Magnesium coffee from Nestlé in Spain

In Spain, Nestlé has launched two new Nescafé Vitalissimo coffee blends, fortified with magnesium to help reduce tiredness and fatigue. The new instant coffee is available in natural and decaffeinated formats – both in 200g glass jars – and is designed primarily to appeal to the health-conscious over-40 market. A single 2g cup of Nescafé Vitalissimo with 200ml of semi-skimmed milk delivers 15% of the daily reference value of magnesium, said the brand. Magnesium plays an important role in bone health and contributes to 300 reactions in human metabolism. Nestlé has claimed that the coffee, in addition to reducing fatigue, helps to contribute to muscle function, metabolism, normal dental and bone health and normal function of the nervous system. The innovation, which combines functionality with ‘silver – ie senior appeal’, extends a long line of recent functional coffee developments. Canadian start-up Counting Sheep Coffee introduced ‘Counting Sheep’ a coffee that helps you sleep. While Casa Espresso has developed a coffee specifically for cyclists. FoodBev also spoke to coffee brand True Start about its performance coffee for athletes that helps to regulate caffeine intake and improve recovery from periods of exercise. The true test will ultimately be in how the products taste. If anyone out there has tried these could you please let us know your opinion?

13 steps to brewing perfect espresso

Follow these easy steps to brew perfect espresso every time.



1.Remove portafilter from group head. Purge group head. Dry wipe filter basket.



2.Place portafilter in grinder prongs, dose coffee as it grinds into filter basket until basket is slightly over full. Or, if using auto dosing mechanism, chamber at least 2/3 full of grounds, coffee pull handle once for single, twice for double.



3.Gently tap portafilter while dosing to settle grounds. This will assure ground coffee density and allow proper amount (7 grams single, 14 grams double) into portafilter.



4.Level excess grounds in filter basket to evenly disperse and “level,” wipe remainder into knock box. (This should be nominal if dosing correctly).



5.Use hand tamper and place evenly on coffee. Make sure tamp is level before applying pressure.



6.Tamp grounds firmly (using 30 lbs. of pressure), leaning into tamp with upper body weight, wrist straight and elbow at 90 degree angle directly over wrist. Next, press water button briefly to flush out stagnant water.



7.Quickly wipe the rim of the portafilter clean and free of grounds and insert securely into group head before pulling the shot. Do not leave it in group head to burn.



8.Push the appropriate brew button to begin brewing. Start timer.



9.Brew into a preheated demitasse cup if “for here,” shot glasses or paper “to go” cup if size permits.



10.Observe the flow of the quality of the espresso. Espresso should resemble warm honey dripping from a spoon or it might resemble the "tail of a mouse". Stop at the appropriate extraction level (single 1–1.25 ounce and 2–2.5 double) and time (20–25 seconds) if using manual switch or wait for program to complete.



11.Serve espresso, or use it to make the ordered espresso-based beverage immediately.



12.Knock out spent grounds. Spent coffee should look like a hockey puck (firm) when dosed and packed correctly. NEVER leave used coffee grounds in portafilter.



13.Dry wipe the filter basket and group head until clean. Reaffix the clean portafilter into the group head to ensure thermal stability.



Now you are ready to brew again!

“Nutty Irishman Latte.”

Time for some Irish cheer! My drink special for March is the “Nutty Irishman Latte.” We’ve taken a classic hazelnut latte and added Irish cream flavored syrup to represent the Green Isle.

Here is the recipe if you’d like to try it yourself:

Nutty Irishman Latte
• 2 pumps (1/2 ounce) of hazelnut syrup
• 2 pumps (1/2 ounce) of Irish cream syrup
• 2 shots of freshly brewed espresso
• Finish off 16 oz cup with your choice of milk and ¼ inch of foam

You’d be crazy not to try one!

Dessert Time !!!!

Chocolate Pudding Pie
(Serves 8)
Crust: Use this recipe or purchase a prepared graham cracker pie shell.
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
6 tbsp. butter (melted)
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of ground cinnamon
dash of cloves
dash of ground nutmeg
Filling
8 oz. Quick & Easy® Chocolate Pudding mix
6 fl. oz. Dark Roasted brewed coffee
6 fl. oz. hot tap water
8 oz. fat-free sour cream
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
Topping
1 cup whipped cream
8 tsp. shaved chocolate
dash of cinnamon
dash of raspberry sauce

Use purchased graham cracker pie shell, or follow this recipe: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cocoa powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and mix well. The ingredients listed as "dash" should be according to your own personal taste. Mix in the melted butter and combine well with a fork. Press the crust mixture into a 9-inch pie tin and bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

For the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over a small amount of cold water to hydrate; heat over a double boiler to melt. In a large bowl, combine the pudding mix with the coffee and tap water and stir until well blended. Stir in the sour cream until well blended and follow with the melted gelatin. Pour this mixture into the pie shell, cover and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, cut the pie into 8 equal portions. Place a slice on a plate drizzled with raspberry sauce. Equally divide the whipped cream among the portions, sprinkle shaved chocolate over the top and dust with cinnamon.

COFFEE & YOUR HEALTH

Drinking Coffee Could Be Brewing Better Health for You.

In recent years, there’s been a lot of research percolating about coffee’s health benefits, along with some coffee-and-health misconceptions, too.

JAVA’S HEALTH

With 56 percent of the adult American population drinking at least one cup of coffee a day, according to the National Coffee Association, many people wonder if coffee drinking is healthy for them. Good news! A number of recent studies all found that coffee - in moderation(a few cups per day)— is a safe beverage and, in may cases, exhibits some health benefits. “Coffee has more than 2,000 different chemical components, including cancer-fighting antioxidants,” said Donald Hensrud, associate professor of Preventative Medicine and Nutrition at the Mayo Clinic, as quoted in a recent USA Today article. His statement is backed up by a 2009 study from the American Association for Cancer Research that shows men who drink the most coffee were nearly 60 percent less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer than non-coffee drinkers.

Coffee is also associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis in heavy alcohol drinkers, and for people without heart disease, a long-term study in the Netherlands showed that coffee could lower heartdisease risk. “The Netherlands researchers studiedmore than 37,000 people for 13 years, and found that people who drank more than two, but no more than four, cups of coffee per day had about a 20 percent lower risk for heart disease,” said a story about the study on the WebMD website. The study did not include people with known heart disease, so it is unclear if drinking coffee is beneficial for them.

Interestingly, several of these studies included decaffeinated coffee, and the results were similar, so caffeine appears to not necessarily be coffee’s main
beneficial component; however, studies have shown that the caffeine in coffee does boost cognitive ability and attention span.

Recently, Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 (adult onset) Diabetes have been added to the “reduced risk” category for coffee drinkers, according to the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Weekly News Bulletin. “Frank Hu, Harvard Medical School, noted that coffee contains caffeine, numerous bioactive compounds, chlorogenic acid, minerals and antioxidants, which may help explain coffee’s healthpromoting properties.” The article also said, “A large Finnish study of men and women, with a 21-year follow-up, found that drinking three-to-five cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 65 percent. A Canadian study of Health and Aging, with a 10-year follow-up, found that regular coffee consumption … resulted in
about a 28 percent reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. [Overall] cognitive decline was seen less in coffee drinkers.”

National Public Radio’s website expresses some caution about these results: ”…experts say the research only establishes a correlation between coffee drinking and brain protection … it’s possible that these regular coffee drinkers might have other habits in common that could explain the positive effect. Reisa Sperling, an Alzheimer’s researcher at Harvard University, cautions, ‘People who are very active in mid-life are more likely to be drinking coffee than are couch potatoes. Alzheimer’s is an incredibly complicated disease. Exercise and good nutrition do seem to be protective, but a person’s risk is largely determined by genes.’”

For More Information on Coffee/Tea and Health Issues:
Institute of Food Technologists: www.ift.org
Harvard Public Health: www.health.harvard.edu
Coffee Science (a division of the National Coffee Association): www.coffeescience.org
CoSIC, the Coffee Science Information Centre: www.cosic.org
WebMD: www.webmd.com (type coffee health in the search box)
Source...www.boyds.com

How to Cold-Brew Iced Coffee

Lets skip the whole pour hot coffee over ice routine.

Start by filling your favorite pitcher or iced beverage container with filtered water. Add a coarse ground coffee, my sugestion would be a nice Ethiopian Harrar. This should be done at a 4 parts water to 1 part coffee ratio. This might seem like alot, but the flavor is yummy. Stir up the mixture and set in the fridge for 12 hours, overnight. Strain and pour over ice....

WARNING! If you like to sweeten your coffee please taste prior to doing so. The result is the best iced coffee you will ever taste.

The CBS Early Show & the $12 cup of coffee

The CBS Early Show & the $12 cup of coffee

Check out the color difference....WOW what a great cup to be sure!

Classic Irish Coffee - The Recipe

With St. Patrick's Day around the corner here is a time tested favorite!

The Ingredients
(as Oscar Wilde would describe them)
Cream as rich as an Irish brogue
Coffee as strong as a friendly hand
Sugar as sweet as the tongue of a rogue
Whiskey as smooth as the wit of the land

(as a bartender would describe them)
- 35 ml Irish whiskey
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- Freshly brewed coffee, press pot preferred
- Fresh cold whipping cream
- Use a traditional Irish Coffee glass, one with a handle and a short fluted design.

STEP by STEP

Preheat the cup
The traditional Irish Coffee cup is on a thick, short stem, with a handle. Preheat with hot water
Press is best
For the traditional Irish Coffee, you can't beat a freshly pressed pot of coffee. Don't skimp on the quality or preparation!
The Whiskey
Just as you wouldn't want to skimp on the coffee, don't skimp on the whiskey either
- I'm using Jamison's 12 Year for this tasty beverage.
Whip it up
Where a lot of people make a mistake on Irish Whiskey is the cream
- out of a can won't do. The cream has to be just short of stiff - pourable, but extra, extra thick.
Add the Whiskey
Add your whiskey first, after emptying the glass of the hot water. This allows the whiskey to immediately start releasing big aromas.
Pour the Coffee
As quick as you can, pour the coffee to infuse and distribute the whiskey, locking in the melange of flavours both beverages offer.
Add the brown sugar
Add the brown sugar, and stir until fully dissolved. The beverage is hot, and brown sugar melts quickly.
Fold the cream
As the boys in San Fran figured out, the secret to great Irish Coffee is folding the cream onto the beverage via a spoon. Gentle pouring and layering will create a great looking and even better tasting drink.
The finished beverage
The finished Irish Coffee beverage, ready to enjoy and savour.

That's it! Drink the hot coffee and whiskey through the layer of cold cream, as it's meant to be - don't stir! This fine Irish beverage is a must-have recipe for every bartender to have in their book. If you've ever experienced a cold Irish winter, you’ll know why this drink is worth every drop.