Coffee May Lower Risk of Stroke in Women, did you know?

According to a new study in the Journal Stroke, women who drink at least one cup of coffee a day reduce their risk of stroke by as much as 25%.

Susanna Larsson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm conducted the study. She followed more than 34,000 Swedish women aged 49 to 83 who were free of heart disease for 10 years. After the post-decade follow-up, there were 1,680 women who had had strokes. The study found that the women who drank at least one cup of coffee each day had a 22 to 25 percent lowered risk of stroke as compared to the women who drank less. The study also suggested that coffee can help prevent cognitive decline and can boost vision and heart health. It is also related to a reduced risk of liver cancer.

Source:Stroke

Fairtrade Canada has a New Look, did you know?

Since March 15, 2011, TransFair Canada changed its name to Fairtrade Canada. You will therefore see their new logo on Berendo’s new packaging labels.

We invite you to read the following article from Fairtrade Canada, which explains the reason for the change.

Fairtrade Canada

Fair Trade Coffee, Did you know? Issue 22

Fair Trade Coffee

Fair Trade Certified coffee helps farmers, who produce this popular beverage, better support their families and improve their communities for generations to come. When you choose Faire Trade, you are making your daily cup of coffee go the extra mile. You are voting with your dollars for a more ethical system of trade, one that protects and supports people on all ends of the supply chain – from the small family farmer in Peru or Indonesia to the coffee shop owner in your hometown.

Source: Fair Trade USA

Nicaragua’s Coffee Exports, Did you know? Issue 21

According to a government source, Nicaragua’s coffee exports rose 50.3% in the first trimester of the 2010-2011 harvest, compared to the same period last year.  Coffee sales abroad from October to December 2010 totalled 43.9 million dollars, while for the same period of 2009, they totaled 29.2 million.

The main buyers of coffee in Nicaragua were the United States, Finland and Venezuela.

Source: Coffee Club Net, January 25th, 2011

How to Brew Filter Drip Coffee, Did you know? Issue 20

How to Brew Filter Drip Coffee

The Filter Drip coffee makers are an easy way to make a quick cup of coffee. Some drip models have internal coffee grinders. If yours does not, you will need to either purchase a separate grinder or buy coffee that is already ground. A coffee filter is placed in the filter basket. Some models come with reusable wire filters and some use disposable paper filters.  Place 1 or 2 tbsp of ground coffee per 6 fluid oz. of water.  Add cold water and turn the coffee maker on.

We should mention that paper filters have environmental issues.

White Filters use chlorine to bleach the paper, which may result in the formation of dioxins and furans. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers dioxin as a carcinogen.  You may be able to find oxygen-whitened paper filters, which use oxygen instead of chlorine in the initial bleaching process and chlorine dioxide in the later stages.

Brown or Natural Filters don’t utilize chorine, or at least utilize it to a lesser extent but they alter the coffee’s taste.

Coffee Term For This Month:

Crema: The caramel colored layer on top of a well-brewed espresso. The crema helps preserve the aroma and flavor of the espresso and indicates the quality of the shot.

How to brew the Perfect Cup with a Neapolitan Flip, Did you know? Issue 19

How to brew the Perfect Cup with a Neapolitan Flip

This method is the Italian twist on coffee making, also known as a reversible drip pot. The mechanism, usually made of aluminum, consists of two chambers, with coffee secure in between them. The lower chamber is filled with water and the whole contraption is put on the stove. When the water is boiling, steam escapes from a pinhole below the coffee grounds. At this point, the pot is removed from the stove and flipped over. Water drips through the grounds into the now right-side-up serving pot.

Coffee Term For This Month

Barista: A person who is a master of the Espresso machine and makes espresso as a profession.

How to Brew the Perfect cup of French Press, Did you know? Issue 18

How to Brew the Perfect cup of French Press:

The French press, or plunger pot, is simple, elegant and hands-down the easiest way to make good coffee. Pour fresh boiled water over medium to coarsely ground coffee then, allow it to infuse for about four minutes.  Press the plunger’s stainless steel filter down through the infusion, and you get a very thickly textured cup that is full of natural coffee oils.

Coffee Term For this Month: Rich

Means full and mellow flavor. It also describes complexity and depth.

How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Espresso, Did you know? Issue 17

How to  Brew the Perfect Cup of Espresso:

Stove-top versions, heated by the stove’s burner, contain two chambers: water is in the bottom chamber and is forced up through a filter containing the coffee grounds. It arrives gurgling in the upper chamber and is served. There are also numerous electric countertop models which inject hot water through the coffee grounds directly into a cup, very much like those huge machines seen in coffeehouses. These home espresso machines have become almost as commonplace in the average kitchen as percolators were in those fifties movies. Most models come with the means of steaming milk for cappuccinos and lattes.

Coffee Term For This Month: Cappuccino

A classic blend of coffee and steamed milk named after the brown robes of the Capuchin monks. Approximately equal proportions of espresso, steamed milk and foamed milk.

Coffee Grinding Guide, Did you know? Issue 16

Coffee Grinding Guide

The most popular grinding methods are the following:

French Press (Bodum)

Grind Type: medium to coarse (like bread crumbs): should feel like coarse
sandpaper or cornmeal to the touch.

Grinding time: 10-15 seconds

Filter Drip

Grind Type: medium, with no powder present – just a touch finer than the metal filter drip grind

Grinding Time: 16 seconds

Neapolitan Filter Pot

Grind Type: medium to coarse, with no powder present

Grinding Time: 15 seconds

Stovetop Espresso (Moka) Pot

Grind Type: medium to fine, like fine sand

Grinding Time: 20 seconds

Espresso Machine

Grind Type: Very fine. These machines require a fine, consistent grind with a texture between flour and table salt.

Grinding Time, with a Home Burr Mill: 20-25 seconds.

Another method used is:

The Middle Eastern method

You may want to purchase this type of coffee in a specialty coffee shop or ethnic market, rather than attempting to make it yourself.

___________________________________

Coffee term for this month:  Aroma

It is the fragrance that is released from the bean. It will tell you how fresh your coffee is, as well as some of its traits.

Darkeness of roasts, Did you know? Issue 15

The following classifications are used by professionnels to designate the numerous darkeness of roasts:

Light :

Cinammon, New England, Light

Medium :

American, Medium Brown, Brown

Medium Dark :

Full City, Vienna

Dark :

Italian, Espresso, European

Darker :

Espresso, Italian, Continental

Very Dark :

French, Dark French, Italian

Next Page »