Taste the Best Coffee of Your Life in Brazil
Among the things that make Brazil popular, the quality and selection of its coffee is surely among the top of the list – so if you’re visiting Brazil right now and are wondering what to do (which is odd by itself), you should treat yourself to some of the magnificent flavors of coffee it offers, and experience the product from one of its original sources.
Coffee has played a major role in the history of the nation, and if you ask any of the locals they’d probably be able to give you a good insight of how the coffee industry in Brazil came to be.
You should also know that Brazilians have a lot of tradition related to coffee – not only do they have various ways to prepare it in their books, but they also have some traditional rules by which they abide when drinking coffee. If you want to make the most of your experience, make sure you familiarize yourself with those traditions so that you can blend in better.
For example, Brazilians value the talk during a coffee session. They don’t look well upon the idea of the hasty coffee meetings people have to get a quick cup over a few sentences of mindless chatter – when you’re talking to your companions when drinking coffee in Brazil, always make sure you share your most precious recent moments and truly savor the experience. Respect the others and ask to be corrected if you did anything wrong.
Famous Vienna Coffee Houses
Vienna offers quite a lot to tourists – from amazing sightseeing opportunities, to delightful treats in its large number of coffee houses. If you’re paying the city a visit and would like to try out some of the exquisite tastes presented in one of its numerous coffee houses, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Remember that the most popular coffee houses aren’t always the best ones. In some cases, smaller places that are somewhat concealed around the city’s winding streets may end up giving you a better deal and allow you to have a better time as you’re sipping from your coffee at them. Café Prueckl
, which is one of those less popular ones, is one of the best choices for newcomers to the city to experience some of its delightful coffee flavors. Try out all the special varieties they offer and don’t just stick to the first one you like though!
If you’re wondering what to make out of all the sorts of coffee offered in Viennese coffee houses, you should have a look at this great illustration of different Viennese coffee sorts. It can give you a good overview of the most popular sorts being consumed around the city, and you’ll be much better prepared when you go out to have a cup of coffee with some of your friends – or even complete strangers, who tend to be very friendly here in Vienna! So enjoy your stay and savor every moment with Vienna’s wonderful coffee!
Coffee as a Deal Maker
Being Self-Employed (or a freelancer, Entrepreneur, Solo-preneur, or countless other titles I’ve heard people refer to themselves as – some of which aren’t really suitable to be posted on here), I meet a wide range of people in a whole host of different situations and locations.
Sometimes I’m the customer, other times I’m the supplier. Sometimes I’ve arranged the meeting, and other times, someone has asked to book some of my time.
I’ve read a fair few books, articles and essays related to where the dynamics of where you meet people compared to what you are looking to achieve from the meeting – if you’re looking to sell a service or product, it’s often best to go and visit the customer at their workplace (it gives them more security in their own environment, and they are more likely to buy), if you’re looking to buy a service or product, having the meeting at your workplace often gives you more confidence and ability to intimidate and get more of what you are looking for from the deal. However, I frequently met with Senior Managers and I was more than happy to bet the contract on the fact that they had read similar reports in the past.
Now, I hear you ask what this has to do with Coffee…
Having the meeting in a neutral location (like a Coffee House!) was often touted as a great idea. It allows both parties to meet somewhere which is more social, allowing them to drop the structure that appears in offices. It’s also a great way to sneak out of the office earlier – especially if you have to travel more than five minutes away, get your dose of Coffee from somewhere other than the Staff Kitchen, and also creates a more relaxed scene. The Coffee house was put forward as the best place to meet in, as the features such as the tables and chairs are more informal, allowing both parties to become more relaxed, and hopefully etch out a more beneficial outcome.
IIIIIITS CHRIIIIIIIIIIISTMAS!!!
Currently sat in my local Coffee shop, heard this on the music system, and it now finally feels festive. Weird how those two little words can make everything change hey!
Anyway, being the highly organised person that I am, I’m considering to start my Christmas shopping as I write this (December 21st), and feel that I should sort of start it. Luckily, my brother and mother are coffee addicts. So I’ve just bought their presents whilst ordering my drink. Not bad hey!
One that I’ve found is the $5 free Voucher with a 12 Pack of Starbucks Via Ready Brew for the US, and in the UK, you’re able to load the voucher with an amount from £5 to £150 – a great idea with the current weather and postal problems.
Perhaps look at that Coffee Machine you know they’ve always wanted (I know this would be what my parents would like the most…I think they’re being a bit optimistic myself…) – or just a packet of their favourite brew (You could get the 12 packets from Starbucks, and get yourself a free voucher in the States…of course, the giving is the best part!)
In the UK, Limini Coffee offer a range of courses – ranging from Latte Art, through to running your own Coffee Shop, so if theres that budding Barista in the family, get them down!
Above all, make sure you enjoy yourself. It’s a time for indulgence, so go ahead – have those six coffees (which are good for you), over-eat, and promise yourself in the New Year you’ll go on a diet – I won’t tell anyone if you don’t!!!
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
How to Use Cold Coffee
In this recent cold spell in Europe, I’m starting to drink more and more coffee than ever before. And I’m not just drinking it – I’m holding cup after cup of it.
This got me thinking of ways that I could use the cold coffee – not necessarily the steamed and foamed drinks, but often the basics – Americanos, Instant or Percolated Coffee.
So far, I’ve got a…err….varied list- ranging from heating it up again (either using a Microwave, or splitting it into two cups, and topping each up with boiling water), using it to make Coffee Cake, or even making Frappes.
Heating the drinks up may be a short term boost – it’s less waste, and faster (very good if I’ve been caught on the phone with a customer or door-to-door salesperson) but the flavour does seem to be a bit lower due to either diluting the strength, or the flavoured oil burning a bit.
Making Coffee Cake is great for three reasons. 1: Coffee. What’s not to love about that! 2: It’s cake….again, what’s not to love about that! And 3: It’s fun to make. Baking a cake will keep me as warm as a cup of Coffee, but it’ll also be a great treat to go with my drinks each day. But each of these takes a long time, and quite a bit of coffee to make (well, if you like it with a similar strength to mine!) so I’d have to either waste a lot, or make some more up on purpose to waste. It also doesn’t taste right if you’re using a flavoured Coffee syrup.
Frappes may seem like the ideal solution, and indeed, it’s the most common thing I do. When I was in the Scouting movement, my leader kept saying to have drinks that are close to the temperature outside – because the closer your core temperature is to this, the less you’ll feel the cold. Of course, unless you have hypothermia, in which case I’d suggest calling a Doctor or Medic.
What do you often suggest doing with your unused Coffee?
Photo Courtesy of: Dyobmit
Coffee House Atmosphere
I’ve recently gone back to my parents for Christmas, and noticing a difference in the attitudes, atmospheres and people in each place I’ve been so far…and considering I’ve only been back for one day, and visited three different places already – excluding the Airport.
The first was a small chain store (BB Coffee and Muffin), inside a shopping centre. As you’d expect with Christmas shoppers, it was quite busy, and people were in quite a bit of a rush. Considering I’d ordered the same size Latte here as I’d done for the rest of the day, I’d drunk this cup in a very short period of time – didn’t enjoy it very much for this reason, but felt warm inside (if you’ve been watching the weather in the UK recently, it’s a bit cold!), which is a bonus!
The second was a small restaurant my family are regulars at. Had a Latte again, and enjoyed this much more. It might have been the roaring fire in the building, it may have been the superb dinner I’d just eaten, but it might have been the fact that I was just much more relaxed. And, being more relaxed, I enjoyed the Latte more.
Where I am writing this at the moment is a Starbucks. It’s quite different to each Starbucks I’ve been in before, it feels more like your old local pub – the barista’s are very relaxed, chatty, and recognise people quite easily – considering it’s very near two of the busiest Motorways in the UK, that’s quite impressive. I did push the boat out here – I got a lovely big Frappe, with lots of whipped cream, so it’s not going to give me the same warming feeling that the Lattes would have, but it does feel quite nice inside here.
What do you think makes a great atmosphere? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
Photo Courtesy of: ASurroca
Coffee and Diabetes
Coffee has long had bad press in regards to health issues – the caffeine in it is linked to addiction, dehydration, panic attacks and the advice to pregnant and lactacting mothers is that they should avoid drinking it as much as possible.
But recent studies have shown that there is getting to be more and more positive reasons for drinking your daily cup of Java – not only does it help fight heart disease, headaches, asthma and Parkinsons, a recent study that has been published shows that it’s able to reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes.
The tests, which were carried out on Lab mice found prone to develop Diabetes have shown that the sample group given coffee (compared to Water) displayed signs of improved insulin sensitivity, and did not develop high blood sugar levels. The research also found that coffee has beneficial effects combating fatty liver tissue.
Past tests have also shown that drinking Coffee reduces the likelihood to develop diabetes. Women have been found to be more responsive to change compared to their male counterparts. When drinking six cups per day, the test subjects were (over eleven years) twenty two percent less likely to develop diabetes, compared to those who drank no coffee.
The main type of diabetes that Coffee is found to be especially useful in protecting against is Type II. Of course, combating this disease (one of the leading causes of death in the United States and across the world) can often postpone the offset of type II diabetes in the majority of people.
Photo Courtesy of: Untitled Blue
Coffee to go?
We’ve all had the problem at least once. Do you take your coffee to go, or do you drink in-house? A lot of it might depend on how much time you’ve got (I know when I was studying, it was normally a rush from home to my lecture, which had started twenty minutes ago!), but what if that’s not a time restriction?
First off, lets look at what you’re drinking. I’m sure if you’ve got thirty minutes for your drink, rather than being late already, you’d be able to find something a bit more…exciting. You could have a look at the menu, debate trying something new, and then consider what would happen if you didn’t like it (quite simple, order something you know you’d prefer!) If you’re in a rush, you’d probably be a bit more likely to order your favourite, in a snap second judgement.
What you’re drinking out of might also be different – a few places I know serve out of the paper cups, which I detest – especially in Winter. Cold hand, plus very hot coffee is quite painful, especially through a thin paper cup – even with an extra layer of cardboard around it – it’s not as bad if I’d have one of the wide range of thermal cups that are available – but it might ruin it a bit if I was drinking a frothy drink.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not take a ‘proper’ coffee cup outdoors when I’m walking around. Last thing I’d want to do is drop it and lose my precious java, as well as a cup – hence the thermos cup firmly planted in my hands most days. What’s your preference when you’re out and about? Sitting down in-house, or drinking on the move?
Photo Courtesy of: Adam NFK Smith
Coffee And Me
This article is a bit of a self-exploration. It’s based on explaining why I drink coffee the coffees that I do, when I do, and why I have the cravings for it at random times. It’s also going in to a bit about when I drink it, and how I like to have certain types at different times of the day
I tend to drink two or three main types of coffee. For my sins, I drink a lot of Instant Coffee. It tends to be strong, with three or four sugars in, as it’s my ‘get up and go’ drink. Mainly when I’m still in bed, it’s easier to flick a kettle switch, and wait for two minutes, opposed to either using a percolator, or heading out to get one. I’ll usually only drink Instant in the mornings. It’s a simple taste, which is why I’m guessing it’s a popular one for those who aren’t massive coffee fans. It’s also the type I get most cravings for – I suppose it could be the basic tastes and flavours that mean it’s much more drinkable at a more range of times.
My daytime drinks tend to be large. With lots of milk in, and either hot or cold, depending on the weather – if it’s a cold day, you can’t beat a good old Americano, with a small amount of cream and brown sugar mixed in. Sweet and strong, this classic coffee is suited to so many different tastes and needs – if you ask me, it’s the perfect coffee.
For hot days, a Frappe (or Frappuccino if I’m in Starbucks) is very welcome. It’s a very common drink here in Cyprus, often served in large Pint glasses, with lashings of ice, cream and of course, rich aromatic coffee! The contrast in the cold milk (or cream if you ask nicely!) sits so nicely with the strength of the coffee, that it’s hard to pick a fault in it. Except if the milk is sour, which I’ve had before. Needless to say, I was a bit traumatised, and was nearly put off of these for a week!
My ultimate ‘guilty coffee’ has to be a Jameson’s Irish Coffee, with cream, no milk, and a brown sugar. It’s usually only ordered after special meals, or for a celebration – which explains the decadent nature of it. I can guarantee that one of these made properly is a treat for the sight, taste and smell.
What’s your plans for when it comes to what you have and when?
Photo Courtesy of Il Conte di Luna
It’s a Fair Trade…
A large amount of you will probably be drinking Fair Trade Coffee as you read this, and may not even realise it. But you may not know much more than it’s a reasonable price paid to the farmers. There’s social benefits to the farmers, which extend further than the extra money which they are paid.
The scheme was set up in order to help the farmers of Coffee, Cotton, plus a variety of fruits by paying them a higher fee than what they were used to – for example, in August 2001, Coffee Beans were just $0.50 per pound. The current minimum price that companies have agreed to pay is $1.26 – nearly double the price of non-fair trade coffee, which is sold in Coffee Houses for the same price.
There are some requirements to the farmers with these prices, however – the money should be invested in much needed health care, education and looking after their environment – in other words, supporting the small farmers with your purchase of Fair Trade Coffee, you are supporting better in them in the long term by helping to improve their local villages and towns.
Currently across America, there are over one hundred companies with agreements to offer certified Fair Trade Coffee. They include Starbucks, Tully’s, Diedrich, plus many more local companies. All of these companies are offering you the chance to make a change to someone else’s life, by doing nothing more than asking for Fair Trade coffee.
Using Fair Trade Coffee is more than just being kind and caring to the farmers. Hopefully, it will make enough of a difference to someone’s life – improving their health and future generations possibilities.
