Why Should I Get A French Press?
For now, I have one compelling reason to get one. You see, I went on vacation about three weeks ago and once again, I was reminded of one of my pet peeves: the hotel didn’t have brewed coffee. Can you believe that? I had no choice, so for the next 6 days, I was drinking instant coffee.
Then it hit me. I should just get a French press and bring it with me every time I go on vacation! You see, I like going to “exotic” locations where brewed coffee is not a daily need. I had already considered taking a small drip machine before but I would probably have problems at the airport. Perhaps a French press would be easier to lug around.
Aside from that fact though, what other reasons are there for me to get a French press?
The answer lies in the flavor of the drink that is made from a French press. Anyone who drinks drip coffee machine every day and then suddenly tries a brew made with a French press will know this: coffee made from the latter is definitely stronger and has more flavor. So, aside from being able to make coffee in a relatively simpler way, you also get to produce a more flavorful brew.
I think I am convinced. I shall take a look around when I get the chance and find me a good French press. Suggestions anyone? (Oh, and please don’t tell me to go to Starbucks to get one.)
Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephencarlile/487699768/sizes/s/
Home Brewing: American Trend
I actually feel vindicated. I have long been a proponent of brewing your own coffee at home. One of my main reasons has always been the financial aspect. You spend so much less by making your own coffee. Of course, that is not to say that I look forward to spending time in coffee shops every so often, but that’s a different story. More than the money, however, another reason I like brewing my own coffee is that I am in more control as to the taste and flavor of the brew. While some coffee shops get the taste right according to my preferences, not all of the ones I have visited are that good.
So anyhow, I read this news article on Reuters. It said that more Americans are brewing coffee at home. Here’s the juice:
Daily coffee consumption in the United States was steady this year compared to 2008, while the number of people making their coffee at home rose, the National Coffee Association of U.S.A. said on Saturday.
Data from the 2009 National Coffee Drinking Trends survey, which polled more than 3,000 adults in the United States by telephone in January and February, was released at the NCA’s annual convention in Boca Raton, Florida.
“Even if economic conditions cause some to alter their coffee choices, they are nonetheless continuing to enjoy coffee at levels very much on par with recent years,” he said in a release.
That’s what I am talking about. You do not have to pay an arm and a leg to get a good cup of coffee! All you need is some smarts – brew it your own way and enjoy it every day!
Photo from vanderwal
Coffee Cup For Weightless Environments
Who on earth would need such a cup??? No one! That is why this cup was designed for people who go to space; astronauts, I think that’s what they’re called.
Seriously, though, news has it that astronaut David Pettit got tired of having to sip his coffee from an aluminum bag. Apparently, drinking coffee that way takes away from the whole experience of enjoying a cup of joe. The result of this frustration is a very good thing (at least for those who have plans of going to outer space) – the On-Orbit Coffee Cup. I don’t think I can really explain how it works except that it takes advantage of the principle of surface tension. That is how far I can go without making a fool out of myself by trying to be all scientific and technical. Take a look at the illustration below from Dvice. I think that in this case, pictures are much better than words.
Got that? Even if you didn’t really understand the science behind the cup, it would still be cool to have one of these, don’t you think? I just wonder if it could still be used here on earth, where gravity actually exists?
A Coffee A Day…
Can you complete that sentence? I tried and these are the phrases that I came up with:
…gives you hyperacidity.
…keeps you awake.
…makes you happy.
…stains your teeth.
…keeps you going.
Lame, isn’t it? All of those statements are true for me, though, and are probably true for some of you as well. But, did you know that coffee just might have the ability to kill cancer cells?
In the February 26 issue of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, findings that caffeine might have the ability to kill skin cells that have been damaged by UV rays were disclosed. Live Science reports:
Several studies have shown that people who regularly drink coffee or tea seem to have lower incidences of nonmelanoma skin cancers. One recent study of more than 90,000 Caucasian women found that with each additional cup of caffeinated coffee consumed, there was an associated 5 percent decreased risk of developing one of these skin cancers (decaf coffee had no effect).
More than this, other studies have had similar results:
Caffeine also seemed, in another study, to have a protective effect on mice that had been exposed to UV light, whether they ingested it or it was applied to their skin.
While we do not know if this caffeine will actually prevent cancer, this sort of finding is quite encouraging for us regular coffee, drinkers, right? Perhaps, in the future, we will find out that all these years of enjoying a cup (or two, or even three) of joe every day has benefited us more than we ever thought it would!
