespoons
VANILLA, 1/4 teaspoon
UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER (optional)
SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM (optional)
SHAVED CHOCOLATE for decorating
Directions
Divide cake pieces evenly among 12 1/2-cup capacity custard cups; set aside.
In bowl with mixer at high speed beat cheese with heavy cream until mixture falls from spatula in thick ribbon, about 1 minute; set aside.
In another bowl with mixer at high speed beat eggs until fluffy, 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in pot over high heat, combine 2/3 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil.
Cook until sugar dissolves and temperature reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit on candy thermometer.
Gradually beat the boiling sugar syrup into beaten eggs.
Continue beating until slightly cooled, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of water with gelatin; let stand 5 minutes.
In a small pot over high heat, combine 1/2 cup water with remaining sugar; bring to a boil.
Cook until sugar dissolves, 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in liqueur, vanilla and reserved gelatin until gelatin dissolves.
Fold 3/4 of the liqueur mixture into the egg mixture; fold in the cheese mixture.
Drizzle the remaining liqueur mixture over the cake in thecustard cups, dividing the cheese mixture evenly among the cups.
Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Garnish each with sprinkling of cocoa, whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.
Fatal Dose of Caffeine
Did you know...?
An average cup of drip-brewed coffee contains 110mg caffeine. A fatal oral dose is considered to be about 5,000mg - so drinking approx. 45 cups of coffee within a short period is probably not a good idea. Taken intravenously, caffeine can be fatal at doses of as low as 3,200mg - which is only about 29 cups - so be careful when hooking up your Starbucks IV in the morning.
An average cup of drip-brewed coffee contains 110mg caffeine. A fatal oral dose is considered to be about 5,000mg - so drinking approx. 45 cups of coffee within a short period is probably not a good idea. Taken intravenously, caffeine can be fatal at doses of as low as 3,200mg - which is only about 29 cups - so be careful when hooking up your Starbucks IV in the morning.
Coffee Varieties
There are two main varieties of coffee:
Arabica is the more refined in terms of flavor and is sought after for gourmet coffee. It is also more difficult to grow. Arabica generally contains about 1.1% caffeine by weight.
Robusta is more harsh in flavor and yields more coffee per plant. It is more hardy and typically used in quality-challenged coffees. Robusta generally contains about 2.2% caffeine by weight.
Interestingly, tea leaves contain about 3.5% caffeine, but as much less tea is typically used to brew than with coffee, a cup of tea is usually lower in caffeine content.
Arabica is the more refined in terms of flavor and is sought after for gourmet coffee. It is also more difficult to grow. Arabica generally contains about 1.1% caffeine by weight.
Robusta is more harsh in flavor and yields more coffee per plant. It is more hardy and typically used in quality-challenged coffees. Robusta generally contains about 2.2% caffeine by weight.
Interestingly, tea leaves contain about 3.5% caffeine, but as much less tea is typically used to brew than with coffee, a cup of tea is usually lower in caffeine content.
