All things coffee!
September 14th, 2015
Here at Appliances Online, we understand how much ‘coffee love’ is here in Australia, so we have made sure that our coffee-loving customers are kept happy with a wide range of coffee machines. From automatic coffee machines…
…to manual ones.
There is also a wide range of Nespresso coffee machines…
…and a few accessories to keep the coffee lovers at bay.
The beginning of coffee – myth, or the truth?
It is said that a goatherd named Kaldi, from the Ethiopian highlands, discovered coffee after noticing that his goats, after eating berries from a certain tree, became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night. He then decided to chew on the berries himself, as the goats did not die. He then too felt very energetic and wanted to take his findings to an Islamic monk in a nearby monastery.
Some stories say that the monk disapproved of their use and threw them into a fire, which caused an enticing aroma. The roasted beans were then quickly raked from the embers, ground up, and dissolved in hot water, yielding the world’s first cup of coffee. While others say the monk made a drink with the berries and discovered that it kept him alert for the long hours of evening prayer, so he shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, and the knowledge of the energizing effects of the berries began to spread. Either way, coffee was born and we are absolutely grateful for it.
Image source- http//:livingbonvivant.com
Coffee Culture around the world
Coffee has been enjoyed around the world for many years, and today it’s as popular as ever before.
In the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia, traditional coffee ceremonies are still preformed to this day. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect and is an excellent example of Ethiopian hospitality. The coffee is called Buna, and in the certain parts of Ethiopia it is taken with salt instead of sugar.
Image source- Emily Doyle from http-//www.epicurean.com
In Italy, coffee culture is very strong and their version of a ‘to-go’ coffee is an espresso, which is served in a Demitasse (small or ½ cup). Italians also believe the only appropriate time to enjoy a cappuccino is in the morning, so don’t be shocked if you get stares when walking into an Italian café after lunch, and ordering a cappuccino.
image source- http-//www.made-in-italy.com
In Turkey, an old Turkish proverb describes that coffee should be as black as hell, as strong as death and as sweet as love. A brilliant description, that makes me want to quickly wrap my lips around a nice cup of freshly brewed coffee. And that’s saying something since I’m not a huge coffee drinker myself, and that it’s 4 in the afternoon.
Turkish coffee is usually quite thick, and is normally served in a cezve (a long-handled copper pot) after meals, and is accompanied by chewy Turkish candy such as Turkish delights. Mmmmmm!
Image source- http-//istanbul.for91days.com
The French begin their day with baguettes or croissants, and a coffee in a mug wide enough to allow dunking of the preferred breakfast bread with ease. This coffee is called Café au lait, which translates to ‘coffee with milk’, which is basically the French version of a latte. This coffee uses hot milk so it differs from white coffee, which is coffee with cold milk or other whitener added.
Image source http-//www.caffecoffea.com
In Ireland in the 1940s, an after-dinner drink, which included hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and whipped-cream topping, was created to warm up American tourists on a cold winter’s night. Today this drink is known as the Irish coffee.
Image source- http-//www.sweetnlow.com
The benefits of coffee, and why we as humans love it so much
Not only does coffee (good coffee) have an amazing taste and aroma, but it also has the ability to gather us in social events and sittings, as well as keep as alert with the help of caffeine!
The benefits:
- It increases concentration
- It helps increase our memory
- It decreases fatigue
- It can help you burn fat
- Caffeine can drastically improve physical performance
- It is said that coffee can also fight depression and make you happier
image source- http-//authoritynutrition.com
For more benefits, read here.
Not just for drinking
There’s a new craze for brewed coffee, and it’s not for drinking.
There are numerous companies popping up with their take on ‘coffee scrubs’, and as they all work the same way, there are also tonnes of DIY Coffee Scrub recipes on the internet, which work just as good.
Image source- http-//offbeatandinspired.com
The benefits of coffee scrub:
- It can minimise the appearance of cellulite
- Makes skin feel amazingly soft by exfoliating dry skin
- It can rid you of puffy eyes
- It can wake you up a bit more when used in the morning
So even if you don’t like drinking coffee, you can still enjoy it.
My favourite DIY coffee scrub recipe can be found here.
Leave a Reply