Recycling Used Coffee Grounds
October 12, 2010
Now that you have had a good cup of your favorite coffee brand, you are left with the used coffee grounds. You can either throw them away or use them for another purpose. However, to better help the environment and save some money at the same time, you can recycle your used coffee grounds. Here are some of the ways that you can recycle your used coffee grounds.
Instead of purchasing deodorizing products for your refrigerator, what you can do is to dry the used coffee grounds. Once dry, you can then place them in a small bowl and then tuck the bowl into a small corner of your refrigerator. The dried Coffee grounds will absorb the smell.
If you have some ant problems in your home or snail problems in your garden, you can also use used coffee grounds as some form of an insect and snail repellant. What you can do is to sprinkle the used coffee grounds over the ant piles and sprinkle some on the areas where you do not want them to make a home of. This will surely keep them away.
As an insect repellant, this also works perfectly well for your pets, especially if they are suffering from fleas. All you have to do is to work the used coffee grounds into the fur of your pet and rub them over their skin. Not only will it help to repel fleas, but it will also make their furs soft.
If you are having a problem with your pet cat or your neighbor’s cat regularly urinating or defecating in your garden, then it will surely please you to know that used coffee grounds can also serve as a good kitty repellant. To make an organic kitty repellant, mix your used coffee grounds with some orange peels. Once done, sprinkle them on the places where the cat usually urinates and defecate s.
Another good use for used coffee grounds is to use them as a fertilizer. Some plants that can benefit from used coffee grounds include azaleas as well as evergreen plants. You can also use them as plant food for rosebushes and rhododendrons. You can also add used coffee grounds into your compost bin so as to enhance the nutrient content of the compost.
These are just some of the best ways that you can recycle used coffee grounds. Not only have you saved some money that you would otherwise have spent on insect repellants, flea products, deodorizers, and fertilizers, but you have also helped the environment in your own little way.
Overview of Espresso and Espresso Machines
April 30, 2010
What do you think of when you hear the word “espresso”? Perhaps,
“Express – train; fast black, iron horse of rocket fuel!”
Or,
“Strong. Hyper-caffeinated. Bitter. What, me try it?” (is you a man or is you a mouse?)
Also, maybe,
“I like my coffee black, but not that black!”
Wrong. Espresso, when correctly made, is none of these things.
Espresso is a traditional coffee drink invented by the French, but perfected by the Italians. You can associate the word “espresso” with the English word “press”, for that is the fundamental action pertaining to both the ground coffee – which is pressed into a compact disc – and the machine used to make it, which forces or “presses” hot water through the disc of coffee. The result is a demitasse (very small cup) of all of the best characteristics of the Coffee bean with none of the less desirable ones.
A well “pulled” shot of espresso is not bitter. The flavor is full, complex, and remains on the tongue for 10-15 minutes after drinking it. That flavor can be fairly accurately compared with the wonderful aroma present when the seal is first broken on a container of coffee. If your espresso is bitter blame the barista, not the drink.
Afraid of the shakes? Don’t be. Surprisingly, given the concentrated nature of the drink, a shot of espresso has only about half the caffeine of a normally brewed cup of joe. This is because the heated water is forced through the coffee too quickly (ideally in around 20 seconds) to liberate all of the caffeine present in the grind.
All of this wonderfulness requires a special type of machine to make. As already mentioned, an espresso machine’s express purpose is to press heated water (about 200 degrees) through a disc of pressed coffee. How is this accomplished? There are 3 basic designs: steam driven, piston driven, and pump driven.
Mechanically, the simplest is the steam driven machine. It employs steam pressure to force water through the coffee. Since there are no moving parts, this design is normally used for lower-priced home espresso makers. This principle was also used in early commercial machines but was abandoned by professionals when a better design came along in 1945.
That design is the piston driven machine. In this design, a long lever is pulled by the barista (hence the phrase “pulling” a shot) to drive a piston, which in turn forces the heated water out of a cylinder and through the coffee. A later refinement of this design was to interject a spring into the process between the lever and piston. The lever compresses the spring, which in turn drives the pistion. The purpose is to better control the pressure of the water (ideally 9 ft-lbs) as it is forced through the coffee.
An even better design was introduced in 1961, the pump driven machine. This design uses an electric pump to force the water. The benefit is more accuracy (and no arm-strain!).
Good espresso also has a “head”, like a beer does. The head is made up of concentrated oils from the coffee. It is dark reddish-brown, and should have enough body to support the weight of a teaspoon of sugar for about 2 seconds before it sinks into the drink.
The coffee itself is, of course, rather important. It should be of a medium roast; a dark roast has had too many of the oils and sugars cooked out of it. It also needs to be ground exactly right. A proper grind can be described as the consistency of talcum powder. The best bet is to have your espresso professionally ground at a good shop. They have the right equipment and know-how to make a perfect grind.
Need water quality even be discussed here? You don’t drink tap, so don’t brew tap. Enough said there.
Espresso is complex in both nature and process. It requires special equipment and exacting technique to make properly, but is well worth the effort. If you’ve never tried it, drop by a reputable coffee house and let them convince you. Chances are you’ll be hooked.
JoBeth Levina
http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/overview-of-espresso-and-espresso-machines-723972.html
What Sets Keurig Coffee Makers Apart From the Competition
April 27, 2010
With the Keurig brand of coffee makers, the perfect cup of coffee is just one purchase away. The right coffee maker can be exceedingly difficult to find. “Gourmet” machines and blends are saturating the grocery store shelves, and each system seems to have its own set of flaws. Traditional one cup systems may not be able to make enough coffee to satiate your thirst and larger coffee pots have trouble putting out the high end quality that you so desperately desire, or are simply too expensive. Then there are the pots that are not too big, not too small, and they are capable of providing an excellent quality of coffee. These can be pricey, and to make many of these devices work you have to purchase hard to find filters and grind your own beans. Sure, if you are a real aficionado it may be worth the time. Time is of the essence for the average coffee drinker. The Keurig Coffee system manages to solve all of these problems, while leaving the consumer with the perfect blend of coffee.
The first problem solved by the Keurig coffee pot is the size of each cup. The Keurig coffee pots are one cup systems, but they are also capable of making your coffee in under a minute. While many systems may be capable of this feat, Keurig does it with no sacrifice to flavor. This allows the user to brew many cups of coffee in a short time despite the low capacity per brew. You can also adjust the cup size between eight and ten ounces, even in Keurig’s low-end models. Another issue that often relates to size and brand of coffee makers is finding filters and blends. While most high-end coffee makers make it difficult for the average consumer to get filters and grind coffee, the Keurig Company strives to make it easier.
Using a unique device called a “K-Cup” any individual can brew with perfection. Each “K-Cup” uses the perfect amount of coffee to give your cup a flawless taste. To some, this may initially sound like a bad idea because some may want to decide the extent to which they want to saturate their coffee with flavor. But these cups come in different sizes to allow you some freedom for preference. Another potential drawback to the “K-Cup” system is being restricted in brand and flavor. However, Keurig uses more than twelve different brands for their “K-Cups,” and within these brands, there are well over a hundred options in terms of blends. When you add to that the fact that each manufacturer of “K-Cups” (The many brands that Keurig subscribes to) offer different prices and purchasing limitations. Beyond that, you can even buy a reusable filter and grind your own coffee if you insist. K-Cups are available in many locations. For example, you can purchase K-Cups online or at your local grocery store. This makes K-Cups easy to obtain and it eliminates any hassle from brewing your next cup of coffee.
There are other aspects of the Keurig design that make their products stand out from the rest. First of all, they are designed for efficiency. No more constantly heating water in-between cups because the Keurig systems can keep cups heated over time. You may also find that clean up is very fast and easy with a Keurig pot. The design also avoids being ultra-modern or classical and therefore is aesthetically pleasing in a wide variety of decorative styles.
A final flaw that often occurs with gourmet coffee makers is an inability to be used in a wide variety of ways. The lack of feature diversity may reduce your desire to spend upwards of a hundred dollars on a coffee machine. If the machine can brew a good cup of coffee, you may be inclined to spend the money on the coffee machine. The Keurig systems do much more then just make coffee. “K-Cups” are manufactured by tea and cocoa makers as well. The ease and efficiency that this product provides in making these beverages makes it something that can be used to please the entire family in only minutes. Switching from coffee, to tea, to cocoa, to decaf and back to regular coffee is about as easy as changing the “K-Cup” around.
The Keurig Coffee systems also offer a wide variety of products. Brewers are available specifically for use in the home, the office and even in hotels. All of this goes along with the perfect size, efficiency, quality and versatility to make Keurig products perfect for even the most discriminating of coffee connoisseurs. When you are looking for a way to create an excellent cup of coffee, be sure to consider the Keurig coffee brewing system. You can make a high quality cup of coffee in a matter of minutes.
Suzanne Bradley
http://www.articlesbase.com/coffee-articles/what-sets-keurig-coffee-makers-apart-from-the-competition-681352.html
Coffee Tables: Multifunctional And Fantastic
April 24, 2010
Coffee tables have the ability to make or break a room. It’s true. For one thing, when people walk into your living room, chances are the first place they look is the coffee table. If you care at all about the aesthetic value of your living room, you can’t underestimate the importance of the coffee table. Secondly, coffee tables offer incredible functionality that goes beyond just surface style.
Whatever type of decorative look you have in your living room, there are coffee tables that will match that look and add to it. When buying your coffee table you want to make sure that you understand it serves both form and function equally. It should look good, and it should serve your living room needs.
Coffee tables are truly multifunctional. Go into five different households and this becomes obvious. The primary use of a coffee table from one house to another changes simply because coffee tables are versatile pieces of furniture. In one house, for example, the primary function is to display books or magazines for visitors who want to kick back their feet and read on the sofa. For others, especially those who live alone or families who dine while watching television, the coffee table doubles as an informal dining table. And yet there are some who use theirs as the informal (and often incidental) home for anything in the room that doesn’t have a place to go. Coffee tables serve multiple purposes.
Stylistically, there is an array of designs to choose from. Wooden, glass, metal, round, and square coffee tables all serve a particular décor depending on what other furniture adorn the rest of your living room. Coffee tables with glass tops present an elegant and sophisticated look to your décor, while those that feature various wood finishes in a simple and traditional design give off an heir of antiquity and exude a sense of customary beauty. The fashionably sleeker and more modern looks of Coffee tables are the ones made of metal with glass tops.
Before you rush out and buy a coffee table, think about how you’ll be using yours. It is also very important that you consider other members of the household. While you may view coffee tables as decorative pieces for displaying magazines, your teenagers might see them as dining tables when you’re not home. If you have young children, you want to make sure that you have durable pieces. While glass-topped coffee tables make for lovely decorative pieces, they smudge easily, especially where little hands and fingers are concerned. Glass tops are, of course, prone to shattering as well if an accident were to occur where the pieces could pose a danger as well. Think about the people in your household before you make furniture purchases.
Coffee tables are very cool, dynamic pieces of living room furniture. If you’re in the market for a new one, you’ll be able to find the one you want that goes perfectly with your of living room décor. Just be sure to consider the needs and many uses of your coffee table before you head into the store.
Jack Nguyen
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/coffee-tables-multifunctional-and-fantastic-702513.html
Coffee Containers Usage in Your Home
April 24, 2010
You are a coffee addict. You buy a lot of Coffee cans in a single month and manage to consume them. Seeing the cans, you don’t want to throw them away because they seem to have some use. Problem is, you just can’t figure what. What can you do with all those coffee cans besides throwing them in the trash bin?
With just enough imagination and creativity, it is actually quite easy to think of uses for these coffee cans. Take a moment and look at your surroundings. What things do you need to do that you can incorporate with a coffee can? Below are some things that you can start with. Read on and perhaps, one or two ideas may trigger your own ideas.
Seedling distributor. You can use the canister in the garden when you plant some seeds or grass. Just punch holes at the bottom and voila! You can now use it to evenly distribute the seeds that will start your flower garden in the backyard.
Containers
The cans are great storage containers for all kinds of things. Just get some ribbons and wrappers and decorate the cans to match the motif of your room. Use it to hold your pens in place or perhaps your various knick knacks in the kitchen.
Plant protectors These cans can also be used in another way in your garden. You can place them around your little seedlings so that they will be protected from animals and wind. Cut the bottom so that the light of the sun can still shine through.
Water sprinkler Another garden use for the coffee cans is as a water sprinkler. Punch small holes at the bottom and then out a handle such as with a pail. Fill the can with water and water your plants with evenly spaced water spouts. Plastic and paper bag storage.
Use the can to store the paper bags and the plastic bags that you get in groceries. Before doing this, make sure that the can doesn’t have any sharp edges. Higher up You can use the coffee cans to keep vegetables like pumpkins in your garden a little higher. That way, they won’t be swept away when there is a flood. Strainer.
The can also be used as a strainer especially if you are in the habit of washing your vegetables. You can even put a handle on the can and then hang it by the sink to strain.
Jennifer Seaton
http://www.articlesbase.com/tea-articles/coffee-containers-usage-in-your-home-671260.html
