Friday, July 3, 2009

Learn A Few Tricks Of The Coffee Trade


For those of you who hate coffee for reasons I can't possibly understand there here is something you may like. My wife on occasion makes home crafts and the thing she makes that I like the most are her coffee scents. This is so simple yet very appealing, and the cost is under $20.00. Here is what she does. She takes a large glass bowl and fills it with whole coffee beans. This part is up to you. My personal favorite is the Sumatran Dark Roast, but my wife likes vanilla flavored coffee instead. She then gets a vanilla scented candle and lights the candle and places it in the middle of the bowl full of beans. When the candle wax hits the coffee beans the room starts to smell like Vanilla Coffee. It is a relaxing smell that lingers for hours, and our guests love it. My wife even sends them as gifts, and our family and friends really do love it.

A Coffee Can Grill
Let's say you have kids and you are going camping. Did you know that your used coffee cans could be used as a grill? Yes! A coffee can grill! Let me explain. The first thing you do is take an empty coffee can and wash it inside and out. Then dry it completely. Take a can opener that you would use to open a can of juice, and start punching triangle holes every 1 inches to allow for venting. Take the plastic lid and place it over the side you just punched to prevent it from getting dirty. Pack a candle (unscented) about 3 inches wide by 5 inches tall. This is a cool project for the kids. When you set up your campsite and are ready to eat light the candle and remove the plastic lid from the coffee can. Then place the can over the candle and let it sit for about 7 minutes. Place a ground beef patty, or hamburger patty on top and cook it the way you like it, and "Presto!" You have just used your disposable coffee can grill. My kids love it!

An Under The Hood Blower
If you have teenage boys that are ready to drive then listen to this cool trick I did when I was 17 years old. I took a large Folgers coffee can and using a hole punch I punched a hole in the center of the can. I then emptied the coffee in the trash, because I can't stand Folgers coffee. Then I went to the junkyard and found a fan motor with fan blades attached for a Chevy S-10 pick-up. Most of the fan motors for GM are the same, but the Chevy S-10 was what I used. I then made holes in the can for the screws that hold it in place, and the fan blades in the center. After cutting out the center with a pair of tin snips I placed the fan motor inside the can. I then took the can to my car and looked for a place on the firewall to mount it. After mounting it using a modified u-bolt made from threaded rod heated and bent I began to measure the distance from the can to my air intake. I drilled two holes in the can one at the top on the side and one in the bottom. I used silicone and a 2 PVC elbows ? was its size and found hoses that I ran from the can to my intake and the other I secured to the side of the firewall leaving it connected to the can only. I ran my power source to the fuse box and ran a toggle switch to the fan motor. 

This was a fun project, because it challenged me every step of the way. I attached this unit to my 1973 Pontiac Lemans GTO. It had a 400 big block with Headman Headers and a Crain Fireball 2 race cam. Did I mention the 4 speed standard transmission? When I was in 4th gear I was doing about 60 mph then I flipped the toggle switch and floored it. My tires chirped and I went back in my seat. My speedometer on the car went to 120 mph. I promise you it was buried past that. I was at an old abandoned airport runway when I tried this, and I recommend not racing in any public place. It is illegal and you can hurt or even kill people. A fast automobile can be a dangerous thing. Use common sense before testing this on your car. I have to warn you if your block is made of cast aluminum you could over heat and blow a rod. My friend did this to a Ford Escort GT 1989. The head was badly warped and the bearings were fried. 

Coffee cans are very useful. I have used them for storage of nuts and bolts, or any other hardware items I may have. My kids store pencils and crayons in them. Many people store childhood memories in them kind of like a time capsule.

Whether you’re a newbie or a skilled barista, iCoffee Gourmet has everything you need and want to know about espresso machines, coffee makers, coffee grinders, premium coffees and gourmet espresso beans. Get yours today @http://www.iCoffeeGourmet.com.

Author: javajake Source: articlecircle

Friday, June 26, 2009

Coffee Gifts - Top 5


Looking for a gift for a coffee drinker in your life? They are probably just about tired of getting the same old coffee mug. But, if coffee is their way of life, there are many gifts that you can give them to allow them more convenience and better flavor. Here are some things that you should think about.

* Grind Out An Idea. Does the coffee drinker in your family like to purchase fresh coffee beans and then grinds them before bringing them home? If so, then why not purchase a coffee grinder for them. Use web consumer reviews to help you choose the best one because there are many. These are fairly straightforward pieces of equipment. But, going with a low end version is not going to be a good choice for gourmet coffee beans.

* The Coffee Gadget. There are many gadgets out there that are just amazing. There are those that are made for coffee too. To find them, look at your options on some of the coffee websites. For example, an excellent choice would be a coffee mug/burner that plugs into the cigarette lighter of your car. If your coffee lover takes his coffee to work or drives a lot, then this is the ultimate. It keeps coffee hot and fresh while you are driving. You can even find single cup coffee makers that will actually brew a cup of coffee from the cigarette burner.

* Nothing Says Love Better Than Chocolate. What does chocolate and coffee have to do with each other? Let's face it. They are just born for each other. Gourmet chocolates are an excellent compliment to coffee. If you don't want to go that route, look for those candies that are made with espresso in them for an even bolder taste and experience.

* Pack A Basket. Pack a gift basket with coffee varieties, with chocolates, with a variety of creamers and maybe even a mug. They are sure to take full advantage of this as coffee drinkers.

* Coffees from around the world? Many coffee drinkers love the richness, the flavor and the aroma of coffee. But, there are hundreds of different flavors. They come from all over the world and can offer more pleasure to the taste buds than you would have thought. You could provide them with a selection of coffees from around the world. If they like gourmet blends, then go for those. The good news is that there are many great options offered online. You literally can get a great cup of coffee on some of the online coffee markets!

Whether you’re a newbie or a skilled barista, iCoffee Gourmet has everything you need and want to know about espresso machines, coffee makers, coffee grinders, premium coffees and gourmet espresso beans. Get yours today @http://www.iCoffeeGourmet.com.

Author - sayush Source: articlecircle

Friday, June 19, 2009

Interesting Facts About Supermarket Coffee


In the supermarket you have alot of choices. It is fair to say that there are thousands of companies in the coffee industry. So, how do you decide which is right for you? Do you start at the supermarket and buy every single brand of coffee on the shelf? Well, before you do that let me clue you in on the freshness of supermarket coffee.

Typically, after the coffee completes the roasting process it sits in a warehouse for about two weeks. Then the coffee is loaded on a truck and transported to a distribution center where it sits from about 48 hours to a week depending on which supermarket chain wants it the most if at all, and then it is shipped again to another distribution center owned by your favorite supermarket where again it sits until your store orders it. It then gets transported once again to your supermarket where it sits until you buy it. If the coffee is a number one seller like Folgers it sits for no more then a week, but if it is an uncommon name brand it may sit for months. How is that for freshness? YUK!!!! As my kids would say! The real catch is that the comsumer believes that they are buying a full one pound bag of coffee, but read the fine print. Almost every company sells their coffee in 12 oz bags shorting you 4 oz. This is done for less expense on shipping a truck load of coffee.

What are the alternatives to supermarket coffee? If you desire fresh roasted coffee then you need to buy straight from a roastery. Many roasteries are different, but most of them have by far fresher coffee then any supermarket. Before you purchase from a roastery call them or email them and ask when will your coffee be roasted. If they respond by saying "we have coffee already roasted" then you may want to try somewhere else. The roaster that tells you that they roast it just prior to shipping is selling you very fresh coffee.

You may ask, what is the cost difference between supermarket coffee and a roastery? Cost always vary, but if you think that $8.95 a lbs to $35.95 a lbs is to much then you probably will never have a great cup of coffee that leaves your palate screaming for more. I personally can't stand the taste of stale coffee. I only drink the good stuff.

Author - javajake Source - Free Articles

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Can Coffee Be Used As A Fertilizer?


Used coffee grounds have been discarded as trash by millions of people around the world. Is there another use for your used grounds? The answer is "yes," and the more you learn about the used coffee grounds the more sense it makes to use them as a fertilizer. My Grandmother taught me years ago the secret of used coffee grounds. She said that the grounds give your plants more life. I always wondered what she meant by more life. Then as I watched her plants grow I seen some amazing things. Her tomato garden was huge, and much larger than our neighbors. Tomatoes the size of a softball grew in her garden and at a fast pace. When the neighbors would inquire as to her secret she said I have rich soil. She did not lie; because due to those used coffee grounds her soil was rich indeed. 


Used coffee grounds are a great fertilizer for gardens because of their high nitrogen content. Of all the mineral nutrients in the soil, nitrogen is generally the most difficult for plants to acquire. The reason plants have difficulty is because of the way they acquire the nitrogen. It is primarily thru their roots, which are buried in the soil. Most plants depend on mineral forms of nitrogen in the soil, and this is where your coffee grounds come into place. Your used grounds give your soil the added nitrogen that your plants need. Coffee grounds also contain potassium, phosphorus, and many other elements that aid in plant development. Many rose gardeners report that used coffee grounds aid in their roses development. Reports also add that when used coffee grounds have made their roses more colorful and larger than normal. In fact, when added to a compost pile used coffee grounds compost very quickly.

Nitrogen is a component of all proteins, and is crucial to life. In several studies, plants that have a nitrogen rich soil grew faster and larger then plants that grew in natural soil. It is clearly wiser to save those used coffee grounds and use them in your gardens or household flowerpots. If you are not using used coffee grounds you are wasting a great resource.
Author - javajake Source - Free Articles

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Welcome to Breeze Coffee


This is just the beginning. We are in the pre-launch phase of opening an online shop about and with everything coffee. We hope to engage you into a dialog of on-going comments and feedback on what coffee is all about in your world and how we can set up and grow an online coffee store in our global village. It sounds obvious but coffee online is different from coffee in a real coffee shop. So ponder for a moment how we can make an online shopping spree the best experience you could ever have in an internet coffee house. Tell us what coffee is to you. Tell us what would make you hang around for a while or why you would tell your friends. What you would expect to see, read and buy in an internet coffee house.

Cheers,

Ken Breeze
Breeze Coffee