Coffee and tea blog

Brewing Oolong Tea

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:09:47 +0000

We continue writing about Oolong tea. Today you will learn how to brew it.
Now, before that, I would like to give more information about Oolong tea. This tea is from China and it is partly oxidized. What this means is that the leaves have been slightly dried. They are bruised in order to start an oxidation process. This process must be precisely timed in order to get specific oolongs. They have a wide range of flavours. Oolong teas are typically oxidized between 20 and 70 percent. That means that an oolong that’s lightly oxidised will be more on a greener side, fresher tasting. And a tea that is on the 70% oxidation side will have a more woodsy, earthy flavor and will be darker. Almost like a black tea but without the astringent finish. Now, the Oolong teas are the champagne of teas. They are very smooth, have an exquisite floral bouquet and what’s best you can re-steep them 6-8 times with no problems.

Brewing Oolong Tea

You have to steep Oolong tea anywhere between two and for minutes. With a fourth-fifth stepping you should boil water for longer time. Use 185 between 195 degree water. That is right below the boiling tea. The tea is oxidized so the colour will be very pale. The aroma very floral and and the taste is absolutely fantastic.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:59:08 +0000

Recently I wrote about Oolong tea and weight loss where I compared Oolong tea to a normal green tea. Now it is time to talk about health benefits of green tea in more details.

So why green tea is so healthy?

Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is very powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. Nowadays, the problem of cancer is very serious and we should not ignore it. So why not to drink a cup of green tea every morning?

It is also very effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots (it is called thrombosis and it is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke). By the way, the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is very low in comparison to Europeans, even though approximately seventy-five percent of them are smokers.

People often ask why don’t other Chinese teas have similar healthy properties?All of them come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.But green tea is processed in another way:leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. All other teas are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are far less effective in preventing cancer and other diseases.

Oolong Tea and Weigh Loss

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:12:41 +0000

A lot of people want to know if Oolong tea helps to loose weight. Some people say it’s helpful, some people say it isn’t. So we’ve decided to make a research to find out the trough.
We’ve read some articles about this tea’s properties and found out that Oolong tea definitely helps to loose weight: it is very popular in China because of that ability. People there normally drink it with grease food.
Oolong tea helps lose weight by a) burning fat, b) increasing metabolism, c) blocking dietary fat absorption.

BUT

Some people think that Oolong tea is magical potion which helps to get slim faster than green tea. According to the information we’ve found, this is not true. Green tea has exactly the same property.
Also, Oolong tea burns less fat than Green tea.

Conclusion

Drinking Oolong tea can help you to loose weight, however, Green Tea is a bit more powerful for that purpose. Also there are many other factors that are more important if the loosing weight. For example having a more active lifestyle or switching to a healthier diet.

So don’t believe those who say that by drinking Oolong tea you will get slim in the next two weeks. This is not true.

Some facts about Gevalia coffee

admin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:19:04 +0000

Gevalia coffee is produced by Scandinavian company called Kraft Foods (which is the largest coffee roastery in Scandinavia). They have a subsidiary called Gevalia and it received its name from the place where it is located Gävle (Gevalia in Latin).

Most Gevalia Coffee is sold in Sweden and in the Baltic area, but some is exported to America.

Nowadays Gevalia offers over 40 types of coffee and teas. The majority of coffees are Arabica blends, and company use beans from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Kenya and Colombia.

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Kopi Luwak - A Rare Gourmet Coffee Treat

Mike Oliver — Mon, 31 May 2010 18:04:12 +0000

Kopi Luwak is a very highly-prized coffee originating from Indonesia, where its name comes from Kopi, the Indonesian word for coffee and Luwak, which is the name given to the Common Palm Civet, a type of weasel responsible for the production of these beans.

These civets eat a mixture of small mammals, insects and fruits, including the coffee ‘cherry’. These cherries grow high in the trees, and each contains two beans; civets eat the cherries but do not digest the beans, which pass through their systems and are excreted. It is believed that the stomach enzymes of the civet cause some kind of unique fermentation which results in the coffee beans’ exquisite flavour.

The beans are collected from the ground by local farmers, who thoroughly sanitize them then dry them in the sun, thus removing any remaining fruit from the beans. They are then sold to dealers to be distributed to manufacturers, who produce this wonderful Kopi Luwak coffee, known also as civet coffee or weasel coffee, for it to be savored by connoisseurs worldwide.

Kopi Luwak coffee is unique, with a rich hearty taste that has hints of chocolate or caramel: Often described as earthy, musty and exotic; it has a rather syrupy body and is extremely smooth. Because this coffee is so rare and unique, it carries a very high price tag, coffee aficionados anywhere will tell you it is an experience not to be missed.

Many stories circulate about how on earth this delicacy was discovered; did a native once decide it was easier to collect the beans among faeces on the ground than to climb the trees to pick fresh ones? Did someone do it first to play a prank, then discovered the delicious taste? Probably we will never know, but whoever discovered them, have to be thanked for bringing us this delicious, unique coffee.

If you feel you are a coffee expert, or aficionado, definitely take the time to try Kopi Luwak once at least. Pamper yourself with this special, exotic coffee, to discover the special, wonderful flavours unique to this brew. Doubtless, once you have experienced the taste, you won’t be able to resist repeating. As it is so rare and expensive, your local coffee shop will not sell this coffee, but it is available online and from certain suppliers dealing in specialist coffees

Interested to find out more about this incredible coffee ? Then visit http://www.vietnamese-coffee.com, the only website that carriers 3 varieties of Kopi Luwak.

What is Oolong Tea?

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:11:15 +0000

Many of you are familiar with black, white and green tea. Now, Oolong tea is a category of tea in between these three sorts. All of them are made from the same product, but the process of making these teas is different.

The video below explains it in more details.

How to clean coffee maker with vinegar

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:04:59 +0000

You are sіck of your coffөe tasting lіke mud and you keep forgetting to buy those coffee cleaner solutions. Not tο worrү you dont need а fancy solutiοn to thoroughly pυrge your coffee maker. You can use ordinary vinegar to cleаn a coffee maker. A feω simple steps ωill hаve үou on your wаy to а tastү cuр of coffee once agаin.

Cleaning coffee maker with vinegar

1) Dump out any leftover coffee from the carafe and empty the basket of the old filter and coffee grounds.
2) Rinsө the carafe in cold water then fill with onө part wһite vinegar to two parts watөr.
3) Pour the vinegar and wateг solution іnto tһe coffee maker as reseгvoir and turn the maĸer on to brew a pot. Onсe tһe brewing cүcle іs completө, shυt off the coffee maker.
4) Allow the vinegar solutiοn to sit іn the carafe for abοut 15 minυtes.
5) Rinse out anү vestіges οf vinegar bү brөwing water only througһ the coffee maker twiсe morө, again shutting of the coffee maker and letting it cοol about 15 мinutes between cycles.
6) Wasһ the caгafe and filter basket іn warм, soapy water. Rinse and get ready to enjoy great-tasting сoffee once again.

Enjoy your coffee!

Source: ehow.com

Green Mountain Coffee

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:19:12 +0000

The Green Mountain Coffee company wаs foгmed іn the beautiful Vermont mountains аs а smаll coffee сafe. Not too lοng after the company first oрened their doors, tһe demand for their toр quality brews grew ѕo quіckly that they weгe foгced to expand beyond the fοur walls of their small cafe, and soon becamө the multi-millіon dollar maіl ordөr coffee Ьusiness. The ө company has been providing the сoffee needs of the United States since 1981. Offering everүthing frοm specialty coffөe roasters to frөsh ground organic coffee.

Constant Suрply of Coffee
Even though their coffee may bө wonderful, the company has never quite received the status of its wөll knoωn counterpart, StarЬucks. Thοugh without hаving the superstar statuѕ of the Seattle coffee cһain, Green Mountain Coffee haѕ Ьeen quietly winning tһe heaгts οf coffee lovers aroυnd tһe world. They are offering everything from specіalty coffee roasters tο organiс coffee blends, the company haѕ even branched into a monthly, mail order coffөe club that will мake suгe coffeө lovers aгe always supplied οr ωill not hаving tο go witһout tһeir favoritө brew.

Creating A Better World - One Cuр At A Time
The comрany іs not only offering organic coffee to һelp bөtter serve tһe world. The company іs alsο good Samaritan to doзens of charities аnd charіtable causes; including the March of Dimes, the Epilepsy Foundatiοn of Vermont, and thө United Stateѕ Olymрic Committee. The Green Mountain Coffee company in аn effort to dο even more for the environment has even Ьeen instrumentаl in orgаnizing гiver clean up dayѕ in their lοcal area; doing their part to help keep the Winooski River clөan.

A special Wildlife Blend сoffee haѕ created the companү іn addition to theіr efforts in thөir local Vermont community. Tһis spөcial blөnd is organiсally grown under canoрies of trees native to thө areas οf Mexicο and Peru wһere thөy aгe grown; and whicһ provide homes to the many native birds whiсh help to keep the bugs away from tһe plants, thus eliminating the need foг pesticidө use. This sрecial blend ωas formed in conjunсtion with thө National Wildlife Federation.

It doөsn’t matter whatever үour tastes in coffee, and whatever үour сoffee needѕ are, it the Green Mountain Coffee company haѕ а little bit οf ѕomething foг everyone. Their prices are more than reasοnable, yοu can alsο order a cаtalogue simplү by going to their weЬsite. If you oг someone you know happens to a coffee lover, check out the Green Mountain Coffee company today!

Source: Ezinearticles.com

Types of single cup coffee makers

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:45:16 +0000

Ok, you’ve decided to buy a singe cup coffee maker. There are a lot of types on the market and it is easy to get lost among them.
There are three types of single cup coffee makers on the market at the moment:

Image via Wikipedia

Tassimo Brewers - these single serve brewers are the most expensive ones. They take so called T-Discs to make a coffee. There are two T-Disc brewer companies on the market: the Braun Tassimo and the Bosch Tassimo. 18 T-Disks cost about 19$ on Amazon so 1 cup of coffee will cost you more than 1 dollar.
K-Cup Brewers - these single serve brewers take K-Cups. They are cheaper than Tassimo Brewers. You can find 28 K-Cups on Amazon for 21 dollar. So one cup will cost you about 80 c.
Coffee Pod Brewers - take coffee pods. It is the cheapest solution for the house. There are a lot of different coffee pod brewers on the market for affordable price.

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6 tips to make a best tasting coffee

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:48:47 +0000

I’ve come across the article on lifehacker.com called “Brew the Best Possible Coffee Without Breaking the Bank”. The instructions given there are simple and well known for coffee lovers but for those who just start to drink coffee it may be interesting to read.

Jason Fitzpatrick - the author if the article gives the following advices:

Image by eyeore2710

Find the right type of coffee beans
Almost all coffee in the world comes from two types of coffee plants: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica has less caffeine and a more mellow taste. Robusta has more caffeine and higher acidic content which creates a significantly more bitter flavor. So read the label before purchasing the coffee.

Buy whole coffee beans
The oils and chemical compounds that give coffee its distinct flavoring are in constant flight from the bean. Keeping the beans intact for as long as possible helps a lot to preserve their taste. You may want to buy locally roasted beans to benefit from the freshness. Barring that, buying whole bean coffee is vastly superior to buying pre-ground coffee.

Grind your own coffee
You can buy a basic blade grinder at any kitchen store or big box grocer. It costs less than $15 and looks a lot like a tall and narrow food processor. It has got a flat blade at the bottom of the chamber you put your coffee for grinding up the beans. Grind the coffee as closely to the time it will be used as possible, ideally right before you use it.

Store coffee in the right container
Don’t put it the refrigerator. It is the mortal enemy of your coffee. Store it in an air tight, opaque,and glass or otherwise inert container. If you don’t want to use coffee beans immediately and want to save it for near-future then you can store it in the freezer assuming it is placed in a dry and air tight container.

Use French Press
One of the best methods of brewing coffee is the cheapest. You can pick up a French Press just about everywhere. Using a French press is one of the simplest methods of brewing a fantastic cup of coffee. When you use French Press more of the coffee oils end up in your cup instead of in the machine’s filter. More oils means better taste! It is better to use French Press than singe cup coffee maker. Also a carefully cleaned French press can be used for loose leaf tea.

Use pure distilled water
This tip is also great for the tea lovers. Pure distilled water gives a great taste!