No Such Thing As Coffee Breath?
I seriously find this hard to believe. I mean, I would hardly admit to having bad breath (and, no I really don’t!) but you would know a coffee drinker by his breath if you stood close enough together, right?
According to Tel Aviv researcher Mel Rosenberg, an extract from coffee can actually kill the bacteria that lead to bad breath! Before you rejoice and start using coffee as mouthwash, I have to tell you that Rosenberg also has a disclaimer. He said that this extract is actually mixed in with the rest of the coffee. That is why what they are working on right now is to isolate this molecule that kills the bacteria that cause bad breath. Obviously, they have not been able to do this as of yet.
You can imagine the potential of this project though. Coffee-flavored mints? Coffee-flavored mouthwash?
In the meantime, we have to be realistic. It is highly unlikely that the coffee that we drink on a daily basis will serve as a bad breath bacteria killer. More so, Rosenberg also asserts that the common perception that coffee can cause bad breath is true. Here comes the bad news, guys…
Everybody thinks that coffee causes bad breath, and it’s often true, because coffee, which has a dehydrating effect in the mouth, becomes potent when mixed with milk, and can ferment into smelly substances.
Now that is why, as I sit and write, I can feel my mouth drying up from the two mugs of coffee that I have had so far. Needless to say, I shall be using Colgate and Listerine in a little bit.
Black & Decker Spacemaker Coffee Machines RECALLED
If you have got one of these babies, you might want to send it back. Last week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that this brand and model of coffee makers are being recalled due to safety considerations.
The Commission announced that users could get burned due to a flaw in the machine. The specific reason for this is that the brew basket can potentially get out of alignment. When this happens the hot water (scalding hot!) will overflow. Obviously, if any part of your body gets in contact with that, you will get burned.
Yes, there have been reports of this happening and users getting injured. Applica Consumer Products Inc., the distributor of the coffee maker stated that they have received about 235 reports of the malfunction. Of these reports, 10 involved users getting second-degree burns.
Statistics show that roundabouts 584,000 units of this machine have been sold in the period from March 2006 to March 2009. Stores that sell the Spacemaker Coffee Machine include K-Mart, Kohl’s, Target, Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Amazon.com. A unit can cost anywhere from $60 to $70.
It is important to note that NOT ALL models are defective in this regard. The announcement takes note of those models that are being recalled:
Description: The recalled product is the Black & Decker-branded Spacemaker™ coffeemaker. The product has an under-cabinet mount, programmable digital clock/timer, removable water reservoir, and either a 12-cup glass carafe or an 8-cup thermal carafe. Only model numbers ODC440, ODC440B, ODC450 and ODC460 are included in the recall. The model number can be located on the back of the coffeemaker.
For information, call Applica toll-free at (866) 668-4442 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday OR visit their web site at www.acprecall.com.
The Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf: Anti-Gay?
The noise over Prop 8 has not really abated all that much and now, there is something going on again. I just heard of the news the other day when I read some blogs detailing how the well known coffee shop chain, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, is blocking gay sites on their network.
We all know how people frequent coffee shops not only to have a cup of joe, but also to connect to their Wi-Fi. As a matter of fact, I am at a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf right now (albeit outside of the US). So what’s the dish?
Neal Broverman wrote in the Advocate:
Phillip Minton of Unite the Fight — a group trying to overturn California’s Proposition 8 — had booted up his laptop on Thursday at a Coffee Bean location in the Beverly Center area of Los Angeles and was informed he couldn’t access sites like Pam’s House Blend and Towleroad due to “sexuality.” According to commenters at Unite the Fight’s website, ex-gay sites for groups like Exodus and Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays are accessible on Coffee Bean’s Wi-Fi service.
In his post, Minton wrote, “Naturally, I wrote a rather angry e-mail [to Coffee Bean's Wi-Fi provider] telling them they need to do a better job determining what is porn or ‘adult’ from what is a news or editorial blog. If I typed in “heterosexual,” would the sites pulled up be blocked? I doubt it.”
The Wi-Fi provider, OpenDNS, responded to Minton with the following e-mail: “We only provide network admins with the tools to block content on their networks, we as a company do not block anyone for any reason. If this user (i.e.business) chooses to block a particular type of content on their network, we cannot interfere. You however, as a consumer, have every right to boycott their business for the way they choose to block content on their networks.”
It looks to me like a case of passing the buck. I don’t know if it’s just that specific branch. I just tried accessing Pam’s House Blend – one of the main web sites in question – and I didn’t have any problems. Is there a Coffee Bean near you? Are they censoring your Internet access as well?
Topless Coffee Shop Burned Down
Remember that piece I wrote about the topless coffee shop in Maine? Well it was given permits, the council approved its operations; so it has been up and running for a while now. The thing is, it was recently burned down.
Last week, someone deliberately set the Grandview Topless Coffee Shop on fire. Apparently, having topless waitresses and waiters proved to be too hot to handle for someone. CNN carried the story:
The blaze consumed the risque, small-town business shortly after midnight, said Vassalboro Fire Chief Eric Rowe. He described the flames as “severe” and said the building was a “total loss.”
“I really liked it here,” waitress Krista Macentyre said after learning the cause of the fire. “We weren’t hurting anyone. I don’t know why someone would do something like this.”
The shop’s proprietor, Donald Crabtree, said he is determined to rebuild. “This is home” to a lot of people, he said.
For Crabtree the coffee shop literally was home. He and his two daughters, their two boyfriends, and his two infant grandchildren lived in quarters attached to the Grand View. The fire forced them to relocate to a motel.
While I was never really sold on the idea of a coffee shop with topless service workers, I do not think that anyone could really wish this on the owners of the shop. After all, just because someone’s offending your sensibilities does not mean you have to strike this way. More so, some people actually enjoyed having their morning (or afternoon) coffee in this shop. Our best wishes to them…
Coffee Cocktails, Anyone?
Coffee and alcohol – what better combination can you think of? For those who need to have their fix of these two “drugs,” then here are some recipes for you to try out. I stumbled upon them at the New Straits Times, courtesy of Kitty Kaye, who swears by them. Here are two most interesting ones.
Caribbean Coffee cocktail
This one is surprisingly masculine in flavours, despite its feminine appearance.
You will need:
l half a measure of dark rum
l a cup of coffee, hot
l whipped cream
l 2 tsp sugarSimply mix it all together and end it all with a generous spritz of whipped cream.
Dark rum and coffee – now doesn’t that sound wonderful??? Of course, the whipped cream just got me all excited. Just take a look at this:
Cold Comfort Coffee cocktail
Ah, a favourite! It has everything I look for. Simplicity in flavours and simple to prepare. This is for serious coffee drinkers who like their coffee black and sugarless.
This one is bitter and showcases the familiar flavours of coffee with whiffs of alcohol.You will need:
l half a measure of dark rum
l half a measure of Southern Comfort
l a dash of creme de cacao liquer
l a cup of coffee, chilledShake together all the ingredients and serve in a short tumbler with some ice cubes.
I can just imagine making this on a lazy Saturday afternoon. You know, the kind that you have when you spent all night Friday getting drunk? Talk about hair of the dog…with the added benefit of caffeine.
On A Starbucks Quest
And I thought I was addicted to coffee! Have you heard of this guy from California who is on a quest to visit every Starbucks store in the world? Rafael Antonio Lozano Jr., who now goes by the name Winter, started his quest way back in 1997. I was actually a bit surprised to hear that because it is only now that I came across his story.
Anyway, to date, Winter has visited around 9,100 Starbucks store in various countries. He is currently in the United Kingdom, where he is hell bent on visiting 400 locations spread all over England, Scotland, and Wales. His activities have even created a new word:
Starbuck – also Starbucking; to purposely visit Starbucks branches.
After his Great Britain “tour,” Winter is set to go Starbucking in other parts of Europe – Spain, Germany, and Portugal. So what does this coffee addict (or maybe Starbucks addict?) do when he visits a Starbucks? He says that in each branch that he visits, he orders a cup of regular brewed coffee, takes a picture, and then of course, documents it. He has a web site, aptly named Starbucks Everywhere, where he posts his pictures and writes about his endeavors.
I paid it a visit and I think that he could use some help in web site design, seriously. You can’t complain about the content, though. I love his entry on the Stone House Square (photo shown above), which, according to Winter, is the prettiest store in all of Maryland.
Anyhow, if you want to follow his adventures, visit his web site and join in the fun!
More Than Coffee
Coffee has had more than its share of flak, we have to admit that. While there are a LOT of people who will swear by this drink, there are also a lot of people who see nothing but its negative side. That is why, when I read about coffee shops and companies doing extra work to help others, I feel a sense of pride. You see, coffee even people who can’t live a day without coffee can make a difference!
The most recent story that I read is about a Sioux Falls coffee shop. The shop is called Dunn Brother’s Coffee and is located off Arrowhead Park in east Sioux Falls. So what are they doing to make a difference?
I am sure that you are aware of the effects that the current economic crisis has on people and their jobs. Now, more than ever, we have a lot of unemployed people who would want nothing more than to get back on their feet and find a means of living. What the people at Dunn Brother’s are doing is to hold a series of sessions aimed at helping the unemployed.
Dubbed Coffee Connection, the sessions feature life coaches who are specialized in counseling the unemployed. The sessions welcome anyone who needs help and also offer the chance to establish networks, which can be an important factor in getting a job. The sessions are still on going, in fact, there is one scheduled on the 25th of May. For registration and more information, call (605) 271-8038.
Mexican Coffee SAFE
Talk about prejudice! I have to be honest and say that I do have my own share of prejudiced notions, but I am not proud of that. Still, I guess it is human nature to have a healthy dose of this negativity. The only way we can battle it is through information.
Why am I talking about prejudice when this is supposed to be a blog about the best drink in the world? Well, there is a company called Mexican Coffee Company, based in the UK. It is run by a couple, Rafael and Alison Hernandez. The relatively small family business has experienced an alarming 50% decrease in sales due to the on going outbreak of swine flu. If you’ve been following the news, which I am pretty sure you are, you’d know that the flu originates from Mexico. Hence the prejudice.
It is pretty obvious, however, that the flu is not passed on through coffee. In an effort to lend what little help I can to these guys, I thought that I’d write about them. I may not be able to buy their coffee from where I am from but, I hope that word can get out to help them. Here’s a short description of what they do:
The Mexican Coffee Company brings you premium quality coffee from one of the world’s finest coffee producing regions. Our coffee is grown by native Mayan farmers living in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. We buy direct from the growers to ensure that they receive a fair price. Our coffee is organic, shade-grown, high altitude and roasted to order.
Do visit their web site and see what they have to offer. And again, their coffee is safe from swine flu!
Is Caffeine A Serious Health Threat?
We all know that, in a way, caffeine is a drug. It gives you a buzz (quite unlike the buzz I get from Jack and Coke, though). It can make you high strung. It can give you the energy to keep going and going…and going…just like the Energizer bunny.
But we also know that it can have some negative side effects. Headaches. Tummy problems. Addiction?
According to experts, caffeine should not be taken lightly. The Daily Comet narrates:
“It’s the type of drug that shouldn’t be taken lightly,” said Bill Aronson, a representative with the Caffeine Awareness Association, a group claiming that caffeine has long-term adverse health effects, such as high blood pressure and anxiety disorders. “Caffeine is the type of drug abused frequently because it’s so accessible.”
Particularly popular among college students, caffeine has become an increasingly central part of many young people’s lives, said Aronson, adding to the risk of chronic health problems as a result. He believes that young people use diet sodas and coffees for a variety of irresponsible activities, like extreme late-night study sessions and weight loss.
“The more that you take it, the more that you want to take it,” said Aronson. He said conditions such as depression, mood swings and irregular heartbeat can emerge after pro-longed consumption.
I think that I am already experiencing some of these side effects, especially irregular heartbeat (smoking does not help either). However, I think that awareness and moderation is the key. There is no need to treat coffee as if it were coke (the powder) or something like that!
Slash In Starbucks Prices?
When was the last time that you went to Starbucks for a coffee? I have to be honest here and say that I think it was more than a month ago! I know, it is quite strange especially if you consider that I used to go there at least three times a week. I guess it is a combination of high prices and busy times. In any case, from what I hear, we just might have more reason to visit Starbucks pretty soon. News has been going around that the giant coffee chain is going to slash its prices because of plunging profits. Sky News has this story:
The chain reported a net profit of £17m for the 13 weeks to March 29 compared with £73m for the same period last year. The company has announced plans to close 960 stores globally as consumers cut back on their spending. Since July it has shut 507 stores in the US and 64 shops in other countries. The closures are part of a plan to close underperforming stores and shave costs companywide.
Starbucks has also been stung by suggestions that some of its drinks are too expensive. Chief executive Howard Schultz said prices on some products in some markets would now be cut. The perception that its coffee is too expensive has led to companies such as McDonald’s making inroads in the speciality coffee market.
ll I can say is that it is about time that they lowered their prices. After all, we do have a lot of other choices and just because their prices are high does not mean that their coffee is better than the others, no?
