October 2010

Herkimer Coffee

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          As I was walking down the street of Greenwood Avenue to head down to my rolfing appointment, I noticed a cute, swanky coffee shop. Herkimer Coffee. From the interior outside design of the coffee place, it looked like an independently owned coffee shop. It did not display the very usual “corporate business” coffee shops like Starbucks or Tully’s coffee. I was in a complete rush that afternoon and forgot to drink a cup of coffee. I was feeling a bit cranky and tired, so I walked into the Herkimer coffee shop to order a latte. My first impression of Herkimer was absolutely mind blowing and breathtaking. My first steps into this coffee shop were very friendly and mellow. It had very comforting, jazz music playing in the background as well.

Peet's Gourmet Coffee

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Who doesn’t love coffee? I have found a new love in coffee. Peet’s coffee. I love coffee. I have tried many different kinds of roasted coffee blends in the past but happened to saw a Peet’s coffee aisle at the local grocery store. Many people I’ve heard from love this type of coffee brand. There is also a Peet’s coffee and tea shop too. Since I was not near the Peet’s coffee shop to purchase coffee there, I tried my luck to see if it was sold at this new place that just opened recently called Metropolitan Market.

The first Peet’s coffee and tea store opened in April 1966 on Vine Street in Berkeley, California. Peet’s coffee was created by Alfred Peet, who begin the process towards transforming the taste of coffee in the way that Americans experienced the taste and quality of coffee. This type of transformation still persists to this very day. Alfred Peet was born in Holland and came to the United States after World War II ended. He grew up in the coffee trade business and was stunned at the poor quality of coffee Americans were drinking. Eager to act fast, Peet became inspired to open his first coffee and tea shop in 1966. Since he emphasized on the importance of very good quality coffee, Peet’s style of coffee consisted of creating smaller batches, adding freshness, quality beans, and a darker roasting blend style. All of these combinations created into Peet’s coffee created richness, consistency, and most importantly, taste.

Emergency Caffeine Delivery Options

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We're heading into winter, the storm season for many parts of the country.  Newscasters are always advising you to keep candles, tinfoil emergency blankets, and bottled water on hand.  But what about the coffee?

1. French Press
If you have a way to boil water when your power is out, then a French press is one of the two best solutions.  You can boil water on either a gas stove or a propane camp stove. 

The down side to the French press is the "texture" (which some people find objectionable) and the difficulty in cleaning out the grounds if you don't have a working water supply. 

Does Coffee Prevent Alzheimer's?

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There has been a lot of back and forth in the medical community about whether coffee is good for you or bad. 

The current line of reasoning focuses on the fact that coffee contains antioxidants, as well as pharmacologically interesting chemicals like tannins, and even a known anticancer chemical called methylpyridinium. 

But the biggest splash by far has been made by researchers studying the link between coffee and Alzheimer's disease.  Alzheimer's is a serious problem: half of all people over the age of 85 suffer from the disease. 

Alzheimer's happens when plaques build up on the nerve cells in the brain, tangles form within the neural cells, and the cells die.  The disease progresses slowly as the brain cells die one by one. 

The Java Classics EXTREME Machine

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I live in a rural area, so there aren't many options for espresso when you're out and about.  There are precisely three Starbucks stores in the entire county (plus two Starbucks branded kiosks inside Safeway stores). 

Our area's parking lots are dotted with those little privately owned espresso stands, of course.  But I have to say, my experience at these has never been great.  I don't think I've ever ordered a drink and had it prepared correctly. 

There's always something.  At the last three places I've been, 1) I ordered an Americano with room but it came without,  2) I ordered a vanilla latte but the barista forgot to add the vanilla, and 3) I failed to specify two shots in a tall drink, and only got one. 

(One shot in a tall is the norm out here, Land of the Snickers Mocha, where no one wants to sully their sweetened flavored coffee drink with, you know, COFFEE.)

This is why Starbucks and McDonalds Café offerings are so popular: they may not be the best, but at least they're consistent.