The exploration of different ways to get your caffeine fix!

This photo is at "Holy Land Café," in Lenexa, you must check it out!  Turkish coffee is one of the oldest ways to prepare coffee. Turkish coffee is famed for the way in which it's prepared and it's strong taste. As stated in the word, Turkish coffee originates from Turkey. In Turkey there are a few rituals to look out for. 1) It is more common to take your coffee break in the afternoon or after dinner. 2) When served Turkish coffee, one will be given water, the coffee, and usually a turkish delight. You drink the water first to cleanse your palette and wait for the coffee to cool downa and for the grounds to settle. Also, do not drink it to the last drop, or try to finish it. Turkish coffee is unfiltered and, unless you want a mouth full of grounds, I wouldn't suggest it. 3) A common ritual is flipping the finished cup over on the saucer, they do this is tell fortunes out of the shapes created from flipping the cup. Another fun cultural fact about Turkish coffee i...

 Drip coffee makers are convenient and easy to use. They produce consistent and quick coffee. Now this is all fine and dandy if that's what you're going for. However, if you are one who cares about the quality of your coffee and you're earning for the perfect cup of joy in the morning... you should probably ditch the drip coffee maker. In my previous blogs I elaborated on some of the different types of brewing methods of coffee. For the purpose of quite frankly, trashing on drip coffee (though I drink it as well), I will compare a drip coffee maker with a pour-over. 1. The fact of quality: though coffee is completely subjective, it is fact that a properly-made pour-over has an appreciably better quality than that of drip coffee. Since you're giving the grounds more time to extract the oils from the water as you hand-pour the water, this makes the coffee more vibrant and tasteful. 2. Durability: If you buy a pour-over set, if you treat it right, it will last your whole l...

I am pretty big on the "experience" that comes with consuming any sort of drink. On rainy days when I am pondering life and looking out the window, I generally go for tea. However, not just a tea bag, but actually using a teapot. Though tea bags are convenient and while I am typing this very blog, I am drinking tea from a tea bag, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Why loose-leaf tea over tea bags? When you steep loose-tea, the leaves will have space to absorb water and expand (they should expand noticeably) as they fuse. This allows the leaves to extract more vitamins, minerals, flavor, and aroma. Tea bags are only dust and fannings, and lower quality. Due to it only being dust, there is not much of a flavor profile and the tea is not as fresh.  When it comes to getting your caffeine fix however, there are a couple of options: Green or black tea. Green Tea is arguably one of the healthiest forms of caffeine. Green tea has been proven to boost brain function and prote...

     A french press is arguably the most popular and well known coffee-brewing methods around the globe. Why is the french press so special? Unlike many other popular brewing methods, there is no paper filter, and the beans are saturated in the water. In a french press, the grounds are placed at the bottom and then they are saturated in almost boiling water. Then a metal filter keeps the grounds from getting into your coffee cup when you pour it. A reason why the french press is so popular is, due to there being a metal filter instead of a paper filter, all of the oils and flavor is retained in the coffee. This makes your cup of joe ten times better. What you'll need: a french press, coursely ground coffee (a darker roast is preferable), almost boiling water (199-202 degrees) Note on ratios * ratio is one tablespoon of ground coffee for every 4oz of water French Press: 1) Place the grounds in the bottom of the french press 2) Once the water is ready, pour over the grounds...

 Cold brew. The method of brewing coffee that takes the longest. For those that drink cold brew religiously, I have heard two main reasons as to why: they do not like hot coffee, or for health reasons. Health is a good reason to drink cold brew over hot coffee or espresso. Cold brew is close to 70% less acidic than hot coffee. This proves very beneficial for people with stomach issues. Due to grounds not being exposed to high temperatures, cold brew tends to be sweeter and smoother than hot coffee. As well as it will be less bitter. If you're looking to an alternate for your latte, cutting cold brew with milk makes the perfect substitute. Since cold brew is made into a concentrate, it has to be cut with water to drink. So, insead of cutting it with water, if you cut it with the milk of your choice, then the cold brew latte will be smoother to taste and easier on your stomach than a regular latte.  What you'll need: A container/jar/french press/or cold brew maker,( a cheese clo...

     Coffee is not just an art and science; but beautiful. It's hard not to smile with pure joy when you're making coffee. One of the best ways to show the beauty of coffee is through a pour-over. A pour-over is exactly what it sounds like. It is when you hand pour the water over the beans. I am sure a thought to this is "isn't a regular brew of coffee the same?" "What is the big deal, I doubt this even changes the taste." Well, I am here to inform you it is not the same at all. Because you are pouring the water by hand, it takes longer to brew. This gives the water more times to extract more flavor and oils. This creates a vibrant cup of coffee.     The question is: can you use any ole' bean for a pour-over? No, well yes, but now. I cannot stop anyone from doing anything, but if you want to experience paradise in your mouth, no. I will show you the cheat sheet to the best pour-over beans: Coffee is COMPLETELY subjective, but there are some agreed up...

 As the weather is becoming bearable and sitting outside becomes enjoyable, my go-drink is Yerba Mate.      Yerba Mate comes from the naturally  caffeinated leaves of a native species of holly tree, Ilex paraguariensis. Yerba Mate grows deep in the rainforest, and is grown and cultivated by yerbateros. Yerba Mate is predominantly drank by people in Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, and Southern Brazil. Each country has their own twist on how to make "un buen mate." I learned to prepare and drink my mate like Uruguayanos drink theirs.      Yerba Mate has a multitude of benefits (that are science backed) that shouldn't go overlooked:  1) They contain a plethora of antioxidants and nutrients 2)  Can boost energy and improve mental focus 3) May enhance physical performance 4) may protect against infections 5) May facilitate weight loss 6) Can boost immune system 7) Lowers blood sugar levels 8) May lower risk of heart disease      ...