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
Caffeine and Headaches
April 30, 2010
Caffeine is one of the most consumed substances of all times. Through the years, people have consciously and unconsciously taken caffeine in the form of coffee, tea, softdrinks and other colas.
Caffeine intake has rapidly become popular that every now and then, critics and health experts have constantly warned about it. A number of health professionals insist that the substance can do harm to the body.
The first blow to the intake of caffeine is the claims that it induces addiction. Thus, many people seem to be pretty hooked up at drinking softdrinks and coffee.
Moreover, people should be aware about the benefits and detriments of taking caffeine.
Caffeine headaches
Caffeine has been found to cause headaches and the claims that the substances causes addiction is linked to this assertion. The idea that what is called as ‘weekend headaches’ are caused by caffeine is linked to the addiction allegation against the substance.
Experts believe that weekend headaches come as office buffs, who become used to consuming cups and glasses of coffee and sodas everyday in the morning and during breaks, suddenly stop taking caffeine during weekends. Usually, workers sleep and take rest during weekends, so they are not drinking coffee or sodas to be awake.
The migraine triggered by such a cause can be alleviated by taking caffeine. Quitters to caffeine intake also suffer headaches as a form of withdrawal symptom to the allegedly addictive caffeine.
Just like when smokers suddenly quit smoking, caffeine consumers also experience severe or even mild effects on health.
Moreover, too much intake of caffeine may also cause intense stress, especially when the person significantly lacks sleep and proper nutrition. Such stress can lower the body’s resistance to the usual causes of migraines, making the person suffer occasional, and eventually, regular episodes of headaches.
Stimulant
You may probably heard from experts that caffeine is an effective stimulant, a group of substances that raise heart beats and makes people awake. Stimulants help people combat sleepiness within a few hours after intake.
Thus, that explains why you feel very much awake and invigorated after drinking that cup of coffee in the morning. Softdrinks also produce a different kick within you. People then take caffeine whenever they need to stay awake during office hours or during over time sessions at work.
Caffeine should not be taken if you are about to sleep or if you have been encountering difficulties in inducing sleep. You may notice that even the aroma of the coffee can almost invigorate you.
Caffeine as headache treatment
It can almost be confusing, but did you know that if caffeine can cause certain types of headaches, it can also help treat headaches? How dos it work?
Migraines are caused by enlarging blood vessels that affect the nerves around them. These nerves then trigger the sensory of the head, producing headaches.
Caffeine works by constricting the blood vessels, making those vessels return to normal and healthy sizes. You may prove this when you encounter a minor headache.
Notice that at least about 30 minutes after you have taken Coffee or colas during an episode of headache, you may feel relief.
In other cases, certain medications need the help of caffeine so those treatments can be utilized appropriately by the body. There are various kinds of drugs that are manufactured with added caffeine for them to be effective.
Examples of such drugs are Tylenols, Florinol, Cafergot, Excedrin and Dristan.
Simple over the counter medicines also become more potent when taken with softdrinks or coffees.
Caffeine is indeed a wonderful substance. They may be bad or good, depending on how your body utilizes them and how you take them. Everything should be taken in moderation though. Experts believe that about two to three cups of coffee can still be happy. Anything more than that can lead to addiction and excessive caffeine intake.
Caffeine is certainly a good subject for discussion over a cup of coffee. You may benefit or be harmed by it. Just recognize the fact that as a stimulant, take it to invigorate your energy. Never take it on empty stomach though.
That can be the reason why your grandma always has cookies when serving coffee or tea.
Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/caffeine-and-headaches-79957.html
Coffee Houses – Little Known Facts That you Probably Didn’t Know About Coffee Houses
April 30, 2010
Coffee houses, when you think about it, are very similar to bars and restaurants. Providing coffee, tea, light snacks and lunch type food they offer a great mishmash of both. Besides serving food and beverages, coffee houses are great places to interact socially with other people, read, write, do homework or just pass time.
While one would typically think that coffee houses started in Italy, but that isn’t the case. In fact, since the 16th century they’ve been prominent in the Middle East. People would go to them to drink coffee or tea, listen to music, play games like chess and backgammon and read.
In 1530, the first coffee house opened in Damascus. Shortly thereafter, others started springing up in places like Cairo and Istanbul.
It wasn’t until the 17th century that coffee first made an appearance in Europe. The first recorded coffee house in Italy opened shop in 1645. This was followed by the first coffee house in England, in Oxford, in 1650. After that, they spread like wildfire, hitting America in 1670 in Boston.
Charles II wasn’t a fan of coffee houses, and tried to discourage people in London from going to them by characterizing them as places where the disaffected met and spread scandalous reports concerning the conduct of His Majesty and his Ministers. Instead of keeping people away, people flocked to them.
Coffee houses were open to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and became associated with equality. That said, women weren’t allowed into them.
Later on, this obviously ceased to be the case. In American Coffee houses in the 1960s, musicians and poets had found a home. Bob Dylan got his start running the coffee house circuit, as did the Beats. Also, many churches used them for outreach purposes, gaining membership and spreading the word of God.
Jennifer Harris
http://www.articlesbase.com/coffee-articles/coffee-houses-little-known-facts-that-you-probably-didnt-know-about-coffee-houses-282678.html
Signature Gourmet Coffee Maker
April 27, 2010
http://daytonblog.info/signature-gourmet-Coffee-maker-2/ Java blends are created by combining different Kinds of Coffee beans. They are often created with Arabica java beans which create the great coffee flavor and aroma coffee lovers love. A java blend can become a unique coffee brand used by cafes, roasters, and growers to attract repeat clients. These coffee brands can use a special coffee flavor that cannot be found anywhere else
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Twin Peaks Coffee
April 27, 2010
Twin Peaks Coffee
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