The bMall Coffee House

Human beings are sociable animals and need somewhere warm and dry to congregate and coffee houses are the perfect place to meet up with friends before going out on the town or to take a break from work or shopping. However independently run establishments seem to be a dying breed. Most of these places are international chains now, such as Starbucks. Some people like a chain because they know exactly what to expect but it makes every main street look the same.

Tea is the drink that is mainly associated with the British, but coffee houses were very fashionable in 18th century London. Coffee was considered the modern, exotic beverage and the intellectual elite of the capital would gather to discuss the affairs of the day over their imported brew.

Later, in the 1950s, they would become the starting point for rock and roll performers like Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard. The expresso machines would steam and hiss and the jukebox would vibrate to Elvis and Eddie Cochran.

In the 1960s of New York and San Francisco, bearded folk singers and beat poets frequented the coffee houses, all aspiring to be the next Bob Dylan or Allen Gingsberg. Even today, poetry recitals and coffee bars seem to go together. The pavement cafes of Paris have a long literary tradition, home to many a tormented and poverty stricken writer.

The open top bus tour guides of Edinburgh in Scotland point out a café with a Harry Potter connection. It was here, in her brother-in-law’s café, that J.K. Rowling began to pen her tale of wizards.

Coffee is not the simple drink, it once was. The choice of drinks available can be bewildering. Coffee houses sell espresso, latte, cappuccino and a wonderful mixture of coffee and chocolate known as mocha. Customers can shake chocolate or cinnamon on the top.

There is also a wide choice of muffins; chocolate chip, blueberry, lemon or cherry. They also sell sandwiches with ever more elaborate fillings. It’s difficult sometimes, to get a straightforward cheese and tomato roll but invariably easy to order a ham with rocket and melted stilton and sun dried tomatoes with a blue cheese dressing in a granary baguette.

It’s become more relaxing to browse in a bookstore, with many of them opening up little coffee houses within the stores. Many of those are Starbucks, of course, but it’s still a nice place to lounge. Some stores allow customers to look through the books while drinking their coffee. They tend to have comfortable leather armchairs and it’s tempting to fall asleep. Just don’t nod off into your coffee.

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Travel coffee mugs come in all different forms. Whether you like to have a small cup on the road of whether you like to carry a whole pot of java with you there is a product that will suit your needs. There are some things to consider when shopping around for your travel coffee mugs before making a purchase.

The first consideration is how the products will be used. Are you taking your travel coffee mugs with you during your commute to work or are you taking them on a weekend getaway in the mountains? The same products will not suit both situations all the time.

Of course, you want to consider different products for different excursions. If your commute to the office is a few blocks you really want a simple product that is cost effective and efficient. Many of us really can’t do without our morning brew no matter how short a trip we have to take. Simple travel coffee mugs are ideal for these short jaunts.

Some of us have a long commute to work each and every day. There are great options for those of us who want to have a hotter cup for a longer period of time. My favorite travel coffee mugs for longer commutes to the worksite include heaters that hook right into your vehicle’s lighter outlet. These items are sure to keep your brew piping hot no matter how many miles you travel.

There are those who drink coffee all day long. I am one of those people who can’t go through the afternoon without a caffeine pick-me-up. Travel coffee mugs that boast extra space and longer warming times are perfect for people like me. I use a big thermos as my traveling companion. This saves me a lot of money on the afternoon cup of coffee that I used to purchase from the coffee shop. It’s not as good as the fresh stuff, but it’s way better than nothing.

The travel coffee mugs are available in a number of different materials. I chose stainless steel versions because they are so sleek and attractive. These travel coffee mugs look fantastic on my desk and the certainly outshine the plastic versions found in many stores. The stainless steel mugs are also quite durable which also saves me money in the long run.

Just make sure you get travel mugs that not only have a good seal and are well insulated, but that fit your hands well. Fumbling around with a leaky mug that is hard to hold isn’t fun.

Today’s coffee lover has plenty of options when it comes to travel coffee mugs. These items offer classic thermal storage for your morning brew and some even offer additional heating as you make your journey. With all of the choices there is little wonder why some of us have a nice collection of travel coffee mugs.

Nissan 14-Ounce Leak-Proof Insulated Travel Mug

There are many trends that sweep the nation each year.  Some keep to certain areas or regions and others are nation wide.  Some are fleeting and others seem to have a great impact on our society.  One such impact has been from the gourmet coffee industry.

Over the past several years the coffee industry has exploded across the nation, as can be seen by the number of coffee shops that seem to be popping up on every corner of every large city and small town. Visit Seattle, for example, and you’ll see a coffee house every couple of blocks.

It’s simply amazing what java has done to the minds and taste buds of people everywhere.  That distinct aroma sets our minds at ease every morning. It wakes us up and gets us going. One of the cool things about coffee these days is the vast selection. The gourmet coffee industry is much more than the old style canned grounds and drip pots. The new millennium is flooded with an array of espresso drinks, frozen cappuccinos, dessert coffees, and more. Good quality coffee is even available on grocery store shelves!

In the past a cup of coffee was seen as a morning beverage that some people enjoyed.  Coffee was also served to accompany dessert at the end of a meal.  Today coffee is created.  You no longer ask for a cup of coffee, you recite a list of ingredients you want in your cup.

Ordering a cup of coffee and waiting for it to be prepared is now a 5 minute event, and the coffee industry is grinning all the way to the bank.  Coffee has always been slightly more costly than other consumable items that are purchased, but with its increase in popularity the costs are on a steady rise.  The days of coffee being a complimentary beverage along with a meal are coming to an end. (My wife refers to most restaurant brewed coffee as “hot, dark liquid.”  Some places are starting to use the gourmet coffees in their brews and it makes a difference.)

Are you a coffee drinker? More to the point, did the specialty coffee industry nab you as well? I’m not going to lie; I was sucked in years ago. Although I was not a fan of mom and pop’s drip beverage, I did get hooked after trying an iced mocha latte. Who came up with this stuff? Iced coffee became my thing. These days I have my very own espresso machine and purchase fresh coffee beans each week. Yeah, I’m pretty hardcore. My wife and I prefer the fresh stuff.

Regardless of your coffee preferences and habits, you’ll surely have no trouble satisfying them in this caffeine-driven world. With the abundance of coffee shops these days, I can hardly fathom how they all stay in business, but it must be a killer business. Come on, four bucks a drink. I thought they were just espresso and milk with maybe a shot of syrup.

The specialty coffee industry has certainly made their demands regarding price, and no one’s protesting. Check out the line every morning at your local Starbuck’s. Even in the smaller towns I’ve traveled to, there is always a coffee shop or two, and they’re international. Beirut has three Starbucks! Let’s face it; we all want that morning java buzz. While the price of fine lattes is definitely nothing to shake a stick at, we all still conform. For some bizarre reason, that tantalizing smell of freshly ground coffee beans gets us every time.

About the Coffee Growers:

The coffee industry is making an effort to treat the coffee growers more fairly.  As the popularity in coffee has increased throughout our country the coffee industry has been studied more closely.  These studies have caused grave concern for many people.  Historically the coffee industry has paid the coffee grower a very minimal sum for the coffee beans.  The growing, harvesting and sorting of coffee beans is extremely labor intensive.  Many people have thought that this is why coffee is so expensive.

In reality it is the coffee broker, who acts as the middle man between grower and buyer, which the industry pays the largest sum of money to.  The coffee broker uses the language barrier and lack of financial knowledge against the coffee grower to pay very little for the coffee beans.  The broker in turn charges the coffee buyer the true value of the beans.

The result is that the grower is paid pennies for their labor and the broker gets rich and the consumer still pays a high cost for coffee. Things are improving in the coffee industry with the development of Fair Trade commissions.

Movements like this have helped educate the coffee growers so they get a fair price for their product.  Some organizations and individuals are purchasing coffee directly from the grower, which gives him fair compensation and also takes the broker out of the loop.

This is helping to make the coffee industry more grower-friendly, but don’t expect it to decrease the cost of your next cup of coffee. The coffee industry still has some things to change before it is completely equitable, but the increased consumption of coffee should give it the incentive to run a fairer trade operation.

A lot of people fall into the hard to buy for category. They always claim not to understand this, as there are many things they enjoy. The problem is that they already have them. My brother-in-law and his family are the perfect examples. Not only do they already have everything their large house is soo full of stuff than anything we might buy them is instantly lost and forgotten. Except for the coffee gift baskets. They love coffee and consumables get used. Of course, the basket might end up on the heap, but that’s not the part we care about.

The best thing about coffee gift baskets is the variety. Many of us drink a lot of coffee and the gift of gourmet coffee beans is a wonderful change of pace. There are many other things that you can put in coffee gift baskets, and I would probably use each and every thing. My brother-in-law’s family certainly does.

Even better, you can find these gift baskets in many places, or you can make them up on your own. Even just stuffing a few bags of coffee in a basket can be a great gift.

When you are putting together coffee gift baskets, remember to find out what kind of coffee someone likes. Almost everyone will enjoy a simple medium roast coffee. If someone drinks a lot of coffee they may enjoy decaffeinated coffee in their coffee gift baskets. Though many people like to try the flavored coffees, this is something that I generally will not drink. If I want flavor in my coffee, I like to add it on my own. However, having flavored coffee in my home is often something I live to have for guests, so it’s still a good thing to include with the basket.

Keep your eyes open for sales and specials on the pre-made baskets. I saw some coffee gift baskets that I almost bought for another relative. He generally has a cup or two in the morning on his way to work. The store was having a sale on special coffee gift baskets. The baskets included a pound of coffee, a travel mug, and a coupon for ten free cups.

I didn’t end up buying it for him, but perhaps I should have. Perhaps I will get it for him next year.

Coffee Gift Basket with Jamaican Java

When you think of gourmet coffee, it’s likely you think of the fine South American and African Arabicas. You probably wouldn’t think of fine Arabica coffee, grown right here in the U.S. Yet, it’s true. One of the world’s finest coffees, Kona, is grown in Hawaii, on the “big Island”.

Kona coffee is a distinct designation given only to coffee beans grown on the west side of the island of Hawaii. This is because of the unique environment, found in no other location. The combination of volcanic soil and alternating sunshine and rain forest conditions produces the flavor unique to this coffee.

Kona coffee has a unique body, complex flavor, lightly acidic, with a rich, delicious and spicy aroma not found elsewhere in the coffee world.

Coffee came to the Kona region of Hawaii from Brazil, in the form of cuttings. Although these cuttings took many years to develop into a large and consistent enough crop, by the mid-1800’s, Kona coffee was a commercially grown crop, with many large plantations in the Kona district.

In 1899, a crash in the coffee market around the world left the Kona plantation owners no option but to lease small portions of their plantations to individual farmers, who then farmed five to twelve acre parcels of Kona coffee trees as family businesses. These small coffee producers were diligent and conscientious in their efforts, bringing a high quality coffee bean to market.

The volcanic soil and rocky slopes contributes to an unusual ripening cycle of the Kona coffee bean. The coffee “cherries” do not ripen all at once, so a mechanical harvesting process is not possible.

Workers must visually and individually inspect the beans for ripeness, so that immature beans are not harvested and mixed in with mature beans. Each tree must be picked many times throughout the harvest season. This makes the coffee producer’s product more labor intensive, but well worth the price of the finished crop.

Aside from the unique growing conditions found in the small region of Kona, much of the quality of the coffee crop is attributed to the care taken by the small, independent growers in producing the highest quality of their crop.

Kona Premium Coffee Extra Fancy Blend 1Lb Bag

Within the Kona district, there are about 600 farms, usually consisting of just a few acres each. The total acreage of Kona coffee farms is only about 2300 acres, amounting to about two million pounds of beans each year.

Much like small vintners producing fine wines, the traditional Kona coffee grower runs a family business dedicated to producing the finest crop of coffee beans each and every year, taking pride in offering you the best cup of Kona coffee you will ever taste.

Next time you’re at the grocery, look for the Kona coffee label. You’ll be glad you did!

Wow, the coffee buzz is in full affect. Is it too late to invest in Starbucks stock? Okay, maybe I should have done that a while back. Anyways, say goodbye to the old-school coffee pots and grounds, and hello to the new-age gourmet coffee beans and espresso machines.

Do you love coffee? I want that flavor to be rich and smooth; not bland and bitter. It’s obvious that many of us love to head out to the local coffee shops in search of a daily latte or two. This is one way to indulge in gourmet coffee beans and steamed milk.

However, this little routine can start to get pricey. In fact, my wife and I did it for years. Now, if you do this every day like we did, you’re spending around 50 bucks a week. I understand that we all crave that unmatched flavor of freshly ground gourmet coffee beans, but there are alternatives.

After some serious browsing through numerous stores in cyberspace, I found the perfect espresso machine. It is all self-contained. It holds the water, grinds the beans fresh with every shot, froths the milk for lattes, you name it. Now all I needed to purchase was gourmet coffee beans and milk.

Of course you can pick up some flavored syrups (Torani and Davinci, to name two) for that extra treat. While this machine cost me 500 bucks, it paid itself off in two and a half months. That’s pretty fast if you ask me. We’ve had it now for over a year. It works perfectly with all gourmet coffee beans.

Regardless of where you get your java fix, you want the gourmet coffee beans to taste fresh. Some of the finer stores and cafes ship these in fresh throughout the week. This is much better than purchasing them off a truck, which is what you’re doing at most of the big chain coffee shops.

This is certainly the age of gourmet coffee beans and espresso. Jump online today and check out ways to get these at the lowest costs ever.

We are all becoming increasingly familiar with the Fair Trade logo as we go around our stores and supermarkets. Fair Trade started as a small campaign and has become a major contributor to the food and drinks industry. The idea behind Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate and bananas etc. is to give the producer in the country of origin a fair price for their crop.

To be certified for Fair Trade, the importer must follow several regulations. This means meeting a minimum price and ensuring conditions for the small time farmer to be able to operate fairly. Fair Trade involves growing organically, and some farmers may need help to switch to this system. The fortunate by product of this is the benefit to the environment.

A Fair Trade coffee farmer, for example, will probably work a small piece of land and mix his crops. He won’t operate like a big concern who come in and clear forest to run a large scale operation.

The advent of the Fair Trade movement has made an immense difference to the farmers and growers. A Fair Trade coffee farmer selling to a Fair Trade importer can lift himself and his family out of debt and poverty. Getting a fair and reasonable price for his harvest means being able to send his children to school which benefits the local community. Health care can be obtained and housing conditions improved. Some farmers had previously been receiving prices that did not meet the production cost.

As consumers, we have been indifferent to where our coffee comes from for too long. Fair Trade coffee and other products has shocked us out of our apathy at last, and the growing number of people buying Fair Trade shows that people care about the exploitation of the farmers.

This affects growers in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. A lot of Fair Trade coffee farmers in these regions band together to form coffee cooperatives. These organizations give them buying power and the ability to support each other.

The USA drinks a staggering one fifth of the world’s coffee production, so it’s heartening that more than a hundred companies have registered to be Fair Trade coffee suppliers. This includes the mighty Starbucks.

Other organizations to come on board include Green Mountain, Peet’s and Tully’s. The largest coffee seller in the US, Procter and Gamble got involved in Fair Trade coffee in 2003, after consumers and shareholders put pressure on them. The UK also has a thriving Fair Trade market, with Fair Trade coffee being supplied by Nestle, Sara Lee and Kraft. The Oxfam charity opened some Fair Trade coffee shops too.

The future looks bright for Fair Trade.

PS: You can find Fair Trade Coffee at any number of local coffee shops as well as online. You can also browse Amazon.com for an assortment of Fair Trade Coffee and books.

When we fix our morning cup of Joe, we seldom, if ever, wonder about the origin of that delicious brew. We all know it’s an expensive but, for most, a necessary luxury, which we pick up at our favorite vendor in bags or cans.

Most of us don’t even know what the coffee plant looks like. Do we imagine coffee beans bristling off the branches? Just how does it end up as the tasty beverage we all love? The story of the coffee plant is interesting indeed.

The coffee plant originated in Africa’s tropical forests. Some say the first coffee drinker was an Ethiopian goat herder, who upon noticing his herds’ frisky behavior following consumption of the coffee berries, decided to try some for himself. The rest is history.

Although there are about 25 species of the genus Coffea, only two are grown commercially and destined for our coffee cups. These two are the Arabica and Robusta coffee plants. Of the other species, some are available as indoor plants, more as a conversation piece than anything else.

The Arabica coffee plant grows in a tree-like fashion, with a single trunk, with branches growing outward from the central trunk. The smaller of the two plants, the Arabica produces a superior bean, richer in flavor and complexity of taste.

The Robusta coffee plant is more shrub-like in its appearance, with many minor trunks. The beans of the Robusta coffee plant lack the fine complex taste of the Arabica. While the Robusta coffee bean contains more caffeine, it tends to have bitter flavor notes which are generally undesirable.

If left unchecked, coffee plants grow well over 30 feet high. To enable manageable harvesting, commercial growers prune the plants to a height of just eight to fifteen feet.

Coffee plants, grown in ideal conditions, have large, dark green leaves, with a waxy surface, about four to six inches long and about half as wide. The flowers are white, fragrant and are produced in thick clusters along the branches.

It takes more than eight months from flowering to produce a ripe coffee “cherry” suitable for harvest. The cherries usually contain two beans. The cherry is ripe for picking when the cherry attains a bright red hue. Coffee beans do not ripen all at once, so great attention and several harvests are required to pick one tree’s bounty at a state of perfection. This accounts, in great part, for the high cost of the finished product.

Large commercial growers, producing the run-of-the-mill canned coffees generally mix the two types of beans, looking for a satisfactory balance between good taste and reduced cost of production. You’ll find that the so-called “gourmet” coffees are usually labeled “100% Arabica”. While they’re more expensive, there’s a world of difference in the taste. Ounce-for-ounce, you may find the Arabica product just as affordable.

When you think of this luxury, remember: one coffee plant produces just one pound of coffee each year! Bon Appetit!

PS: Check out CoffeeForLess.com for a wide assortment of coffees, machines, and accessories. You get free gifts with orders of $125+

Each week we make our trek to the grocery store and while I don’t necessarily care for the one I use now, there is one big reason why I still go there. They are the only store in the area that carries the coffee beans that I use for my daily coffee.

There are other stores, and they have different brands, but the particular brand I need can only be found at one place, so I have to shop there or I have to make two different trips. Who has time for that?

Once I discovered the taste of freshly ground coffee beans, it was hard for me to think of using anything else. Most already ground coffee is just fine, but there is just something wonderful about grinding your own coffee beans, loading up the machine, and tasting the amazing taste of the resulting fresh cup of coffee. Though it takes me a little longer to get my coffee going in the morning, the results are worth it.

You can find bulk coffee beans in most grocery stores, but you will find they are all different. Each company has their own roasts, and you might find that one particular roast by one particular company is exactly what you need.

Even better, you can mix and match your coffee beans when you buy them this way, and you can come up with a mix that is perfect for you and your personal tastes. If you love coffee but don’t love the caffeine, you can mix decaf beans with regular for a great tasting cup of coffee with less caffeine.

Remember to treat your coffee beans well once you get them home. Keep them in a sealed package away from sunlight. They should stay fresh for week, but after that the flavors will start to fade a bit. I have heard you can store coffee beans in the freezer for a few weeks if you want to, but I honestly can’t tell you what that might do to the taste, as I have never tried it.

You may even try the refrigerator, as it is a cool and rather dry place, which is what is recommended. If you find that you have to store your beans time and time again, you may just be buying too much at once.

Coffee beans come in so many different flavors that choosing which ones to try can be a little difficult. Even if you aren’t a fan of fancy flavoring, you can still find yourself neck deep in choices of coffees that you want to try. Between the breakfast blends and the prime Colombian breeds, there are a lot of exciting coffee beans that will entice your taste buds.

Finding great coffee beans is like finding great wines. It may take a little effort but just like a fine wine, the right java will be a wonderful addition to your daily routine as well as special occasions. There are some great ways to get your hands on a number of unusual brands that you just can’t find in your local grocery store. There are coffee beans that are available from around the world and you never have to even leave your home.

The coffee beans are fresh and they are shipped right to your front door. You never have to guess whether these beans have been sitting around in a warehouse for a long time. Most companies offer the freshest coffee beans that you can find and they waste no time getting the stock to you.

There are a few approaches that you can take to purchasing online coffee beans. I like joining programs like the wine of the month and the beer of the month clubs. These resources have opened the door to many tasty beverage experiences. Why not do the same for my morning brew?

All you need to do is choose a package that feels right for you. Do you like the varieties of coffee beans available? How many months would you like to commit to the service? Do you want to take the coffee beans for a test drive before making a commitment to a Coffee of the Month Club?

Then there is the question about home roasting. Just as some people like to make their own wine, some like to roast their own coffee beans. You can find all of the supplies you need online. In no time at all you could be on your way to making your very own home roasted coffee beans.

Whether you are the do-it-yourself type or whether you like to have your coffee beans roasted ahead of time, there are plenty of opportunities to find what you are looking for through the World Wide Web.