Fred the local Barrista

 'Barrista' becoming just another fashionable vocation in our modern age, one ponders upon the possible near-future extinction of the average layman's cup of coffee. Not that Fred would mind in anycase. Of recent, my local coffee savant has confessed that its all about the money really. Really? Come to think of it how much does it cost now for a mass-produced packet brew? Does anything come down in this modern time? Highly unlikely; thus the case for the increasing correlation between growing coffee bean consumption habits and price.

Fred tells me that it's all really down to different stereo types and he could almost instinctively guess the customer 's habits the moment they walk through the door. I wouldn't dispute the claim either given that a barrista develops a peculiar nasal quality over the years of concocting and experimenting different coffee beans and secret ingredients. Prhaps rising employment income had something to do with it as neighbourhoods transformed themselves over the years.

 

According to Fred theres the city type that walks into the door first thing in the morning. Banker, accountant, lawyer, one could never tell, except they all seem to dress the same, wear similar facial expressions and like it strong. Robusta goes down very well with these money men without much further ado. Then theres the students piling in during the rush hour that need to wake up. Fred often resorts to blending Robusta with Arabica to grant the younger crowd the kind of morning death wish that they need to boost their gruelling classroom energies ahead. After that it's the mid-morning girls of all sorts of backgrounds that need time alone to study or even chat with other girlfriends. Quite the thing to enhance attention and focus on some working study on a laptop or engage in more conversation and gossip. Then by afternoon, in strolls mellow man, who really wants a softer tone to accompany his comfort as he plonks himself in a corner and reads the newpaper six hours too late!

Fred knows exactly what each customer needs from the local barrista to speed up or wind down the day. A man for all seasons; that's the modern barrista's way. Coffee drinking continues to evolve and cope with the changes in a rapidly transforming world.

Happiness and Coffee are the same side of the Coin!

Given the scarcity of food on the shelves, the mess on the road, the amount of cars whizzing by and the general fracas out on the streets, there's not much that can put a smile on your face these days apart from some bank notes in your hand! Whether your'e in New York or London or Rome it doesn't make a difference. The whole world has become a noisy place but how you deal with it will define wther you can find a little bit of happiness and pleasure from your cosy cup of coffee.

But still, yes, drinking a cup of coffee every day can still put a smile on your face.

 

 

 

1. A cup of coffee boosts your energy and alertness. Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant that helps to improve alertness, concentration, and cognitive performance. It can help you feel more awake and energized, making it easier to focus on tasks and be productive.

2. Coffee actually can improve your physical performance! All that extra caffeine floating in your blood gives you bundles of energy pushing people out of the way on the high street and in the supermarket! Caffeine in coffee can also enhance physical performance by stimulating the nervous system, increasing metabolism, and promoting the breakdown of fat cells. This can lead to improved endurance, strength, and muscle power during exercise.

3. This lovely brew reduces the risk of certain diseases and certainly the absence of unhappiness would be one of the greatest victories because unhappiness is certainly a disease! Coffee contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help to reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, liver disease, and some types of cancer. Since your mood gets a boost, drinking coffee can stimulate the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin, which can help to boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression.

4. Coffee can also promotes your biological longevity. Some studies have suggested that coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk of premature death. The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in coffee may help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and increase overall lifespan.

So now that's four good reasons to keep on smiling hrough the day!

 

 

Making Your Own Gourmet Coffee

Gourmet coffee is usually made from 100% Arabica beans unlike the type of coffee you find in your super-market shelves which are generally made up from Robusta beans. Arabica is well-liked for brewing at home because the coffee created has a sharper aroma and deeper flavor. 

Arabica beans are a type of coffee bean that is considered to be of higher quality and is more commonly consumed than other varieties of coffee beans. Arabica coffee is grown in high-altitude regions of the world, such as Colombia, Ethiopia, and Central America.

Arabica beans are known for their delicate and nuanced flavors, which can vary depending on where they are grown and how they are processed. They have a lower caffeine content than other coffee beans, such as Robusta beans, which makes them a popular choice for those who are sensitive to caffeine.

Arabica coffee is typically more expensive than other types of coffee due to its superior quality and the fact that it is more difficult to grow and harvest. However, many coffee enthusiasts prefer Arabica coffee because of its superior taste and aroma.

 

 

Some people roast their beans in he kitchen while others like to roast outdoors. Dry coffee beans typically roasts in about 20 mins at approxmately between 200 ° C in temperature. Different qualities of bean dryness and roasting temperature and length of time will determine difference characteristics in flavor. Since a gourmet coffee is highly individualized the end result will really depend upon what the roaster is seeking in search of his or hers idealistic conception. While some people use their ovens, frying pans and even rice-cookers I prefer to roast my own beans in my own kiln which I have set up in the garden to bake my own bread. There is something about the blend of wood and charcoal that add's to the aroma when choosing to roast your beans outside the modern home. I quite like to think of it as the way old explorers may have come to fashion their brews on cold winter days when treking across the vast plains of the Americas. There's quite a romance in that notion! Depending on my mood I  would sometimes blend in the faintest flavours of liquorice, cinnamon, dried cherries (thats a favourite of mine in the winter) pine and vanilla. One always drifts with the seasons, day and time and so the end result is always going to be what you exactly need for that particular moment! Have a try yourself, but be patient, because your early failures at brewing coffee could merely serve as the stepping stones to something more greater down the line; achieveing brewing mastery and greatness takes a little bit of time you know.

 

 

Caffeine limits

 

 

"To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?"

One wonders what exactly inspired the great bard himself.

Once upon a time I ran to the doctor shouting "Doctor, doctor my heart is racing!" to which the doctor replied "Pete, you're so stupid you drink eight cups of coffee a day!"

Well, I always knew that there was something very special about my morning brew; only that my morning habits somewhat extended through the afternoon and then the evening!

Thus, I learnt that coffee was not only a wonderful inspiration but also that a dose of caffeine added a few extra beats on my ticker. But one would have accepted that as a fine price to pay for a sudden flash of ingenuity. Indeed.

The oracle says - Source - U.S. Food and Drug Administration - 400 milligrams (about 4 cups brewed coffee) is a safe amount of caffeine for healthy adults to consume daily.

And the dictionary describes - Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant that is found in various plants such as coffee, tea, and cocoa. It is also added to many soft drinks and energy drinks as an artificial ingredient. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can help to increase alertness, reduce fatigue, and improve concentration. It works by blocking the action of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for promoting sleep and suppressing arousal.

Wonderful! So as long as one may settle for four flashes of inspiration throughout the day then the whole world goes round perfectly well for me.

What are the benefits of drinking one cup of coffee a day?

 

 

Drinking one cup of coffee a day can offer several potential benefits:

Increased alertness: Coffee contains caffeine, a natural stimulant that can help you feel more awake and alert. Consuming caffeine in moderation can help improve mental focus, attention, and concentration.

Improved mood: Coffee can stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. This can help improve your mood and reduce symptoms of depression.

Boosted physical performance: Caffeine can also enhance physical performance by reducing fatigue and increasing endurance during exercise.

Reduced risk of certain diseases: Studies suggest that regular coffee consumption may lower the risk of several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and liver disease.

Antioxidant properties: Coffee contains several antioxidants, which can help protect against damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

It's worth noting, however, that the benefits of coffee consumption can vary depending on individual factors such as genetics, age, and overall health status. Additionally, excessive consumption of coffee or caffeine can lead to negative side effects like jitters, increased heart rate, and insomnia. It's important to drink coffee in moderation and discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider.

For further reading see WebMD 

 

Horror Upon Horror; Wheres All The Coffee Gone?

Waking up this morning to the morning news was a bit like a jolt and a kick in the backside! How rude! The utter indignity of it all! How dare they; how could they? Are we to be robed of even our most basic regimen? And now we are about to have our morning precious brew snatched from our morning routine?

The first newspaper screamed that the shopping shelves will run bare within two weeks; the second comisserated upn the silent death of coffee, aparently due to the ever growing threat of global warming in our planting regions of the world. Covid, war, fuel shortages, the lack of vegetables? Now add to the list of our unwinding society the shrinking supplies of the most cherished coffee bean. Whatever next? Plug in some electrical wires to the wall socket to jump start the morning ticker into action? Watered down coffee proportions is definetly not going to serve as a traditional morning reboot to my human system. The sky might as well have fallen on my head! I'm starting to rebel at the idea of reading the morning newspaper if this is all I'm going to hear about. It's time to reinvent the definitions and very framework of minimum mental perpetual optimism.

 

 

Cheers.