Coffee Tea News, Cafe, Coffee Shop, Tearoom Culture | Cafehttp://www.cafe-list.com/Copyright Coffee Tea News, Cafe, Coffee Shop, Tearoom Culture | CafesNews Image Credit: Alie L. via flickr If you drink a lot of coffee and tea, you may find that your teeth have gradually become stained over the years. If that smile of yours is not what it once was, it is not too late to do something about it. I have been drinking coffee for well over 20 years and about 5 years ago was a little disappointed at the smile that was peering back at me and wanted to do something about it. Let me preface this by saying that this is not going to happen overnight. If it took you years to turn your teeth a different color, you can be assured that they are not going to go back to being pearly white in a few weeks. To say that dozens of products were tried would be an understatement, as it was probably more like hundreds. However, the secret concoction was finally discovered and luckily for you, I am about to share it with you. Teeth whitening is a huge industry and unfortunately, most of the products are a rip off. We are not going to bother with the bad ones, but I will tell you about some things that I found that do an incredible job. Are your teeth going to get as white as they were when you were first born, absolutely not, but changing them by 4-6 shades is every doable and you will no longer have that black hole showing up in photos. It is all going to start with a teeth whitening kit. We have tried the strips, the treatments and the gels and not one of them worked until I found the Dr. Collins Teeth Whitening Kit . It is fairly inexpensive and comes with moldable mouth pieces. They wear out pretty quickly, so you may want to buy a few more of them at the drug store. Word of warning, this is going to sting your gums a little when you first start using it, but if you follow the directions, you are going to see a difference in about a week. I recommend running through the kit and then give yourself a week or two off and then do it again. I still use this every 3 months or so for a boost. The next part is easy and that is the daily maintenance. There are three products out there that should be a daily part of your routine. I am not sure if it is one of them or the combination of all three and am not really willing to mess with it because it has made such a difference. They are: Listerine Whitening Mouthwash, Arm & Hammer Toothpaste and Arm & Hammer Whitening Boost. The mouthwash is a pre-rinse and you use the boost right on top of the toothpaste every day. They do a great job of daily maintenance to make sure that you don’t slide back to the shades that you were before the whitening treatment. In addition to everything else mentioned, I also recommend that you use baking soda on your toothbrush a few times a week, every day if you have a cup in your hand all day long. No toothpaste, nothing but baking soda. Wet the brush and pad it in the baking soda and then brush just as you would with your toothpaste. It’s not the greatest tasting thing in the world, but it will start to strip away some of those difficult caffeine stains after a day of drinking down a pot or two of coffee. Hey, we all love the flavor of coffee, but there is no denying that it can stain your teeth if you don’t take measures to prevent it. Regardless of the staining on your teeth, use this advice and you can turn back the clock a little bit and after a few months you just may see those pearly whites smiling after each sip of hot coffee that you take! Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/removing-coffee-and-tea-stains-from-your-teeth/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/removing-coffee-and-tea-stains-from-your-teeth/ What is better than a little prank to liven up your day? Do you have that one guy in your office that always seems to get over on you and that you just want to get one over on him just one time? Well do we have a trick for you! Let us preface this by saying that when you pull it off, make sure there is nothing on his/her desk that is going to get them in trouble if it gets a little messed up. We want to get over on them, but not get them fired. The first thing you need to get is a heavy paper photo that has a glossy finish to it. Make sure that the picture is something that you don’t want, because it is unusable after our little prank is finished. You are also going to need a small coffee mug and some hot coffee. After you have everything together, it’s time to put it all in place for the prank. Fill the mug up about 80% of the way with the hot coffee and then cover the mug with the picture. Hold the picture firmly on the cup and the flip the cup over. Now pick the spot on the desk that you want to place the cup and then set it down with the picture still under it. Once you have it firmly in place, quickly pull the picture out from under it and then clean up the few drops that spill out during the process. Give the mug one last press to make sure that the seal is firm and that it has taken. Now all you have to do is wait. Your buddy comes back to his desk to see an upside down mug on it and will probably think nothing of it. There couldn’t possibly be anything in there because it is upside down, right? The moment he picks up the mug, the coffee obviously flies out all over the place and you have finally pulled the prank on the prankster. This one is great and works perfectly. Here is a great video to show you how it’s done. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:46:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/video-have-a-little-fun-with-your-coffee/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/video-have-a-little-fun-with-your-coffee/ I normally would not mix business with pleasure, but searching around on Amazon for a new book to read lead me right to The Coffee Book: Anatomy of an Industry from Crop to the Last Drop. I am going to be the first person to admit that I didn’t even look at the summation of the book and though it would be another good read on exactly how coffee is made and sent out to the consumer, I was wrong. Even though it was not what I initially thought it was, I have to tell you, this is a pretty good read. While I may not agree or disagree with everything that is written in the book, it is a pretty eye opening experience as to what the coffee business is all about. You get a pretty thorough walk through the history of coffee, but with an economic twist to it. If you have your own coffee business, I would highly recommend that you get a copy of this and give it a once over. It has some pretty interesting information in regards to commerce and exactly how the coffee industry got to where it is today and where it has come from. Again, I am the first to admit that I never really gave it too much thought, but once you start reading, it is a little difficult to put down. I will forewarn you that the book definitely has a very distinct political view about it and after searching for some other opinions in it, some people were very passionate about how they thought this book was far too slanted. I did not get that and found it to be informative and entertaining at the same time. Like I said, it is not my normal read, but fascinating none the less and something that I highly recommend you pick up. Get more info on The Coffee Book: Anatomy of an Industry from Crop to the Last Drop. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:33:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/how-about-some-politics-with-your-coffee/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/how-about-some-politics-with-your-coffee/ Now there is a phrase that I never thought I would EVER say. Starbucks has hit the market with an instant version of their brew and it seems to be getting some great reviews. I didn't believe it and had to see it with my own eyes so I headed over to the local shop to take the challenge and see what all the fuss was about. I introduced myself to the manager to explain exactly why I was there and he had no problems throwing some samples out for me to try, he only insisted that I do so blindly because if I was going to write about the coffee, he wanted to make sure that I gave a true representation of what the product was. I have to admit, I was pretty impressed with his confidence. We tried it several different ways: black, cream only, sugar only and with cream and sugar and my way (1% milk, 1 Splenda). He wanted to make sure that I had tasted it just about every way that any normal customer would try it and of course, the way that I liked it best. I have to say, I was shocked that I only got it right on 3 out of 5 ways, but 3 of the choices were more of a guess than anything else. The flavors were very close and if you are an average coffee drinker, you should be happy with the product. Image Credit: brandonblog Now the one note that I do want to make is that 2 out of the three times that I got it right were when I think the true flavor shows up. Black was the one time that I was pretty sure I had it right and I was. It was close, but you could tell a slight difference in the coffee. I also got it right with the way that I drink my coffee and I would hope that I would as this is the way I have it every morning. Again, it was close, but I was fairly confident that I had it right. The rest of the tastings were pretty much guesses, but I was not used to coffee that way and telling the difference with the flavors was very tough. In the end, I have to say that when you are in a pinch, this could finally be the one instant product that does not make you gag when you have to drink it down. Of course, it is probably only a matter of time before this stuff is in every hotel chain in the country, but in the meantime, we can keep it our own little dark secret. And don't tell anyone you saw me in Starbucks either! Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:11:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/starbucks-goes-instant/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/starbucks-goes-instant/ San Francisco always seems to have that chill in the night air and there is no better way to take it out than a nice cup of warm coffee. If you live in the area, you are probably all too familiar with the local haunts, but when you are traveling, you are going to need to know where to get a quick cup of coffee and hop on the Internet as well. Here are a few gems that we have found. If you are looking for strictly coffee and internet, Muddy’s Coffee House (24th Street at Valencia) seems to be the place. The coffee is respectable, but not outstanding. The key to this whole place is the fact that they have Internet access and actually rent computers to the customers if they need them. There are plenty of coffee houses that are going the route of banning computers, so take advantage of this one while you still can. Staying in the Mission District, the only other place that seems worth a stop is Ritual Coffee Roasters (1026 Valencia). This is far and away the most popular coffee shop in the area and it is everything that Muddy’s is not. They do not allow laptops, so don’t bother setting up. The traffic flow in this place is constant and they cannot afford to have campers who are doing nothing more than stealing free Internet time. Ritual has true baristas working behind their counter and there is not a concoction that they are not capable of making. The set up is pretty impressive and the atmosphere is more like being at a night club than a coffee shop. This is easily the one place that you have to at least go to when you want the best coffee in town. Heading over to North Beach, Caffe Greco (423 Columbus) is one of our favorite spots. This is a true Italian Café. All the beans are imported directly from Italy and the espresso may just be the best in the city. Just make sure you sit with your back to the wall because you never know who is going to walk into this place. There are a few others, but Ritual and Caffe Greco seem to be the best. If you end up at Muddy’s, be careful because the area is not exactly the greatest, but when you need free Internet, you gotta have it. If you are inclined to wander around town and want a few more spots to hit, think about Zephyr (3643 Balboa at 38th Avenue) and Alvins (1708 Irving Street). Both will give you a respectable cup of Joe and get your on your way until your next fix is available. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:09:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/finding-a-great-cup-of-coffee-in-san-francisco/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/finding-a-great-cup-of-coffee-in-san-francisco/ That morning cup of coffee usually works wonders, but there are times when you may not even need to drink a cup to get the real benefits of coffee. Look at how coffee is perceived by people and you will start to understand where we are going to go with this week's funny coffee video. If you are to peek into someone’s office and see a cup of coffee sitting there, you automatically assume that they have been at work for a while, but is that always so? Bud Light put out a commercial that had coffee lovers everywhere thanking them for a way to get coffee to enable them to scam their bosses out of full day’s work. It was definitely one of the better ones that I have seen recently and had me looking for the cup that they used on the internet. The commercial starts out innocently enough with a hot steaming cup of coffee and while I won’t ruin it for you, I will tell you that life would be a lot more interesting if all of us could get our hands on one these things. It is deception at its finest and reminded me of the Campbell’s Soup commercial where the guy always looks busy, but never really accomplishes anything. Would something like this actually work in the real world, absolutely not, but it is still nice to dream that we could pull something like this off just once. Oh to be able to pull one over on our boss and have the upper hand for just one day. Here is the video of the week, enjoy! Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:12:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/video-sometimes-you-dont-need-to-drink-coffee-to-get-its-benefits/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/video-sometimes-you-dont-need-to-drink-coffee-to-get-its-benefits/ Image Credit: Cunning Stunt via flickr You always hear about this coffee shop or that coffee bean, but what about when you are out for a night on the town and want to have something with a little more kick and still get that coffee flavor. It is unlikely that you are going to want to knock back hot coffee drinks all night, but there is now a great selection of coffee liquors that can keep the party going. Vodka – over the last two decades, vodkas have expanded their flavors into just about anything that you can think of. While some of the flavors have met with mixed reviews, there is no doubt that coffee lovers absolutely love sipping on their coffee flavored vodka. Van Gogh is the recommendation here as their Double Espresso absolutely hits the stop. It is actually "the only FDA approved vodka" available in stores. It drinks very smoothly and definitely has a great coffee kick to it. While you can get creative with some drinks, I prefer this one on the rocks to sip slowly at the end of a long day or as a nice martini. Liqueur – This is probably the biggest are that you are going to see coffee drinks, but these are more about enhancing drinks rather than standing up on their own. If you can think of a liqueur label, they probably have something out on the market. You may be familiar with some of the more popular brands like Kahlua and Tia Maria, but Starbucks, Sabra and TGI Fridays all have their own version of the old standard. Tequila – This is not something that you probably have ever thought of blending with coffee, but the giant of the Tequila world has come through huge with their latest creation. I first tried Patron XO Café about a year ago at a tasting and was immediately fascinated by it. So much so that I went right home and ordered some at the only online vendor that I could find that had it in stock already. Most coffee liquors have a tendency to be oversweet while this concoction has captured the true essence of the coffee flavor. You can do just about anything you want with this incredible spirit. Use it to enhance a drink, pour it over vanilla ice cream or just pour it into a snifter and enjoy. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/coffee-liquors-get-you-coffee-flavor-with-some-added-kick/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/coffee-liquors-get-you-coffee-flavor-with-some-added-kick/ Image Credit: Costa People are always looking for different opportunities and something that you have read here on several occasions is the possibility of opening up your own coffee shop. With such a push being to save money, it is actually amazing that people are not cutting their coffee shop coffee out of their budgets. It is now at a point that this is a very viable option if you can get yourself attached to the right chain. To be honest, it may not be the best bet to open up a mom and pop shop. You would hope that any neighborhood would support a small business, but the reality of it is that name recognition goes a long way. You can have two places selling the same exact thing and if one of them is a known label, they are going to be the ones that are busy. Costa, which is owned by Whitbred, has been crushing their annual numbers and continues to steam ahead in the coffee shop business. They currently have well over 900 stores in the UK and are looking at a 2.5% increase in sales for the first 6 months of the year. While that may not seem like a lot, it is being done at a time where company after company in every industry is losing money hand over fist and being forced to eliminate jobs, not add them. Now while the opportunity does exist, you have to be careful with what brand you are going with. For instance, Starbucks is the one coffee label that everyone knows in the United States, but they are actually losing business (down about 4% this year) because of oversaturation and a tired product. They have started to address the issue and are beginning to introduce new products (see our article on their instant coffee), but they are still expected to reduce the overall number of stores that they have open over the next year. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:02:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/is-opening-a-coffee-shop-still-a-viable-option-in-a-down-economy/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/is-opening-a-coffee-shop-still-a-viable-option-in-a-down-economy/ You brew a pot of coffee for yourself and want to enjoy it over the next hour or so, but have you ever noticed that after about a half hour or so the flavor of the coffee starts to dramatically change? You just brewed it fresh, but the first cup to the third cup is nothing alike. The problem is that your coffee never stopped cooking and you are more or less drinking burnt coffee. This is a common problem at home and something that many coffee drinkers face, but few actually realize what the problem is. They mistake the coffee for being old and constantly throw out half full pots of coffee when the situation is not the coffee getting old at all and is entirely fixable. For about $20, you will never have to throw that extra coffee away and can enjoy a fresh cup for the entire pot. As the coffee sits on the warming burner, the heat continues to cook the coffee in the pot. The only way to combat this is to take the coffee of the burner. Now if you just remove the pot, you are going to be stuck with cold coffee and forced to microwave it to get hot cup every time. That is unless you invest in a thermal pot. Instead of nuking your coffee or burning it, simply get a coffee maker that puts it directly into a thermal pot of buy one for your current coffee maker. The best ones are what they call “pump pots.” You can dump your coffee directly into the thermal pump pot, seal it and then whenever you need a cup of coffee, you simply pump it out of the container. While these will cost you a bit more than a regular thermal style pitcher, you never have to break the seal on the top of the container and your coffee will stay fresh and hot for hours. Check out the Bodum Columbia 8-Cup Stainless-Steel Thermal Press Pot Amazon has. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:29:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/keeping-your-coffee-hot-and-fresh-at-home-with-a-thermal-pot/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/keeping-your-coffee-hot-and-fresh-at-home-with-a-thermal-pot/ Whether you are a coffee connoisseur or you are just using coffee to get you through the day, you deserve to have the best cup of coffee for your money. The biggest problem that many people have is the pot that they are actually using to brew their coffee. By spending just a few extra dollars, you will find that you are getting the best that your coffee has to offer. There are a ton of discount coffee makers out there, but you would be surprised to know that most of them don’t even brew the coffee at the right temperature. If your coffee is not being brewed at 200 degrees, it is not being brewed properly. A lot of the cheaper machines will only get to about 180 degrees and that means that your coffee tastes nothing like it actually should. When you are out shopping for your coffee machine, it all starts with how much you can spend. Once you have your budget in mind, your choices are going to be cut down significantly. From there, you need to find out which machines are actually brewing at the optimum temperature. You will find that the selection now is very slim. From there, you can break down all of the features of the machines to find the one that will work best for you. If you weren’t planning on spending a lot, you may find that you only one or two choices at this point. You can have the best beans in the world, but if your coffee maker is not brewing it correctly, you are only going to have an average cup of coffee. Find the best coffee maker in your price range and you can finally enjoy coffee that way that it was meant to be made. Over the next few weeks we will have machines reviewed in all different price points so keep coming back and we will get you pointed in the right direction. Take a look at some best selling coffee makers. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:32:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/whether-you-are-a-coffee-connoisseur-or-you-are-just-using-coffee-to-get-you-through-the-day-you-des/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/whether-you-are-a-coffee-connoisseur-or-you-are-just-using-coffee-to-get-you-through-the-day-you-des/ Image Credit: Caringgifts.com Holiday seasons are coming up and more than likely you will be having visitors in and out of your house all season long. The first thing we always offer is a cup of coffee, but it would be nice to offer something a little extra special since it is the holidays. There are a million different gourmet brands that you can choose from, but Godiva is always a popular one. The question is, "Is it worth the extra cost to have a gourmet cup of coffee?" If you have never had a cup of Godiva Coffee, you have no idea what you are missing. Now this is not coffee for the purist, but for those of you that like flavored coffee, it has a taste that cannot be beat. You are going to pay for the pleasure, make no mistake about that, but there is also a way to make the most of every dollar you are spending. Two of the flavors that stand out are the Godiva Crème Brulee and the Godiva Chocolate Crème Coffee. They also offer a Hazelnut flavor, but it is not up to either of these. The Chocolate Crème is about as good as it gets. If you are hot chocolate lover, this is going to be right up your alley. When you want something richer, give the Crème Brulee a try. Either of this is going to take you to paradise on every sip. For something really amazing, put a bit of each one in your next pot. As we said, Godiva is fairly expensive, but the coffee also has an extremely rich flavor to it. Because of this, you should be able to stretch it out quite a bit. Personally, I like to make a 10 cup pot of coffee by using 5 tablespoons of regular coffee and then adding 3 tablespoons of the Godiva. If you brew it with all Godiva coffee, it may be just a bit too much. Thinning it out with your favorite regular brew and going a little lighter on the Godiva makes the perfect cup. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:59:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/godiva-coffee-is-it-worth-the-expense/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/godiva-coffee-is-it-worth-the-expense/ In a word, YES! Gavina coffee has been around for well over a hundred years and they continue to put out some of the best coffee on the planet. Ok, maybe I am getting a little zealous, but if you have not tried any of their gourmet beans, you have to give them a shot. They are becoming more and more popular with the mom and pop coffee houses, but there is nothing better than brewing it yourself. Whether you like your coffee traditional or with a twist, you are going to find something here that will please you. For regular coffee, you can do no better than their Gavina 100% Columbian. This is strong without being overpowering and perfect to get you rolling in the morning. It has a rich coffee flavor to it that you only find in the best of coffee houses. My personal favorite is the Gavina Mocha & Java Blend. There is just enough of a mocha hint to let you know it is there while it does not overpower the coffee flavor itself. This is actually perfect for an after dinner cup of coffee that can be paired up with your favorite dessert. It might be a bit much for a breakfast cup of coffee, but nothing is better to wind down your day. If you have a coffee shop, you will be delighted to know that they also offer a full line of equipment that will brew your coffee to perfection. When you are buying a high quality coffee like this, you want to makes sure that you are getting the most out of it by having the best coffee brewer handling the duties for you. If your equipment is not up to snuff, think about investing in one of their machines so that you can truly enjoy this magical brew. Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:03:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/is-gavina-coffee-as-good-as-they-say/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/is-gavina-coffee-as-good-as-they-say/ Image Credit: Optimistworld.com Well it is as long as it is consumed the right way. Don’t get me wrong, coffee can be a problem, but that is more in how people drink it than anything else. With all of the negative press that coffee has receives at times, we figured it was time that we shed some light on some of the healthier aspects of our precious little brew. Green tea seems to get all the glory, but coffee has also been proven to be effective in combating type 2 diabetes. It has also been proven to help prevent things like gallstones, Parkinson’s disease and colon cancer. Of course, we all know the benefits that are associated with the consumption of coffee for endurance athletes. You think Lance won 7 TDF’s on water alone? Now where coffee gets its bad reputation is because of how people consume it. You can start by breaking down some of those drinks that pretend to be coffee. The biggest violator of them all is the Starbucks Frappuccino. This thing is loaded with fat and sugars that will absolutely kill any diet. This is not coffee, this is caffeine suicide. If you insist on drinking them, ask about their low fat options to at least cut back on the unhealthy aspect of these coffee drinks. The Coolatta is just another version of this coffee bastardization. This is more like drinking a milk shake in the morning instead of drinking something to get your day jumpstarted. They can often have well over 500 calories and more than 15 grams of saturated fats! What kind of a way is that to get your day started? As soon as that sugar rush dies off, you will actually probably feel more sluggish than anything else. If you want to keep coffee healthy, you need to consume actual coffee, not something that is pretending to be coffee. Keep the cream and sugar to a minimum and if you have to sweeten it, try using low fat milk and something like Stevia so you are not killing your sugar intake for the day after only 2 or three cups of coffee. Coffee takes a lot of heat for being unhealthy, but you can rest assured that it does have some healthy benefits. As long as you don’t turn it into something healthy, you will actually benefit from consuming it on a daily basis. Lay off the cream, lay off the sugar, but keep drinking your cup of Joe every morning. Who knows, it may just save your life! Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:01:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/the-best-news-for-any-coffee-lover-coffee-is-healthy/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/the-best-news-for-any-coffee-lover-coffee-is-healthy/There is nothing more disappointing than to look forward to a cup of tea only to find that the leaves have gone stale and what you were so looking forward to only moments ago has now turned into a disappointing experience. If you are not storing your tea properly, you are basically wasting your money on that fancy brew that you love so much. Tea leaves have the ability to pick up other flavors. That being the case, you are going to want to make sure that you keep your tea away from things that could have an effect on the flavor of it. Not having it exposed to air, moisture and other odors is extremely important if you want to preserve its true flavor. When you are buying large quantities of tea, you are really going to have to be careful. If you are not using it up quickly, you risk the bulk amounts going bad. There are things that you can do to stop this from happening though. You will first want to look at how you are buying your tea. If the tea comes in sealed quantities, you should be okay to use it in small portions. If all of the tea is in the same bag, you will need to separate it and only keep out a small amount. If you have a vacuum sealer, you may want to take the large amount and preserve it and then take the smaller quantity and put it in a tin for use over the next week or so. Forget using glass display containers as they will expose the tea leaves to sunlight and destroy its natural nuances. If you insist on having it on display, get a tin with a design on it so the tea will still be out on display, but not really be affected by the environment. If you like the glass, you could always just put tea leaves in there that you never plan on using and have it for display purposes only. Keeping the outside elements away from your tea leaves is critical to preserving the true flavor of the teas. This is especially true if you are using gourmet teas instead of the generic brands that you are going to find on the grocery store shelves. Keep them out of sunlight and moisture (such as the fridge) and you should have a quality cup every time. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:12:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/what-is-the-best-way-to-store-tea-for-freshness/http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/what-is-the-best-way-to-store-tea-for-freshness/Teas are becoming more and more prominent and as they gain popularity, different types of teas are popping up that we have never heard of before. Now we are not talking about tea brands, but actual tea leaves. The days of only having Tetley black tea as your choice are long gone as you not only now have black, green and white tea, but also variations on all of them. Black tea is what most people are accustomed to. This is a much stronger flavored tea and the easiest to preserve over time as it is not as delicate as white tea. This is probably the primary reason that most establishments will use it. It is often very cheap and usually available in many brands in very large quantities. While both black and white tea are made from the same plant, the similarities stop there. As we said, black tea is much stronger, which of course means that white teas tend to be very delicate in taste. If you have never had one, you are in for a pleasant surprise. They get this delicate taste because they are removed very early from the plant itself and do not have the time to completely oxidize like the black tea does. Because of this, it is very important that your tea is stored properly or you risk it losing its flavor. The color of white tea is also dramatically different from that of black tea. Black tea is not actually black, but a deep orange in color. White tea is also not its namesake white, but a light golden color that is very delicate. For this reason, people who drink white tea will often prefer to drink it from a tea glass so then can enjoy not only the flavor of the tea, but the color as well. One last feature that makes white tea very attractive is that it is like green tea in the fact that it is rich in antioxidants. Because black tea is allowed to fully oxidize, it does not hold this benefit. For those that do not enjoy the taste of green tea but want its benefits, this makes a great alternative. As you can see, there are many differences from white tea to black tea. The flavors are more complex yet delicate at the same time. While you will see fruits like oranges in some the flavored teas, white teas tend to go more towards pear and peaches. When you want to try something different and unique, give white tea a try. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:14:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/the-difference-between-white-tea-and-black-tea/http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/the-difference-between-white-tea-and-black-tea/ If you have not yet read this book, "The Ultimate TEA Diet: How Tea Can Boost Your Metabolism, Shrink Your Appetite, and Kick-Start Remarkable Weight Loss", it has some great insights about tea as well as incredible tips on how to work it into your diet and help you get your weight back under control. To pretend that America does not have an obesity problem is just plain ignorant. Mark Ukra and Sharyn Kolberg do a wonderful job of showing you how this wonderful drink can help you get that part of your life back under control. While he is not a real doctor, Mr. Ukra has taken on the title of "Dr.Tea." After reading a few passages of his book, you will have no problem letting him keep his self bestowed title. While doctors of medicine know everything imaginable about the human body, this man has a wonderful insight to the world of tea that few others have the gifts to present so well. Instead of just talking about tea, Mark uses it to give you insight to just about every facet of life. By implementing tea into your diet, it creates not only a tasty beverage, but an actual way of life for you. He explains how tea can keep your metabolism fired up for the entire day and drinking the right tea will actually help you to lose weight. Now of course tea is not the only thing that is going to accomplish this. Mr. Ukra also talks about your actual diet and has some incredible recipes in the book that work tea into the cooking method. Few people have ever even thought about this, but one taste of his recipes and you will be sorry that you waited so long to come around. While he can be a little overzealous at times, you have to take that for what it is worth. We do not suggest that you overindulge in your tea consumption, but working it into your diet is a good idea. Doing so can and will promote a healthier lifestyle and some of those recipes may just have you the talk of the next dinner party. So, if you haven't already read “The Ultimate TEA Diet”, you should totally give it a try. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:45:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/try-the-ultimate-tea-diet-to-lose-weight/http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/try-the-ultimate-tea-diet-to-lose-weight/ Some of the Hawaiian blends of coffee are absolutely incredible, but until now I have not read a book that tells the story as well as “The Hawaii Coffee Book .” Written by Shawn Steiman, this is a truly revealing look at the history of the area in regards to coffee and a breakdown of the area, region by region, for complete flavor profiles. While all of that information alone is worth the price of the book, it also features some absolutely incredible recipes that work coffee into the cooking method. For those of us that can never get enough of that wonderful coffee flavor, your taste buds will be moist with envy as you turn the pages. While you can naturally assume that some chocolate desserts will go well with a coffee infusion, working our favorite beverage into things like ‘Ahi Tuna and Lamb may have never crossed your mind. In addition to all of this, Shawn also gives some basic tips that some of us may need a refresher course on. From how to store your coffee to how to brew it properly, you will find a lot of useful information that may make your next cup of coffee the best one that you have ever had. Everything is presented in laymen’s terms and there is no “coffee snobbery” that you may find in some of the other coffee books that are currently in stores. You should know that this book in not written by some fan of coffee, but a man that has truly devoted his life to it. Mr. Steiman has a PhD from the University of Hawaii-Monoa specializing in Coffee Studies. His opinion is much sought after by local and national growers alike. This is a rare opportunity to truly get into the head of someone who literally knows just about everything that there is know about coffee. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:05:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/finally-a-book-on-hawaiian-coffee-that-gives-true-insight-on-their-wonderful-blends/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/finally-a-book-on-hawaiian-coffee-that-gives-true-insight-on-their-wonderful-blends/ It seems like such a simple decision, yet people can make it a very painful one. So that you have the right table to enjoy your coffee at when everyone breaks from the dinner table, we have put together a few helpful tips to make your decision a little easier. While this is not a be all and end all guide, it should get you pointed in the right direction. Before you even start looking at coffee tables , you need to look at two things: How much room do you have and do you have young children? The first of these questions is important because you don’t want to fall in love with a table that will not fit. The second is important because certain designs are all but out of the question if you have some little ones running around the house. Once you get the size narrowed down, you can move onto the kids. If you don’t have them, the world is your oyster. If you do, tables that have sharp corners and that are made of metal and glass can pretty much be thrown out the window. The corners kind of speak for themselves in that if the child falls, you do not want any part of their body coming down on an edge. You also have to be careful of the material as wood will be a little more forgiving than metal and will not break like glass can if they come down on it. At least with a rounded wood table, they will probably end up with nothing more than a bump. Now that you have the tough decisions out of the way, the rest is easy. Head out to the store and find something that won’t hurt the kids and is about half the size of your couch or sofa. If you plan on using it for some storage , get one with drawers in it so you don’t have a clutter build up underneath the coffee table . Then the only thing left to do is host a dinner party. When everyone is ready for coffee, break to your new show piece and have them drool with envy. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:45:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/what-kind-of-coffee-table-should-i-buy/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/what-kind-of-coffee-table-should-i-buy/We have all had those days, just one miserable thing happens after the next. Have you ever noticed that those days tend to happen when you are running a little late and you don’t have the time for that all important first cup of coffee? You didn’t have time to make it and you don’t even have time to run into Dunkin’ Donuts real quick. The day starts off bad and just gets worse. Well, the only way to stop the slide is to get that cup of coffee in you and get everything back to normal. Instead of continuing this horrible chain of events, take the time to step back and get everything back under control. Is it the cup of coffee that is going to make everything better? Not technically, but it sure isn’t going to hurt. People are creatures of habit and habit breeds repetition. If you are used to things going a certain way and your day starts off differently, you almost condition yourself for failure on that day. Because things have not started out normally, we automatically think that this is a bad thing. The only way our world can get righted again is to find something that has the capability of getting us in the right mindset again and what is that one thing? It is a cup of coffee, of course! Tough days happen, it is the reality of life. But no matter how bad your day is, there is a way to get it back to normal and if you catch it early enough, you somehow can manage to fix everything that was wrong and make it like the bad stuff never happened. Coffee can’t do miracles, but it can give you that small break that you need to get things back to normal. Remember, no matter how bad you have it, there is always someone else who has it worse. If you want a little proof, check out the way this guy’s day got started and your day will seem like a cake walk. All I can say is if maybe he had a good cup of coffee before he left the house, this mistake would never have happened. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:10:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/sometimes-coffee-just-makes-your-day-better/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/sometimes-coffee-just-makes-your-day-better/ You obviously cannot take the mug you use to drink coffee on Sunday morning into your car or on the train to go to work. You need something that is not only going to keep your coffee hot, but also prevent you from spilling it down the front of your shirt and going through your work day trying to hide it. The Oxo Good Grips LiquiSeal Travel Mug has to be considered one of the best coffee mugs on the market. The mug features an open and close button that allows for simple one hand operation and assures you that the only time the lid is open is when you are ready to take sip. The actual middle part of the mug is a little large, but there is an indented spot towards the top that makes it easy to grip. One of our favorites is the Contigo Autoseal Stainless Steel Travel Mug. It holds a healthy 16 ounces of your favorite beverage and has a perfectly placed button that is used to release the seal for you to take a drink. It may be a little pricey at around $20, but this is truly money that is well spent. If you are looking for something that is ideal for the train, try out the Thermos Raya Stainless Steel Travel Tumbler. The reason we recommend this one for the train is because of the long narrow design and easy gripping sides. It is extremely easy to hold onto, but because of the narrow design, it is not really suitable for the car. It may move around a bit in the cup holder and could end up getting knocked over. It hurts our coffee purist heart to say this, but Starbucks has one of the best thermal coffee mugs available. The Starbucks Stainless Miller Tumbler will cost you about $16 and is one of the more reasonably priced mugs that will keep your coffee hot for the entire ride into work. Unlike most of the other mugs we have reviewed, this one has a great handle on it for easy gripping. Some people have to have a handle on their coffee mug and if you are one of them, don’t waste your time on anything else. While there are plenty of other thermal mugs on the market, few will hold the temperature of a hot cup of coffee for anything more than a half hour or so. Each of the ones that are mentioned above should keep your coffee hot until you walk through the front doors of your office. Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:21:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/finding-the-right-travel-coffee-mug-for-your-ride-into-work/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/finding-the-right-travel-coffee-mug-for-your-ride-into-work/ Image Credit: Sabores While it seems like there is a Starbucks on just about every corner in America today, that was not always the case. There was a time when they were just another neighborhood coffee shop that was trying to stay alive. The company was pretty much made up of a few coffee shops in Seattle for about 10 years before a revelation occurred that would change this company and how people thought about coffee for many years to come. While on vacation, Howard Schultz started to take particular note of how the cafés were run in Italy. He fell in love with the concept and set ups and brought new and old ideas alike back to Seattle with him. Old in that they were from Italy and new in that nobody was making use of these ideas in the United States. It is unlikely that he ever dreamed how successful these ideas would make his company. Over the next decade, Starbucks continued to grow as more and more people fell in love with the different twists that Starbucks was introducing people to and the various blends that they served. It almost seemed as though every person that went to Seattle told a story to everyone once they got back home about this incredible cup of coffee that they had or some new and interesting coffee drink that they had just tried. This buzz made it quite obvious that the next prudent move was to start opening up Starbucks across the United States. The last 20 or so years have been quite a ride as Starbucks has gone from a local coffee shop to a publicly traded company. For most people, there are two choices of coffee in the morning if they are not making it themselves: Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks. Starbucks has taken coffee to a totally different level and turns traditional non-coffee lovers into addicts with some of its other creations such as the Frappuccino. While some may consider Starbucks a Yuppie style shop, there is little doubt that they do coffee right. Forget all of the fancy variations, their regular blends always offer you a great and fresh cup of coffee at any time of the day. Starbucks is here to stay and coffee will never be the same. Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:06:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/how-did-starbucks-take-over-the-coffee-world/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/how-did-starbucks-take-over-the-coffee-world/ No, this is not a country, but a brand of tea that is absolutely fabulous. They have a variety of flavors that will truly send your taste buds into a frenzy. Their special blends are among the best tasting teas in the industry. Actually, we can go out on a limb a little bit and say with confidence that once you see their selection, you will absolutely find a tea that will become a regular part of your morning. The Republic of Tea has many interesting flavors, but some of them are so unique that they are worth a special mention. Their Green Tea collection is one that you will definitely want to explore. The Acai Green Tea is one that is exceptionally good. We all know the wonders of this incredible fruit and adding a glass of this to your daily diet can only lead to good things. One of my favorites is the Pomegranate Green Tea. To be honest, this is actually better when served as an Iced Tea. Brew it as you normally would and then allow it to naturally cool. Then you can pour it over ice and enjoy it just as it is. Allow the natural flavors of the Pomegranate to fill your palate and you will never buy Snapple again. Another collection that they have that is pretty incredible is the White Teas. There seems to be a blend that is meant for every type of morning. A delicate summer morning with a light breeze and you brew a cup of Ginger Peach. When you are on vacation and enjoying the smell of the ocean and the tropics, a cup of Pineapple Guava will do. For those harsh winter mornings that call for something with a little boost, you can trust that the Orange Blossom will get you through the day. If you desire something with a little more bite to it, there is yet another collection, the Black Teas. A true eye opener is the Cinnamon Plum. As soon as it hits your palate, the cinnamon makes its presence known and then it finishes with the flavors of ripe plums. It is almost too good to be true. Forget having a glass of the same old boring tea each morning. When you want a real cup of tea to get you up and motivated for the day or to take you away to a better place in the middle of the afternoon, Tetley doesn’t have a shot compared to the Republic of Tea. Give them a shot and you will probably never use that old tea bag again. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/if-you-want-to-try-something-a-little-better-than-tetley-give-the-republic-of-tea-a-chance/http://www.cafe-list.com/tea/if-you-want-to-try-something-a-little-better-than-tetley-give-the-republic-of-tea-a-chance/This is something that can start an argument in about 2 seconds between any two people that love coffee. The reason is because what one person likes, may not be so important to the next individual. Having said that, there are certain things that are common for all people and regardless of what your end product looks like, these tips will get you there with a better cup of coffee in your hands. Everything starts with your equipment. You need to make sure that everything that is used is clean before and after you brew your coffee. Some people will walk away from the pot on their way to work and let it sit there all day with the grinds still in the machine. Not a wise decision. Take the few seconds to dump the grinds and the coffee and rinse everything out. You also want a coffee machine that will brew at the optimum temperature. Your coffee needs to be brewed at a temperature of 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit. If the coffee maker does not get to that temp, buy a different one. This is critical to a good pot of coffee. Once you have your machine squared away, it is time to look at the bean. Freshly ground coffee is always better because it is fresh. If you don’t have a grinder, you need to make sure that you are keeping your grinds preserved to stay as fresh as possible. Foodsavers are great for this and you can also purchase individual packs of coffee as an option as well. This will not be as good as freshly ground, but as long as you take the right measures, you will still get a good cup of coffee. The size of the grind also has a lot to do with the coffee. If your coffee tastes bitter, it may be because the grinds are too fine. The opposite of course is true if the grinds are too large. It is a fine line and it affects the flavor dramatically, so make sure if you are grinding the bean yourself, that you have all of your settings correct. The rest of the coffee making process is debatable. Cream or no cream, sugar or artificial sweetener, one tablespoon per 6 ounces of water or two? All of these items are really up to the individual because they are based on your particular tastes. I can only lead you so far, but follow our tips and you will at least have the controllable stuff taken care of and have a chance at the best cup of coffee that you have ever had. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:44:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/the-best-way-to-make-coffee/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/the-best-way-to-make-coffee/ Coffee is by nature something that no two people may have the same opinion about. What one person likes, the other thinks is disgusting. Instead of trying to figure out what the best coffee house in Philadelphia is, we tried to find coffee houses that were at the top of their niche and hope to have something for everyone. La Columbe (130 S 19th Street) – This place will give you one of the strongest cups of coffee in the city. While the service is usually a little stiff, there is no second guessing what you are drinking when you get something from this coffee house. This is literally one of those you either love it or hate it spots. The coffee is very strong and very full bodied, so the tame of heart need to stay away. If you eat coffee beans for energy, give it a shot. The Walnut Bridge Coffee House (2319 Walnut Street) – This is the Bazaaro World answer to La Columbe. You will usually be greeted with a huge smile the moment you walk through the door and the money that you spend will actually be appreciated. It can be a little pretentious (customer wise) at times, but overall, you are going to get a good cup of coffee, a nice choice of treats and have a comfortable place to sit to enjoy your java. Anthony’s Italian Coffee House (903 S 9th Street) – Philadelphia is not Philly without a trip to Anthony’s in South Philly. This is about as good as it gets any time of day. Whether you want some coffee, chocolate or gelato, you are going to find it here. Forget coffee snobs because your barista is going to ask you “What yus want wit dat?” I’m just kidding Philly, don’t get upset. This is truly a neighborhood place where the attitude gets left outside. A few visits and the regulars will welcome you in as one of their own. There you have it, three different flavors of coffee in the same city that are nothing alike. I can’t tell you what the best is because I have no idea what you like, but whatever your favorite, one of these three will send you on your way with a cup of coffee that will put some warmth in your belly and a smile on your face. Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:35:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/some-of-the-best-coffee-shops-in-philadelphia/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/some-of-the-best-coffee-shops-in-philadelphia/Coffee specialists De'Longhi polled more than 2,000 Britains and learned that it is male politicians who they would most likely to chat with over a cup of coffee. These men include: Barack Obama (39%) Boris Johnson (22%) and David Cameron (16%) Featured in the top five: Sir Paul McCartney (17%) David and Victoria Beckham (11%) Simon Cowell (15%) However, when it comes to the ladies, UKgrown talent featured prominently in the list with: Cheryl Cole (17%) Lily Allen and Victoria Beckham (both 11%) Emma Watson (9%) leading the way De’Longhi commissioned world renowned coffee artist Søren Stiller Markussen to create latte etchings (using just chocolate and milk-foam of those people they most talk about over a cup of coffee, with revered photographer Richard Foster capturing the artwork in a series of exclusive photographs to be displayed in the Pallant House Gallery. Read on to watch the video. Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:37:00 +0000http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/barack-obama-coffee-art/http://www.cafe-list.com/coffee/barack-obama-coffee-art/