An Unusual Coffee Tip

Here's a coffee tip you might never have tried. It comes from the Three Angels Gourmet Co.



Do you have trouble getting your hibiscus plants, geraniums, and African violets to flower continuously?

Maybe they just need a good cup of coffee.

My husband and I were sitting out on our deck the other morning enjoying a leisurely breakfast of apple-cinnamon scones and coffee. When I got up to go back into the house, I poured what was left in my cup into one of the big potted hibiscus plants covered with beautiful huge hot pink blooms.

My husband laughed and asked, "Is that the secret to getting that thing to look like that – a good jolt of caffeine?

"Sort of," I told him. "I don’t think it’s the caffeine that makes it flower so profusely. It’s the acid in the coffee."



Hibiscus, geraniums, and African violets all love acidic soil, so I guess coffee is like a B-vitamin shot for plants. It gives them a big burst of energy (or acid, in this case) and they flower like crazy.



Check to see which of your flowering plants thrive in acidic soil. Then, give them a cup of coffee (or even more than a cup, for a large plant) to encourage dozens of blooms.

Of course, you can also give your plants a regular dose of the appropriate plant food. I do that a couple of times each summer, too. But it's kind of nice to share your morning coffee with your flowering plants.

Try it.

They'll love it.

And they won't even ask for cream or sugar.

Suzanne Lieurance
Three Angels Gourmet Co.

Flavored Coffee Syrups - They're Not Just For Coffee

Click Here

Flavored coffee syrups are not just for coffee. It’s easy to make all sorts of flavorful pancake syrups with our rich and delicious coffee syrups, too. Hazelnut, vanilla, caramel, raspberry, mocha, black cherry, amaretto, and butterscotch are just a few of the flavors you can try. If the coffee syrup is a little too "runny" for pancakes, combine just a tablespoon or so of your favorite variety with some light corn syrup and you’ve got a rich and thick topping that’s just right for pancakes or waffles.

Monin syrups are perfect for flavoring espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, coffee or teas. They're also great for Italian sodas and bar drinks. Also use them to create a perfect granita or smoothie drink.

Also try flavored coffee syrups on ice cream, in milk shakes, and to create special dessert sauces.

Enjoy...

Flavored Teas

Click Here

Nothing hits the spot on a cold winter's afternoon like a cup of tea.

Our flavored teas are loose leaf Chinese Black Tea scented with flavor and calendula petals.

These gourmet scented teas are in loose leaf form and will ship with a free tea ball infuser or a pack of mini-minit tea filters. Limit one free tea infuser per order.




Try flavors like:
Blueberries & Cream Flavored Tea
Chocolate Mint Scented Flavored Tea
Kiwi-Strawberry Flavored Tea

and many more....

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Try some chocolate covered espresso beans for a sweet treat this winter. We all deserve a little pampering to keep our spirits up when the weather outside is cold or gloomy, as it tends to be in February.

Here are two delicious varieties:



Click Here: Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Whole espresso beans covered in our robust dark chocolate make for a unique gourmet treat!

Delicious and addictive! Comes in 1 lb. bag and 5 lb. bag.



Click Here: Gourmet House Espresso Beans


Mmm...what could be yummier - a mix of dark chocolate and white chocolate covered espresso beans.Comes in 1 lb. bag and a 5 lb. bag.

Try This Coffee Sampler and Enjoy Coffees From All Over the World!

Click Here

This Sample pack allows you to explore the world of coffee with 6 (half-pound) bags of some of the finest coffee the world has to offer. If you are new to gourmet coffee, or enjoy the unique flavors coffees from around the world --- then this is for you!

Our current coffees types in the sampler are:

* Colombia Supremo
* Sumatra Mandheling
* Ethiopia Longberry
* Mexico 'Spirit of the Aztec'
* India Mysore "Gold Nuggets"
* Organic Galapagos Island Estate

This makes an excellent gift for your coffee loving friends. All of these coffees are shipped in heat-sealed valve bags! Enjoy!

I use an automatic drip coffee maker to make my morning brew because it's quick and convenient. But yesterday afternoon I wanted a special treat as I was writing, so I dug around in the back of my pantry and found my French Press.

I ground some fresh coffee beans, poured filtered water into a pan and heated it, then spooned the ground coffee into the French Press (also called a press pot). When the water was the perfect temperature (it should be around 190 to 200 degrees F.), I carefully poured it into the French Press and let the coffee brew for about 4 minutes. Then I pressed the metal filter down to trap all the coffee grounds before I poured myself the perfect cup of coffee and put the remaining coffee from the pot into a carafe. Ahhh...what a treat!



If you love coffee, but you don't own a French Press, you owe it to yourself to buy one. They aren't expensive and they really are the best way to brew the most flavorful cup of coffee.




Click here to find a French Press and also order gourmet coffee.

Flavored Coffee-Shop-Coffee You Make at Home!

Some days you feel like you LIVE at the coffee shop. Other days, you want a delicious flavored coffee, but you don’t want to trek on down to the coffee shop to get it. When that’s the case, try this rich flavored coffee-shop-coffee you make at home. No fancy equipment or ingredients needed.

CINNAMON MOCHA CAFÉ


1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. non-dairy creamer
1 1/2 c. nonfat dry milk
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 c. instant coffee

Blend the sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Transfer to an airtight container for storage.

For each serving, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of the mixture to 1 cup of water in a coffee mug. Put the mug in the microwave and heat for 1 minute or so on HIGH. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and some freshly grated nutmeg, if desired.

Join the Coffees of the Month Club!

Now's the perfect time to join the coffee of the month club - or - give someone you know a coffee of the month club membership for Valentine's Day. They'll get a free coffeemaker with membership.

Here's how it works:

Choose your Grind-Type and Coffee Type

Every 3rd Friday of the month, we ship 2 different one-pound bags of fresh-roasted premium coffee right to your home or office.

Satisfaction is 100% guaranteed!

Explore exotic coffees from around the globe!

Only $19.95 + shipping per month. No obligation! You may cancel at any time.

Martha Stewart Meets Juan Valdez

(disclaimer: not connected with The Martha Stewart or The Juan Valdez)
Irish Cream liqueur is delicious served straight, or on the rocks, in a glass. But my favorite way to enjoy it is in hot coffee, with a generous (okay, VERY generous) topping of whipped cream and a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Next time you’re hosting a dinner party, or just having friends over for coffee, make your own Irish Cream Liqueur. You won’t save money by concocting this creamy beverage yourself, but you will feel incredibly clever and your guests are sure to be impressed.



IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR

1 3/4 c. good Irish whiskey (I prefer Jameson’s brand)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whipping cream (straight from the carton, unwhipped)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
2 tsp. instant coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into an attractive glass bottle and tightly cover. Store in the refrigerator. Stir before serving. Makes about 5 cups.

This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month, but it probably won't last that long!

Suzanne Lieurance

SECRETS TO THE PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE

By Joe Bland

Want to know how to make the perfect cup of coffee? A few simple steps will make your coffee taste great every cup.

Before you even start, when you bring your coffee home, store it in an airtight container that blocks the light. Ceramic is best because plastic and metal containers can impart a taste to your coffee or coffee beans. Keep your coffee at room temperature. Storing it in the refrigerator or freezer will also lead to deteriorating flavor. Water or ice attaches itself to the porous coffee and ruins the taste. And buy only the amount of coffee that can be used within a couple of weeks.

Enthusiasts agree. Coffee drinkers who want the perfect flavor use whole coffee beans and grind their coffee just before brewing. Coffee grinders improve the taste of coffee because they release the oils and aromas of the coffee beans immediately before you brew your coffee. Experts advocate using two heaping tablespoons of whole beans to the grinder for every six ounces of water you use.

Since coffee is 99% water, use water that is free from chlorine and other minerals. You want the taste of the coffee, not the taste of the water used for brewing. And if you have control of the temperature of your water, keep it between 195 degrees and 205 degrees to ensure getting the best flavor extraction from your ground coffee.


And what about that coffee maker? Drip coffee makers are easy and can produce terrific coffee. The key to making perfect coffee with a drip coffee maker is making sure to use a gold, nylon, or other type of permanent filter. Permanent coffee filters insure that the flavor molecules from the coffee grinds pass into the water without adding additional flavors. Those disposable paper filters have an aftertaste that they impart to the coffee on the one hand and on the other, they absorb those special aromatic oils from the grinds that are essential for excellent taste. If you must use paper filters, use the unbleached kind and rinse them with hot water before you use them.

When was the last time you cleaned your coffee pot and mugs and cups? Clean equipment can make a tremendous difference in how your coffee tastes. Every so often clean out your mugs and cups with baking soda and water, and rinse them out thoroughly. Every month pour a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water into your drip coffee maker and turn it on. Let the mixture run all the way through, turn off you coffee maker and let it cool for a half hour. Pour out the vinegar mixture and run one or two reservoirs full of clear water to rinse it out, letting the pot cool for 15 to 20 minutes between each rinse.

And one last step. Be sure to drink it while its fresh - more that 20 minutes after brewing is done, your coffee will begin to taste bitter. Now its time to make your coffee.

And now--ENJOY.

Joe Bland will help you bring your ordinary coffee to gourmet coffee status. Find how some easy habits will easily make your next cup your best. Check out the articles and tips at Gourmet-Coffee-Authority

Everything You Wanted to Know About Coffee

By Lee Dobbins

Coffee is the world's favorite drink and many people can’t even get through the first hour of the day without a cup. With all the new coffee drinks coming out it seems that there’s no stopping the trend. Even from the very first day it was discovered, coffee a favorite drink of mankind.It is thought that the first place coffee was consumed was in Africa where it is said a goatherd saw his goats acting frisky after eating some berries. When he tried the berries himself he noticed he had renewed energy. Needless to say word spread quickly and before you know it they were being cultivated in the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee was introduced in Europe in the 1600's and they started growing coffee in Brazil (where most of it is grown today) in the 1700's. Instant coffee was invented in 1901, decaffeinated in 1903 and freeze dried in 1938. Today, coffee is the second largest commodity after petroleum!The average person drinks over 10 pounds of it a year and about half of the US population partakes of the beverage - worldwide yearly consumption adds up to over 400 billion cups! Half of the consumption occurs at breakfast and 35% drink it black. Coffee has displaced tea as a favorite beverage - in fact it was quite popular after the Boston Tea Party and considered very patriotic to drink coffee instead of tea!Almost 3⁄4's of the world's coffee comes from Columbia and Brazil where it is mostly hand picked. It is a the seed of a berry and green coffee (unroasted coffee) can last up to 2 years - once you roast it, however, it starts going downhill rapidly so coffee is best when consumed directly after roasting. Contrary to popular belief, refrigeration does not keep it from getting stale and in fact can make it taste strange as the roasted coffee will readily absorb the flavors from other foods.

Coffee beans have different flavors and growing conditions affect flavor as well. 100 Arabica bushes will yield about 130 pounds of green coffee beans.Coffee is good for you! It contains anti oxidants as well as minerals all of which are thought o help in the prevention of some disease. In fact, drinking coffee is thought to decrease the risk of diabetes and Parkinsons disease. It has bacteria fighting elements that can help fight tooth decay and some if its anti oxidants are thought to stimulate enzymes that may protect against colon cancer. It is well known that the caffeine in coffee can help keep you alert and aid in concentration, but it can also help relieve the symptoms of asthma by dilating bronchial tubes and get rid of tension headaches.

Lee Dobbins is a writer for Online Gourmet Foods where you can find out more about gourmet foods and coffee.Article Source: EzineArticles.com