Category Archives: Miscellaneous

drinking coffee in outer space

It’s not something we think about on a day to day basis, drinking coffee in outer space.

However, there has been an interesting little article in Geek recently on that very issue.

It seems that students have been pondering this thought.

After all, if you did happen to find yourself on an unexpected space mission, wouldn’t it be lovely to sip on a cup of coffee out there amongst the stars?

So what sort of things do coffee-in-space preparers need to think about?

First, the coffee needs to have a super-long life, as it has to last a long time in space.

There’s no option of popping off to the local shop to pick up another packet of coffee if you run out.

Also, the coffee needs to be lightweight too.

However, within all these limitations, the astronauts have often complained that they don’t get to customise their coffee the way they have it at home.

And lack of good coffee is not a good thing.

How have the students created coffee which tastes okay, given the restrictions of space travel?

The biggest innovation is that the students have made coffee which can be mixed with creamer and sugar, according to the astronauts’ preference.

This project was enabled by the Texas Space Grant Consortium.

May 24, 2013 | Posted in | Leave a Comment

Celebrity coffee – Rockin and Roastin

You might remember that Peter Andre recently opened his first coffee shop in south London.

Others, such as Hugh Jackman (aka Wolverine), have also been inspired to become involved in the coffee industry, leaning towards a charitable bent.
Jackman was moved by the plight of coffee farmers during his visit to Africa and has since been motivated to help them.

But another famous face has hit the coffee headlines of late, another celebrity who hopes to get involved with a coffee business.

Who is it?

The answer is Joey Kramer, the drummer from the famous band, Aerosmith, is gearing up to start his own coffee brand.

What will it be called? Rockin’ and Roastin’ Coffee of course.

He intends to be up and running with his new business venture later in the month.

As reported in the Boston Herald, this new coffee brand is a collaboration between the celebrity musician and also North Andover’s Comfort Foods inc.

How would you get hold of this brand?

It is to be sold in local markets, apparently and also distributed by Comfort Foods.

As is increasingly popular these days, the coffee is marketing itself on being an organic product.

May 18, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, New products, News, World of Coffee | Leave a Comment

Use of coffee to administer mercury

There has been a rather alarming news story around of late and it all has to do with the use of coffee by a dental nurse, to poison her boss.

Sounds rather grim, doesn’t it?

Coffee is something that should be a joy, not a source of poison.

What’s the story?

Ravinder Kaur has hit the headlines thanks to her court trial.

As reported by the BBC, this dental nurse has been charged with poisoning her boss, by adding mercury to her coffee.

The administering of a poisonous substance is denied by Ms Kaur.

Why the alleged crime?

Apparently Kaur was in trouble after disappearing for lunch and leaving a patient in a dental chair.

She had also received warnings for bossing her colleagues around at work unfairly.

After receiving a final warning, Kaur is said to have put mercury in her boss’s cup of coffee.

Kaur’s boss then suffered from sickness and stomach cramps.

Her boss, Ms Knowles, thought that the coffee did not taste quite right and when pouring it away, she noticed the residue of grey sludge.

Ms Kaur argues that she has been set up because of the fact she gave them warning that she was going to report an alleged breach of patient confidentiality.

The case continues.

May 11, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, News, World of Coffee | Leave a Comment

Do these latte-st sculptures make a mocca-ry of art?

THIS amazing latte art is all the work of one talented barista.

Reviewed by The Sun newspaper Kazuki Yamamoto, 26, creates the wacky creations for the customers at the shop where he works in Osaka, Japan.

And he now reckons he has notched up over 2,000 of the crazy coffee characters for his patrons.

He said: “I’ve been working in the cafe from the age of 20, but I started the designer cappuccino two years ago.

“I use a cocktail pin and spoon, steamed milk and delicious espresso. I have been practicing at the end of the working day and during breaks. It has become what I am known for when customers come to the shop.

“I do about 3 cups a day and estimate that I have drawn about 2000 types ever.

He added: “However, there is a drawback; the coffees can get cold because it takes time to do the more delicate designs.”

The foamy faces have now become a global web sensation, with people all over the planet admiring them.

May 9, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, News, World of Coffee | Leave a Comment

What Goes Best with Coffee?

Many people who drink coffee often prefer to have it with cookies or pastries and even fruits. It’s been a long tradition.

Cappuccino-Biscotti-6
But did you know that there are specific food that go best with certain coffee flavors? Coffee and cake is a classic pair, for example. You need to find out more here so that the next time you go out with friends and family, you would know what to order together with your coffee regardless whether it’s the hot or cold type you want.

Chocolate cake is best paired with roast coffees, medium or dark. The chocolate mousse cake goes well with most Arabica coffees. Carrot cake, on the other hand, matches well with Columbian coffee. Then there’s coffee cake that can be eaten along with light- or medium-roast Hawaiian and Nicaraguan coffees.

Brownies can be paired with coffee from Indonesia or Guatemala.

Biscotti is perfect for coffee if you’d like to go Italian. The full flavored type can be paired with espresso. Biscotti comes in a variety of flavors including almond, cherry and chocolate.

Cinnamon buns go well with Guatemalan and Colombian coffees. The unique taste of cinnamon is always a nice mix with coffee, don’t you think?

Doughnuts, whether the plain or sweetened type, are also often paired with coffee. They’re best eaten with sweet Costa Rican coffee.

Muffins never go out of style when served with any coffee. Some people, however, prefer them with Costa Rican and Mexican coffee.

Breads are a perfect match as well. The short bread is ideally paired with Costa Rican or Brazilian coffee, the banana nut bread with Costa Rican, Kenyan and Kona coffee and the pumpkin bread with Colombian or Costa Rican coffee.

May 7, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, News, World of Coffee | Leave a Comment

Coffee sausages

Most of us love a decent cup of coffee the past decade has seen the rise and rise of coffee the world over, as we fall in love with the humble coffee bean.

There are many ways of drinking our coffee from lattes to espressos to mochas to cappuccinos.

However, people are becoming more creative with the consumption of coffee.

Many of us will be familiar with the use of coffee in baking think of the traditional coffee and walnut cake, for instance.

However, a butcher in Lincoln has gone one step further in using coffee as an ingredient in his product.

The story was reported on by This is Lincolnshire and tells the tale of Andrew Beeson.

This butcher has won awards for his sausages the pork, leek and onion sausage was awarded the Butcher’s Choice at the Bucher’s Pride Sausage Competition 2013.

However, Beeson has been inventive with his new speciality sausages.

Why?

He has created the Mocha Real Ale sausage.

Apparently, these sausages were commissioned by Batemans Brewery, as the Mocha Coffee and Chocolate Ale was awarded the prize in the Great British Beer Hunt 2012.

What do you think?

Would you like to taste coffee in your sausage?

Or in your ale?

Or your cake?

Or perhaps you just prefer to leave it in your coffee cup.

May 3, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, New products, News, World of Coffee | Leave a Comment

Coffee and cellulite

There have been some interesting articles about coffee and cellulite in the news of late.

Women, ever plagued by the orange peel effect on particular areas of their body (often areas such as thighs), are on the hunt for creams and treatments that can help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

The beauty market is littered with varied and expensive products.

What has coffee got to do with any of this?

There is a new product on the market called the Cinq Mondes Slimming Coffee Cream.

This 43 pot of cream includes caffeine as a key ingredient which, apparently, helps to drain toxins and break down fat cells this is all aimed at breaking down the fat under the skin that is held responsible for cellulite.

Alongside green coffee, the ingredients of this product also include grapefruit acids and kola nut.

For those who want toned and smooth pins on the beach, no doubt this new cream could be enticing.

But it’s not the only alternative.

Another beauty website has been promoting coffee as a way to reduce cellulite in a less expensive way.

They suggest a make-your-own scrub to banish cellulite, without breaking the bank.

However, the key ingredient is caffeine, as it is said to boost fat metabolism.

Check out the recipes on the web which mix ingredients such as oil, sugar, vanilla extract and coffee grounds, to make a scrub to slough away dead skin and apparently ‘absorb’ fat.

Fancy trying one of these out?

Think it will work?

May 1, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, New products, News, World of Coffee | Leave a Comment

Who works at CoffeeCups.co.uk? Video!

If you have ever wondered who works at CoffeeCups.co.uk check out this funky video!

We would like to thank Jay(10 years) & Mo(9 years) for taking time out of there school holidays to create this excellent video.

April 26, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, News, Our partners, Our Portfolio | Leave a Comment

Coffee + Aspirin: Perfect Hangover Cure

Summer is coming, and I’m pretty sure that after your next BBQ get together you will be suffering from too much partying; and by extension, looking for the perfect hangover cure.

There are so many hangover cures that have been debunked by science over the years, but coffee remains to be one of the most widely accepted hangover cures. Sure there has been studies explaining why coffee doesn’t really help anyone with a hangover. Some even say that it can make a hangover worse. Two of the main reasons cited for this is that it can make a person more tired after the caffeine boost wears off, and can make a person even more dehydrated since it is a diuretic.

Well the ever fickle science community (or at least researchers of this particular study) finally agree to what we coffee lovers have known all along, the combination of coffee and aspirin is really perfect as a hangover cure…at least if you are a rat. According to Professor Michael Oshinsky, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, rats who were given doses of caffeine and anti-inflammatories responded well to the treatment and were relieved of the headaches. The headaches, which were induced by making the rats drink ethanol (a pure form of alcohol), is similar to the migraines we experience after having a drink too many.

So while the scientists get stuck debating on whether the coffee will cure a hangover or not, I will just have my coffee maker and a bottle of aspirin on hand this summer.

April 22, 2013 | Posted in Latte Art lovers, News, World of Coffee | 1 Comment

Brown Sugar and Coffee Barbecue Sauce recipe!

Coffee is obviously the beverage of choice here at Coffee Cups HQ, but that does not mean that we’re limiting our coffee addiction to espresso shots and steaming mugs of coffee because coffee can be used to turn ordinary dishes into something novel and more flavorful.

I’m sure you’re familiar with coffee-based desserts like tiramisu and affogato (scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream drowned in a shot of espresso), but have you ever used coffee as an ingredient for when making savory dishes? The Brown Sugar and Coffee Barbecue Sauce recipe below from Chef Art Smith is a great way to introduce your palate to the wonderful world of coffee-based and coffee-flavored dishes. The barbecue sauce can after all be used for a good variety of meats.

Brown Sugar and Coffee Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 cups chopped white onions
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chile
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 cup freshly brewed strong coffee or 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 cup hot water

Preparation:

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeño; sauté until onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add brown sugar, chili powder, molasses, cilantro, and cumin; stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in crushed tomatoes with puree, broth, and coffee; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until sauce thickens slightly and is reduced to 4 cups, stirring often, about 35 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

For more coffee dish ideas, read Epicurious’ Cooking with Coffee article.

April 19, 2013 | Posted in News, World of Coffee | Leave a Comment

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