Tag: coffee

A Shot of Alcohol, a Shot of Coffee

Posted on by Sara Walker

It’s supposed to be spring now in many parts of the world, but spring appears to arrive a tad slowly…and in other parts of the world they’re now heading from winter. So it seems almost no matter where you are, you could do with a hot shot. A hot shot of coffee and a hot shot of liquor. This is bound to bring both the desired awakening from caffeine (seeing as sunshine is lacking) and the much needed heat from the liquor as it warms you up from the inside. Not to mention that the drink itself will be hot. If it is served with cream on top, all the better as the added calories will give you yet another kick and fatten you up to resist the cold. You never knew having a drink could be all that beneficial, did you? (If you feel the need to be healthy we recommend downing a raw fruit and vegetable juice beforehand. That way you get all your nutrients in one go and can proceed to your coffee medication.)

We found a recipe from Mexico – the Mexicans are known for their hot food, hot chocolate and hot love…

So this recipe comes from I Love Coffee, an excellent blog about, well, coffee. It saved us a trip to Mexico, for which we are grateful. Then again, it’s also given us a perfectly legit excuse to go to Mexico in the name of searching for the origins of this drink. After all, coffee connoisseurs have to go to lengths to find white beaches excellent coffee.

  • Fresh, drip coffee
  • 1 oz. of White Tequila (example: Orendein brand tequila)
  • 1 oz. Cacao liqueur/syrup
  • Whipped cream (organic if possible and go for the real deal as the stuff that comes in a can rarely tastes half as good and creamy!). You will probably want sweet cream, so mix with brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup when whipping it.

In a daquiri glass, pour the shot of tequila first, then pour the hot coffee. Leave enough room at the top for plenty of whipped cream. Put a large dollop of cream on top, then slowly drizzle a shot of Cacao liqueur on top.

Quotes About Coffee

Posted on by Sara Walker

Looking for the perfect coffee quote to put in a nice card for a coffee lover, or one to adorn your kitchen, or coffee shop? So that when you have your morning cup of Joe, or your guests do they have something to ponder at the same time? We found a selection for you. Whether you want to put it in a card, frame it, paint it on the wall, or simply enjoy reading it here and now. (We are also contemplating that right now half of the world’s quotes would probably not exist if it wasn’t for coffee in the first place. Just imagine what your imagination would look like without coffee to drive it!)

 

“Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?” – Albert Camus

 

“As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?” – Cassandra Clare, City of Ashes

 

“It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity.” – Dave Barry

 

“I’d rather take coffee than compliments just now.” – Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

 

“If this is coffee, then please-bring me some tea. But if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.” –Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

 

“Only one thing is certain about coffee…. Wherever it is grown, sold, brewed, and consumed, there will be lively controversy, strong opinions, and good conversation.” – Mark Pendergrast

 

“The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., “Over the Teacups,” 1891

 

“I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” – Flash Rosenberg

 

“Chocolate, men, coffee – some things are better rich.” – Author Unknown

 

“Deja Brew: The feeling that you’ve had this coffee before.” – Author Unknown

 

“I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon.” – Ronald Reagan

 

“Man does not live by coffee alone. Have a danish.”  – Author Unknown

 

“Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee.” – Stephanie Piro

 

“No matter what historians claimed, BC really stood for “Before Coffee.” – Cherise Sincalaire, Master of the Mountain

 

“Police work wouldn’t be possible without coffee,” Wallander said. “No work would be possible without coffee.” They pondered the importance of coffee in silence.” – Henning Mankell, One Step Behind

 

“Come on, don’t you ever stop and smell the coffee?” – Justina Chen, North of Beautiful

 

“In Seattle you haven’t had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it’s running.” – Jeff Bezos

 

“Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis – a good hot cup of coffee.” – Alexander King

 

“It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity. I bet this kind of thing does not happen to heroin addicts. I bet that when serious heroin addicts go to purchase their heroin, they do not tolerate waiting in line while some dilettante in front of them orders a hazelnut smack-a-cino with cinnamon sprinkles.” – Dave Barry

 

“Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat.” – Alex Levine

 

“The powers of a man’s mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks.” – Sir James Mackintosh

 

“Coffee first. Schemes later.” – Leanna Renee

Does your cup matter when you drink coffee?

Posted on by Sara Walker

Time for coffee mug

I don’t know about you, but I have different cups, mugs and glasses for different hot drinks and occasions.

When I’m working I only drink from one mug – my bright yellow ‘Time for Coffee’ Banksy mug.

At home, I’ll drink from any large mug with a nice design on it, and a substantial handle. I’m not a fan of thin cups that are heavily stained with handles that hurt when you hold them.

When it comes to drinking coffee, this is what I like – unless I’m getting a takeaway coffee or a drink from a coffee machine, and then I’m happy with a paper cup.

Traditionally, when it comes to coffee, each style of drink comes with its own cup. Experts say that you won’t lose the flavour if you drink your coffee from the wrong cup, but selecting the right one will boost the experience and enhance the drink.

Which cup for which type of coffee?

Latte

The perfect café latte should be served in a tall clear glass cup with frothy milk going right up to the top. However, a non clear glass is also fine.

Drip coffee

The key here is to fill your cup to the top so it stays hot for longer. You might want to serve it in a clear glass if you’ve got a sweet tooth — this way you’ll be able to see if the sugar has mixed in properly.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino cups may vary slightly in size but the shape remains the same — a larger circumference around the top and a smaller base. The shape of the cappuccino cup allows the espresso to mix properly so you don’t get bubbles forming on the top.

Iced coffee

Serve in a tall clear glass with a straw and decorate with cream, strawberries and whatever else takes your fancy.

Turkish coffee

Go for an ornate cup with a matching saucer — the true name for a Turkish coffee cup is finjan. Alternatively, an espresso cup will also be fine, but for the an authentic Turkish coffee experience, pick one with a good design.

Drinking coffee could lower the risk of breast cancer returning in women taking Tamoxifen

Posted on by Sara Walker

Earlier this year, researchers at the Lund University in Sweden discovered that drinking coffee might help to prevent breast cancer returning in patients who had previously been diagnosed with cancer.

In a nutshell, scientists discovered that when patients consumed two or more cups of coffee a day with the drug Tamoxifen, they had a significantly lower chance of the cancer coming back.

The research

Researchers studied over 600 patients with breast cancer in southern Sweden for a period of five years. Half the patients were treated with Tamoxifen – a drug given to patients after breast cancer surgery to help stop the recurrence of the cancer.

Why coffee?

Although it is still unclear what role coffee might play to help lower the chance of the cancer reoccurring, researchers believe that coffee beans might help to activate the Tamoxifen making it more efficient in the patient who is taking it. However, at this stage, scientists are still unclear.

Coffee and other cancers

In the past, researchers have found that drinking coffee might help to prevent certain types of cancers from developing.

However, researchers discovered that it wasn’t because of the caffeine. For example, a study researching the effects coffee had on breast cancer, published in the National Cancer Institute, found that it didn’t matter if patients consumed caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.

Researchers believe that coffee has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in antioxidants which could be partly why studies have found that drinking coffee regularly could lower your chances of developing certain types of cancer.

Future research

In the future, researchers at Lund University have said they would like to find out more about the effects lifestyle has on breast cancer treatment.

It would certainly be interesting to find out the effects of environment and stress, whether something as simple as consuming hot drinks regularly has a relaxing effect on the body, and what specifically makes coffee good for combating cancer.

6 unusual uses for coffee beans

Posted on by Sara Walker

1. Fashion

The fabric manufacturing company, Singtex makes environmentally friendly clothing using old coffee beans. The finished fabrics are soft, breathable and they help to protect you against harmful UV rays, making them ideal for sports, yoga and outdoor activities.

Find out more: Would you wear a top made from coffee beans?

2. Art

In addition to latte art, many artists have also decided to paint, sculpt and make murals using coffee beans. One of the most recent creations was a giant coffee bean mural mosaic made by Russian artist, Arkady Kim. The piece used over one million different shades of roasted coffee beans and took 12 days to make.

Read more about artists who use coffee in their work

3. Environment

If you’re a keen gardener, ground coffee beans will work wonders on your soil. This is the perfect time to start adding your left over beans to your vegetable patch, compost heap or the soil in your greenhouse to help your plants grow.  Coffee beans are rich in potassium, phosphorous, copper and magnesium which is supposed to be great for soil and plant growth.

4. Beauty

Coffee beans can be used to exfoliate rough skin, combat cellulite and when mixed with natural yoghurt and honey, they make a great face mask. You can also use freshly brewed coffee on your hair to get irresistibly silky smooth locks – just let the coffee cool, pour it on dry hair, leave it on your hair for about a minute, and rinse.

Read 5 homemade beauty products using coffee beans

5. Home

Coffee beans help to repel nasty odours – that’s if you like the smell of fresh coffee – and they’re great for scrubbing down your household surfaces. Coffee beans are slightly abrasive and acidic which makes them ideal for cleaning your home.

See more interesting uses for coffee

The WorkHouse Coffee Company is a hit in Reading

Posted on by Sara Walker

When it comes to coffee shop competition, it’s not often that an independent coffee shop business will survive when it’s surrounded by Costa, Starbucks, Pret and other global coffee shop chains. But, one local business in Reading – The Workhouse Coffee Company – is doing amazingly well despite being opposite two major coffee shop chains.

The WorkHouse Coffee Company was set up eight years ago by Australian business man, Greg Costello who wanted to bring good quality coffee to Reading.
There are now several WorkHouse Coffee Company cafes in the Reading area, including shops on King Street and Oxford Street.

Managers at the WorkHouse Coffee Company employ people from all over the World and also sample different coffee beans regularly to make sure the coffee served is always top quality. Costello has also started to source and roast his own coffee beans.

On top of this, the shop is renowned for its high quality coffee beans, delicious food and excellent customer service. And, the business has been nominated for a Reading Retail Award.

Amazingly, the WorkHouse Coffee Company does not rely on any marketing or advertising and instead relies purely on word of mouth to spread the word.

If you’re into your coffee you’ll be in for a treat here. According to the Independent, Baristas at the WorkHouse Coffee Company will make people coffee to their exact specifications. Forget flat whites, skinny lattes and medium Americano’s with a drop of milk – this is an independent coffee shop that has made good quality coffee beans and its customers’ preferences a top priority. The café also made it into the Independent’s top 50 best breakfast spots list.

It’s certainly nice to see an independent business flourishing in a time when global corporations are opening up chains of fake independent coffee shops in an attempt to pass them off as unique businesses.

Tea vs coffee — what do you prefer?

Posted on by Sara Walker

coffee beans

Does the stereotypical coffee or tea drinker exist? Maybe so with builders having their own brand of tea, but what about coffee? Is it the drink of choice for high powered business people, sleep deprived writers or sophisticated 20 something’s sipping lattes in European cafes?

Perhaps your stereotypical coffee drinker is harder to pin down – coffee drinkers like coffee beans come in a multitude of styles. Perhaps with both tea and coffee it would be best to group people by character rather than vocation.

From observation I’ve noticed that people who are only tea drinkers and don’t enjoy coffee at all tend to be perhaps a bit more laid back, whereas those in favour of coffee beans might be more likely to have more drive. In high powered meetings, the drink of choice is often coffee – whereas tea might well be the drink you would wind down with after a hard day at work.

Going back to the initial question ‘Is coffee the drink of choice for high powered business people, sleep deprived writers or sophisticated 20 something’s sipping lattes in European cafes? I’d have to say now that I think coffee is the drink of choice for people who want to succeed and achieve.

I know this is a sweeping statement, but if research was conducted I think the results would back me up. Coffee beans are stimulants and the caffeine helps to wake us up, improve memory and concentration while we’re drinking it and refresh us for the day ahead.

When you’ve got a lot going on, whether you’re a busy student, a new business owner or you’ve just need a wake up kick, you’re not going to sip chamomile tea throughout the day are you?

Of course, not everyone sticks to just one type of tea of coffee. When you start to observe the drinking patterns of people you spend a lot of time with, you notice all kinds of things. For example, some people might drink coffee throughout the morning and then wind down with a builder’s style tea in the afternoon, finishing with a chamomile tea in the evening before bed.

What are your coffee drinking habits?

Come to London Coffee Festival: 25-28 April 2013

Posted on by Sara Walker

The London Coffee Festival

Tea may well be our national drink, but coffee is catching up – it’s now the drink of choice for many us throughout the UK. So, what better way to celebrate your love for coffee beans and stock up on your coffee bean supplies than at the London Coffee Festival?

The London Coffee Festival is your chance to celebrate London’s thriving coffee culture and will consist of coffee tasting sessions, barista demonstrations, gourmet food stalls, live entertainment and more. The festival is expected to attract over 15,000 coffee lovers, baristas and coffee shop owners from around the UK.

Highlights include:

True Artisan Café

Here you’ll be able to sample coffee beans made from some of the best roasters in the UK, and drink coffee made by top baristas, in this pop-up coffee shop.

L’accademia Di Cimbali

The MUMAC Museum Milan will be featuring over 200 unique coffee machines and over 15,000 archive documents all about coffee. You’ll get the chance to learn more about the history of coffee, coffee machines and coffee supplies from 1912-2012.

UK Barista Championships

Over the weekend, baristas will be battling it out to win the title of UK Barista Champion. All participating baristas have to make 12 coffees in front of a panel of judges. You can watch the show this Sunday at 1pm.

The Lab Programme

Take part in interactive workshops, talks and debates about ethical issues and coffee growing. You can also find out how to open up your own coffee shop, learn more about the rich history of coffee, or just sit back with a brew and relax.

Hyde Park Music Band Stand

The Hyde Park zone will start on Friday with the Espresso Martini Launch Party followed by some phenomenal performances from some of London’s best acoustic musicians and entertainers.

Shoreditch Food Zone

When you start to get peckish, head over to the Shoreditch Zone to sample a variety of gourmet foods, tasty street treats and different types of yummy coffee beans.

For more information see The London Coffee Festival

8 Coffee Bean Gift Ideas

Posted on by Sara Walker

Coffee bean earringsFrom coffee bean inspired earrings to barista action figures, there’s a lot you can buy for your coffee loving friends.

For coffee beans, accessories and coffee machines, check out what Wholesale Coffee Co has to offer.

1. Coffee plant

Find out more about the process of growing coffee beans and buy a cheap coffee plant from your local garden centre or online for under £10. And even if you don’t actually use the plant to make your own roasted coffee beans, it’ll still look nice in your office or home.

2. Coffee bean jewellery

There’s some really beautiful coffee bean inspired jewellery out there – either made from real coffee beans or inspired by them.  Check out these coffee bean hoop earrings on Etsy  

3. Coffee bean action figure

Apparently, this little barista action figure called Nico makes an exceptional latte with freshly ground coffee beans. Search for her on Amazon to get your own.

4. Ornaments inspired by coffee

Made from glass and decorated with cute designs, these hanging coffee inspired decorations are the perfect addition to any kitchen or coffee house.

5. Coffee recipe book

The ‘I love coffee’ book contains over 100 yummy coffee drink recipes as well as funny anecdotes, interesting tips and lots of lovely full colour photographs of coffee.

6. Coffee Bean apron

A coffee bean apron is a must for any coffee lover. Search for ‘coffee bean aprons’ or check out this lovely design on etsy: Alex – Barista Full Apron

7. Coffee Bean stationery

If you really want to go all out, you can buy coffee bean mouse pads, notebooks and magnetic dry erase boards from here. Buy them as presents for your coffee loving work colleagues.

8. Retro coffee signs

Decorate your kitchen with a retro coffee wall sign. Choose from the signs saying the following, ‘Coffee – you can sleep when you’re dead!’ or ‘Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.’

Image source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/93435996/gold-coffee-beans-basketball-wives

Make your own coffee and go on holiday

Posted on by Sara Walker

holidayStatistics can be scary; you know, the kind that tell you exactly how much you’ve spent on chocolate, cigarettes, alcohol… (insert your creature comfort here) over the last 10 years.

I’m not going to bombard you with lots of preachy data, but I will tell you that I recently came across a study outlining that about one third of us in the UK say we can’t afford to go on a one week holiday. I thought, that’s a bit sad; we all deserve holidays!

Anyway, at the same time, I discovered that as a nation we’re drinking more takeaway coffee than ever before. If you’re a fan of your morning shop bought coffee before work, you’ll know that the average cup costs about £2.

So, this is where I propose the ‘coffee beans from your coffee machine’ plan. OK, it’s a simple suggestion really, but a helpful one — stop buying so much takeaway coffee and instead, invest in a small home coffee machine, stock up on decent coffee beans, then get yourself a flask and start making your own coffee. It’ll taste better.

Or even better, lose the flask, and just bring your coffee machine to work and get everyone involved. If you buy takeaway coffee every day, that’s £10 you can pocket away every week. You do the maths for six months.

And now, here’s the best bit — in 5-6 months time, you’ll have saved up enough to go away somewhere. It’s not going to take you to the Caribbean, but there’s loads of places you can go with a couple of hundred quid if you’re a bit creative with it.

Here are some money saving holiday suggestions you can try out once you’ve saved all the money making your own coffee.

1. Buy a cheap flight, then stay somewhere lovely and for free with couch surfing.

2. Go camping in the UK. There’s a lot of people with pretty gardens who rent out the space in the summer to campers. It’ll be cheaper, prettier and you’ll have more space.

3. If you’ve got any old friends who moved away, go and visit them for a week.