Coffee

Hawaiian Kona Coffee
When you think of gourmet coffee, it’s likely you think of the fine South American and African Arabicas. You probably wouldn’t think of fine Arabica coffee, grown right here in the U.S. Yet, it’s true. One of the world’s finest coffees, Kona, is grown in Hawaii, on the “big Island”. Kona coffee is a distinct designation given only to coffee beans grown on the west side of the island of Hawaii. This is because of the unique environment, found in no other location. The combination of volcanic soil and alternating sunshine and rain forest conditions produces the flavor unique to this coffee.

Hawaiian Kona Coffee has a unique body, complex flavor, lightly acidic, with a rich, delicious and spicy aroma not found elsewhere in the coffee world.

Coffee came to the Kona region of Hawaii from Brazil, in the form of cuttings. Although these cuttings took many years to develop into a large and consistent enough crop, by the mid-1800’s, Kona coffee was a commercially grown crop, with many large plantations in the Kona district.

In 1899, a crash in the coffee market around the world left the Kona plantation owners no option but to lease small portions of their plantations to individual farmers, who then farmed five to twelve acre parcels of Kona coffee trees as family businesses. These small coffee producers were diligent and conscientious in their efforts, bringing a high quality coffee bean to market.

The volcanic soil and rocky slopes contributes to an unusual ripening cycle of the Kona coffee bean. The coffee “cherries” do not ripen all at once, so a mechanical harvesting process is not possible. Workers must visually and individually inspect the beans for ripeness, so that immature beans are not harvested and mixed in with mature beans. Each tree must be picked many times throughout the harvest season. This makes the coffee producer’s product more labor intensive, but well worth the price of the finished crop.

Aside from the unique growing conditions found in the small region of Kona, much of the quality of the coffee crop is attributed to the care taken by the small, independent growers in producing the highest quality of their crop. Within the Kona district, there are about 600 farms, usually consisting of just a few acres each. The total acreage of Kona coffee farms is only about 2300 acres, amounting to about two million pounds of beans each year.

Much like small vintners producing fine wines, the traditional Kona coffee grower runs a family business dedicated to producing the finest crop of coffee beans each and every year, taking pride in offering you the best cup of Hawaiian Kona Coffee you will ever taste.

Next time you’re at the grocery, look for the Kona coffee label. You’ll be glad you did!

How to Start a Coffee Shop

If you’ve thought about owning your own business, but you don’t know what kind there all kinds to choose from in the business world. A lot of people have bought franchises with famous names, and you can too. One of the most hip and profitable is to start a coffee shop. Check out the benefits of going franchise with your idea to start a coffee shop, and know that if you stick it out, you’ll succeed.

It takes a lot of up front money if you want to start one that’s independent. If you don’t have a business degree with finance and marketing, you’ll be in for a rude awakening. It could take years just to study and understand what you’re doing before you ever start building a business. The advantage of using a franchise to start a coffee shop is the business support you’ll get.

Before you step foot into the store, you’ll go through a lot of work. You’ll begin your journey by working with the franchise company on where you’ll need your store located. Most companies will help you with customer demographics to start a coffee shop. At times a company will send someone to your area to tell you where the best place is to place the shop. Others will expect you to study and understand your real estate area, and then send in proposals to start a coffee shop.

After the site selection is approved, you won’t have to worry about building or stocking your store either. All of this is handled by the franchise that you want to start a coffee shop with. Another great benefit is that you don’t have to spend countless hours at the computer designing marketing or merchandising materials.  Advertisement is the most expensive short and long term outlays to start a coffee shop.

Don’t feel intimidated either if you don’t have any retail business experience. The franchise will give you all of the training that you need. Of course, what company expects out of you as compared to another is different. Some companies will train you to be only the operator, and will bring others in to manage when you want to start a coffee shop. Lead managers are placed inside your store to help it run smoothly for a certain period of time too.

If it’s your dream to start a business like this, then go ahead and push forward toward it. Remember though that you need to have a good credit rating, so you’ll be able to be approved for financing. Take note too that there will be an outlay of cash on your part because bank financing will only cover so much of the debt to start a coffee shop, but it can be done.

Coffee of the Month Clubs
There are so many different types of gourmet coffee beans growing around the world. These beans are found in about 100 growing regions across the globe. It would take a long time to try each and every one of them. Those of us who would like to try would benefit from joining one of the many coffee of the month clubs in business today.

The coffee of the month clubs typically deliver about two pound of expertly selected roasted beans each and every month. You don’t have to simply accept whatever they send, either. You can opt to choose a standard shipment of the company’s signature brewing beans and a flavored brand as well.

Some people simply like to order nothing but the traditional roast each month because the quality of the beans in the coffee of the month clubs is so superior. However, I like to be a little more adventurous. I prefer to receive different coffees each month. After I find one that I can’t live without, I may settle down but until then I’m going to try as many different types as I can. Variety is the spice of life, as they say.

Members of the coffee of the month clubs can also choose between ground beans or whole beans. I prefer the latter because nothing smells better than fresh ground java beans. My entire kitchen fills with the intoxicating aroma every time I use my antique coffee grinder. I also like being able to control the coarseness of the grind as well.

I will occasionally opt for the pre-ground type so I can have a supply for those late mornings when an antique coffee grinder will never work in time. The convenience of ground beans is well appreciated on those mornings but I still miss my freshly ground batch.

You may be a little apprehensive about getting involved with the coffee of the month clubs with good reason. No one really wants to commit to years and years of a service that they may not always want.

The good news for apprehensive individuals is there are coffee of the month clubs that offer memberships that are as short as two months in length. You can continue your membership or simply stop deliveries after the two-month period.

The typical memberships for the coffee of the month clubs are 12 months which is perfect for many of us. When giving a membership as a gift, you may want to choose the shortest time period and let your happy gift receiver choose whether or not he would like to continue.

Coffee Creamer

One of the most versatile beverages that we enjoy now and then (possibly every morning) is coffee. It comes in so many various textures and flavors that are suitable to virtually every palette. Coffee creamer initially was available in powder and liquid forms to lighten up the boldness of black coffee, making it smoother to drink while not using actual milk, which does not do much for coffee’s texture.

Available in a multitude of flavors and textures, cream has become a staple for the java drinking set. Until recent years plain coffee creamer was the only kind available. While that design is still available, flavored creamer offers numerous ways for you to wake up in the morning or enjoy dessert in the evening after dinner.

The powdered version has more unnatural ingredients but tends to last longer and is more affordable. It is made in larger sizes and can be purchased in bulk. This type of coffee creamer is easy to store and use. Another benefit seems to be that you can use it regularly. This is ideal for someone who cannot drink milk on a regular basis.

Liquid creamer is more of a dairy product, sold in refrigerated sections of the supermarket. Like milk it has an expiration date that identifies a more limited timeframe for use than powdered coffee creamer. The benefit of using liquid tends to be a smoother blend with the coffee and a smoother texture to your beverage. For those who are more conscious about what they eat or drink, liquid coffee creamer offers a more natural choice than a powdered version, not to mention they can be found in fat free varieties as well.

It has evolved over the years to include many different flavors that make coffee more interesting to drink. Those who have come to prefer their coffee with flavored creamer find it difficult to use plain coffee creamer and still enjoy their coffee. One of the first flavored coffee creamers to enter the market was hazelnut flavored. This flavor adds a nutty warm texture to coffee. Another flavor that was introduced was vanilla, offering a creamy texture with a kick of sweetness. These two first flavors were also later combined into another favorite liquid coffee creamer, French vanilla. This flavor, along with Butter Pecan tend to make coffee drinks very sweet while maintaining the nutty flavored balance, like a good dessert. Irish crème is another flavor that was added to the market, adding the taste of liqueur without the actual liqueur.

Coffee and what we put in it has changed so many ways over the years, making traditional milk or Half and Half something for cereal or cooking. Granted, there are still consumers who use milk instead of coffee creamer. Now the option of adding some extra flavor and individuality to your coffee is available and consumers are drinking it up!

Decaffeinated Coffee
Like most Americans, I appreciate a good cup of coffee in the morning. Actually, I appreciate a good cup of coffee at any time of the day and sometimes I find myself craving the taste in the evening after dinner as well. It depends on how your body reacts to caffeine that will determine whether you should drink it at night or if it will keep you up until all hours, staring at the clock and unable to fall asleep. I fall into the second group, because I am very sensitive to caffeine, and even a caffeinated soda can keep me up for hours past my bedtime if I drink it in the evening. This is why I always keep decaffeinated coffee in my house. If there is ever an after dinner coffee emergency, I can make myself a pot of coffee without worrying about being up all night.

Dunkin Donuts is my backup for when I am out of decaffeinated coffee and I really need a cup of coffee in the evening. Their decaffeinated coffee tastes exactly like their regular coffee, except that it is not loaded with caffeine and will do nothing to excite my nervous system. I’ve even ventured into decaf iced coffee when it is too hot to drink regular coffee and I want something good to drink at night.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring molecule in coffee beans and I’m not really sure about what the process for removing it entails. I imagine huge sieve-like contraptions set up with filters that will grab the caffeine so that it is removed from the liquid. I know that this is unlikely since you can buy the beans and grinds whole, so it must be a process that happens to the whole coffee bean and not just the liquid. But whatever the case, it is the perfect solution for someone like me who really enjoys the flavor of coffee but can’t always drink the fully caffeinated variety.

The taste of regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee is so similar that I sometimes worry when I go to a coffee shop and ask for a decaf, that they will give me regular by mistake. By having a supply of my own decaffeinated coffee at home, I can eliminate this potential for human error that will destroy my sleep at night. I also worry sometimes that when I need a regular coffee in the morning to wake up that the barista at Starbucks will mistakenly give me decaf, and then I’ve spent a whole four dollars on something that will wake me up about as effectively as a glass of water. Whatever the case, I love coffee.

Bringing the sugar-free syrups to the forefront of the menu, Starbucks is adding a new sugar-free syrup flavor — Mocha — to the already sweet selection of Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel, and Cinnamon Dolce. Swapping out a daily, tall Caffe Mocha (made with 2% milk and no whip) for a Skinny Mocha would save 550 calories and 30 grams of fat per week. Not only do Starbucks(R) Skinny Caffe Lattes and Skinny Caffe Mochas provide customers with that delicious sweet taste they desire without having to give up a thing, the drinks also provide the natural goodness of milk. The Skinny Latte will be featured on menu boards starting in January 2008 and available at participating Starbucks as a core beverage offering in North America, so customers can enjoy this lower calorie, sweet tasting espresso beverage all year long. Make your next Frappuccino(R) blended beverage a Frappuccino(R) Light blended coffee or Frappuccino(R) Light blended creme and save up to 250 calories and 4 grams of fat. More Cofee News

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Antique Coffee Grinder
There is nothing more appealing to a coffee lover than a freshly ground beans. The aroma alone can make you crave a cup of java. Somehow, the appeal is not quite so strong when the beans are pre-ground and electric grinders are just too loud and they can also heat the coffee beans too much. A good alternative is an antique coffee grinder.

An antique coffee grinder will not only create the ideal coarseness and aroma it will grind the beans without over heating them as well. These old mills are also very attractive and can suit just about any kitchen décor. Even modern kitchens fair well with an antique coffee grinder gracing its countertop.

One antique coffee grinder that will work well in even the most streamlined modern design was constructed in the 1920’s. During this decade many people were attracted to the Art Deco movement. The antique coffee grinder from this era has a sleek design with clean lines running through the mill. This model may not be as hard to find as you think. Most of the mills were created in the stylish art deco trend.

Many people prefer a traditional model and there are several styles from which to choose. You can find an antique coffee grinder that sets on a countertop or you can find one that mounts on the wall. Either way, you are sure to add charm to your kitchen décor while still bringing a utilitarian device into your workspace as well.

I love the antique coffee grinder that sits on the countertop because of its lovely design. These models typically have a handle for grinding the beans on top and a little drawer to collect the coffee grinds at the bottom. The simple design is quite attractive.

These coffee mills are usually constructed out of wood and the wood is typically left unpainted. You will also notice the fine detail in the design on the grinding handle as well. The handles were commonly constructed out of cast iron which is an attractive feature for any kitchen that has a traditional décor.

The Parker Nation coffee mill that was made in Connecticut around 1905 epitomizes the traditional coffee grinders during the turn of the 20th century. This mill has a bronze finish on the top and is in wonderful shape.

As much as I love that model, I tend to favor a mysterious antique coffee grinder that may be German or French. This grinder mounts on the wall and has a porcelain face with a scene of a man and a woman praying in a field. This porcelain antique coffee grinder is a rare find that may have to stay in the dealer’s store until I can find more information.

No matter what design attracts you; consider an antique coffee grinder for your kitchen. Even if you never use the device you will still have a magnificent conversation piece for your home.

SOUTHPORT Talking Newspaper raised £500 from a coffee morning to bring the news to the town’s blind people. Dozens of volunteers and listeners turned up for the event. The money collected from ticket sales and a bring and buy sale will go towards the running of the free service, which provides blind and partially sighted people with local news. If you have a friend or relative who is visually impaired and would like to hear local news each week for free call Penny Ascroft on 01704-565003 or Geoff Williams on 564042. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement before using this site. More Cofee News

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Adam Engel, Chief Executive Officer of Diet Coffee, stated, “We are pleased to announce that we have received a new purchase order from Windfall Media, our exclusive distributor in Russia. This indicates to us that our Ionic Bulbs are gaining market acceptance and that end users are seeking to purchase them. In May 2007, the company entered into a license agreement to sell an energy saving compact fluorescent light bulb named the Ionic Bulb. The company plans to market the Ionic Bulb through TV infomercials, catalogs, magazines and major U. The words or phrases ‘may,’ ‘intends,’ ‘expects,’ ‘estimate,’ ‘indicate,’ ‘plans,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘could,’ ‘if,’ ‘will,’ ’should’ or similar expressions are intended to identify ‘forward-looking statements. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. More Cofee News

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Choice Hotels International Declares Cash Dividend of $0. The views expressed in the articles are not necessarily those of earthtimes. More Cofee News

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