Ca Phe Overload
That’s what they call coffee in Vietnam – ca phe. It’s pronounced almost the same (at least to my untrained ears). I spent almost a week in Saigon (now called Ho Chi Minh City) and I have to say that I had more coffee than I should have had.
Vietnamese coffee has long been known to coffeeholics, but I have to admit that it was (probably IS) not my favorite kind. Still, I couldn’t contain my glee at the fact that coffee could be bought everywhere for very cheap. Saigon has tons of coffee shops – much like the ones you see in other cities, except that they normally have tables and chairs on the footpath. I suppose it’s the French influence, and I love it!
There are cheaper alternatives – the sidewalk vendors with their little carts. They have their own mini tables and even littler stools. For half a dollar, you can get a cup of Vietnamese coffee – iced or hot!
Needless to say, I started my day with several small cups of coffee at the hotel. They brew their coffee in a more modern way, using a drip machine. As the day went on, I would go walking around the city, with at least 3 coffee stops. I normally like my coffee hot, but the heat and humidity in Saigon forced me to change my habit.
Coffee lovers who are looking for more than their usual dose of caffeine should drop by Saigon. You might not want to leave.
Want Some Free Coffee Recipes?
Are you tired of making the same old brew day in and day out? To be honest, I am NOT. I am a creature of habit and for the most part, I like having my huge mug of espresso in the morning and then a cup or two of brewed coffee during the day. Still, there are days when I feel like trying something new – we all get them. What I normally do is just head on over to the nearest Starbucks or Coffee Bean. It would be great to be able to make new coffee drinks at home, though…
…and that’s what this FREE Coffee Recipe E-book will allow you to do! I stumbled upon the freebie at Coffee Fair:
Our site sponsor is Boca Java… gourmet coffee delivered right to your front door. Feel free to check out their large coffee selection at: www.bocajava.com.
Get ready to grab (for free of course) one of the most delicious collections of free coffee recipes available online. It’s an amazing 53 page collection of the coffee recipes you’ve come to know and love such as Caramel Macchiato, Double Mocha Frappe, Chai Tea and many more. Plus delicious and one of a kind mouth watering coffee pastries & amazing custom blend coffee sauces, too.
For your safety our e-book has been virus scanned and checked and is completely safe and clean. There are also no irritating ads in it and there’s nothing in there you to buy either. Just good ol’ delicious coffee recipes!
I have already clicked and downloaded. What are you waiting for???
Fruits In Coffee
While I have not really had fruits in my coffee, the idea does not sound so bad at all, don’t you think? After all, the fruitiness should complement the strong flavor of coffee.
I recently heard about a company called Fruitology. Yeah, it sounds fruity and made me crack a smile when I first read the name, but in case you’re interested, they have recently launched a line of coffee fruit energy shots. Fruitology is actually a company known for its line of beverages and supplements – the distinguishing feature of which is “wholesomeness.”
Anyhow, their new line is called Energy Shot. The “secret ingredient” is KonaRed Coffee Fruit. This ingredient is supposed to give you the boost that you need to get through a tough day. In additional to the boost, you get fruity flavors that are supposed to refresh you. More from the press release:
In keeping with Fruitology’s promise to deliver unique, healthy-lifestyle products, each Coffee Fruit Energy Shot is “all natural” and preservative free with a fantastic gourmet flavor and added nutritional benefits such as 100% Daily Allowance of Vitamin C per shot. With its incredible nutritional properties, anti-oxidant power, and energy value, the addition of the coffee fruit also reinforces Fruitology’s mission to enhance the well-being of people around the world.
I’d still take my good old brewed coffee any day, but I’d be more than willing to give this a try. The products are supposed to be out in March. For more information, visit Fruitology’s web site.
Haitian Bleu Coffee
Haiti has been at the forefront of the news for about a week now, ever since that massive quake hit the country. The international community has been mobilizing itself in an effort to provide aid to our fellowmen, and if you haven’t lent a helping hand yet, you might want to check out some ways by which you can do this. The easiest and surest way for many is to text “Haiti”to 90999 (any carrier in the United States). This will donate $10 directly to the Red Cross, who will in turn use the money for relief efforts in Haiti.
On another note, have you ever heard of Haitian Bleu coffee? This is actually a relatively new blend of coffee, which was introduced in 1995. Proponents describe this blend as smooth and medium bodied, with a hint of sweetness to it – perfect for an easy weekend morning (or afternoon!), don’t you think?
Even before the earthquake hit Haiti, the country has been suffering from all sorts of problems, poverty being one of them. As such, those who patronized Haitian Bleu coffee were not only satisfying their own cravings but also helping out one of the most disadvantaged nations in the Western world. Today, with what has happened to Haiti, one might be hard pressed to find the coffee beans in the market. It doesn’t mean that in the future, no Haitian Bleu will be found though. And if we all do our little part in helping the country rebuild, this coffee blend will surely find its way back.
Would You Pay $12 For A Cup Of Coffee?
Right now, definitely not. I am so broke that I will not even buy a cup at Starbucks or Coffee Bean. I am currently going through a Krispy Kreme smooth coffee phase anyway. Ask me again in a couple of months and maybe – just maybe – I would be willing to shell out $12 for a cup of coffee.
If you are located in Melbourne, though, and you have some extra money that you want to burn, try visiting the Sensory Lab at the David Jones city store. This coffee shop is the newest café in town, and has already made a name for itself in the world of fine coffees.
By no means does the Sensory Lab consider itself a part of the “ordinary” cafes that one can find on almost every corner. Their coffee menu is so selective that it is being likened to posh wine places where – in terms of “classiness,” that is. Their most expensive cup, as you probably already guessed, costs $12!!!
Nope, it’s not made of gold (though it might as well be), but the beans come from Costa Rica, and they’re hand roasted. It’s also brewed in a special manner, which you can observe yourself when you buy a cup. I say I better get all the perks if I were going to pay that much for a cup! Oh, and don’t ever make the mistake of asking for sugar and cream if you decide to visit this shop. Chances are you’ll see people looking at you derisively!
Buy Dunkin’ Coffee Online
Where do you buy your coffee? The chances are that you have your own supplier; your regular brand. I think I have told you this before – we buy our coffee straight from the place where they grow the beans. The coffee is fresher and I like this particular variety (Liberica). There are times, though, when I yearn for a different taste, and when I discovered that Dunkin’ Donuts sells coffee beans online, I got all excited.
Visit the online shop of Dunkin’ Donuts to get your own beans for home brewing. From what I have been seeing, they have five varieties: Original Blend, Dunkin Decaf, French Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Dunkin Dark. I’m leaning towards the Original Blend and Dunkin Dark. The former is made from 100% Arabica beans, and promises to give you that unique Dunkin’ coffee flavor. The latter is made from the same kind of bean, I think, but roasted more to give a stronger flavor. Both can be bought for $7.99 a pound – not a bad deal at all!
If you’re looking for something more than coffee beans, then Dunkin’ also has some equipment that can make you happy in the kitchen, making coffee. Their offerings are quite limited though – I only saw five products: two blade grinders by Braun and Krups, a Bunn brew kit (which, they claim is great for the office), a Bunn decanter, and some coffee filters by Bunn. I have no idea why they are selling these particular brands (although we know they are reliable). I think I’d get them at the store instead of the Dunkin’ shop, though.
Iced Coffee For Lunch, Please!
I prefer hot coffee most of the time. Unless it is very hot and I need something to cool me down, you will not really find me downing a glass of iced coffee. But did you know that iced coffee can replace one of your meals? Yep, you can actually have iced coffee for lunch and not have to eat anything else!
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, certain iced coffees have as many calories as a full meal. Alright, get ready for this (courtesy of BBC):
The “venti” or largest version of Starbucks’ Dark Berry Mocha Frappuccino, a limited offer for the summer, contains 561 calories – more than a quarter, WCRF notes, of a woman’s daily calorie intake.
Whoa! I never really think of calories when drinking coffee but this is crazy. Now how about if you choose the “healthier” alternative, like skimmed milk and such? This is what you get:
At Caffe Nero, the skimmed version of a Double Chocolate Frappe and a Mocha Frappe Latte contain 452 calories.
That’s still a lot isn’t it? Thinking about it now, I understand why I get so full off of a Starbucks mocha frappe. I don’t really get ventis – more like grandes – but I do not ask for skimmed milk and stuff like that.
Don’t despair, though. The same study shows that “basic” iced coffees contain much less calories. An iced Americano at Starbucks, for example, only has 11 calories while an iced latte with skimmed milk has 68. I guess we better stick to plain black coffee most of the time then, huh?
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.
No More Maxwell House For Some?
I used to drink Maxwell House all the time. In fact, that was my husband’s favorite brew. Then we discovered another local source, and we have stuck to that since then. Anyway, we still have Maxwell House every now and then, and so when I heard about the recent developments, I thought it would be interesting to write about.
So what’s going on over at the Kraft house? Well, according to news reports, they have increased the price of their Maxwell House 100 percent Colombian ground coffees. The price increase is quite considerable at 19 percent!
Before Maxwell House drinkers go nuts, here is what the company has to say, courtesy of Reuters:
The price hike, which went into effect on Tuesday, was due to “supply issues driven by poor crop yield,” a Kraft official said in an email to Reuters late Tuesday.
Maxwell House 100 percent Colombian one-lb equivalent vacuum bags and cans increased by 50 cents, marking increases of about 19 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively.
The Maxwell House 100 percent Colombian three-lb equivalent can was raised by $1.50 or about 19.4 percent, the company said.
I actually saw some news reports on the problems in Colombia with regard to their coffee crop, and they seem to validate the reasoning that Kraft has provided for their price increase. Actually, even other brands have been doing the same thing. Folgers, for examples, has also increased their prices by roughly the same amount.
Maybe it’s time to switch to other coffees?
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?
