Not just coffee

Posts Tagged espresso

Hotels Elevate the Food Experience

Jun 20

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, Economy, news, Starbucks, tourism, travel

We have spent a lot of time talking about high food prices and equating that to the continual stalemate of economic progress: The reality of doom and gloom. Yet, another indicator has emerged from the doldrums. This time the specific focus is on the travel industry. Hotels that were giving away rooms not that long ago are now more inclined to raise prices and offer pluses to lure you inside. Travel has always been a strong indicator of economic growth, and with the uptick in business travel, leisure has started to fill rooms, too.

What special benefits can hotels offer to distinguish themselves? That is an ongoing industry, marketing question. Hyatt jumped up to the plate with a Welcome Credit. Depending on the number of nights, the monetary reward could be as high as $150. A guest should have no problem enjoying spending the money on the property. Hello, steak dinner.

If you’re Vegas-bound, you have the universe of selections as hotels are tripping over each other with good deals as their economy still lags. Once you settle on a property, take a stroll down the Strip and dine to your heart’s content as a whole coterie of big-deal chefs continue to wine and dine the visitor. It seems no end is in sight as to the restaurant potential in Vegas. Corby Kummer finds that the food now matches the hype! Jose Andres followers take note: The famous chef continues to research and study the history of foods. His latest education turns his palate to Chinese food. Washington, DC, which feels a certain hometown national pride over Andres’s food empire, will readily welcome a good Chinese restaurant, or two.

Let’s not forget coffee. In-room coffee service has been heavily scrutinized, and criticized, for its questionable cleanliness standards. Hotels have fought back with lobby coffee partnerships that promise a respectable cup of coffee. Marriott Hotels have various coffee partnerships depending on the brand. Newer or refurbished Courtyards offer Starbucks in the Bistro, and the higher-end properties (JW Marriott, Renaissance) may have taken coffee to a new height: An Espressamente Illy., a true coffee experience. The logic is quite simple: Keep the money in the property rather than watch guests stroll down the block and return to the hotel with someone else’s cup.

Sure small refrigerators and minibars stocked with a guest’s pre-ordered items (Hilton) are popular, but what’s better than good food and a great cup of coffee? OK, a lovely wine, but that’s not really been a hotel’s downfall. So pack your bags and take a hotel holiday or a mini-vacation. It is summer, after all.

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Men Finally Get Their Java Jolt

May 19

Posted by admin in coffee, health, lifestyle, news

Coffee news; coffee research. Big difference between mere news and research studies uncovering the health benefits of coffee. Yes, health research makes plenty of news items, but sometimes the research is so thin it barely deserves a headline. Not so for these last few coffee nuggets.

It was not that many months ago that women got a great pass on their coffee consumption. Now men have their day at the Java shops with a significant study detailing the benefits of 6 cups of coffee staving off prostate cancer. The specific details are worth stirring around:

–Study involved almost 50,000 men.

–Six (6) or more cups of coffee produced a 20% drop in prostate cancer (the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the US). When compared with men who avoided coffee all together, the risk decrease was 60%.

–Even those who drank only 1-3 cups daily demonstrated a 30% lower risk of getting prostate cancer.

Coffee, often maligned, has gained new respect in the health community. Do not lose sight of the fact that coffee, because of its antioxidant properties, has brought positive news to those with Parkinson’s and diabetes. Plenty of studies moving coffee into the plus column!

Coffee may prove to be the beverage darling of health studies! Hot or cold: Coffee rocks. Today I’ll deal with the humidity with my espresso over ice. Thank you.

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The Healthy Cups of Coffee

Mar 11

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, health, lifestyle, wine

As with wine, my favorite finds are the health articles that discuss the benefits from the beverages. Today is no exception. The latest study from Sweden reports on the beneficial effects from drinking more than a single cup of coffee daily. The focus is on women without a history of cardiovascular disease. Findings clearly support a 22 to 25% reduction in the possibility of having a stroke. The lead researchers followed more than 30,000 women (from 49 to 83 years old) for 10 years. The single nor occasional cup does not produce these results.

It should be noted that the research indicates that women who do not drink coffee or have very limited coffee consumption are more likely to have a stroke. Other factors such as smoking, weight, and alcohol consumption did not affect the overall benefit women gain from daily, multiple cups of coffee. Researchers did not separate out the caffeinated from the decaffeinated drinkers, but Sweden is well known for its strong coffee brews so the authors doubt the number of decaf drinkers would significantly affect the data.

This study follows on the heels of an earlier one from Israel (The Heart Institute of Sheba) that found that 3 cups of coffee a day is good for you and protects against heart attacks and is good for the circulatory system. What is interesting about this study’s findings is that both individuals who have suffered heart conditions and those free of disease benefited from the caffeine dosage. People who have shied away from coffee for fear of a spike in their blood pressure and pulse rate might start to enjoy those multiple cups.

These studies support my overall philosophy that coffee has strong benefits and that days of diminished consumption help no one, especially those with whom you come into contact! Keep healthy, enjoy good coffee in beautiful cups.illyrehberger_143x130

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40 Years: That’s a Lot of Steam

Mar 8

Posted by admin in lifestyle, news

As CEO Howard Schultz made the media rounds to establish his place in history and that of the company, Starbucks, it is fitting that we, too, get to share in the pride of accomplishment. Forty years for any establishment, especially one that has made its name on pouring specialty brews, is an impressive marker. To celebrate they have officially imprinted their new logo and have 2 days of celebrations lined up to thank customers and give them a preview taste of the new food items.

From March 10-12 in the afternoons (from 3-5P) when you order a drink, they will give you a taste of their new lineup: the Petites. Yes, small bites are in and these little guys come in at just 200 calories so they pack a perfect pairing with the afternoon visit. Personally, I’m all over the Red Velvet Whoopie Pie. Hear me shout. OK, the Salted Caramel Sweet Square comes in a close second: Sweet and Salty continues to thrive in the food world.

Starbucks continues to expand its food lineup as they have successfully learned that customers want a little bit with that cuppa. The biggest issue they currently face is coffee pricing as futures continue to climb. It looks as if they are holding steady, at least for the moment.

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As part of Tribute week, the term they created to thank customers for their patronage, (or as is evident, they’d be nowhere without our overcaffeinated lifestyles), they have a new coffee, the Tribute Blend. It’s a combination of their most successful coffees: Aged Sumatra and sun-dried Ethiopian with Colombian and Papua New Guinea added to round out the flavor profile. This is a salute to their most popular coffees working together. Or, a parallel to their solid customer base.

So when you sit and daydream about starting a new business, think about this little coffee company that started in Seattle and has spread its wings worldwide. It truly is the Little Engine That Could. Any company that survived the last two difficult economic years when so many analysts wrote off the concept as being too expensive for many, deserves attention. Sure they made changes. Everyone did, but here they are today.

Coffee and…please.

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All About Coffee: A Never-Ending Story

Dec 30

Posted by admin in coffee, life

Every so often the urge arises to concentrate on coffee. Is it good for you? Bad? A killer? We’ve covered the gamut of health possibilities, and the train will not stop with what has been written this year. Coffee is one of those magnetic buttons: It attracts a flurry of opinions, whether discussions about the way it’s ordered or the strength of the cup. I mostly get the response, you have how many shots in there? Yes, it’s true, the more the merrier for me with the espresso cuppa.

This blog is after all named All Before Coffee, and I have explained that thoughts occur along that caffeinated highway at any time, day or night. Yes, I like my coffee strong, frequent, and made fresh. Seasonally, I love a triple over ice, no water, but when the temperature falls into single digits, coffee cures: Hot.illy-holiday-200x135-01

This has been the year of the ultimate fights among the giants. As Starbucks was down and many called it a vulnerable player of an earlier, sound economic era, the company responded with its own belt-tightening strategy and a remaking of its image. VIA came along and did so well that it spawned flavored single paks. Who woulda thunk it?

McDonalds refused to sit still and watch people return to Starbucks. They created a coffee strategy of possibilities and convinced their customers that a latte could be enjoyed at a McD’s. The consumer was the coffee winner. Possibilities abounded and other fast food chains responded with their own coffee selections. Coffee was hot and selling. Dunkin’, Caribou, and other big name players rolled out a laundry list of selections.

Then the sensibility quotient: This was the year that the coffee cup came into play as the enviro cups made a more lasting impression on customers. More people were purchasing their own carry around reusable mugs. Just don’t try to take your holiday thermos to an airport!

Yet, the biggest news was probably that the consumer had become educated and wanted more for his money. “Don’t just hand me a cup and expect me to go to the pump machine: Make it. And make it they did with an impressive list of new equipment vying for customer attention and loyalty. The list goes on (walk down a Manhattan or Brooklyn neighborhood and see the little coffee guy’s new piece of high-end equipment) as we move into the new year as the home consumer wants to duplicate the coffee shop experience and several manufacturers are ready to accommodate. No, you do not need the $1,000 machine, but it’s great if you can have it. There are plenty of new approaches that promise to give the home user a coffee shop experience, a hand-brewed special of the house!

Whether before the first cup or from the smell of the in-home fresh-brewed awakens your sensibilities, one fact remains: Coffee’s vitality kicks it up a notch. The story goes on.

Let us hope that 2011 gives us numerous coffee pleasures.

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Raise the Prices

Sep 23

Posted by admin in beverages, news

As often as I’ve sought out the deals, the coupons, and the specials, reality needs to play a role. The ridiculous headline that the recession is over demonstrated little understanding of the real world but more a response to numbers. In the real world, the after-effects of several years of economic blues are still very much alive. Restaurants that wanted a loyal customer base have shown a variety of life-saving strategies. Those that snubbed their noses at dining or beverage specials are more likely puzzled by their static growth, or lack of table-filling patrons.

In the coffee universe, prices have stayed relatively even, but that is about to change. Starbucks just announced that it can no longer sustain its price structure and needs to raise certain prices as the price of coffee beans has increased significantly. You know the annoying people who want multi-levels of specialized coffee making, the ones who complicate the ordering process and wonder why their drink may take a little longer, well, they are about to absorb the cost of specialization. caffevanilla

Starbucks plans to maintain the current pricing on the basic beverages even though the add-ons such as dairy, sugar, and cocoa have also increased significantly. The green arabica prices which are almost at a 13-year high are the impetus for the revised pricing structure as the company believes it can no longer absorb the increases. This works well for me: Remember I’m the espresso, OK, make that the double espresso, patron. Prices may actually decrease for my category!

It’ll be interesting to watch how the complicated drink buyers respond. Will they settle for an Americano and add lots of milk or will the half-caf, skinny, extra foam Caramel Macchiato folks just go for the daily drip? Time will tell.

Starbucks has literally been built around specialization, instead of the Belushi Pepsi-Pepsi SNL routine, and has prided itself on making it “your way,” but now it will come with a side of additional coins.

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Organic Coffee Plus

Aug 23

Posted by admin in life

Does organic coffee taste better or are we just happier believing we have found another fair-trade product that is healthier for us? I love the concept: coffee and good health. Yes, I am a proponent of every last bit of coffee research that defines how I am becoming healthier by just having my regular dose of coffee. or, is that doses? Check out my coffee and health archive and see what a believer I am.

It’s not just organic coffee that does the trick; it’s the way it gets into the cup. Not every machine can turn a great bean into a magic cup. Believe me, I’ve had plenty of mediocre cups from supposedly great coffee beans.

No doubt that there is a relationship between the bean, the brewing process, and the end result.  You can buy all the great beans, spend some serious money, help the growers, and go home and use bad-tasting water and a sub-par machine and wonder how you wasted $20. The coffee was great at the store, you mutter, but here…not so much.

What is one to do. A few simple facts to follow and you’ll be smiling. First, the beans are important. When and how they got to the store and how they were taken care of are all integral components of that dream cup. The water always plays a role. Ask the Brita or Pur folks to share their research that demonstrates how people turn ordinary tap water into a much better tasting water, one without the requisite taste-hider slice of lemon or lime! Then watch the coffee sommelier, the coffee bar person, or as some would affectionately say, the barista, use the machinery to take the bean from its container into your cup.

No, I am not saying we all need to get in line and buy a Jura, a Saeco, or a Clover machine or even extol the virtues of single-cup brewing where we ask questions about the strength of the brew and how much space we need to leave in the cup for milk and sugar. BTW, fill the cup with the espresso, no additives necessary. I am saying a great bean may need some help.

Yet, serious coffee drinkers need something more than the $10 filter machine. Count your number of cups, your gas mileage to the local spot, add in the cost of your multiple espressos, and you can easily justify a machine of some substance. I’m always fascinated how excited basic coffee drinkers become when they taste a cup from a home version of the best of push technology. They have had their first cup of great, home-cured coffee.jura1ena5_5062n_bk

It can be done. Simple mathematics: A good bean, great water, and a machine to match.

Sip and enjoy.

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G-F Chocolate

Jul 27

Posted by admin in gluten-free

To indulge but to survive. That’s the G-F battle cry. Well there’s hope on the horizon for the chocolate lovers. You can indulge without a worry as the product line of options continues to grow.

The Think Thin folks have an impressive lineup including chocolate fudge, mudslide, and dark chocolate. They even have mini bars coming in at 100 calories with plenty of protein for fortification. You can easily conquer the sweet tooth craving.

Lara Bars are recognized more for their fruit flavor varieties, but the new dark chocolate bar will please those who shy away from the sweet date-nut taste and prefer a lingering chocolate flavor. The Jocalat line includes my personal combination of tastes: Chocolate Coffee. A win-win G-F taste!Laracoffee_main_large

As more people seek out high protein bars and quick snacks, the G-F marketplace continues to expand and offer possibilities.

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On Ice, Please

May 7

Posted by admin in beverages

Love this time of the year when vendors think about adding ice cubes and offering ways to chill us down. Iced coffee has been my drink since the 1st warm day of summer/spring which is the way the season came in this year!

Now everyone’s vying for my attention. Let me explain the ground rules: I pretty much like a black coffee over ice. The other way is a black water drink that has little impact. I prefer a couple of espresso shots that I then pour over ice. If I am out and order a coffee, I often ask for a coffee and a separate glass of ice. Please. Trust me. This works and preserves the integrity of the brew. The only other process with some hope of eliciting a delicious sigh comes when a true coffee maven says, “Want a couple of shots of espresso that I pull over ice?” YES, that’s an ally.

If you wander over to Starbucks, you’ll see they’re focused on us. Yes, how would you like that Frappucccino is the question of the season. Here’s your chance to create the cool drink you want–make it lite with skim, skip the whipped, add an extra shot. You get the message. Your way. This is a good week to take advantage of their new approach to Frappuccinos as they celebrate 1/2-priced Happy Hour specials until the 16th.

Dunkin’ Donuts is quite serious about their iced response and intends to introduce a new, stronger dark roast that will boost the flavor profile for the iced coffee drinkers. They already do a double roast for their iced drinks in keeping with my personal mantra: Don’t water it down. Most locations have a free iced coffee afternoon on the 11th.

McDonald’s has not turned its back on the iced potential. They are into frappes and offer a wide selection of iced beverages. Their price point may make them a serious player in these still tough economic times.

Maybe the biggest news of all is that iced slushie2a17351540164051968e9a4a8e2d42af or slurpee type drinks have an advantage before exercising. Green’s my favorite.

Love this icy season!

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A Caffeine Hi

May 4

Posted by admin in beverages, FDA

Yep, your cheerfulness will be noted when you greet everyone (a “HI”) from your over indulgence of caffeine-boosted beverages. Let’s see a couple of cups of coffee and a few cans of something to pep you up and pretty soon you’re reaching levels of caffeine that are heart-healthy questionable!

It seems there are no shortage of new companies entering this market, and a growing market space it is! In the US, no one seems to focus on the potential problems associated with these high-flying beverages. A new study from University of Illinois researchers calls for the FDA to put this beverage back on the look-and-see list. Now let’s review: The FDA is loaded with projects and all types of food-related concerns. Where should the over exuberance from energy drinks fit on the agenda? sobeTough one to call.

The facts from the above study say that this market space with new entrants and more boost for the buck needs attention from someone. They cite the UK which just this past week published a code of practice for the ever-growing energy drink market. The drinks according to the the British Soft Drink Association now need to carry a label warning: “Not suitable for children, pregnant women and persons sensitive to caffeine.” Love that last little phrase! Are there individuals who truly do not get a caffeine bounce? Is the high merely in our mind?

Sometimes. Sometimes. I know that I can have multiple espressos and feel nothing other than pleased by the light colored crema atop the cup. Then there are the times, that last cup has me sailed so that makes me “sensitive to caffeine.”

Warning labels on diet soda drinks are understandable. Warning labels on everything, that’s a whole ‘nother discussion.


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