Green Coffee Can Help You Shed Pounds
Coffee has been touted as a weight loss aid for quite some time now. Scientific studies claim that coffee – pure black, that is – helps increase one’s metabolism, which in turn helps one lose weight. But have you heard of green coffee?
I don’t know if this is an offshoot of the green tea trend, but from what I have been reading, it might have potential. An Australian company is marketing a product called Coffee Shape Slimming Green Coffee. It is made from green coffee beans plus roasted coffee beans.
The idea is that green coffee beans have weight loss inducing properties that may not be found in the roasted variety. According to the manufacturers, the green coffee beans assist in reducing the sugar that is absorbed by the body, and instead turns the sugar into energy immediately. This also works to make your body look to stored fat for energy, resulting in weight loss.
Of course, the web site also has a pretty obvious disclaimer that the green coffee works best with regular intake, regular exercise, and a balanced diet. This is practically what every other diet pill and supplement out there has in fine writing.
Anyhow, if you are interested in trying this green coffee out, you can get it at Coffee Shape for $49.95 – about $3.45 per cup. I think that it’s a bit too expensive for me. Then again, it’s practically the same amount that you would spend at Starbucks – minus the calories, I suppose.
Viennese Coffee
How do you like your coffee? In general, I like mine really rich, but there are times when my mood calls for something lighter and more refreshing. However, habits are hard to break, and I find myself looking for rich coffee more often than not. I just found a recipe for Viennese coffee and I think I shall try it out.
Viennese coffee is known for being very rich, mixed with cream and chocolate. Maybe something like an extreme café mocha? Here is the recipe that I want to try out:
Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 bar (3 ounces) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
3 cups strong freshly brewed hot coffee
¼ cup crème de cacao or Irish cream (optional)
Preparation:
1. Chill bowl, beaters and cream before whipping. Place 2/3 cup cream and sugar into chilled bowl. Beat with electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form.
2. Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. If mixture has separated slightly after refrigeration, whisk lightly with wire whisk before using.
3. To make chocolate shavings for garnish, place waxed paper under chocolate. Holding chocolate in one hand, make short, quick strokes across chocolate with vegetable peeler; set aside. Break remaining chocolate into pieces.
4. Place remaining 1/3 cup cream in heavy small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add chocolate pieces; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth.
5. Add hot coffee to chocolate mixture. Heat over low heat just until bubbles form around edge of pan and coffee is heated through, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in crème de cacao, if desired.
6. Pour into 4 warmed mugs. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Another recipe that I saw included an egg, but I don’t think I like the idea. Anyhow, why don’t you try it out for yourself?
Chiangmaii Coffee, Anyone?
When I went to visit the “Land of Smiles,” which is what they call Thailand, I promptly fell in love. While I enjoyed the laid back hustle and bustle (if that makes sense) of Bangkok, I definitely appreciated the countryside even more. If there is one regret about that trip, it is that I was not able to visit the other parts of the country, one of them Chiangmai.
That’s why when we got this e-mail from Peter Bachner, my curiosity was really piqued. In his e-mail, he shares that he is “beginning the adventure of growing Arabica shade grown coffee in a mountainous jungle setting in Northern Thailand.” No one can resist the words “adventure,” “Arabica,” “shade,” and “Thailand” in one sentence, right?
So off I headed to his blog, titled “Peter Bachner’s Grand Adventure in Thailand…Growing Coffee in the Chiangmai Highlands!” That sure is a mouthful, but that is probably nothing compared to the project he is undertaking! By the way, he is doing this project in tandem with Chiangmai University, so he has excellent help.
Now if you have not been to Thailand and you have not tasted their coffee, I am telling you that you are missing a LOT. I didn’t really think of Thailand as a place to get good coffee, but I had one of the most pleasant surprises of my life when our Thai guide for the day stopped by this quaint coffee shop just outside of Bangkok. Seriously, I had not had such a strong cup of coffee till that day! It was so good I had to buy a couple of boxes to bring home. (The coffee shop is shown in the picture above. Can anyone ID it for me?) I am unsure if this is the same type of coffee that Peter is growing.
In any case, his adventure is something worth following. Let’s join him?
Bugatti Coffee Machine
I am in the market for a new drip coffee maker. Ours conked out a couple of months back and we have been using the espresso machine for our daily dose of java. I love the coffee that my trusty Duomo makes BUT sometimes I yearn for the taste of simple brewed coffee.
Anyhow, I was looking for a nice new machine when I ran across – of all things – a coffee machine made by Bugatti. Now if you are not into cars, you may not have a clue as to what the big fuss is about. Truth be told, I probably wouldn’t have an idea as well if not for my husband, who is car crazy. Bugatti is the maker of the Bugatti Veyron, one of the most prized cars in the world. Watch Discovery Turbo (the cable channel) and you will see what I mean).
So how did they find themselves making coffee machines? Heck if I know, but I do know that their machines are beautiful! Even a quick look at that picture above will tell you that these are no ordinary coffee machines. A closer look will not disappoint.
Now here’s the clincher: these machines are also espresso machines! In short, they are not what I need. But hey, sometimes you do not have to get what you need if you find something this beautiful, right? Then again, the price tag is enough to make me get what I need and not what I want. How much is it? $1,300, fancy that!
India International Coffee Festival
You may not know it but India has more than curry and beaches to offer to the world. In fact, coffee is a big thing there as it is in the rest of the world. In fact, come October, the India International Coffee Festival (IICF) is going to be held in Bangalore. It looks like it’s more of a trade fair to me, but it still is an interesting bit of news to coffeeholics. The Hindu reports:
bout 40 exhibitors from the different segments like growers, exporters, equipment makers and dealers, processors, manufacturers comprising all major brands will set up their booth at the Coffee Expo, G V Krishna Rau, Chairman Coffee Board of India, told reporters here on Wednesday.
The conference is expected to attract over 500 delegates from across the world and will provide an opportunity for the entrepreneurs to explore the opportunities and start building business relations, he said. Representatives from Brazil, Germany, Italy, Sweden, US and England will participate.
If the variety of representatives from the international community is any indication, then the people of India just might be in for a coffee explosion in the near future. If you know anyone who lives in India or who is interested in starting a business related to coffee over there, then this festival might be the thing for them. One of the goals of the festival is to promote knowledge and information on how to capitalize on the coffee industry in the country. Come to think of it, I don’t think I have tasted coffee from India. Have you?
No Electricity Coffee Maker
My gut reaction when I saw the initial description of this novel coffee maker was “WOW!” For one, it would be a perfect gadget for when you go camping or if the power ever goes out (both are very real possibilities in the Philippines; and it is the season for Philippine travel). Another reason, which is more altruistic, is that using less electricity means that you are cutting your carbon footprint down. That’s always a good thing, right?
Then again, when I took a closer look at the specs of this baby, I had second thoughts. Guess how long it will take you to brew coffee using the Hourglass coffee maker? Well, at least 12 hours! Now I am not the most impatient person in the world, but having to wait 12 hours for my cup of coffee is way too long.
The concept behind brewing coffee using the Hourglass is nothing new. The basic idea is to brew coffee using cold water and time (lots of the latter). Some coffee shops actually offer coffee brewed in this manner. Cold-brewed coffee has an intense flavor, making it perfect for those who like their coffee strong. More so, you can also store the extracted coffee in your fridge for up to two weeks. This means that you do not actually have to wait 12 hours each time you want a cup of joe.
Another advantage is that this brewing method is supposed to decrease acidity by around 70%. With this bit of information, I think that I just might give the Hourglass a try. Not all coffeeholics are excited by the Hourglass but it should at least prove to be a good conversation piece.
NYC Coffee Shops: No More Laptops Please
Let me ask you first, aside from the coffee, what do you look for in a coffee shop? Tea? Bagels? Eggs Benedict? Free internet?
I would have to say yes to all of them! Free Internet, in particular, comes in quite handy especially when the Internet at home goes bonkers on me. I am quite happy that I am not in New York City at this moment, though. According to the bits and pieces of rumors that coffee shop lovers have been spreading around, several coffee shops in the city have already “banned” the use of laptops in their premises. Naturally, this includes the stopping of free Internet as a perk.
So what is the reason behind this infuriating action by the coffee shops concerned? They say that people who bring their laptops to coffee shops and access the Internet there tend to linger and not spend much on drinks and food. On the other hand, there are other higher paying customers who might not have the chance to sit down and do their thing because of the laptop lugging crowd, who tend to “clog up” the cafes.
While not ALL cafes in the city have followed suit, there are several which have completely banned laptops. A few others have restricted the ban during peak hours, in order to maximize the flow of customers.
Can you imagine not being allowed to hang out at the coffee shop if you take your precious little netbook out of its case and play with it? I think it’s silly.
Coffee And Bikinis
Earlier this year, the talk was about the topless coffee shop in Maine. It did achieve success but its luck turned sour when someone burned it down not long ago. This time, there is another coffee shop running its operations along similar lines, though it is not as controversial as the topless shop.
Bikini Espresso has opened in Torrance, California and it does not take smarts to realize that their highlight involves bikini clad servers and baristas. They have only been open for several days but it seems that the people in the neighborhood think that they have a hit in their hands.
Barista Chelsea Turnbo says that they are having a lot of fun and that their clientele has been varied. While more men queue up for drinks, they also get women – even old ladies!
Perhaps the fact that they are quite near to the beach adds to the accepting spirit of the customers. Then again, customers are saying that while the bikini clad baristas are the unique feature of the coffee shop, the coffee isn’t all that bad. In fact, they say that the coffee is quite good.
Still, the coffee isn’t so good that the critics have been silenced. There are still those who don’t favor the idea. It is no surprise, I think. I think that it is not that much of a big deal, though. I mean, you see people in bikinis every time. What might be more interesting is to actually work in the shop, don’t ya think? Not that I would even be considered for the position!
