Best Coffee Makers |

It’s horrible when it happens – you’re at the office and you’ve been called into a meeting with the boss. You’ve just finished your third cup of coffee of the morning and cigarette break ended just minutes ago. You know your breath must smell terrible, but you don’t have a toothbrush or mouthwash. Here’s what you need do to get through the face to face office confrontation without your halitosis ruining the day.

First, you need to reduce the amount of food particles and bacteria in your mouth as quickly as possible. Find some way to scrape your tongue, as that’s where a lot of the odor is likely coming from. A plastic stirring spoon from next to the office coffee machine works great in this case. Just don’t stick it in too far and gag yourself. No spoon? Be creative; the long flat end of a pencap or even a stiff business card can work in a pinch.

Next, you need to rinse your mouth out. Get a paper cup of water from the fountain, rinse well, gargle and spit. If you’re lucky enough to have a kitchenette in your office, stir some salt into that water first. The salt will help force out some of those food particles stuck between your teeth and temporarily stop some of the stink from food fermentation that may be occuring.

Now you have to make sure your breath can hold out for the length of the meeting. At this point you should try to hydrate your mouth and your body. Drinking a few cups of water now would be great, but don’t overdo it, you don’t want to have to run to the toilet in the middle of your meeting. A cup of black tea is good too, as the anti-oxidants will help keep your bad breath in check. Skip the cream and sugar, but if there’s a slice of lemon available, toss it in. Whatever you do, don’t drink more coffee, you’ll be right back to square one.

Finally, if at all possible, bum some gum off a co-worker to chew on the way to the meeting. You probably don’t have time to be picky at this point, but if the gum is sweetened with xylitol, even better. Make sure to grab a tissue too and remember to dispose of your gum in it before you get to the meeting.

Being stuck alone in your cubicle all day long can cause you to become very lax in your oral hygiene routine. Office culture also encourages a diet of coffee, soft drinks and unhealthy snacks that do not support clean breath. Because of this, many office workers suffer from bad breath, but don’t even know it until the worst possible moment. Luckily the routine above can save the day in a pinch.

James Allen
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/quick-home-remedies-for-bad-breath-at-the-office-92804.html

What do you think of when you hear the word “espresso”? Perhaps,

“Express – train; fast black, iron horse of rocket fuel!”

Or,

“Strong. Hyper-caffeinated. Bitter. What, me try it?” (is you a man or is you a mouse?)

Also, maybe,

“I like my coffee black, but not that black!”

Wrong. Espresso, when correctly made, is none of these things.

Espresso is a traditional coffee drink invented by the French, but perfected by the Italians. You can associate the word “espresso” with the English word “press”, for that is the fundamental action pertaining to both the ground coffee – which is pressed into a compact disc – and the machine used to make it, which forces or “presses” hot water through the disc of coffee. The result is a demitasse (very small cup) of all of the best characteristics of the coffee bean with none of the less desirable ones.

A well “pulled” shot of espresso is not bitter. The flavor is full, complex, and remains on the tongue for 10-15 minutes after drinking it. That flavor can be fairly accurately compared with the wonderful aroma present when the seal is first broken on a container of coffee. If your espresso is bitter blame the barista, not the drink.

Afraid of the shakes? Don’t be. Surprisingly, given the concentrated nature of the drink, a shot of espresso has only about half the caffeine of a normally brewed cup of joe. This is because the heated water is forced through the coffee too quickly (ideally in around 20 seconds) to liberate all of the caffeine present in the grind.

All of this wonderfulness requires a special type of machine to make. As already mentioned, an espresso machine’s express purpose is to press heated water (about 200 degrees) through a disc of pressed coffee. How is this accomplished? There are 3 basic designs: steam driven, piston driven, and pump driven.

Mechanically, the simplest is the steam driven machine. It employs steam pressure to force water through the coffee. Since there are no moving parts, this design is normally used for lower-priced home espresso makers. This principle was also used in early commercial machines but was abandoned by professionals when a better design came along in 1945.

That design is the piston driven machine. In this design, a long lever is pulled by the barista (hence the phrase “pulling” a shot) to drive a piston, which in turn forces the heated water out of a cylinder and through the coffee. A later refinement of this design was to interject a spring into the process between the lever and piston. The lever compresses the spring, which in turn drives the pistion. The purpose is to better control the pressure of the water (ideally 9 ft-lbs) as it is forced through the coffee.

An even better design was introduced in 1961, the pump driven machine. This design uses an electric pump to force the water. The benefit is more accuracy (and no arm-strain!).

Good espresso also has a “head”, like a beer does. The head is made up of concentrated oils from the coffee. It is dark reddish-brown, and should have enough body to support the weight of a teaspoon of sugar for about 2 seconds before it sinks into the drink.

The coffee itself is, of course, rather important. It should be of a medium roast; a dark roast has had too many of the oils and sugars cooked out of it. It also needs to be ground exactly right. A proper grind can be described as the consistency of talcum powder. The best bet is to have your espresso professionally ground at a good shop. They have the right equipment and know-how to make a perfect grind.

Need water quality even be discussed here? You don’t drink tap, so don’t brew tap. Enough said there.

Espresso is complex in both nature and process. It requires special equipment and exacting technique to make properly, but is well worth the effort. If you’ve never tried it, drop by a reputable coffee house and let them convince you. Chances are you’ll be hooked.

JoBeth Levina
http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/overview-of-espresso-and-espresso-machines-723972.html

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages consumed by people from all over the world. In fact, coffee is probably the second most popular drink next to water. It seems to have that distinct aroma and taste that favors the tastebuds of most people. That is probably the reason why coffee has become a worldwide favorite. Coffee, in its different incarnations, is being enjoyed by people from all walks of life, gender in even the farthest regions of the world.

When it comes to enjoying coffee today, people seem to benefit from the many choices available today. Thanks to many enterprising individuals who helped made the business of coffee enjoyment a more popular privilege as well as a lifestyle. Before, coffee drinking was considered as an ordinary everyday ritual.

Nobody bothered how they enjoyed their coffee. Most people didn’t have an idea then that there are other ways to enjoy coffee than just the black variety. It wasn’t until Starbucks came into existence that coffee drinking became the popular trend.

With Starbucks and other similar coffee shops offering different varieities of the popular beverage, the evolution of coffee as just an ordinary beverage has come upon us. Nowadays, one may not just order coffee as itself. There are currently a host of choices available that will challenge the taste buds. Aside from the traditional black coffee, there is the espresso to consider.

Espresso is basically coffee made by forcing hot water under high pressure through roasted coffee that has been grounded to an extremely fine powder. This results in having a beverage that produces a rich, flavorful, and almost syrupy beverage.

Its characteristics are due to the extraction and emulsification of the oils found in ground coffee by pressuring hot water through them. Espresso can be enjoyed as a straight shot or mixed with steamed milk and in a lot of other ways.

Aside form the straight shot espresso, there is also the caffe latte that might also be an interesting coffee experience. It is basically coffee served mixed with milk. It can be differentiated with a cappuccino in the sense that it contains more milk and therefore may have a creamier and milkier flavor to it. Cappuccino on the other hand may contain about a one third less milk in a usual serving.

Another coffee beverage becoming more and more popular is the relatively new and unique selection of flavored coffee drinks being offered by more and more coffee shops like Starbucks. These are special creations that are served as hot espresso mixed with a flavored syrup.

The choices has grown as more and more flavors are being mixed with coffee as the base. Nowadays, there are vanilla, Irish creme, almond, hazelnut, and caramel flavored coffee drinks to choose from aside from other exotic fruity flavors such as orange and raspberry coffee drinks.

Jennifer Seaton
http://www.articlesbase.com/tea-articles/coffee-as-a-poplular-beverages-today-671259.html

Those who want to start the day right with a fresh cup of coffee have to go out first and buy the machine. There are certain things to consider before shelling out those hard earned dollars and here are some tips that will help any potential buyer.

Household appliances aren’t free. Price is definitely the most important factor. This may depend on the frequency that those in the household can consume on a daily basis that will determine whether to get the kind made of metal or plastic.

There are 4 types of espresso machines being offered on the market. The basic model operates through steam. The second is called the semi-automatic because it has a few settings that will help the user control how long this will be brewed before it goes down from the pot and into the cup.

The third is called the automatic. You don’t have to go back and forth to the kitchen to check on it because this can be fixed at a certain time so the only thing to do is get it while it’s still hot.

The last is called the super automatic. It is just like the third type. The only difference is that it does other things such as eject the spent puck or pour steam milk out into the cup. This is the most expensive and will cost more than $1,000 and are only used by commercial establishments.

Coffee machines also come in various designs. The basic one is rectangular and bulky. But those who want a more modern look can look at the thin models which can be compared to flat screen television sets.

The boiler is the only part of the espresso machine that is made out of metal. Many prefer aluminum because they heat up faster compared to the others but brass and copper seem to be more durable in the long term.

Another factor that will help convert the coffee grounds into the espresso is the bar pressure. Ideally, machines that guarantee 9 bars is sufficient enough for household consumption even if there are other models that can promise double.

With all this information, it is time to go shopping. You should check out the various brands and compare the prices being offered at one store from the next before making that important decision.

Jennifer Seaton
http://www.articlesbase.com/tea-articles/buying-a-espresso-machine-for-the-first-time-671257.html

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