Cricketscoffee Blog

Tired of adding your favorite flavor to your morning brew? Help is on the way. Coffee filters that are pre-flavored are entering the market soon, if not already. I have been unable to find any in the market as of this date, but I have found a US Patten application for flavored coffee and tea filters. There is one problem I hope they find an answer for. For those of us with poor eyesight and less than nimble fingers, separating those filters can be a real task. So the standing operating practice of just using how ever many your pre-coffee nerves can separate could be a problem. Four or five pre-flavored filters could make that pot of coffee, well.......taste like......    

Coffee capsules are all the buzz on the coffee net lately. Their fast, easy and have been reported to have a above average taste. That's all well and good for the person looking to make one (small) cup at a time.   If you are having guest over and looking to impress them, capsules are a no go. That is unless your guest's don't mind standing in line for their turn for a cup of coffee. Not to mention the loss of the aroma of a fresh brewed pot of coffee.  You in a hurry? Go capsules. If you want to not, just drink a cup of coffee, but enjoy it (all of it) aroma and all. Pass on capsules.

1. Stash it in the right place.   Whether you brew it now or save it for later, all coffee should be stored away from light, heat, moisture, and odors, which can affect its freshness and taste.  If you buy a lot of coffee, divide it into two portions—the one you’re using now and a larger batch stored in an airtight container until you need it. Don’t put coffee in the refrigerator where it can absorb odors from neighboring foods. Instead, keep it in a cool, dark cupboard away from the oven or even an outside wall. Use a ceramic, glass, or nonreactive metal container with an airtight gasket. If you’re a real stickler for fresh-roasted flavor and don’t care about the price, buy coffee in smaller quantities—one or two weeks’ worth—so it doesn’t sit around.  It is highly recommended that you do not Freeze coffee beans. Freezing ground coffee is tricky but can be done. The main thing is that the container must be air tight.  

The waitress came over and asked if they wanted some menus. "No thanks," said Doug. "I'll just have a cup of black coffee." "I'll have black coffee too," Bill said. "And please make sure the cup is clean." The waitress shot him a nasty look. She turned and marched off into the kitchen. Two minutes later, she was back. "Two cups of black coffee," she announced. "Which one of you wanted the clean cup?"

Why Coffee Is Better Than Men   A cup of coffee looks good in the morning. You won't fall asleep after a cup of coffee. You can always warm coffee up. Coffee comes with endless refills. You won't get arrested for ordering coffee at 3 AM. Coffee is out of your system by tomorrow morning. You can make coffee as sweet as you want. Coffee smells and tastes good. You can turn the pot on, leave the room, and it'll be hot when you get back. They have coffee at police stations. You can always ditch a bad cup of coffee. No matter how ugly you are, you can always get a cup of coffee. A big cup or small cup? It doesn't matter. You can have an intelligent conversation with coffee. Coffee is ready in 15 minutes or less. Coffee doesn't take up half your bed. Coffee doesn't mind if you wake up at 3 AM and decide to have a cup. INSTANT COFFEE!  

As you wade thru the waste land called TV today you come across yet one more reality show. This could be interesting you say to yourself. Tod Carmichale  travels the coffee world looking for the best of the best in coffee beans.  Tod Fights jungles, Insects, Warlords, and every other barrier in the known world. The ending is no surprise the hero makes it out alive, with the beans. How ever you do call your travel agent and cancel that week in Central America on that coffee tour package. Perhaps the beach or Aspen this year would be better.

   Your commute from work is finally over. As you approach the front door you are greeted by your five year old daughter shouting "I WON FIRST PLACE." You did....in what? You reply. Art class... she shouts back. Let me show you! She takes you by the hand leading to the kitchen. There on the refrigerator door... She says. Do you like it? Yes! it's great! As you look closer, the picture of the family cat is made up of your best coffee beans glue gunned to a poster board. You smile...hug her....and say, You deserve a treat. Lets got to Mc. Donald's and get a happy meal. Thanks Dad... All is well, Starbucks just next door to Mc.Donald's.

    It's a cool fall day and you are taking you grandmother on a flea market hunt. You decide to treat her to a special cup of coffee you know she would never get on her own.    The counter is busy as usual, but you know it's worth the time. Your turn finally. Your usual?  The server asks. Yes please and one for my grandmother also.    Right away she replies. Moments later two hot latte's complete with art and all.    What's this? Grandmother says. It's coffee..latte you reply. I can't drink this!    But why? You ask. Someone's been playing in it grandmother says.....someone drew a picture in it.    You smile and begin to explain, but before you get a word out Grandmother is scolding the server on why not to play in your food.    You think to yourself... Next time it's mini mart coffee and go.

  You pulled the trigger and purchased those coffee beans you have always wanted to grind and brew yourself. You spent the additional $5.00 for express shipping.    Now all you have to do is check the mail box every day. The days pass by ....no beans.    Where are my coffee beans? You ask yourself on day 5. As you walk to the lap top to send a nasty e-mail you stop at the freezer to get your next best loved drink.    Your eyes glaze over, your hart skips a beat. There they are hard as a rock and covered with frost. Who did this? You say as your trembling hand clasps the $50.00 frozen block of Central Americas finest coffee beans.     A voice from the other room answers. Did What? You reply, put my coffee beans in the freezer!  That voice in reply says, I did, I wanted to keep them fresh for you. You take a deep breath....What to do? ..What to do? Moral to the story.... Don't freeze coffee beans....

  Americans love coffee. In fact, according to the National Coffee Association, 61 percent of American adults drink coffee every day. Hot, cold, black, macchiato, latte – Americans consume about 400 million cups of coffee daily, making the U.S. among the leading consumers of coffee in the world.    Not only is the coffee trend not slowing down, the premium coffee movement is growing. The U.S. coffee house and donut shop industry has grown 15 percent between 2007 and 2011 as other segments in the restaurant industry have struggled,   With consumption on the rise, premium baristas and local roasters are distinguishing themselves from mainstream shops by offering handcrafted, specialty drinks.   However when it comes to shear volume of coffee sales the local mini mart and truck stop are masters of the coffee universe.

Composting program with used coffee grounds Date: May 22, 2014 Source: Kansas State University Summary: Used coffee grounds from a campus coffee shop are being used as compost to cultivate gourmet mushrooms at a student farm. By composting alone, 50 pounds a week -- or about 30 percent of the coffee shop's total waste -- has been diverted from landfills. While developing the compost program, the researchers made an important discovery: coffee grounds are a great compost for cultivating mushrooms, particularly gourmet mushrooms, such as oyster, shiitake and reishi. The U.S. gets nearly 45 percent of mushrooms from China, and there is a need for more local suppliers of gourmet mushrooms, said one researcher.

The epidemic, is in it's second year now but has not hit large roasters such as Starbucks because of a global surplus of coffee production elsewhere, such as  Brazil and Southeast Asia . But it beginning to be felt in the coffee-obsessed Pacific Northwest , since it the increasing demand for a wide variety of flavors in their top dollar coffee, as well as exotic beans sourced from unique regions. The same global coffee surplus that protected large roasters made coffee so cheap that it undercut Central American farmers' ability to combat the disease. Prices are up two times since the beginning of this year due to uncertainty about the lack of rain in Brazil , the world's largest producer of the commodity. But the hike came too late to avert roya's woeful impact on many farmers and their workers. A Wounded crop Hemileia vastatrix, as the coffee rust fungus is scientifically known, is not a new. It devastated Southeast Asia...

Here are some reasons your skin will thank you for an external coffee boost: It's a rich source of anti-oxidants: The environment is full of free radicals (pollution particles, etc.) that wreak havoc on the skin. However, loading up skin with anti-oxidants in coffee protects it and bolsters the skin's natural defenses. In fact, a study showed that coffee bean extracts can be responsible for skin cell energy preservation due to its free-radical properties."